Ken Roper
Harrier - Finn Flyer 31, 1981

PHRF rating: 162

Yacht Club: Hawaii

Homeport: San Pedro

Occupation: Retired U.S. Army officer

Age: 68

So how does a guy find time to do all the preparations, racing and 22-day return trips? Easy, he retired 21 years ago (1977) having served two tours in Vietnam, where he flew "anything with wings or rotors." His final rank was brigadier general, hence, the nickname.

Ken has become an icon of this event: an affable old salt who endears himself to his competitors with tall tales and a well-oiled sense of humor. We can't recall him ever winning the darned race, but clearly, it's more about the adventure and post-race camaraderie for Ken. He's kept in touch with many of his former 'adversaries' and looks forward to getting to know this year's batch.

"I usually spend time each day on several Ham nets. It's always entertaining, and I get to chat with lots of old friends." In addition, he'll croon along with his favorite bluegrass and country tunes to pass the time and may read a couple of Patrick O'Brien novels.

After singlehanding back to L.A. after the race, you'd think Ken would be ready for a long siesta. Wrong. He'll fly off on a scuba diving excursion to Palau, Truk Lagoon and Kwajalein.

Navigation: Garmin 100 and 45 GPSs, Zeiss sextant. Steering: primary: Autohelm 4000 (he has three!); secondary: Navico 5500, 300C and 2500 (2).
Food: "Same old 'live food, dead food and dog food." Translation: fresh eggs, vegies, etc.; dried pasta, rice, cereals, etc.; and canned entrees. His favorite sea meals being chili and fettucini Alfredo.
Special thanks to: his wife, for allowing him so much time away from their Virginia home (he'll miss their 46th wedding anniversary while bashing up to the Bay from L.A. for the start). Also, Dair Sails of San Pedro.