George Harding Cuthbertson

George Harding Cuthbertson (1929–2017) was a founding partner of Cuthbertson & Cassian yacht designers, one of four companies that in 1969 formed C&C Yachts, a Canadian yacht builder that dominated North American sailing in the 1970s and early ‘80s.

His was the first “C” in C&C, with his design associate George Cassian, being the second. Cuthbertson would go on to be president of that company for many years, establishing plants in Rhode Island and Kiel, Germany, boat production in England and Italy, in addition to their existing Production Plant in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and Custom Shop in Oakville, ON.

In an article in Maclean's magazine in August 1970 George Cuthbertson was described as six-foot-four, weighing 220 pounds. He has a crewcut, his voice is deep, and he looks like a linebacker on his day off. He also had a couple of nicknames: When it comes to nicknames, sailing and the yacht business may be even cuter and more prolific than, say, golf and the golf business. Cuthbertson is not only Big George, he's also Cumbersome. Cassian is not only Little George, he's also Casual. Get it? C & C Yachts.

Early life Cuthbertson was born on June 3, 1929, in Brantford, Ontario. He was the second son of Elma Charlotte (née Ferguson), and Allan Edward Cuthbertson, who was general manager and later president of Harding Carpets, which operated a factory in Brantford. George's middle name came from carpet company founder Victor Harding.

The elder Mr. Cuthbertson died suddenly of a heart attack in 1943. His widow and sons moved to her hometown of Toronto.

Education George completed high school in Toronto before earning a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1950. She promptly began to rack up an enviable race record on Lake Ontario.

Canadian Northern Co. Cuthbertson modified a number of European yachts for the North American market. These Canadian Northern 35s were designed by Cuthbertson and built of steel by Kurt Beister in Norderney, Germany. A half dozen were built by Cliff Richardson in Meaford, Ontario. One, named Carousel was ordered as a bare hull by a boyhood friend of Cuthbertson's from sailing days in Port Credit, who had since become Peter Davidson's brother-in-law. His name was Perry Connolly, and he would soon return to George Cuthbertson for the design that would make both their names household words in international sailing circles.

The boat, named Red Jacket, was built by Bruckmann Manufacturing, in Oakville, Ontario, in fiberglass with a balsa core; the resulting structure was (and is) strong, stiff and significantly lighter than the wood or solid fiberglass yachts then sailing. Red Jacket is considered to be the first sailboat engineered with a cored hull (other earlier boats had balsacored decks, and powerboat builders were using it in transoms and superstructures). No doubt the weight savings and panel stiffness of her cored hull contributed significantly to her racing success. She was launched in May 1966 and took 11 of 13 starts that summer. That winter, Red Jacket headed south and won the famed SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Conference), which was a series of six races with the major two being from St. Petersburg to Fort Lauderdale and from Miami to Nassau.competing against over 85 of the best racers of the day. Red Jacket was the first Canadian boat to win the SORC.

Through the 1970s Cuthbertson flew Cessna 172s and floatplanes. In his retirement continued to fly, usually a custom built Cessna 172. He also tinkered with furniture design and travelled widely. It was his practice to visit marinas to check in on the condition of the sailboats he had designed.

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 to honour significant contributions and achievements by a Canadian.

George H. Cuthbertson was inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame in 2014.

Cuthbertson archive The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes has in its archives the early original C&C design and construction drawings, a retirement donation by Cuthbertson of his papers. In 2008 Tim Jackett, whose company bought the C&C name in 1996, donated the rest of the Cuthbertson papers and more, dating from 1972 through to the late 1980s.

Boat designs Some of George Cutbertson's designs include:

Favourites When George Cuthbertson was asked back in 1992 to name the company's most outstanding boats from his tenure, he felt that the original C&C 35 was a standout. He also mentioned two other models from its era: The Redline 41 Condor earned C&C its second—and last—SORC title in 1972. At that same SORC, the C&C 61 Sorcery was first overall in two races. Socery had amassed a trophy case of victories in 1971 for owner James Baldwin of Locust Valley, N.Y., and Cuthbertson felt the fame of this design has been largely overlooked in Canada because none of the 61s ever sailed in "local" waters.