Bob Fisher, one of sailing’s great storytellers – both in print and in person – has passed away.Bob in his role as YJA chairman (right) presents Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (centre) with a yachtsman of the year award alongside Ian Atkins of boats.com (left)The sailing world has lost one of its great characters as it was announced on Monday 25th January that yachting journalist Bob Fisher has passed away at the age of 85.
\nThe news was posted on Facebook by Bob Fisher\u2019s daughter Alice, who wrote: \u201cIt is with such sadness that Dee, Alice and Carolyne have to convey the passing of our fantastic, unique and extraordinary husband and father Bob.
\n\u201cHe lived his whole life to the full and shall leave the fondest of memories not only as a husband and father, as a friend to all the sailing community in the UK, but to the sailing community worldwide.\u201d
\nBob was one of the greats of the yachting world and peerless as a sailing journalist. His writing stretched back well over half a century, regularly contributing to sailing magazines (including a period of writing for\u00a0Yachting World) since the 1960s, as well as covering major events for newspapers including the\u00a0Guardian, and writing countless books.
\nTributes have poured in from sailors across the globe.\u00a0From New Zealand Sir Ben Ainslie tweeted: \u2018Saddened to hear of the passing of Bob Fisher, whom many considered the doyen of yachting correspondents. He gave a huge amount to sailing through his passion for the sport#sailonBob\u2019
\nTracy Edwards OBE had a famous run-in with Fisher when she was putting together her all-female\u00a0Whitbread campaign in 1989. \u2018Bob penned one of the most infamous phrases about Maiden when he called us \u2018A tin full of tarts!\u2019,\u2019\u00a0she recalled in a facebook tribute to the writer,\u00a0\u2018But what made Bob one of the greatest yachting journalists and unofficial caretaker of our sport, was his willingness to be persuaded when he maybe got it wrong. So, when Maiden won the third leg into NZ Bob was out on the water to welcome us in and the article he wrote was titled \u2018Not just a tin full of tarts. A tin full of fast, smart tarts!\u2019 We loved it. Bob then made it a point to support all the projects we did in, as always, well informed, beautifully written articles.
\n\u2018I know we will all remember Bob in different ways and we will celebrate his extraordinary and joyful life but today, for now, I am absolutely heartbroken and feel totally bereft at the loss of such a great and true friend and a giant among sailors and writers.\u00a0 I will miss you so much Bob, it\u2019s hard to put into words.\u00a0 We will see you on the other side of the horizon.\u00a0 Sail on.\u2019
\n\u2018The Fish\u2019, as he came to be known, was a raconteur who could be relied upon to enliven any social event\u00a0with a cheeky comment, a broad smile (and often a drink in hand). His was also a larger than life presence in press offices around the world, and he was well-known for securing the best seat in each media room. That privilege was well earned, and no young reporter dared question it. Certainly not twice.
\nEqually fierce in his written opinions, Bob was both generous with praise and eviscerating in his criticism where he saw it to be deserved. He was, above all, passionate about the sport of sailing and communicating the stories of its characters.
\nBehind the roguish persona was a razor-sharp mind.\u00a0An authority on many spectrums of the sport of sailing, including the Olympics and Whitbread\/Volvo Ocean Race, Bob was particularly fervent in his enthusiasm for the America\u2019s Cup, covering some 16 editions of the Auld Mug. His absolutely encyclopaedic knowledge of the event earned him the title of \u2018Mr America\u2019s Cup\u2019 and his complete two-volume history of the event,\u00a0An Absorbing Interest, remains the definitive volume on the subject.
\nNot only was Bob one of the great writers in the sailing world he was a remarkable talent on the water too. Since his early introduction to sailing in his hometown of Brightlingsea, UK, Bob remained an active sailor throughout his life, enjoying great success racing Hornet and Fireball dinghies and the local Brightlingsea One Design.
\nHe went on\u00a0to become a great proponent of catamaran racing in the UK. Crewing alongside fellow Brightlingsea boy (and later Tornado Gold medallist) Reg White, he won the World Sailing (back then IYRU) B-Class catamaran trials in the Tornado, which would award the boat International status and ultimately seal its position as an Olympic class. Not long after, Bob\u00a0took part in, and won, the very first \u2018Little America\u2019s Cup\u2019 raced in C-Class catamarans.
\nAside from competing in dinghies and catamarans at the highest level, Bob Fisher was also a skilled yacht helmsman and navigator, who was invited to sail alongside many of the greats of our sport, as well as skippering his own yacht in many Solent regattas.
\nBob Fisher was a great sailor, a great journalist and above all, a great deal of fun to be around. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family and his many friends.
\nThe post In memory of sailing writer Bob Fisher (1935-2021) appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bob Fisher, one of sailing’s great storytellers – both in print and in person – has passed away.Bob in his role as YJA chairman (right) presents Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (centre) with a yachtsman of the year award alongside Ian Atkins … <\/p>\n