Robin was one of the nicest people I have known. Unfailingly kind, generous, and considerate.
We first met while racing Lasers at Hamble River SC in the early 70's. He was working in the chandlery in Hamble High Street, and I was working for Angus Primrose in Bursledon. We both had young sons, and his youngest was the same age as our eldest, so there were many play dates.
We agreed in 1976 to start Sunbird Yachts together, to market the first purpose designed junk rigged production boat, the Sunbird 32. I was the designer and in charge of production, and Robin was in charge of sales and marketing. He was brilliant at that, and we realised at our first Southampton Boat Show that our biggest task was going to be to educate the yachting world about the virtues of the junk rig, which Robin has been doing ever since. That led us to start the JRA, and to have on our stand the model of the junk rig so that passers by could see how easy it is to handle. The rest, as they say, is history, but it took the endless enthusiasm and commitment of Robin and Mandy to keep the JRA show on the road until quite recently when other junkies stepped up and took on the many roles he performed singlehanded (except for Mandy's vital assistance on typewriter and computer).
He will be sorely missed.