Bill Ficker trophies from winning the Star Worlds with Baxter & Cicero sails in 1958
By LEN BOSE
For my last column, I picked up the phone and called an old friend of mine Hank Thayer from Baxter & Cicero sailmakers regarding remote control sailing and his time with Swede Johnson at the sail loft. As the phone was ringing the idea came to me that I should be interviewing Thayer regarding the history of Baxter & Cicero.
I first met Thayer in the late ‘80s. He would come into Reubens restaurant for lunch from time to time with some of the people that worked with him and sat at the bar where I was the daytime bartender. Of course, we always talked about sailing, and at that time he was the helmsman for John Arens Frers 50 Tomahawk, the biggest, baddest boat on the harbor.
From the beginning back in 1937, the loft focused on our local fleets of Stars, Rhodes 33, Lehmans and Snipes. It gained international attention with Bill Ficker in 1958, when Ficker won the Star Worlds with Baxter & Cicero sails followed up by Don Elder winning the Star Worlds in 1964. Baxter was also an active Star sailor at Newport Harbor Yacht Club, where they still hold the Baxter Bowl annually. Notable is that Dave Ullman got his start at Baxter & Cicero making Snipe and Lido 14 sails. Henry Sprague was also one of the local sailors who would work at the loft. “Most of best harbor sailors would work at the loft during the summer months. There was sailboat designer Carl Schumacher, who worked at the loft along with other sailmakers that started their own lofts – John Staff, Kevin Conley and Cal Preston,” Thayer said.
Baxter & Cicero has a long history dating back to the 1940s for their canvas work from boat & sail covers, embroidery, soft luggage and outdoor covers for the home – always known for quality work with Warren Blinn getting his start at the loft along with J Miller. In the 1980s, Thayer gave me a Baxter & Cicero canvas duffel bag, which today I still pull out of the closet to impress when I arrive on the boats that “remember” when these bags were built.
Over the years Baxter and Cicero have moved around, first starting their loft off of 31st Street in Newport Beach, then up to Costa Mesa in the 1980s off of Farad Street, then up to 20th Street and Newport Boulevard. For the last 15 years they have been located at 1760 Monrovia St. You can also view their website at www.baxterandcicero.com.
There is a lot of history when you walk through their doors. For me it’s like walking into an old-style sailing club where your go for advice on the race course or find out which materials work best for the tasks at hand. The personal service and attention along with being greeted by your first name, along with a “well done” from the local weekend race results give me that at-home feeling when calling.
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Breaking News! For years I have been searching for ways to properly dispose of all my expired marine flares. Harbormaster Paul Blank was notified of a press release from the California Boating and Waterways. On Saturday, Aug. 27 from 7 a.m.-1 p.m., head to Dana Point Harbor, 34555 Casitas Place, Dana Point. Bring your unwanted or expired marine flares and smoke signals. Accepted: Hand-held flares aerial flares smoke signals. Not accepted: Electronic flares, military flares, or any other hazardous waste such as paint, oil, e-waste, or batteries. Participants will receive free boater kit and flare discount coupons, courtesy of the California State Parks and California Coastal Commission.
Sea ya.
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Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.
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