Second Wind: The SNOEK Refit with Onne van der Wal

Directed by Thomas Draudt

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

7 pm
Run Time: 58 min
Doors: 6:15 pm

$10 General Admission, $8 JAC Members

(Sold Out)

Noted Newport based nautical photographer and sailor Onne van der Wal talks about his early days in apartheid South Africa where he grew up sailing small boats and working on commercial fishing boats as a teenager. A poor student in high school, Onne’s father encouraged him to attend a trade school and completed a three year apprenticeship as a machinist in Cape Town. His true passion was sailing and after completing his trades education, Onne went on to race large sailboats as a professional crew member and joined the famous Dutch boat, FLYER, in the 1981/82 Whitbread around the world race. Winning the race was a huge stepping stone to his long and successful career as a award winning nautical photographer.

Onne has spent 32 years photographing and traveling with various sailing vessels around the world, but always on someone else’s boat…it was time for his OWN boat. Onne took an old and tired 1972 Rhode Island built Pearson 36 sailboat and refurbished to its former glory in his backyard. The frigid winter project put him to the test but with the help of several local vendors, he completed the project that would allow him to enjoy his own boat and sail with his wife Tenley.

Film will be followed by a Q&A with Producer Eric Thorkilsen, Onne van der Wal, and Tenley van der Wal.