RIP Bob Fisher

[Capt Popeye]

Lovely to read about him - although I've been sailing and reading about sailing for 25 years or more in the UK he wasn't someone I'd heard of as far as I can recall, somewhat strangely, so great to put the record straight - he was clearly important to our sport, may he sail at rest.

Thanks Mr V ; yes the hey day of East Coast dinghy sailing was probably back in the 60s when them Essex lads really were flying high in their careers, sort of Head and Shoulders above any others; Uffa Fox probably stood out on the South Coast,Cowes lot, but he had his ass whipped at times by them Essex Lads

Somehow when the South Coast and centred at Cowes, gained more use and became more attractive, poss the wealthy Londoners from the City spending their money and time South and the Boat Building took off down there

It might seem strange now, but in the Early 60s govt tried to rejuvinate the Boating Business and activity as a good Business and pastime, the Boating business had almost stopped during the WW2 years, as the early 50s saw very little activity on the waters, In those day Lord Beaverbrook of publishing fame was onside with the Govt and stories about Dinghy Racing, boat sailing etc were often published; the Daily Mirror came on board with its version of an affordable Mini Cruising Yacht, still found these days, The Mirror Offshore, designed as a family cruisingboat, safe and with an inboard marine engine; various dinghies and outboard propelled boats made out of Sheet Marine Ply were deigned by a Mr Barry Bucknell for home /garage construction and were quite sucessfull.

One Govt thought meant to inspire and develop enthusiasm, catching the Publics imagination, was to have a Cross Channel race, all commers but under sail alone,the idea was that Boats, Dinghys, could leave and face the clock in their race to France; there were very few rules, main one being under sail alone, second that each boat crew had to make contact with the various Light Ships on their way accross the Channel; this was done using a Megaphone to aid the speech volume as being no Mobiles or Comms equipment available shouting out ones identification details were necessary, A light Ship crew wrote details down as it happened.

Yes the stories are that the first Boat to reach France did so ahead of the Race organisers, so the french Police took a keen interest in the Boat crew, Detaining them untill confirmation that all was ok came from the Race Organisers

Interesting times indeed, quite bold and daring plus hardy; bearing in mind the only Nav equipment available was an Ex Military Compass plus no Proper Job Clothing, just wearing many layers ontop of each other, life jackets were May Wests ex Military issue; exciting days and the forrunners of todays Dinghy and Sailing pastime and businesses

 

[38mess]

Harbour master at our club was a Bob fisher type guy, hated women in the bar and as sailors, also disliked anyone who wasn't a manual worker, a committed commie, although he denied it.
A true dinasour.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Harbour master at our club was a Bob fisher type guy, hated women in the bar and as sailors, also disliked anyone who wasn't a manual worker, a committed commie, although he denied it.
A true dinasour.

Hi there Mr 38 think that you have goton the wrong end of Bobs charachter there , but you might have met him or worked with him so able to form your own opinions of him

My family and Bob were mates, friends and working collegues in the 60s and beyond; they oft said just how generous and outgoing he was, mostly the women said that, he offered Hugs when meeting up, so no sign of any nastyness eveident there.

Was working at same establishment as Bob during the late 60s and beyond, we were working in an environment where fellas and women were about of equal numbers, oft the women were in charge or managers, never saw an occasion where Bob was out of place working in that environment at all; just a regular sort of Guy

Might also mention that in them 50s and 60s t was very rare to see a Womand helming a boat, usually they crewed, so suggest that any refferences attributed to BF should be put into context; as to Bob being a commie, yea !

 

[38mess]

Hi there Mr 38 think that you have goton the wrong end of Bobs charachter there , but you might have met him or worked with him so able to form your own opinions of him

My family and Bob were mates, friends and working collegues in the 60s and beyond; they oft said just how generous and outgoing he was, mostly the women said that, he offered Hugs when meeting up, so no sign of any nastyness eveident there.

Was working at same establishment as Bob during the late 60s and beyond, we were working in an environment where fellas and women were about of equal numbers, oft the women were in charge or managers, never saw an occasion where Bob was out of place working in that environment at all; just a regular sort of Guy

Might also mention that in them 50s and 60s t was very rare to see a Womand helming a boat, usually they crewed, so suggest that any refferences attributed to BF should be put into context; as to Bob being a commie, yea !

Never met him capt, not comparing either.

 

[Robin]

He used to call Barracuda of Tarrant his "Country Cottage" - did he not "trash it" on Bembridge Ledge!!

OR on the vavassi boiler needles short cut.

 

[RJJ]

He was a guest speaker at a club dinner once. Previous guest speakers had tales of derring-do on the high seas - great tales, but tending to glorify themselves.

Fisher's tale involved getting rat-arsed with some of the challenger crews in the build-up to the Fremantle America's Cup, after said crews were eliminated. They decided to have a go at looking "under the skirts" of Bondy's boat; they didn't get far....because they were all caught short and were busted by the cops peeing in the outer part of the compound. Apparently Bondy had them all released as long as they sent beers to his entire squad!

 

[Alfie168]

Oi South Coast be bgrd Bob was an Essex Man through and through; he won his ability and races from Essex, his early training and fellow early experiences was with the like of Keith Musto, Reg White, Ken Pearce, Prout, etc, they whipped the asses of them Softees in the Souh Coast back then ; those Dinghy Sailors held many records at the time also broke World Records along their way;

Up here anywhere south of Birmingham is "South Coast"......

 

[Capt Popeye]

Up here anywhere south of Birmingham is "South Coast"......

Oi Mr A and theres you being a mariner choice with a pedigree in boating class1 , did you miss out on the Navigation Class, North is UP wards South is Down Wards , Essex is in the Middle, sort of, can be difficult to actually find though, as nearly all roads go past it these days; mind you if that Boris Island Airport had been built it would be a very noisy place; glad for DoM that it was not

Mind you them Sarf Coost lot do talk differently and drink strange drinks, some even walk strangly, so best left to their own devices

 

[E39mad]

OR on the vavassi boiler needles short cut.

It was sunk on Bembridge Ledge coming back from a channel race in May 1988 and affected the filming of Howards Way.

 

[Robin]

It was sunk on Bembridge Ledge coming back from a channel race in May 1988 and affected the filming of Howards Way.

My memory adrift then, but did he not hit the Varvassi boiler too?

 

[E39mad]

My memory adrift then, but did he not hit the Varvassi boiler too?

May well have done, although that one didn't stick in my memory bank.

As an aside plenty of people have hit the Varvassi over the years and we saw a two tonner hit it during the 1990 RTIR (Toys For the Boys ex Pocket Battleship) as it was just to weather of us before we bore away and popped the kite. Next thing you see once settled down is the sails down and a rib close by. Punched the keel through the bottom of the boat and only taking the engine inlet hose off the seacock and placing it in the bilge and running the engine hard to Lymington where a travel hoist was waiting saved her.

 

[matt1]

only taking the engine inlet hose off the seacock and placing it in the bilge and running the engine hard to Lymington where a travel hoist was waiting saved her.

I often think of making a mod with a diverter valve for these purposes, even better if it could flush freshwater out of a bucket or antifreeze for winterising.

 

[Robin]

I often think of making a mod with a diverter valve for these purposes, even better if it could flush freshwater out of a bucket or antifreeze for winterising.

I prefer to keep old boilers and rocks at bay. ?

I did once hit bar buoy off my home port of Poole though on a crystal clear night.

 

[ditchcrawler]

Looked at the RTIR history and Barracuda with Bob Fisher did indeed hit the Varvassi in 1993 and hit Bembridge ledge as well . but not the same year.

 

[Robin]

Looked at the RTIR history and Barracuda with Bob Fisher did indeed hit the Varvassi in 1993 and hit Bembridge ledge as well . but not the same year.

oh goodie I'm not going mad then!

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

The South West Shingles yacht club, of which Bob was a valued member, mentions that he had to be reminded that he didn't have to qualify every year.

For those unfamiliar, the SWSYC is an invitation only club whose members have all done something spectacularly silly on a boat. South West Shingles Yacht Club

RIP Bob.

 

[Beelzebub]

Bob Fisher's column was the first thing I went to every fortnight when Yachts and Yachting arrived on the doorstep.

 

[Mark-1]

Bob Fisher's column was the first thing I went to every fortnight when Yachts and Yachting arrived on the doorstep.

I used to like "On the Wire" too. Mind you, less options then with no internet and 4 TV channels so it would be read cover to cover.

Just found this:

Bob Fisher - The second Wise and Witty Man

Coincidence, effectively an obituary two weeks before he died.

 

[doris]

oh goodie I'm not going mad then!

Careful dear!

 

[claymore]

Just seen this thread
I seem to remember he had a bit of an entanglement with an Oberon class submarine somewhere near Cape McCartney...