I am just passing the word to the catamaran world. We lost a great one, Bill Roberts, the main force behind the Super Cats, ARC's and RC catamarans etc. Bill passed away last Saturday in his sleep.
We are planning to sail in his memory at this Year's Mug Race. We will have a small celebration of his life where all can come a share sailing stories by those that knew and sailed with and against him.
I can tell you I was not always a Bill Roberts fan. I had been racing against Bill for about 10 years, unsuccessfully on my Prindle 19. He always beat us both literally and on corrected time. I always assumed it was his boats, and discounted him having any sailing ability. After about 15 years of losing, we threw in the towel and said if we can't beat him then we will join him. My buddy and I went in together on an RC27, that was about 2003. We were going to show everyone is was the boat, not the sailor. Of course we could not have been more wrong. First, we found out how much we did not know about sailing big cats. Second we learned Bill never stopped trying to get faster and better and have his boats be the best. While we improved we never really gained much ground on Bill. While we could, on the rare occasion, beat him, is was always a fight to the last second and he usually won.
It took me a while to understand him. Basically it took a while for me to learn enough to get what he was talking about. He did not suffer with fools easily. So it was a rocky start. However, he always wanted us to do well and would help us with any area of question. He would be frustrated by us for taking so long to learn. Looking back on it, I have to laugh at how much we made him suffer. As the years went by he would always call me every couple of months to check in on how I was doing fixing this or that on the boat.
For those unfamiliar with an RC27, ours was built in 1985. It is all carbon except the aluminum cross beams. All 1985 vintage, and yet it might as well be brand new. There are no flaws on the boat. He was fanatical about having the best materials in his boats. His back ground was as an engineer with NASA and his project was the SR71 Blackbird. He took that type of approach to creating a better mouse trap.
He was a great sailor, boat builder, and friend. His son Eric will be sailing his RC30 at the Mug Race and we hope as many folks that can will stop by and remember with us the good old days.
RIP Bill.
Thanks,
Rich Brew
RIP Bill Roberts
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Posted: Apr 19, 2019 - 12:37 PM
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Posted: Apr 19, 2019 - 01:03 PM
Thanks for posting that Rich, nice tribute to a great sailor and innovator.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Apr 19, 2019 - 01:17 PM
So sad to hear. I met him briefly here in Miami when we had a bunch of foiling beach cats. He was curious, asked a thousand questions, as if he was toying with the idea of prototyping one. Never sailed with him, nor one of his cats unfortunately. -
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Posted: Apr 19, 2019 - 03:50 PM
RIP Bill Roberts
He is well known for his great beach cats, great sailing and great customer support.
Great write-up, thank you Rich -
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Posted: Apr 21, 2019 - 03:35 PM
Linked below is the obituary for Bill Roberts.
http://owners.aquarius-sa…viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1020
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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