EDWARD DU MOULIN

Edward du Moulin, a Long Island yachtsman who managed four America's Cup contenders and was involved in America's Cup campaigns longer than anyone in the history of the competition, died yesterday at his Sands Point home after a long battle with leukemia. He was 91.

His abiding interest in the international sport began in 1937 when he witnessed the victory of the American contender Ranger over the British Endeavor II. Some 40 years later he took over management of the Enterprise, which was defeated in the trials by Ted Turner, who went on to successfully defend the cup.

In 1980 du Moulin guided Freedom's triumph over Australia. This began his long partnership with the winning skipper, Dennis Conner. Though the cup was lost in 1983, Conner, with du Moulin serving as adviser, brought the cup back to the United States with Stars & Stripes in 1987.

Never losing his enthusiasm for the sport, du Moulin continued as an adviser to America's Cup contenders until the mid-1990s. He also continued to sail his 42-foot cutter Lady Del almost daily through last summer. With family and friends, he sailed his series of Lady Dels to Bermuda Class wins and a collection of trophies.

To those who knew him well, du Moulin was more than a successful yachtsman.

"He was a great manager of people in complicated situations," a calm and steady hand, said his son, Richard du Moulin of Larchmont. "Dad was in his best element when he was helping young people find their way, in the sport of sailing, and in their careers and lives."

"He started me sailing at age 2 and I grew up sailing with his World War II North Atlantic convoy buddies," said du Moulin, who went on to crew on America's Cup contenders, and in 2003 co-sailed a 53-foot trimaran from Hong Kong to New York in 72 days, beating the 1849 clipper ship record by two days.

"Ed du Moulin was the kindest, most generous man, the only person I had ever known who always thought of the other person first," said close friend Andrea Watson of Port Washington.

After a long career on Wall Street, he retired as vice chairman of Bache & Co. at age 60 in 1974, to devote full time to yacht racing and family. "He didn't want to make money anymore. In the 30 years of his involvement in the America's Cup, he never got paid a dollar," his son said.

The elder du Moulin was a member of the Knickerbocker Yacht Club in Port Washington, the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan and the Storm Trysail Club. He was a founder and first chairman of the America's Cup Hall of Fame in Bristol, R.I., and was himself inducted into the hall in 2000. He wrote a book, "America's Cup and Me," and was completing a second book "on his life other than sailing," his son said.

Born in Manhattan in 1914, he knew hard times after his father died in the flu epidemic following World War I. He graduated from Far Rockaway High School and went to work on Wall Street for $5 a week. He joined the Coast Guard during World War II and commanded a converted motor sailor in the North Atlantic. Later he graduated as an officer from the Coast Guard Academy although he had not gone to college, his son said.

He married the former Eleanor Lewis in 1942. She died in 2000, as did his daughter, Cathy Morea. Besides his son, he is survived by a sister, Julia Weisberg of Miami, a brother, Charles, of Cape Cod, Mass., and seven grandchildren.

He will be cremated, and a celebration of his life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Knickerbocker Yacht Club.

This obituary appeared first in Newsday on Thursday, March 30. "Copyright 2006, Newsday, Inc. Reprinted with permission."

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