John Gerald "Gerry" Driscoll III (1924 – March 12, 2011) was an international

yachting Yachting is the use of recreational boats and ships called ''yachts'' for racing or cruising. Yachts are distinguished from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose. "Yacht" derives from the Dutch word '' jacht'' ("hunt"). With sailboats, t ...

champion and businessman from

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. He competed in the defense portion of four

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one f ...

races (1964, 1967, 1970, and 1974), and was part of the organizational effort for two others. His innovative year-round training regimen for the 1974 race permanently changed the way teams prepare for the America's Cup.San Diego Union-Tribune, March 14, 2011
/ref> As a competitor, organizer, ambassador and businessman, he is credited with helping to put San Diego on the sailing map internationally, and as one of the first San Diegans to compete in the America's Cup races, he raised the profile of the America's Cup on the

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Sailing career

America's Cup

In 1964, he skippered the trial horse ''Vim'' in the America's Cup defense qualifying races. In 1967 he was the project manager and skipper of ''Columbia'', the first America's Cup entry from the

. In 1970 he served as tactician on the defense candidate ''Valiant''. It was in 1974 that he "changed forever how the (America's Cup) event was sailed." At that time the standard America's Cup calendar was that the boats were built the winter before the event, and crew training began four or five months before the actual races. But Driscoll trained and drilled his crew throughout the winter in the calm waters off San Diego, while his rivals were all in dry dock. His boat '' Intrepid'' came close to winning the defender competition that year, but lost to '' Courageous'' in the final race due to a broken backstay. His year-round training program became the standard for future America's Cup efforts. He was also the general manager for the challenger ''Eagle'' in the 1986–87 race, and helped the

San Diego Yacht Club San Diego Yacht Club is a yacht club located in San Diego Bay. It is located in Point Loma across from a spit of land known as Shelter Island. Facilities The San Diego Yacht Club facility has a main dining room and outdoor deck seating, a ba ...

organize the 1992 races.

Other sailing

* He won the international

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championship in 1944. * He won the Lipton Cup three times, in 1959, 1960, and 1970.The Log, March 17, 2011
* He won the match race Congressional Cup in two consecutive years, 1965 and 1966, during which time his record was 18 and 0. He was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions in 1977.San Diego Hall of Champions
He was named San Diego Yachtsman of the Year in 1966 and 1974.

Business

He and his brother Harlan founded a boat yard in 1947. Driscoll Boat Works eventually became a major presence in the Southern California marine industry including a number of yacht construction, repair, and maintenance facilities in

San Diego Bay San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port located in San Diego County, California near the U.S.–Mexico border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of c ...

and Mission Bay, as well as yacht brokerages and Driscoll's Wharf and Marina.

Community

He led the modernization of the Juniors program at the

. He also founded the San Diego Yachting Cup, one of San Diego's top annual sailing events.San Diego Yachting Cup

Personal life

Driscoll was a seventh-generation Californian. One of his maternal ancestors was a soldier who accompanied Father

Junípero Serra Junípero Serra y Ferrer (; ; ca, Juníper Serra i Ferrer; November 24, 1713August 28, 1784) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Order , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size ...

, founder of the system of

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. A longtime San Diego resident, he had seven children. He died in his

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home on March 12, 2011.

Achievements

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Driscoll, John Gerald 1924 births 2011 deaths American male sailors (sport) 1974 America's Cup sailors Businesspeople from San Diego People from La Jolla, San Diego San Diego Yacht Club sailors 1970 America's Cup sailors 1967 America's Cup sailors 1964 America's Cup sailors Star class world champions World champions in sailing for the United States 20th-century American businesspeople