Richard E. “Dick” Sockol – Wavemaker Trophy for Boat of the Year
Congratulations to UNPLUGGED, our 2023 Boat of the Year! Unplugged, co-skippered by owners Chris and Marc Malloy, was awarded this top honor at the 2023 Awards Dinner on November 18. In the judgment of our Management Committee, Unplugged was the top performer in the closest competition last summer. That is how we define our Boat of the Year! An engraved plate bearing Unplugged’s name has been added to the permanent Wavemaker Trophy, which resides in the clubhouse of Halloween Yacht Club.
In 2005, after the death of the Breakwater Irregulars founder, Dick Sockol, the Management Committee decided to remember Dick with a trophy in his honor. The “Wavemaker Trophy” was then created to honor the “Boat of the Year,” named after Dick Sockol’s series of successful yachts named Wavemaker. The trophy is awarded to the boat winning first place in the most competitive division that year. It’s the first place (in class) boat that beats the second and third place boats by the smallest margin. In 2006 a permanent trophy was designed and donated by Dick’s widow, Marjorie. It resides at the Halloween Yacht Club, where Dick and Margie were members for many years.
At the 2005 Awards Dinner the trophy was presented to Ron and Marty Weiss for the outstanding performance of their boat, Crazy Horse. In 2006 the award was presented to Rich Nugent and the crew of Xanadu. Then the Xanadudes did it again in 2007.
