Photo: Gretchen Dorian. Right: Hal at the Grandmasters Regatta in Sweden.
The DN community is saddened to share the passing of Hal Bowman US1277 on August 22, 2025, at the age of 91.
Hal’s DN career spanned more than 50 years, starting before the first DN World Championship held in Gull Lake, Michigan, in 1973. In the decades that followed, he became a welcome and familiar face on the ice across North America and Europe, and even as far as Russia, where he raced in both St. Petersburg and on Lake Baikal.
Hal’s final accomplishment on the ice came this year at the 2025 DN World Championship on Lake Winnebago in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His goal was simple but meaningful: to pull the sheet for one last race. In doing so, he showed the determination and passion that defined his sailing life.
In the last 21 years, Hal and his wife, Mercedes Auger, became a familiar team at DN regattas around the world. While Hal raced, Mercedes contributed behind the scenes, often assisting with scoring and race administration.
Friendship is at the heart of iceboating, a trait shared by ice sailors everywhere, and on a personal level I found that traveling with Hal and Mercedes to Lake Baikal, Europe, and regattas across North America was as much about the camaraderie, meals, stories, and laughter as it was about the racing.
Off the ice, Hal could always be relied upon to share fascinating stories about his diverse interests, including flying, golfing, music, and even sheep shearing. Kent Baker speaks for all of when he wrote, “I got to meet the ‘most interesting man in the world.’ Not just a fascinating person but very down to earth and calm.”
Beyond racing, Hal gave back to the class by donating his equipment for use by youth and aspiring iceboaters, ensuring the next generation could experience the sport he loved.
The DN class has lost a steady presence on the ice, a sailor who carried our history forward from the DN Class’s earliest international days through more than five decades of racing. The friendships formed on the ice last forever, and Hal Bowman’s presence will continue to be felt each time we gather to sail.
Obituary (Will be posted by this evening)
The family invites friends to share memories and condolences on Hal’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/hal.bowman.31
Missing Man Tribute: Bullseye Flight Team: https://bullseyeflightteam.com
