Anam Cara, Gaelic for Soul Friend is a 1 1/2 year old J-122 built in France. She is Tom Kelly's 5th boat in over 30years of racing, and he says she is his "dream boat". Tom is a long-time competitor in the Oregon Offshore, although we haven't seen him in the race recently. His first Oregon Offshore was 1979 and he had the fun of being race captain in the 1980's.Anam Cara plans to do the Swiftsure in 2 weeks and then do the Van Isle Race, a race around Vancouver Island this summer.
Anam Cara's crew has been described as "geriatric" by Tom, but it contains a number of excellent sailors with many sea miles. The crew includes John Copper from West Marine, local Portland sailors Brian Marske and Jim Madden. Out of town sailors include Bob Ross, the broker and Manager of Whidbey Island Race Week for many years and Scott Boys and Sally Hawkins from Friday Harbor. Other members of the crew are Lane Brown and Patrick Cummings.