james hardy yachtsman

Sir James Hardy, champion yachtsman and wine boss, dies aged 90

South Australia's champion yachtsman and wine boss Sir James Hardy has died aged 90.

Key points:

• Sir James was part of the first team to wrest the America's Cup from the United States
• He became back-up skipper for Australia II in 1983
• Premier Peter Malinauskas said Sir James made a "significant contribution" to the state and nation

Widely known as "Gentleman Jim", Sir James was an Olympic sailor before becoming part of the first team to wrest the America's Cup from the United States.

He lived an adventurous life but it wasn't all plain sailing — at the age of six, his father died in a plane crash.

"Sadly through poor navigation they overshot Essendon and crashed in fog into the Dandenong Ranges," Sir James recalled in an interview.

He joined the family wine company in 1953, but spent much of his time out at sea, winning national and international yachting titles.

Despite two Olympics and becoming a world champion, his ultimate ambition remained victory in the America's Cup.

After three failed attempts, Sir James finally tasted success in 1983 as back-up skipper for Australia II.

In 2003, the family wine business Hardy's was taken over and became part of the Accolade stable of wines.

"Now we'll be able to go through the door and make arrangements and hopefully lead an Australian push into countries like Germany," he said in 2003.

Sir James was knighted in 1981 for services to yachting.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said Sir James made a "significant contribution" to the state and nation through philanthropy, his work in the wine industry and yachting. 

"He was a business leader, Olympian and famously led the charge for Australia in three America’s Cup campaigns."

Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman said Sir James was a "giant" of sailing.

"James Hardy made an impact in many areas during his life, and he will be very sadly missed by the sailing community and the broader Australian sports community," he said.

Australian Sailing president Alistair Murray said Sir James's contribution to sailing "cannot be understated".

"He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia," he said.

"Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend.

"On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way."

Former premier Steven Marshall said Sir James was a "fabulous" South Australian and a "wonderful winemaker, businessman, yachtsman".

Australian Sailing said Sir James is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela and sons David and Richard.

• X (formerly Twitter)
• Community and Society
• United States

The Sydney Morning Herald

{{data.meterPrompt.countRemaining}}

{{data.meterPrompt.message}}

{{data.paywallPrompt.countRemaining}}

{{data.paywallPrompt.title}}

{{data.paywallPrompt.message}}

This was published 9 months ago

A life dominated by good sailing and good wine

JAMES HARDY: 1932-2023

For Sir James Hardy, who has died peacefully in Adelaide aged 90, work was often something to be fitted in between the more rewarding things of life.

When asked how he found time for all his sporting, social and charitable activities, while still representing the wine company that bore the family name his response was always: “Well, it’s a poor family that can’t afford at least one gentleman”. Wine, sailing, family, good company and loyal support for the Sydney Swans were the themes of a life well lived.

James Hardy on the tiller of Sir James, the treasured family yacht Nerida built for his father. Supplied

Hardy had that unique knack of putting anyone who met him at their ease. Introduced to a stranger he was “Sir James” only once; after that it would be “just call me Jim”. If they declined to share a drink, he might quote from Timothy 5:23: “Drink no longer only water, but take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake” then round off that favourite biblical advice with a hearty “How more Christian can you get than that?”

James Gilbert Hardy was born in the cliff-top family home at Seacliff in Adelaide on November 20, 1932. The youngest of four children, he was a great-grandson of the wine company’s founder, who’d emigrated from Devon to the new colony of South Australia in 1850. The sea-going ancestral roots of the family go back to Thomas Masterman Hardy, who was Horatio Nelson’s captain on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Jim’s father, Tom, a keen yachtsman and chairman of the Thomas Hardy & Sons wine company, died in the Kyeema plane crash at Essendon Airport in 1938. Jim was just six years old, so his early upbringing fell to his mother, Eileen, and Aunt Madeline.

Bill Hardy and James Hardy at Tintara. Fairfax

Growing up in war-time South Australia, he was a spirited – perhaps naughty – boy, carefree and adventurous. There was an early infatuation with conjuring tricks but sailing soon became his true passion. Jim worked at a market garden after school and on weekends to pay for the materials to build his first racing boat, a 12-foot Cadet dinghy he named Nocroo. The beachside clubhouse of the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, where his father had been a foundation member and commodore, was in easy walking distance from the family home.

Accepted for St Peter’s College, his fees were paid by his godfather, Sir James Gosse. Hardy rowed for the school and was good enough at Australian rules football to play fullback in interstate competitions at the MCG. To complete an education considered appropriate for his intended role in the family company he then studied viticulture and oenology at Roseworthy College.

After completing national service in 1951, Hardy tried his hand at sharing a farm on the Yorke Peninsula. Those were two years of what he remembered as “pretty hard yakka” (resulting in a hernia operation) so he returned to Adelaide and joined Hardy & Sons, beginning as a shipping clerk while studying accountancy at night at the South Australian School of Mines and Industries.

Sir James’ impressive capacity to hold his liquor over long periods was then hard-earned selling wine and spirits to country publicans. His glad consumption of the family’s products was also expected at any social or sporting event. Never seriously the worse for drink, he nevertheless conceded he might sometimes have suffered from “industrial fatigue”.

In 1956, after a three-year courtship, Hardy married Anne Jackson, an Adelaide airline secretary. He was 24, she was 21. In a portent of their life ahead, Jim sailed on five of the seven days of their honeymoon. They had two sons, David and Richard, and in early 1959, Jim finally won his first national sailing championship.

By 1962, Hardy had moved up through the ranks and was appointed as the company’s regional director in NSW to help build wine and spirit sales in the eastern states. Sydney became his permanent home.

Further success on the water followed. But in 1964, while Hardy was competing at the Tokyo Olympics, he received a letter from Anne saying that their second son, Richard, had fallen backwards in the kitchen and hit his head on the hard floor. The accident left Richard partly disabled and was probably a catalyst for the tensions in Jim’s relationship with Anne.

Sailing now dominated Hardy’s life. He won the world championship in the 505 class dinghies in 1966, defeating four-time Olympic champion Paul Elvstrom. That victory prompted an invitation to join the crews training in Sydney for Australia’s second challenge for the America’s Cup, the competition that soon came to define Hardy’s international yachting reputation.

James Hardy celebrates his knighthood with Noel Bird, distribution manager of Thomas Hardy Wines at his NSW headquarters at Botany, 1981. Fairfax

His close defeat as helmsman in the controversial Gretel II challenge in 1970 was a crushing blow. He only shed his disappointment after surviving the horrific Fastnet Ocean Race of 1979, when a violent storm in the Irish Sea cost 15 sailors their lives. “Going through an experience like that sort of washes out your soul,” he said.

Hardy was the skipper in a further two America’s Cup campaigns (1974, 1980) and back-up helmsman and trusted advisor to John Bertrand when Australia II finally won the Cup in 1983.

Meanwhile, he continued to compete in major offshore races, principally in his own yachts Nyamba and Police Car but also sailing as a helmsman for other owners in local and international events. When he convinced the company to buy back and restore his father’s 1933 classic yacht Nerida, Hardy described the re-launch in 1971 as “one of the greatest moments in my life”.

Made an OBE in 1975, then Knight Bachelor in 1981 for “services to yachting and the community”, Hardy continued to sit on the boards and councils of many public institutions and charities as well as being chairman of the Hardy company.

He was a councillor of the Royal Blind Society for 25 years and served on the Neurosurgical Research Foundation of South Australia. He also chaired the Natural Heritage Trust Advisory Committee, was a long-serving chairman of the Landcare Foundation and chair of the Australia Day Regatta.

After his marriage with Anne dissolved in 1991, Jim wed Joan McInnes, a singer and TV presenter. They divided their time between apartments in Potts Point, Sydney, and on the waterfront at Glenelg in Adelaide.

Both were avid Australian rules fans and rarely missed a home game of the Sydney Swans. Hardy accepted a place on the Swans’ initial board of management and was later made a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground.

While his manners were immaculate, even slightly old-fashioned, the tone of Jim’s conversation was relaxed and engaging. Anyone within earshot felt included and their contributions were always valued. As guest crew he would never take the helm unless invited, even though his skill at steering yachts was peerless and remained undiminished well into his 80s.

On the countless occasions when Hardy was required to speak in public he extemporised from brief notes, peppering his speeches with aphorisms, jokes and anecdotes in which his own misadventures were usually the source of the humour.

He also enjoyed quoting poetry. His favourite lines – from Ulysses by Tennyson – seemed to carry more than a hint of self-reference:

That which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Hardy’s name will endure as a yachting champion and through the company’s popular wine brands. There is a Masonic Lodge named in his honour. The Hardy Cup is an annual match-racing competition he endowed to encourage the nation’s most talented young sailors. He was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 1994.

Sir James is survived by wife Joan, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

There is to be a state funeral for Sir James in Adelaide on Friday.

The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.

David Salter

David Salter is an independent journalist and TV producer who has filled senior roles at ABC-TV and the commercial networks.

Most Viewed in National

Restaurant ‘devastated’ after shore student’s allergy death, last weekend, a five-year-old broke into a house to steal a car, these students cheated on a test and got away with it. then the blackmail started, the waiting list war: the battle to become a private school parent, ‘man of straw’: business leader faces multimillion-dollar fraud charges, one dead, two in hospital after mass drug overdose on the gold coast.

Published on June 15th, 2023 | by Editor

Eight Bells: Sir James Hardy

Published on June 15th, 2023 by Editor -->

Sailing in Australia has lost one of its most loved identities, with Sir James Hardy OBE passing away in Adelaide aged 90. The well-known yachtsman, vintner, and community leader passed away peacefully on June 15, 2023.

An absolute colossus of the sport, Hardy inspired a generation of Australian sailors after competing in and winning many of sailing’s most prestigious races.

“There will never be another Sir James,” said Australian Sailing President Alistair Murray AM.

“His contribution to the sport cannot be understated. He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia. Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend.

“On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way.”

Raised in Seacliff, South Australia, Hardy won his first national championship in the Flying Dutchman class at age 16 before being selected as a reserve for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. He would go on to compete at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where he finished seventh in the 5.5 Metre class with Gilbert Kaufman as Crew.

“Gentleman Jim” won the 505 Class World Championships in Adelaide in 1966 and competed in four Admiral’s Cups culminating in being number one helmsman of the winning yacht “Impetuous” in the 1979 Admiral’s Cup.

But it was in the America’s Cup that he went on to become a national hero.

Hardy was Skipper for three America’s Cup Challengers, Gretel II in 1970, Southern Cross in 1974, and Australia in 1980, winning Australian Yachtsman of the Year in 1981 for his efforts.

He will forever be remembered for his role as a member of the successful Australia II challenge in 1983, where he was the Reserve Helmsman and Mentor to winning Skipper John Bertrand AO.

“Jim was absolutely essential to the success of the Australia II team in winning the America’s Cup in 1983,” said Australian Sailing Director and Australia II team member Skip Lissiman OAM.”

“His experience from those previous campaigns was crucial to us, as he helped guide us through the challenges and pressures of the America’s Cup series.”

Bertrand pinched a nerve in his neck during the Challenger Series, with Hardy stepping in to Skipper Australia II to eight wins from nine races.

Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community. In 1994 he was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal, and in 2017 he was an inaugural inductee to the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame as a member of Australia II.

Sir James is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

Tags: Eight Bells , James Hardy

Related Posts

Eight Bells: David Yule →

Eight Bells: Sally Helme →

Eight Bells: Charles M. Barclay →

Eight Bells: Dick Heinl →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Local news:

Sign up to newsletters from 7NEWS

Australia’s famous sailor and winemaker sir james hardy dies, aged 90, three-time america's cup skipper sir james hardy has died.

Triple America’s Cup skipper and dual Australian Olympian James Hardy has died in Adelaide, aged 90.

The well-known yachtsman, vintner and community leader passed away peacefully on Thursday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Three-time America’s Cup skipper Sir James Hardy has died.

A member of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, Hardy helped set the tone for Australia’s momentous and nation-building victory in the famous race.

He skippered Australia’s America Cup challenges in 1970, 1974 and 1980 and was a key advisor for the iconic Australia II crew, led by John Bertrand, that ended the United States’s 132-year dominance in 1983.

“Basically I was back-up skipper for Bertrand; and he did pinch a nerve in his neck and he was off the boat,” Hardy said in a 2021 interview.

“I believe it was nine or 10 races.”

Known as “Gentleman Jim”, he was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community.

He competed in consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968.

Hardy continued to sail competitively until late in life.

Outside of sailing, Hardy served as chairman of the family company that produced some of the nation’s most popular wine brands.

He started working for Hardys in 1953, working in a variety of roles, with the company releasing a sparkling wine range in his honour in the late 1980s.

He served on many boards and councils, including the Landcare Foundation.

He is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

A private funeral will be held in Adelaide with a memorial service to follow at a later date.

Hawthorn will appeal James Sicily's three match ban as tackle confusion escalates across the AFL.

Stream free on

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

Australian Sailing mourns passing of Sir James Hardy OBE

Related Articles

Superb yachtsman, vintner Sir James Hardy dies aged 90

Triple America's Cup skipper and dual Australian Olympian Sir James Hardy has died in Adelaide, aged 90.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

(min cost $ 0 )

Login or signup to continue reading

The well-known yachtsman, vintner and community leader passed away peacefully on Thursday.

A member of the America's Cup Hall of Fame, Hardy helped set the tone for Australia's momentous and nation-building victory in the famous race.

He skippered Australia's America Cup challenges in 1970, 1974 and 1980 and was a key adviser for the iconic Australia II crew, led by John Bertrand, that in 1983 ended the 132-year US dominance of the race.

"Basically I was back-up skipper for Bertrand, and he did pinch a nerve in his neck and he was off the boat," Hardy said in a 2021 interview.

"I believe it was nine or 10 races."

Known as "Gentleman Jim", Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community.

"There will never be another Sir James," said Australian Sailing president Alistair Murray, AM.

"His contribution to the sport cannot be understated. He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia.

"Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend.

"On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way."

Hardy competed in consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo in 1964 and Mexico City in 1968.

Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman said Hardy was a giant of his sport.

"James Hardy's name is inextricably bound with the sport he loved over so many decades," Chesterman said in a statement.

"He ignited Australia's obsession with claiming the America's Cup trophy, eventually achieved in 1983, with Sir James advising winning skipper John Bertrand."

Hardy continued to sail competitively until late in life.

Outside of sailing, Hardy served as chairman of the family company that produced some of the nation's most popular wine brands.

He started working for Hardys in 1953 in a variety of roles, with the company releasing a sparkling wine range in his honour in the late 1980s.

Hardy served on many boards and councils, including the Landcare Foundation.

He is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

A private funeral will be held in Adelaide, with a memorial service to follow at a later date.

Australian Associated Press

Advertisement

Get the latest Launceston news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy .

Legendary Australian sailor James Hardy dies aged 90

Renowned Australian yachtsman Sir James Hardy has died aged 90.

Hardy was a two-time Olympian and skippered Australia's America's Cup challenges in 1970, 1974 and 1980.

He also served as the key advisor to the team in 1983 when John Bertrand ended the US's 132-year dominance of the event.

READ MORE: Moment that 'scared' Joey as Origin nightmare returns

READ MORE: Smith injury rocks Aussie camp on eve of Ashes

READ MORE: Storm star lifts lid on 'toughest' battle

AOC president Ian Chesterman paid tribute to Hardy.

"James Hardy's name is inextricably bound with the sport he loved over so many decades," he said in a statement.

"He was picked for the Tokyo 1964 Games then Mexico 1968 Games in the 5.5 metre class – finishing seventh th in Mexico - and he famously led the charge for Australia in three America's Cup campaigns as skipper.

"He ignited Australia's obsession with claiming that trophy, eventually achieved in 1983, with Sir James advising winning skipper John Bertrand.

"James Hardy made an impact in many areas during his life, and he will be very sadly missed by the sailing community and the broader Australian sports community."

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here !

The sporting figures we've lost in 2023

• America s Cup

More Sports News

Sir James Hardy CREDIT AAP

Australian Sailing mourns passing of Sir James Hardy OBE

Sailing in Australia has lost one of its most loved identities, with Sir James Hardy OBE passing away in Adelaide aged 90.

An absolute colossus of the sport, Hardy inspired a generation of Australian sailors after competing in and winning many of sailing’s most prestigious races.

“There will never be another Sir James,” said Australian Sailing President Alistair Murray AM.

“His contribution to the sport cannot be understated. He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia. Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend.

“On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way.”

Raised in Seacliff, South Australia, Hardy won his first national championship in the Flying Dutchman class at age 16 before being selected as a reserve for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games. He would go on to compete at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where he finished seventh in the 5.5 Metre class with Gilbert Kaufman as Crew.

“Gentleman Jim” won the 505 Class World Championships in Adelaide in 1966 and competed in four Admiral’s Cups culminating in being number one helmsman of the winning yacht “Impetuous” in the 1979 Admiral’s Cup.

But it was in the America’s Cup that he went on to become a national hero.

Hardy was Skipper for three America’s Cup Challengers, Gretel II in 1970, Southern Cross in 1974 and Australia in 1980, winning Australian Yachtsman of the Year in 1981 for his efforts.

He will forever be remembered for his role as a member of the successful Australia II challenge in 1983, where he was the Reserve Helmsman and Mentor to winning Skipper John Bertrand AO.

“Jim was absolutely essential to the success of the Australia II team in winning the America’s Cup in 1983,” said Australian Sailing Director and Australia II team member Skip Lissiman OAM.”

“His experience from those previous campaigns was crucial to us, as he helped guide us through the challenges and pressures of the America’s Cup series.”

Bertrand pinched a nerve in his neck during the Challenger Series, with Hardy stepping in to Skipper Australia II to eight wins from nine races.

Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community. In 1994 he was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal, and in 2017 he was an inaugural inductee to the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame as a member of Australia II.

Sir James is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

Media Contact: Michael Martin Head of Marketing and Communications, Australian Sailing

ALSO ON MYSAILING

Lisa Blair World Record attempt starts Monday, April 1

Geotherm strikes first blow at 12ft Skiff Australian Championship

GSC – Riccardo Tosetto’s dream is in sight

Australian Premiere of the new Hanse 510 at the Pittwater Sailing Yacht Show

Lightweight wonder

The CIC Normandy Channel Race – A cardinal event on the Class40 circuit

Two horse race as the IMA’s Caribbean Maxi Multihull Series heads for BVI conclusion

Australian Olympic Committee announces Paris Olympics skiff selections

Iconic Cape to St Helena Yacht Race Returns – Entries now open

SWAP DAY – The Best Day of the Year

Obituary – Remembering Andrew ‘Plymo’ Plympton

WASZP Class and Hawaii form the perfect pair!

Join Our Newsletter

• Name First Last
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Read all of the latest sailing news

Dinghy and Yacht Racing News

News from the offshore world

Cruising Stories from around the world

Boats & Gear

The latest boats and yachting gear

Watch everything sailing and boating

Latest Sailing News, Racing, Cruising, Boats, Gear and more

South Australian wine icon and champion yachtsman, Sir James Hardy has died

The Australian wine industry is in mourning as news hit last night of the passing of Sir James Hardy at 90.

Widely admired and a true gentleman of the industry, Sir James continued to represent the Hardy’s brand throughout his life. The most recent event I was privileged to attend with Sir James was at Otto’s in Sydney earlier this year, celebrating the launch of the 2019 Eileen Hardy Shiraz, 2021 Chardonnay, and 2021 Pinot Noir.

Sir James joined the family wine company in 1953, working as a shipping clerk and through the ranks to become chairman in 1981 and non-executive director in 1992 when it became BRL Hardy Wine Company. In recent years, under the banner of Accolade Wines, Sir James continued as an ambassador for one of Australia’s iconic and much-loved wine dynasties.

Along with the wine industry, Sir James was well known for his exploits on the water, representing Australia at two Olympic games, 1964 in Tokyo and 1968 in Mexico. In 1981 he was knighted by the Queen for services to yachting and in 1994 he was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

Sir James will always be remembered for the true gentleman that he was and for the time he donated to public service such as the Neurosurgical Research Foundation of South Australia (serving on the executive committee for 25 years) and Landcare Australia.  

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sir James on two occasions, and aside from the wonderful insight into the Australian wine industry through the second half of the last century, I also received a hand-written letter of thanks post-publication. The only hand-written letter I have received this century.

Sir James was beloved by many people, not least the colleagues that spent time with him on a regular basis. 

Travis Fuller, ex-colleague and now general manager at South Australian winery, Kilikanoon, said “Australia has lost one of its great people.  I was lucky enough to spend many days with Jim both in Australia and internationally.  While they called him “Gentleman Jim” which he was, once you were out with him on his cutter the Nerida, everything changed.  He was focused and a fighter!  It was truly an honour to spend time with him. And he will be sadly missed.  All of our love to the extended Hardy family as well as the equally kind and generous Lady Joan Hardy at this difficult time.

“Sir James would come into the Accolade office once a month to go through his mail and to say hello to everyone.  He would always pull me aside and ask who was “new” in the office and I would give him the details.  He would then walk around and make sure he introduced himself and welcome them to the business while imparting a little history of the Hardys brand.  A gentleman in the truest sense.”

I recall being on the Nerida on a perfect autumn day in Sydney Harbour.  Sailing as always with Sir James.  Taking anchor off Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, then spending the afternoon eating Lady Joan’s fresh Anzac biscuits while drinking bottomless glasses of Sir James Pinot Chardonnay.  Truly hard to beat. I will be raising a glass of said sparkling tonight. 

Statement from Accolade Wines – Sir James Hardy passing:

We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Sir James’ passing.

Sir James joined the company in 1953 and he remained a devoted brand ambassador for Hardys right up until this year.

His recent visit to our Sydney office was recalled fondly by our team and from all reports his charm, wit and flair for telling a great yarn were undiminished. He chatted for a couple of hours with the team and signed his book An Adventurous Life– a memento of a life lived to the fullest that we will cherish and ensure takes its rightful place at our home at Tintara in the McLaren Vale.

While Sir James is perhaps best known for his sailing and Olympic achievements, we would like to honour his immeasurable contribution to the Australian wine industry and for faithfully continuing the legacy of Hardys Wines that his great grandfather Sir Thomas Hardy founded 170 years ago.

Related Posts

AOC Pays Tribute to Olympic Yachtsman James Hardy

The AOC has paid tribute to the late Sir James Hardy – sailing Olympian and three times America’s Cup skipper, following news of his passing today.

The Australian Olympic Committee acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we are located. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.

We celebrate and honour all of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Olympians.

The Australian Olympic Committee is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society and sport.

Australian sailing great Sir James Hardy dies

One of australia’s greatest sailing talents, sir james hardy, leaves a long legacy behind him.

Australian winemaker, businessman and Australian sailing legend Sir James Gilbert Hardy, known simply as “Gentleman Jim” or “Gilbert” to his sailing mates, has died aged 90.

Hardy, who was born in Seacliff, South Australia on November 20, 1932, was the great-grandson of South Australian winemaker Thomas Hardy.

Immersed in a family of sailors, Hardy’s lifelong love of the water started young. His father Tom Hardy won the 1950 Sydney Hobart Yacht race in Nerida , the yacht he had built at Searle and Sons in South Australia in 1933 – a boat that Sir James would go on to track down after it was sold out of the family’s hands, and restore it. 

Related content:

• Sir James Hardy's vintage win on Sydney Harbour
• Sir James Hardy's Nerida sinks in Sydney Harbour
• Access to Sydney sailing

Striking out on his own, Hardy claimed the Australian championship in the Sharpie class in his late teens in 1959, the Olympic-class Flying Dutchman in 1964, and went on to claim the 505 world championship in 1966.

Hardy went on to represent Australia in sailing at two Olympic Games, skippered in three America’s Cup challenges – one that he should have won – and vied for line honours in four Admiral’s Cup regattas, helming Impetuous and helping his team on the course to claim the trophy in the wake of the infamous 1979 Fastnet race in which 18 people lost their lives.

But his name is more deeply etched in the America’s Cup, where he competed as crew, then skipper aboard Gretel (1967) and Gretel II (1970), onboard Southern Cross (1974) and Australia (1980) and finally as a relief skipper and advisor to John Bertrand’s Australia II win in 1983.

Hardy was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 1994.

Last year, Hardy was inducted into the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Hall of Fame for his contribution to Australian sailing – the same motivation behind his receiving an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1975, and a knighthood in 1981.

His legacy will be Youth Sailing Australia, a school he helped to create that has turned out some of the nation’s, and the world's, biggest names in sailing.

Hardy died on Wednesday surrounded by family at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He is survived by his wife Lady Joan Hardy and his sons David and Richard.

Stay up to date

Become a boatsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.

• Sports Life

‘True hero’ Sir James Hardy farewelled at touching state funeral

One of Australia’s greatest sailors has been hailed as a ‘true hero’ and a ‘humble overachiever’ as he was farewelled at a state funeral.

Swim star’s surprise new side hustle

Federer post deleted after ugly backlash

Footage of Broncos star goes viral in America

Sailing legend Sir James Hardy has been remembered as a “true hero of our age” at a touching state funeral in South Australia.

The man affectionately known as ‘Gentleman Jim’ died on June 14 at age 90 while surrounded by loved ones at an Adelaide hospital.

His son David explained his father earned his enduring nickname because “he valued decency and manners” despite being “a dedicated and aggressive competitor”.

“He had an effortless charm … and an ability to make people feel special,” he said proudly.

Sir James is best known for being a member of the first sailing team to beat the US to win the America’s Cup in 1983.

His success at skippering the team into the history books even attracted praise from then-US President Richard Nixon.

“Australia can take great pride in your fine example of steadfastness and sportsmanship which have made a lasting impression on the American people,” the president wrote in a telegram to the legendary sailor after his country’s record loss.

He skippered three America’s Cup challenges and competed in four Admiral’s Cups, serving as a role model for many.

The “humble overachiever” spent decades winning “a sackful” of championships before he was selected to represent Australia at the Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.

“He was a true hero of our era,” his nephew Bill praised in his eulogy.

“A man who for more than half a century strode the world stage and brought renown and glory to Australia while at the same time engendering deep respect for Australians and from Australians.”

Sir James balanced his legendary sporting prowess with a successful career at his family’s wine business, Hardy’s Wines.

The industrious and dedicated family man started working at the company when he was 21 years old and continued until six months before his death.

The world champion yachtsman was remembered as the “quintessential good bloke” who had a boundless enthusiasm for life at the well-attended state funeral.

“He was indisputably a people person who loved to yarn and share stories with friends and strangers from all walks of life,” Bill said with a smile.

Sir James’s widow Joan acknowledged how many lives her husband had touched over his 90 years.

Wearing a chic black suit adorned with a large pink flower, she wiped tears from her eyes and smiled as she paid tribute to “the love of (her) life”.

“I’ve treasured every moment we spent together,” she said.

“There’s no one I’d rather be with and one day we’ll be together again.”

David Hardy said Sir James had made his peace with his passing and joked “he had so many candles on his (last birthday) cake that the fire brigade needed to stand by.”

“The last weeks I spent with him were some of the best in my life,” he said.

Every seat in St Peter’s College Memorial Hall was occupied by wellwishers hoping to say their final farewells to the legendary sailor, wine boss, and “true gentleman”.

Sir James’s casket was decorated with a large colourful arrangement of native flowers and escorted from the hall by seven loved ones.

The Olympic gold medallist and social media star has revealed a surprise new side hustle in the lead up to the 2024 Olympics.

Skiing legend Lindsay Vonn has accidentally stepped in the tennis world’s most bitter argument after spending the day with Roger Federer.

Reece Walsh has joined the long list of athletes to go viral after catching an absolute dart of a pass from NFL legend Tom Brady.

• My Account Sign Out

AAP Other Sport

Superb yachtsman, vintner sir james hardy dies aged 90.

Triple America's Cup skipper and dual Australian Olympian Sir James Hardy has died in Adelaide, aged 90.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The well-known yachtsman, vintner and community leader passed away peacefully on Thursday.

A member of the America's Cup Hall of Fame, Hardy helped set the tone for Australia's momentous and nation-building victory in the famous race.

He skippered Australia's America Cup challenges in 1970, 1974 and 1980 and was a key adviser for the iconic Australia II crew, led by John Bertrand, that in 1983 ended the 132-year US dominance of the race. 

"Basically I was back-up skipper for Bertrand, and he did pinch a nerve in his neck and he was off the boat," Hardy said in a 2021 interview.

"I believe it was nine or 10 races."

Known as "Gentleman Jim", Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community.

"There will never be another Sir James," said Australian Sailing president Alistair Murray, AM.

"His contribution to the sport cannot be understated. He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia. 

"Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend.

"On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way."

Hardy competed in consecutive Olympic Games, Tokyo in 1964 and Mexico City in 1968.

Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman said Hardy was a giant of his sport.

"James Hardy's name is inextricably bound with the sport he loved over so many decades," Chesterman said in a statement.

"He ignited Australia's obsession with claiming the America's Cup trophy, eventually achieved in 1983, with Sir James advising winning skipper John Bertrand."

Hardy continued to sail competitively until late in life.

Outside of sailing, Hardy served as chairman of the family company that produced some of the nation's most popular wine brands.

He started working for Hardys in 1953 in a variety of roles, with the company releasing a sparkling wine range in his honour in the late 1980s.

Hardy served on many boards and councils, including the Landcare Foundation.

He is survived by his wife Joan, brother David, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.

A private funeral will be held in Adelaide, with a memorial service to follow at a later date.

Australian Associated Press

Related Stories

Finau matches career low, leads at the Houston Open

Starc wicketless again but KKR beat Green and Maxwell

Rebels leave Waratahs' Super Rugby season in tatters

Delivered daily Monday to Friday

Most Popular

Shepparton’s most beloved busker commemorated

House fully alight when firefighters arrived

‘His eyes that day will forever be etched in my brain’

A closer look: Shepparton Education Plan

Premier bullish on stadium despite unclear parliament

Our Patron’s Yacht

In years to come, Masons joining or visiting Lodge Sir James Hardy No 1046 are well likely to ask: “why did you choose that particular yacht to have as this Lodge’s logo?”

Nerida, a gaff-rigged cutter is Sir James’ yacht and has an interesting and somewhat romantic history. Sir James’ father, Tom Hardy had been sailing in St Vincent’s gulf in a sloop and decided he wanted something larger and more comfortable.  Tom Hardy commissioned a local man to design a yacht to his specifications.  Not being completely satisfied, Tom Hardy wrote to “Messrs A. Mylne and Co, 81 Hope St, Glasgow C2” and asked them to quote on modifying this design.  Tom Hardy listed eight points which needed to be followed; the 6th being ‘Must be a good looking vessel ’ and the 8 th being ‘must provide good accommodation … with head room for owner, 6ft. 2 in. in height’. In Messrs Mylne’s reply he referred to point No6 writing: ‘a good looking vessel is a matter of taste’.  It is unquestioned that this icon of Sydney Harbour is a ‘good looking vessel’.

Tom Hardy accepted the plans and, in 1929, R.T. Searles and Sons of Adelaide commenced building a yacht to the Mylne modified design.  She was launched in 1933.  Sir James’ mother, Eileen, chose ‘Nerida’ after the aboriginal word for ‘Water Lily’.

Following Tom Hardy’s untimely death in 1938 in the DC2 Kyeema air crash, Nerida was sold to Colin Haselgrove OBE, the Technical Director of Thomas Hardy & Sons.  Over a period of time Nerida was converted into a yawl, the gaff removed to become a sloop; the tiller replaced by a wheel and an aft cabin installed.  In this configuration she won the 1950 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.  She still is the only South Australian built yacht to win that trophy.

Nerida passed through various hands until Thomas Hardy & Sons Ltd purchased her in 1971 and brought her to Sydney.  Jim [as he was then – and to many of us still is unless you sail with him then he’s Gilbert] had Nerida restored to her original splendour by the Gretel II America’s Cup design team.  When Jim mentioned to Colin Haselgrove that he was removing the wheel, in a letter laying out some history and passing owners, Colin wrote:  “Hardy, if you put her back to tiller steering you are clearly much stronger in the arms than in the head.”  Of course, Nerida is again tiller steering. Sir James brought Nerida from the company in 1994.

In 2007 during a severe storm, a yacht moored in the same area broke her moorings and hit Nerida, pulling the bobstay out of the bow, leaving a small hole.  In the second storm a week later, with her bow pitching into the waves, Nerida slowly sank at her mooring until a metre of mast was left above the surface.  Sir James was in Spain at the time for the America’s Cup Challenge and was devastated.   She was raised and restored to remain a ‘good looking vessel’.  The only addition were electric winch-halyards for the main.  Previously it took four crew to raise the main by hand; two on the peak of the gaff and two on the throat.

Nerida’s details are:  L.O.A.  45’ + Bowsprit 7’:   L.W.L 33’:  Beam 11’: Draught 6’3” weight 16 tons.

In the logo, Nerida is in ‘full rig’ carrying:  jib, staysail, jib-topsail, mainsail and jack-yard topsail.

© 2024 Lodge Sir James Hardy.

• What is Freemasonry
• Current Officers
• The Lodge at Work
• Photo Gallery
• Our Patron’s Yacht
• Meeting Dates and Locations
• Make a Payment
• Send a Message
• Masonic Links