Bob Fisher, on the right with King Constantine of Greece

Bob Fisher, on the right with King Constantine of Greece

World Sailing: Obituary - Bob Fisher, renowned sailing journalist

Sport

28/01/2021 - 20:16

World Sailing is sad to report the passing of Bob Fisher (GBR), renowned sailing journalist and former World Sailing Committee member, at the age of 85 on 25 January 2021.
Bob was a member of the Women's Sailing Committee at World Sailing - then known as International Yacht Racing Union - in the early 1980s.

He is best known as an author and journalist in the sport, in particular in the America's Cup, to which he dedicated decades of work in documenting and reporting.

An active sailor throughout much of his life, Bob primarily competed in the Hornet and Fireball classes, winning several national as well as three world championships from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

After winning the Little America's Cup in C-Class catamarans with Peter Schneidau in 1967, Bob's prize was an all-expenses-paid trip to watch the real America's Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

This inspired his lifelong commitment to writing about the America's Cup, covering each match for many years, apart from the ongoing most recent edition in Auckland.

In 1992, Bob set about to write the definite history of the America's Cup, supported by the winner of that year's Cup, Bill Koch. The 2-volume An Absorbing Interest took 15 years to research and write, and has become the go-to guide on answering any question about the Cup.

His latest work, An Absorbing Interest Vol III, covering the past two decades of Cup Races, is due to be published in autumn 2021.

Bob wrote 30 books in total on the sport of sailing, seven of which cover the America's Cup, while he also wrote eight books on The Whitbread/Volvo Round the World Race.

A proud Brit, Bob's greatest hope had been to see Great Britain finally win back the America's Cup, and he had been enjoying following INEOS Team UK's resurgence in the PRADA Cup.

Although this didn't happen in his lifetime, the final chapter of his last book may yet record his greatest wish fulfilled.

World Sailing sends its condolences to Bob's wife Dee; children Alice and Carolyne; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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