Tom Blackaller

Personal information

Full name

Thomas David Blackaller, Jr.

Born

January 6, 1940
Seattle, Washington

Died

September 7, 1989 (aged 49)

Sailing career

Class(es)

Star, 6mR, 12mR

Medal record

World Championships
	1974 Laredo	Star class
	1980 Rio de Janeiro	Star class
	1969 San Diego	Star class
	1975 Lake Michigan	Star class
	1973 San Diego	Star class
	1978 San Francisco	Star class

Thomas David Blackaller, Jr. (January 6, 1940 – September 7, 1989) was a world-champion American yachtsman, America's Cup helmsman, sailmaker, and racecar competitor. He was a two-time world champion in the Star class keelboat, a world champion in the international Six metre class, raced in three separate America's Cup campaigns, and influenced the careers of many other sailors.

Blackaller was born January 6, 1940, in Seattle, Washington. He moved with his parents to the San Francisco Bay area as a child and began sailing when he was 10 years old.

Tom Blackaller initially rose to prominence sailing Star class keelboats. He bought his first Star boat in 1957, a chubby hull #2482, named "Spirit." Seeking a faster boat, Blackaller ordered a new boat that winter from boatmaker Carl Eichenlaub. This became boat hull #3938, which he named Good Grief! He later obtained a second, newer boat hull (#5150), retaining the boat name Good Grief! Sailing this second boat in 1968 he won his first major events, taking a Silver Star at the Western Hemisphere Spring Championship and then a second Silver Star at the North American Championship. Blackaller won district championships (5th District) in 1971 and in 1979. In 1974 and 1980 he won the Star Class world championship, receiving Gold Stars for those wins.

He became known among fellow competitors as Charlie Brown, because he liked to clown around, and the name of his boat evoked the character of the same name from the Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz.

As Blackaller became more accomplished he began competing internationally, initially in the 6-Meter class. In 1969 the St. Francis Yacht Club became involved in the Australian-American Challenge, a new international 6-Meter competition. The club bought an Olin Stephens-designed 6-Meter named Toogooloowoo IV, originally owned by John Taylor of Australia. Renamed St. Francis, Blackaller helmed her to victory in the November 1970 challenge in Australia, defeating the very same John Taylor and his new Stephens Six, Toogooloowoo V. The first World Cup in 6-Meters was held in Seattle in 1973, which Blackaller also won.

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