Shamrock
Hull number 788
Hull number 788
My wife Valerie and I joined the Pentwater Yacht Club in 2008, the year we bought our cottage. It was only by happenstance and pure karma that on the first Saturday of the 2009 sailing season, Jack Patterson needed another crew member. Having raced offshore on the Great Lakes for many years, I had the knowledge to contribute and was accepted by Jack as a permanent member of the Shamrock crew. Jack and I were perfectly matched - I could manage the sail trim and Jack would manage the course, the competition, and the sharing of sailing lore! As my sons became older, Jack was glad to have them and Valerie aboard as developing crew. Jack believed in the sport and that the future success of sailing in Pentwater depended on educating young people.
Upon Jack's untimely passing in 2013, I contacted his wife Mary Lou to let her know I would buy the boat and make sure Shamrock continued forward in Fleet 70. In 2014 we raced the Ensign Nationals in Pentwater in Jack's honor. Like all Ensigns, a reasonable amount of maintenance has been required to keep the boat in shape. Soft decking from waterlogged core has been replaced, a chain plate failure on the second race of 2019 cost us the season and required substantial effort to repair, and all the brightwork has been completely redone. As the other owners know, this is a labor of love and a great chance to build comradery and compare stories at Patterson Marine.
Over the past 7 years our sailing success has continued and our commitment to providing crew opportunities to young and old in the spirit of Jack's vision has also continued. The creation of the Pentwater Sailing Academy in 2021 is done in that same spirit and Valerie and I look forward to many more years owning Shamrock and helping others learn to sail!
