Bob Fisher passed away at age 85 on Monday, according to a social media post from his daughter. “He lived his whole life to the fullest and shall leave the fondest of memories not only as a husband and father, [and] as a friend to all the sailing community in the UK, but to the sailing community worldwide.”
Fisher is remembered as an expert voice in nautical journalism and a fixture at almost every major sailing event. His career spanned decades and included the writing for a number of publications and several books. Fisher was particularly known for his coverage of the America’s Cup, though a deep knowledge of the sport also ensured that his Whitbread and Olympic coverage was legendary.
He was a larger than life presence in newsrooms, quick with a punchy retort or cheeky remark, including coining the now infamous “tin full of tarts” sobriquet for the first all-female Whitbread team, later amending it to a “tin full of fast, smart tarts” after they’d proved themselves. “What made Bob one of the greatest yachting journalists and unofficial caretaker of our sport, was his willingness to be persuaded when he maybe got it wrong” team skipper Tracy Edwards OBE remembered in a social media post. “Bob then made it a point to support all the projects we did in, as always, well informed, beautifully written articles.”
Tributes from other notable members of the sailing community have poured out on social media, including personal notes from the likes of Sir Ben Ainsle, Dee Caffari and Sir Robin Knox-Johnson.