 |
|
 |
|
 |
||
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It was with great sorrow that we learned of the Passing yesterday of therespected author and cruiser "Skipper Bob". He apparently died while working putting up his Christmas decorations. Thanks Bob for all the beautifulanchorages. George Wow, that is too bad.. I've used his guides all the time, and he was always one of the more entertaining speakers at Trawlerfest. I sure will miss him and I'm sure he will leave behind him many a story to keep him remembered. John Ford Sorry to hear about Skipper Bob he will be long remembered on this list forhis helpful information Ted Brustowicz This is truly a loss, a person who helped almost all of us get into trawlering and enjoy it. The first book I bought of his was "Cruising on a Budget". His guides were mandatory for any area we ventured into. He will be missed. Jim & Rita Ague It's sad to loose Bob. He was an invaluable aid to those of us on the waterways and always there when anyone needed help. I hope someone with experience like his will continue to update his publications and keep the name as it is. Henry Wing My condolence to Elaine and family, please know that Bob will be missed by many friends.It was back in 1989 when Bob & Elaine and I met through the 1-page Krogen Newsletter. Both of us were about to retire at the same time. After I trucked my boat from Alameda, Ca. to Clear Lake, Tx, Jim Krogen appointed me his roving newsletter editor. The Snug and Aquaduck met many times while we were cruising the loop and during the many north/south ICW trips. His efforts and dedication to his publications while he was cruising was indeed a great accomplishment. His passing will leave a void in the world of trawlering. Joe Guarino He was known by the books he published, inexpensive and simple, but info-loaded. His presentations would fill the room with a crowd hanging on every word spoken. His enthusiasm and smile was infectious. He made our cruising affordable and possible. Jim Ague Skipper Bob's memory will be with us for a very long time, he providedus with all the detailed cruising information we all needed. Graham Pugh I was looking for something online.. Anything that would give you aidea of his speaking and writing style and I happened across this accounting of crossing the Delaware bay. http://www.bluewaterweb.com/newsletters/Aug05_skbob.asp Hope this helps, now try and think about a very Jovial guy with acaptains beard and a equally enthusiastic and charismatic wife givingher two cents all along. John What a shock to hear of the passing of Skipper Bob. I believe Sue and Ifirst heard him speak at a Trawlerfest seminar in Ft. Myers in the year 2000. His talks were most informative, laced with humor, and just plain down to earth and easy to listen to. I don't know how many of your seminars that we attended over the years, but each and every one we always brought some things we could use in our cruising miles.The publications were legend in the cruising fraternity. We used themexclusively on our loop trip and the many times that we ran up and down the ICW. Our thoughts and prayers are with Elaine and their family Sue and Gordy Brown We'll all sorely miss Skipper Bob. I met him in the Abacos about 8 yearsago. At the time, I was contemplating writing a book about how to cruise on a budget, a subject I had spoken about at several Trawler Fests. I'm not much of a writer, and wasn't looking forward to the task, but a large number of cruisers kept asking me when my book would be written.Bob loaned me a copy of his then new book "Cruising Comfortably on aBudget". I devoured the book that night and the next day with great relief. His book was so much like the one I had planned to write that there was no need for me to write a book anymore! We agreed on almost everything important concerning choosing a boat, equipping it, and cruising within limited means. I'll always be thankful to Bob for taking that task off my shoulders.Later, at numerous TFests over the years, I got to know Bob and Elainebetter. Their seminars were always among the most popular, and were,judging by the laughter and noise coming from the presentation room adjacent to mine, far and away the most fun. And no one has contributed more to the ability of people of modest means to go cruising and have fun doing it. His guide books, especially "Anchorages Along the ICW", have helped thousands. I was delighted to read Elaine's post that the line of books will continue. Mark Richter This is very sad news. I met Skipper Bob a few times. I have all of his books. His writings and lectures gave me and my wife the confidence weneeded to untie our lines and try this crazy type of adventuring on atrawler.The anchorages we stayed in, the waterways we traversed, and the experienceswe lived were all better because Skipper Bob had been there previously. Jeff Skipper Bob: The King is dead. Long live the King. Wayne & Lynn Flatt This is sad news. Just saw him at Waterford on the Hudson this past summer. I knew he had sold his boat presumably (I thought) because of his wife's health. Skipper Bob sailed many miles and helped us with many anchorages. I guess a lesson that comes with this news is that those of us who waiverabout sailing forth on our cruising adventures should not wait "until we are ready". Now it the time.I may have posted it before but there is a quote I love from W.H. Murray..... Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, thenProvidence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that wouldotherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from thedecision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents andmeetings and material assistance, which no man or woman could have dreamt would come their way. I have learned deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Ron Barr I only knew him casually, but I had great respect for his cruising advice and experience. All of his suggestions for cruising in my neck of the waterway were right on. His death will be a great loss both for his family, his lovely wife Elaine, and the entire boating community. Larry Z I think SNUG is sitting at the Jib Room and I thought of Skipper Bob as Ieyed his old boat while pulling in last week. His ICW Anchorages book isALWAYS open in the pilothouse on the way south, it is our #1 reference. It does take a day or two to re-decipher his super-accurate rating system, but you gotta love it. But remember, his knowledge base was huge (and included many on this list) to whom he gave credit next to their input with details in the back of the book. We emailed a bridge opening change to Bob on our way south this year.It is good news from Elaine: Skipper Bob Publications will continue the work he started and hopes to continue to enjoy the unflagging support of his friends, readers, and contributors. Not a bad legacy... Robert Calhoun Smith Jr I delayed in reacting to our loss of Skipper Bob because I wanted to thoughtfully and accurately reflect on him. That was nearly impossible as I attempted to wrap my arms around the reality that he is no longer with us.The true mark of the worth of any of us is what we leave behind as we depart this mortal life. The extent and nature of that legacy varies with each human being. There are times, however, when that legacy is especially noteworthy. And this is one of them.Bob provided thousands of boaters with guidance, information and confidence as they cruised channels, approached marinas, endured storms and dropped anchor. He was with them in both print and spirit.I can tell you from my years of writing and publishing cruising guides that rarely is anyone capable of fully appreciating the time and effort required to make that happen, to do that tirelessly, constantly, consistently and on call. That Bob was able to accomplish all of that with good humor and rare wit is even more admirable. Bob was an instrument for change in the lives of many people. He urged them to live the dream, to take advantage of the adventure that life on the water offers. He was a staunch advocate of cruising slowly so as to absorb as many sights, sounds and smells as possible. Quite correctly, he considered a boat not as an end unto itself but simply the means for enjoying unique and beautiful environments and natural happenings. Indeed, perhaps the finest tribute all of us can pay Bob is not to be overly concerned with the mechanics and technology of cruising but rather to be more thoughtful in recognizing the sheer joy, pleasure and contentment to be derived from it.And finally, a personal note.Bob was at the last AGLCA rendezvous by himself and for only a short time. So he and I had little time to visit. But as everyone was leaving after the final session on the last night, Bob strode across the room, shook my hand and told me how good it it was to see me again. I thanked him and told him to tell Elaine hello for us. That was the end. And as it turned out, that really was the end. Farewell, Bob and welcome to the most beautiful anchorage of them all. Fred Myers In the fall of 2001 Hans and I were in the final stages of finding and buying our trawler, a 1986 Albin 43. What an exciting and scary time! Not only was it a lot of money, but it was a lo-o-o-n-ng way away! It was in Florida, al-l-lll the way down in West Palm Beach, and we had to get it al-l-lll the way back up to Kent Narrows in the middle of Chesapeake Bay. Whew! We had cruised our local waters in smaller boats, but to think of hanging out there all by ourselves for all of those 1200 miles was overwhelming. By the time the sale took place in January of 2002 I was in contact with Skipper Bob. My first note to him was short -- he was after all "a famous person" and while I definitely had questions about that trip I didn't want to "bother him." We had no concept of how fast we could do the trip, we just knew that we wanted to get the boat "home" as quickly as possible."Oh, NO," he said, "take your time! Why are you in such a hurry? It's a wonderful trip, ENJOY it!"We exchanged e-mails over the next month, and by the time we left the dock in West Palm Beach, Hans and I had several of Bob's INVALUABLE books, and felt as if we had a kind, generous, and very knowledgeable guardian angel along with us for the voyage. Bob had not only encouraged and convinced us to "take it slow," but he had also helped us to feel as if we could do it.His gifts to the boating community were not only in his knowledge, research, experience, and his incredibly detailed and well-thought-out books. His gifts to us (and I am sure to many, many other boaters) include his warm encouragement to take the trip but to slow down and enjoy it; his humorous assurance that we've "all been in the same boat" in these quirky or wonderful experiences on the water; and in knowing that his support and encouragement will continue with us for as long as we are boaters. Peggy and Hans Bjarno We share our Grand Banks 36 with our kids in the Potomac and depend on friends who want to take the trip to get the boat from Marco Island to the Potomac in the spring and the reverse in the fall. Some of them have had experience boating on the Great Lakes but have never done the ICW. When you put your 'baby' in someone's hands for the trip it is always with a bit of fear and sometimes even terror. I always felt so reassured to be able to go to Skipper Bob's site and print off the waterway postings designated by MM so we could talk about the trip and they could be prepared for the challenges. With his books on board we always felt like there was a special angel watching over Grand Pelican. If God has a yacht I have a secret suspicion that Skipper Bob is up there writing the best cruising book ever... ;-) Pete and Peggy Frazier The best way I can think of to honor Skipper Bob and Elaine is to don a flowered Hawaiian shirt, put on my biggest smile, and give freely of my time and encouragement. Let's declare "Skipper Bob Day" - often - and keep passing that good mojo along. Robin Roberts Cruise in peace, Bob. I'm sure a brand new Krogen Manatee with full tanks and many beautiful anchorages were waiting for you in heaven. Gary Corn |
Tributes from fans of Skipper Bob |
||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||
|
|
|
If you wish to comment on the content of this page, please e-mail Trawlers & Trawlering. |
||
|
|
|
 |
||
|
|
|
Stay informed with Trawler News from Trawlers & Trawlering! |
||
|
|
|
Name: |
E-mail: |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
© 1997-2014 Water World Productions, formerly Trawler World Productions. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material from any trawlersandtrawlering.com page without written permission is strictly prohibited. Any copyrighted images remain the property of the copyright owner and are believed to be used with permission. Unsolicited letters, e-mails, articles and other materials submitted to us may be published, distributed and stored by Water World Productions and its assignees in whole or in part, in print or by any other means, including but not limited to electronic, and may be edited for clarity and space. Trawlers & Trawlering and its abbreviation T&T, I'd Rather Be Trawlering, Passagemaking Under Power and its abbreviation PUP, Trawler Buy-Sell-Trade, Trawler News, Circumnavigator, and Power Catamaran World are trademarks of Water World Productions.
|
||
|
|
|
