Sad news to hear Gary Hoyt has passed away.
https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2025/04/12/eight-bells-garry-hoyt/
Very sad to hear.
I met Gary at the Miami Boat Show in the 2010’s. He had one of his boats he was showing there - Alerion I think. Pretty boat, rather expensive.
I told him how we loved our Freedom 32 and raised our kids on it. He had a shine in his eye and shared how he was on the first that configured a boat and cabin to be so workable, yet the boat is fast and easy to single hand, and much more about sailing, racing and how he came up with the design.
Great guy, justifiably proud, and generous for spending his time with me.
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I found his phone number on his website, and was tempted to call him just to say thanks, but I didn’t want to bother him. He probably already knew what nice boats the Freedom series are.
Gary Hoyt didn’t draw the Freedom plans (at least for the hulls), but he must have supervised them, as he founded the Freedom Yacht Company, so the final result is largely down to him.
Here in France, people admire the lines of my Freedom 33.
And I never get tired of admiring them myself.
It’s a great success.
Merci Mr. Hoyt.