Joe Fernandes Trophy

The following presentation was made by Ian McAllister at the first awarding of the Joe Fernandes trophy in 2003.

Jose Fernandez was born in the costal town of Serelous Pecinos near Lisbon, to a family who were always focused on the sea. His grandfather was the local sailmaker and so from a very early age, Joe messed about with boats. As a young man he went to the ancient city of Steubal working in the sail loft of a master sailmaker. The sails he made brought not a square of coloured silk or a trophy as the prize for a race that took months and crossed oceans. The prize for these sailors was the best price for a seasons fishing, for the sails Joe made in Portugal were for the famous White Fleet that fished the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. If his sails were not the fastest, it meant a lessened lifestyle for the crew and their families.

Joe and his family came to Canada in the late 1960s, and he very quickly became a sailmaker of note in Toronto, first with Tom Taylors and in the late 70s his own Triton loft on Niagara Street. From that time to the present Joe made sails for pleasure sailors with the skill and care he learned first from his Grandfather, and honed in Steubal when the stakes were so different.

We were first taken to meet Joe at the Tom Taylor loft in 1974 when we bought an Alberg 30, a hot racing class then. It seemed that everyone who had an Alberg had Joe’s sails. We very rapidly went form being customers, to friends, to family. For thirty years Joe’s sails have made my boats competitive and have given great pleasure to the many people who have crewed with me. Joe and I always discussed what sails I wanted, we would come to an agreement and then he would call Marilea to make sure it was OK. She never said No, but she made sure Ronald knows the drill.

Joe was a gifted and talented sailmaker, but his greatest talent was knowing people, and how to work with them. He was a mentor and teacher to many young people. He willingly passed on the skills and insights learned over a lifetime of crafting cloth into racing and cruising sails to a host of young people who now are part of the business in Canada, Portugal and Brazil.

Joe loved talking with people and made a point of taking time for everyone. He would answer questions, explain how sails were constructed, and encourage novice (and experienced) racers and cruisers.

Above all Joe was honest and he didn’t like making sails if he didn’t think they were needed. Over the years I was amazed at how often he talked himself out of business by telling someone that the sails they had still had good years left.

Joe was an active, long time member of both the Oakville Yacht Squadron and the Port Credit Yacht Club. He was a great supporter of racing and cruising but especially the Learn to Sail programs at both clubs. He always had time to spend, with his children, mine, and those of many others, because he so strongly believed in young people.

When Ronald completed his university education, and after working both at the loft and in other areas associated with the sailing community, he expressed an interest in learning to make sails. From that point on Joe became the teacher and Ronald the sail maker. Joe told me Ron learned more in 6 moths than anyone else who ever worked for him. Although I’m sure that Ron would say he hasn’t learned enough, I know from this year’s racing results that he makes a great sail. I would ask Ron to come and present The Joe Fernandes Trophy to Jonathan Vinden of Windriven.

First awarded in 2003  to the yacht with the Best Corrected Time in the Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 2 of the LO300.