ERIC TWINAME
Eric Twiname was born in Workington, Cumberland, in 1942. At the age of nine he learned to sail in Cadets on Bassenthwaite Lake, then graduated to GP14s when he developed a keen interest in the theory of sailing. While at school he learned to play the piano and cello to a very high standard and also won a flying scholarship which led to him obtaining a flying licence.
He graduated with a degree in civil engineering from Imperial College where he captained both the University and the British Universities sailing teams. After a 5 year spell in the family construction business in the north of England, he made a dramatic career break and returned to London to work as a freelance sailing journalist and writer. At the same time he became a member of the Felixstowe Ferry sailing team which won the Prince Philip team trophy and the European championship. He has won the Sir Ralph Gore trophy in Fireflies, finished consistently well in Firefly and GP14 championships, and was national champion in both the Laser and International Canoe classes, as well as recording a 5th place in the Laser Worlds.
His first book ‘Dinghy Team Racing’ is perhaps still the standard work on the subject whilst his later ‘The Rules Book’ has just been re-published to reflect the recent 2009-2012 rule changes. He was a frequent contributor to the yachting press in Britain and abroad and for a time was editor of ‘Dinghy International’ magazine. Apart from writing a play and several documentaries for BBC Radio, he was also one of the pioneer sailing commentators on outside TV broadcasts - both in the UK and at the 1976 Olympics. He had a profound influence on the administration of sailing, especially in the area of the Racing Rules and acted as advisor to the British team at the 1976 Olympic Games as well as serving on the RYA’s racing rules committee. He was very much in demand as a lecturer to sailing clubs, and spent considerable time teaching and coaching young racing dinghy sailors in the UK and abroad.
Eric died tragically in 1980 but his legacy lives on through his books and the Trust set up in his name.
The Trust was set up in 1980 order to perpetuate Eric’s memory and to enable his many and diverse sailing interests to continue. It became a registered charity in 1991 with the primary objective of providing funding or equipment that will assist those in full-time education at schools and universities in the United Kingdom to sail or yacht race, with the emphasis being directed towards youth.
Since the Trust’s inception it has provided over £¾m for deserving causes and these have included bursaries for juniors on starter courses, the on-going provision of support RIBS for all eight national youth classes, the funding of dinghies for training purposes for sailing associations and clubs, and the financing of national championship events. Examples of the latter include the RYA Eric Twiname Championship - which has grown to become one of the largest sailing events for Juniors in the calendar - and also the Eric Twiname RYA Youth and Junior Team Racing Championship.
The Trust provides funding for such worthwhile causes from investments and to a lesser extent further additional revenue from fundraising events and private donations. The finances of the Trust and the designation of funds are run by a small team of Trustees, most of whom are keen sailors.
Trustees: Hazel Twiname (Patron), Bruce Aitken (Chairman), Jim Kirkpatrick, John Reed, Duncan Truswell, Peter Whipp, Bryan Willis.
(February 2009)
For further information, for applications for
financial aid, or for contributions to the Trust, please contact:
Mrs. Dinny Reed, Administrator, The Eric Twiname Memorial Trust, P.O. Box 2,
Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 9JX,
or visit our website
www.erictwinametrust.org