Passages: 8 Bells, Bryan Gooderham

Bryan Gooderham, the great, great, grandson of Oriole’s original owner George Horace Gooderham helms the restored boat in 2022

June 11, 2026

Canadian sailing mainstay, Bryan Gooderham, passed away peacefully, on May 8, 2026, his 71st birthday, with close friends and family by his side.

Bryan was a lifelong sailor who enjoyed some of his happiest times on the water and at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC). His love of sailing began at an early age when he would crew for his father in their Albacore dinghy. He graduated from crewing for his father and would go on to enjoy incredible success at the helm of a number of different racing boats, including Red Jacket, Venture II, Gefion and Raven. Over a decades-long competitive sailing career, Bryan won numerous races and trophies sailing on Lake Ontario, he participated in the Admiral’s Cup, was involved with Canada’s True North America’s Cup campaigns, and won several Eight-Metre World Championships. His proudest sailing achievement, however, came in 2016, when he and his team on Hollandia were able to realize his lifelong dream of winning the Canada’s Cup.

While he was a fierce competitor on the racecourse, Bryan truly loved the people in the sailing community, and he was fortunate to call so many of them his friends. He could regularly be found recounting stories, discussing the day’s races, or giving advice to the next generation, and he was always happy to give his time to support programs and initiatives to ensure the sport that meant so much to him continued to thrive.

Bryan’s son Billy is the highly regarded flight controller aboard SailGP’s Northstar F50 Canadian entry.