The Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame, Sail Canada and the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston announced that Erich Bruckmann is one of the 12 people inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame on Oct. 15.
Erich Bruckmann, who passed in 2011, was best known for building the 40-foot racing sloop Red Jacket in his manufacturing facility in Oakville, Ontario. Red Jacket was the first Canadian sailboat to win the South Ocean Racing Conference in 1968.
Bruckmann constructed the sloop using a balsam core, a revolutionary technique. Traditionally, boats were built of either solid wood or fibreglass. Using balsam created a far lighter and ultimately faster sloop.
Mr. Bruckmann arrived in Oakville as a cabinet maker in 1956. He was employed by Metro Marine located in Bronte, where he became the shop superintendent.
In 1962, he left Metro and started Bruckmann Manufacturing in Burlington, then moved his plant to Wallace Road in Oakville. Bruckmann Manufacturing was commissioned in 1964 to build Red Jacket. The boat launched in 1966.
The international success of Red Jacket provided the catalyst for creating world-renowned C&C Yachts.
The Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame recognizes Erich Bruckmann as the builder of Red Jacket, founding member of C&C Yachts and Manager of C&C Custom Division.
He was honoured alongside the other C&C founders - George Cassian: The 2nd “C” in C&C Yachts, and George Cuthbertson, designer of Red Jacket; George Hinterhoeller: Designer and builder of the Shark, founding member of C&C Yachts and Hinterhoeller Yachts, and Ian Morch: Established Belleville Marine and was a founding member of C&C Yachts.
Red Jacket was donated to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston by the late Peter Milligan.