My father sailed against Durward starting in the late 50’s and I was fortunate to sail against Durward and get to know him more toward the end of his international Star racing career. Durward sailed with Steven in the very windy and rough 1988 Olympics, my first Olympics and Durward’s last (of 8!). Quite a few years later when Durward was probably his 80’s we were racing in Miami with a tough fleet and as we approached the windward mark I saw a boat with a BAH on the main coming out of the right. I assumed it was Kelly, Lowe or Holowesko. Turned out it was Knowles, he crossed us and rounded in the lead. At that time he didn’t even bother to have a hiking strap in his boat! When I told Durward on shore that I had assumed it had been another Bahamian, he gave me a hard time that I had not assumed it was him!
There is only a small group of Star sailors that have won both the Olympics and the World Championships. A few years back I was talking to Durward and somehow it came up that he was born on November 2nd. When I told him that I was also born on Nov 2 he said “No wonder you are so good mon!”.
