Our Olympic Success due to a forgotten Man.

E

eise

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The forgotten man in question is Bob Bond, a man who was responsible for introducing, in 1970, the Dinghy Sailing Scheme, to be followed in 1972, by the Yachtmaster Cruising Scheme. It would be of great interest to know how many of our Olympic sailors over the past 10 years are "graduates" of this system. Certainly the best known, Ben Ainslie, to my personal knowledge, was involved in the Youth Racing Scheme in the South West of England when Mike Copeland was Regional Coach and Jim Saltonstall National Coach.
A further pointer to Bob's contribution to sailing in this country is the fact that he advised*, in the 1970's, the R.Y.A. to site a new National facility at Portland. The fact that it is now the venue for 2012 sailing is due to his foresight.
I wonder how many of the contributors to this forum have been through the schemes he pioneered and yet have never heard of him.
* Minuted.
 
Well done ! I was very interested in your comments - and would certainly support them.
We worked together in "Youth Work" and running sailing courses in West Sussex in the 60's. He was a very analytical instructor and was not too proud to pick up points from others. He put in hundreds of hours instructing (also raced an experimental foil cat with James Grogono, I think ?) and was an enthusiastic and charismatic course leader. This did not stop him doing the basic stuff for other course leaders and so he built up a lot of experince - and learned from it.
His "method" - and the way it was revisited by countless instuctors on RYA Area conferences over succeeding years - is certainly a major factor in our international success.
You are quite right - I wonder why he is not getting the credit he deserves ?
Where is he now ?
Ken
 
I think I found out some years ago, via the internet, that he was in charge of a centre, I think Newcastle/Gateshead area, N/E. anyway.
Interesting interview here-http://www.sailingnetworks.com/news/read/6900
and "Sonny Jim" got an M.B.E. !!!!!!!!!
P.S. I was a Guinea Pig for the Method in 68/69 when Bob was trying out his ideas.
 
I remember going to a lecture/talk by Jim Saltonstall at Leeds Sailing Club...absolute yonks ago, and I can't remember what it was about, but it may have been about the launch of this very scheme.

There are lots of people who give of their time and experience. I had an outstanding training weekend on Lake Bala with Mike Macnamara (Macnamara sails as was) prior to the Enterprise Nationals in 1985. He was just brilliant. Unfortunately I was not quite so brilliant, but I still learned so much from him.

Tim
 
It's amazing what you find when you google your dad. I have no idea if anyone will read this reply to the original post which was made so many years ago, but wanted to provide an update. Bob Bond was my dad, and unfortunately he passed due to complications from Leukaemia 11 years ago in 2010. I've just found this post, and it has been fascinating to read.
 
Sam Bond said:
It's amazing what you find when you google your dad. I have no idea if anyone will read this reply to the original post which was made so many years ago, but wanted to provide an update. Bob Bond was my dad, and unfortunately he passed due to complications from Leukaemia 11 years ago in 2010. I've just found this post, and it has been fascinating to read.
Click to expand...

Sorry to read about your dad. Is the scheme still going?
 
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