With a sailing career spanning several decades, Butch Ulmer has competed in everything from 12-foot dinghies to 84 foot ocean racers, and has turned that experience into years of generously volunteering his time to improve, organize, and promote the sport of sailing.

A 1961 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Butch stayed in the Navy until 1965, at which point he went to work in his father’s sailmaking company. In 1969 upon his father’s retirement, he took over as President of the company. In 1972 he founded Charles Ulmer International; a company designed to license other sail making facilities. Today the successor to that company, UK International, has licensed over 40 sailmaking firms around the world.

Sailing- Related Honors and Accomplishments:

Contributor:

• Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta from 2002-2019
• 2019 – Chairman of the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta
• Chairman of Storm Trysail Safety at Sea Seminars from 2014 – 2018; helped usher in the use of video training for these seminars
• 1999 – 2009 – PRO Larchmont NOOD Regattas
• PRO for the following events:
  • 1992 Etchells World Championship
  • 2005 Shields National Championship
  • 2009 USODA Atlantic Coast Championship
  • 2009 Interclub National Championship
  • 2010 Shields National Championship
  • 2011 Star Class Centennial Championship
  • 2014 Shields Class 50th Anniversary Regatta
  • 2015 Viper 640 North American Championship
  • 2016 J-105 North American Championship
  • 2017 Shields National Championship
  • 2017, 2018, 2019 420 Class Junior Race Wee
  • 2018 J-109 North American Championship
• Storm Trysail Club – served as Governor and Flag Officer
• 2002, 2006 – Twice Awarded the Hugh Kilmer Trophy for accomplishments that benefit the sport of sailing.
• Chairman, Block Island Race Week
• 4 time on-the-water Chairman, Block Island Race Week
• Member of Storm Trysail Protest Committee
• Commodore, Storm Trysail Club
• 2013, Owen Torrey Trophy by the Storm Trysail Club, for important contributions to the Club and sport
• 2015, James Bishop Trophy by the Storm Trysail Foundation
• Sailing Legacy Award, Storm Trysail Foundation
• Twice served as Trustee of Larchmont Yacht Club
• Chairman of Larchmont YC Race Committee
• Chairman, Larchmont Yacht Club Yachting Committee
• Member, Larchmont Protest Committee (over 30 years)
• Alex Gest Trophy for outstanding contributions to Larchmont Yacht Club and the sport of sailing
• Donald B. King Trophy (twice) for excellence in race management – once as PRO of the 1992 Etchells World Championship and again in 2008 as PRO for the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta
• Ned Anderson Trophy by the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound
• Roger Shope Trophy by the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound
• Member, Fales Committee, USNA

Sailing:

• 1961 – Mac Millan Cup, winning skipper of the Navy team
• 1966 – 1st, Mobjack National Championship
• 1966 – Trans-Atlantic Race (Bermuda to Copenhagen) -22 days, Wild Goose
• 1970 – Inducted, Intercollegiate Sailing Hall of Fame
• 1971 – Overall Winner, Block Island Race Week – Everett B. Morris Trophy
• 1967 – 1st, Mobjack National Championship
• 1967 – 1st, Tempest National Championship
• 1981-1982, ’83-’84, ’84-85, ’89-’90 – Frostbite Season Champion, Larchmont Yacht Club
• 1999 – Champion, Pro Am Regatta, Bitter End Yacht Club
• Member of winning crew of the following:
  • 1980 – SORC – Overall Winner (interesting to note – he also competed in every SORC from 1970-1988)
  • 1980 – 1st, Miami Nassau Race
  • 1980, ’89, ’94, ’96 – 1st, Edlu Race
  • 1982 – 1st, Block Island Race
  • 1982, 2012 – 1st, Vineyard Race
  • 1983 – 1st, Marblehead to Halifax, skipper on Morning Star
  • 1988 – 1st, Newport Bermuda Race

Military Service:

• 1961-1964 1st Lieutenant, ASW Officer, Weapons Officer-USS Waller DD-466
• 1964-1965 Boat Division Officer, US Naval Station, Annapolis, MD
• During his military service he represented the United States in sailing in the CISM competition in Piraeus, Greece in 1963. H also sailed in the Olympic Trials in a Finn in 1964 and was part of the Navy crew of the yawl Fearless in the 1965 Buenos Aires-Rio de Janeiro Race. Retired from active duty as a Lieutenant.
• 1965-1968 US Naval Active Reserve.

Affiliations:

• Larchmont Yacht Club, Senior Member
• Storm Trysail Club Senior Member and Past Commodore
• New York Yacht Club, Senior Member Cruising Club of America
• Cruising Club of America