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2001 SESSION

017734860
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 840
Offered January 30, 2001
On the death of Charles A. "Dink" Vail.
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Patrons-- Moss, Diamonstein, Drake, Joannou, Jones, J.C., Morgan, Robinson and Williams
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WHEREAS, Charles A. "Dink" Vail of Virginia Beach, one of Virginia's most successful sailors and the first sailing inductee into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, died on December 6, 2000; and

WHEREAS, a native of Norfolk, Dink Vail graduated from Maury High School, attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and served in the United States Coast Guard during the Korean Conflict; and

WHEREAS, Dink Vail began sailing at age 10, and within two years he had posted his first victory, a junior championship in the Hampton one-design class; and

WHEREAS, from 1943 through 1967, Dink Vail dominated sailing competitions on the East Coast, winning countless races and numerous championships in a variety of sailboat classes; and

WHEREAS, Dink Vail posted more than 100 first-place finishes in the Hampton, Jollyboat, and Flying Dutchman classes, won the Hampton Championship of the Maury Regatta five years in a row, and won national titles in 1964 in the Flying Dutchman and Jollyboat classes; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of his domination of the Eastern Seaboard Championships, Dink Vail was awarded the Admiral Richard E. Byrd trophy three times, and the Virginian-Pilot named him Virginia's Top Sailor in 1964; and

WHEREAS, in Olympic qualifying competition, Dink Vail raced against, and often defeated, such illustrious competitors as former America's Cup winner Ted Turner; and

WHEREAS, Dink Vail was instrumental in the formation of a sailing team at Old Dominion University, a team that competes in the Laser class against other college and university sailing teams; and

WHEREAS, in 1985 Dink Vail was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, the first sailor so honored; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the loss of a great sportsman and a fine Virginian, Charles A. "Dink" Vail; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Charles A. "Dink" Vail as an expression of the respect in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly.