Famous sailors I have met along the way

[jakeroyd]

I was in Falmouth last year , in the marina near the maritime museum. Returned to the boat to find a scruffy old boat moored alongside. Grr. Got talking to the guy onboard , he asked where we had come from , 'Fowey' I replied. I then asked where he had come from , 'the Azores , been at sea for 2 weeks. We swapped small talk a bit and later sensing this was no ordinary sailor , I looked him up on the net.
It turned out to be John Apps , in his UFO 27 , who competed in the last Jester Challenge.
I changed my mind completely , he can moor his boat next to mine anytime he likes. What an unassuming , hero of the sea.
He was telling me how a broken shroud meant he could only sail with the wind on one side of the boat. Here is a man who gave you the impression he would quietly cope with what ever happened along the way in the world of sailing.

I have also met Pete Goss a couple of times , different character from John Apps but also a sailing hero.

I know my own exploits will never get anywhere near these guy's

Anybody else met interesting people along the way ........................?

 

[Koeketiene]

Met Mike Golding in Zeebrugge a couple of years ago.
Nice - no airs or graces - kind of guy.

Must admit, I recognised him - Ecover plastered all over him (shirt, shorts, hat, ...)

 

[absit_omen]

Met Mike Richey at the first Jester Challenge briefing at LIBS in 2006. God knows how many singlehanded transatlantic crossings in Jester. Hardly mentions it.

 

[sailorman]

Ive met Guapa /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Name dropping time, all nice blokes.
The late Peter Blake, even let me drive his boat (Ceramco NZ)
Whole bunch of Whitbread RTW people (I was quasi-involved with it long, long ago)
Bruce Banks, on Windsprite
Jeremy Rogers, at a party
RKJ - at CA events

 

[vyv_cox]

I was sitting on a 'limousine' coach about to depart from Tokyo airport to Yokohama, when Dame Ellen sat down next to me. The bus departed, I began thinking up a witty opening remark, she fell asleep! She slept the whole way, woke up when we stopped and we never exchanged a word.

 

[stephenh]

“what an unassuming hero of the sea”

Met a chap in a bar just along from Faro, quiet and more than a little interesting. Got to know him over a few days, or so I thought.

One of his friends told me that he had been through a Force 12 on a solo transat. Not quite believing this I asked him directly and with a lot of digging it came out. He had one of those flexible DIY plywood catamarans ( designer in Devon ? – I forget the name) only 35’ and spent 48 hrs “Knowing I was going to die, it was only a case of when” in a hurricane, went through the eye and out the other side.

No boasting, very unassuming – a very good seaman who will never be famous…….

 

[TiggerToo]

I've met CarolDevon... now in Cornwall. One of the famous Piratesses of Fowey. Oh and Gooswing was with her too (the other one in the pair) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[longjohnsilver]

[ QUOTE ]
“
He had one of those flexible DIY plywood catamarans ( designer in Devon ? – I forget the name) only 35’ and spent 48 hrs “Knowing I was going to die, it was only a case of when” in a hurricane, went through the eye and out the other side.

No boasting, very unassuming – a very good seaman who will never be famous…….

[/ QUOTE ]

The designer could be a mate of mine, Phil Morrison based in Exmouth. Sounds like the sort of thing he could have been involved with.

 

[jhr]

I've met Robin Knox-Johnston on a couple of occasions. What a nice guy.

My dad was great friends with Dick Bertram who, before he started making powerboats, was a legendary ocean racer, so I knew him. As a kid, I met a number of famous names from the world of 1960s powerboat racing but I don't suppose that counts over this side.

Finally, I was at school with one of Ian Proctor's sons, Roger, and once had a ride in his dad's E-Type /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

 

[Refueler]

Sir Francis Chichester ... when he had his boat in Beaulieu River.
A person not renowned for sailing but liked his Gin Palace - Sir Freddie Laker (he was friend of my Father).

 

[DJE]

I met David Rainsbury when he was visiting every port in Northern France and writing it up for PBO. Nice bloke and I'm sure he'll be tickled to be described as famous.

 

[johnalison]

I bumped into "Captain Calamity" in Falmouth about six years ago at the Town marina at the time of the AZAB race. He was/is American and thought the English CG were very helpful as so he should, having bee rescued several times. It was a interesting to meet a real idiot.

 

[Salty John]

"I bumped into "Captain Calamity" in Falmouth"

Or did he bump into you!

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Martin Lawrence. Garry Glitter.

 

[sailorman]

The Shady geezer who comes in P.D.James series on telly

 

[snowleopard]

Quite a few names from the past - Tahiti Bill, Val Howells & son, Tony Bullimore, Clare Francis, Michael Richie, Bill O'Brien, Derek Kelsall, Jim Wharram, Chay Blyth, Peter Crowther. And a lot of well-known names I raced against (to whom I was one of the also-rans) like Alain Colas, Yvon Fauconnier & Eric Tabarly.

I also met the main cast members of the Onedin Line when I did a short spell as an extra. I was briefly to be seen shinning up the ratlines of the Charlotte Rhodes.

 

[sailorman]

I give up /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[FullCircle]

[ QUOTE ]
I was in Falmouth last year , in the marina near the maritime museum. Returned to the boat to find a scruffy old boat moored alongside. Grr. Got talking to the guy onboard , he asked where we had come from , 'Fowey' I replied. I then asked where he had come from , 'the Azores , been at sea for 2 weeks. We swapped small talk a bit and later sensing this was no ordinary sailor , I looked him up on the net.
It turned out to be John Apps , in his UFO 27 , who competed in the last Jester Challenge.
I changed my mind completely , he can moor his boat next to mine anytime he likes. What an unassuming , hero of the sea.
He was telling me how a broken shroud meant he could only sail with the wind on one side of the boat. Here is a man who gave you the impression he would quietly cope with what ever happened along the way in the world of sailing.

I have also met Pete Goss a couple of times , different character from John Apps but also a sailing hero.

I know my own exploits will never get anywhere near these guy's

Anybody else met interesting people along the way ........................?

[/ QUOTE ]


Anyway, John is a Forumite - Glayva.

Nice one John. BTW CPD is buying the Benny.

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley