In recognition of over 50 years of “meritorious service to the yachting world and the Cruising Club of America,” the CCA honored Steve and Linda Dashew with its 2018 Richard S. Nye Award. The CCA established the award to recognize a member or members of the Club “who has brought distinction to the Club by meritorious service, outstanding seamanship, outstanding performance in long distance cruising or racing, statesmanship in the affairs of international racing, or any combination of the above.”

The Dashews, working as a team for more than five decades, have pushed the frontiers of long distance short-handed cruising. Their extensive offshore experience led them to the conclusion that speed and safety were linked as fast passages reduced weather and navigational risks. The Dashews’ rigs, optimized for cruising couples, were compact by most standards, but combined with a maximum waterline and moderate beam returned comparatively fast passages and a number of records. Their ketches, the 68-foot Sundeer and the 78-foot Beowulf, are both exemplars of their simple philosophy that form must follow function. In 2005 the Dashews launched their first fast motor cruiser, the 83-foot Wind Horse, developed using the sailing designs.

In addition to designing and producing long distance cruisers with an emphasis on safety and seamanship, the Dashews have not been selfish with their hard-won knowledge of yacht design, offshore cruising and weather.  They have published over three hundred magazine articles and eight books on these topics, with the most recent four being available as free downloads at SetSail.com. Linda and Steve Dashew clearly check all the boxes required of a recipient of the Richard S. Nye Trophy.