Britton Chance, American Naval architect. Recipient Outstanding Design award Prime Minister Magazine, Helsinki, Finland, 1974, Outstanding Design award Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, Anapolis, Maryland., 1987; named in presidential proclamation, Washington, 1987; honored in congratulatory statements, Governor Connecticut, Hartford, 1987, Pennsylvania State Senate, Harrisburg, 1987.
Background
Born in Philadelphia on June 12, 1940, he was the son of Doctor Britton Chance, the Eldridge Reeves Johnson Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania, who also had won a gold medal in sailing at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Education
Student, University Rochester, 1958-1961;
student, Columbia University, 1964.
Career
Raised in Mantoloking, New Jersey, he frequently sailed in Barnegat Bay and developed an early interest in identifying how to design boats that would be able to travel faster than existing standard designs. Chance attended the University of Rochester and Columbia University, though he never earned a degree. The victory proved short lived, however, as a few months later the team from New Zealand put up a challenge for the with the 90-foot yacht KZ 1.
Chance was again called upon to aid in the design of the defender, Stars & Stripes (United States 1), a catamaran sailed by Dennis Conner to retain the cup in the 1988 defense.
A resident of Lyme, Connecticut, Chance died of a stroke at the age of 72 in Branford, Connecticut, on October 12, 2012.
Achievements
Membership
Member American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Society Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (panel H13), New York Yacht Club (New York City), Dauntless Club.
Interests
Avocations: fly fishing, riding, camping.
Connections
Married Dianne LynnReichel, September 28, 1974 (divorced 1983). 1 child, Tasmin Master of Laws.
Recipient Outstanding Design award Prime Minister Magazine, Helsinki, Finland, 1974, Outstanding Design award Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, Anapolis, Maryland., 1987. Named in presidential proclamation, Washington, 1987. Honored in congratulatory statements, Governor Connecticut, Hartford, 1987, Pennsylvania State Senate, Harrisburg, 1987.
Recipient Outstanding Design award Prime Minister Magazine, Helsinki, Finland, 1974, Outstanding Design award Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, Anapolis, Maryland., 1987. Named in presidential proclamation, Washington, 1987. Honored in congratulatory statements, Governor Connecticut, Hartford, 1987, Pennsylvania State Senate, Harrisburg, 1987.