In Artful Boaters Memory Luxury Girl will Sail BVI Spring Regatta

Sadness lies over the BVI boating community like a dense fog as we come to grip with the loss of Artful Boater, Guy Eldridge. Guy passed away on Friday, March 26, after racing the first day of the Rolex International Regatta in St. Thomas. In his honour and memory, crew members who have sailed with him throughout the years will race Guy’s First 10R, Luxury Girl in the 39th BVI Spring Regatta. Artful Boater was the Guy’s Facebook identity and it seemed to fit. Certainly he was skilled in the art of boating and Guy was a giver; he gave to all of us who knew him. Freely he shared his time, toys, expertise and love of the sport. He was very active in the Royal BVI Yacht Club, serving as �Captian of Sailing� and organizing more than his fair share of the racing that has taken place in the last few years. He was also the first to offer a place to newbies on Mistress Quickly, his Melges 24, and more recently, on his First 10R, Luxury Girl. Once on board, he drove his crew hard because he loved the sport and he loved doing well and many of his crew stayed on, learning to sail, learning the love of the sport and learning to love Guy and his supportive wife, Sue-Ellyn. As shared with to me by a Luxury Girl crew member, Sue-Ellyn expressed her sincere thanks to his crew for helping Guy to achieve one of his life long goals, winning his class in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Just a few weeks ago, Guy with his crew demonstrated unquestionable skill in the art of boating when they took four out of five first place finishes in the Spinnaker 6 division and won class honours easily in the 2010 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. The boating community in the BVI now has a hole that won’t be easily filled. Our loss is of that of a true friend but Guy’s wife and son, Sue-Ellyn and William, have lost so much more.