One of the sport's greatest supporters for over half a century, this lovely man died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 66, on Monday 4 November 2002. A generous man with that special northern warmth, there was nothing he liked better than being a host, a helper, working away at whatever had to be done for family, club and the many friends he gained by his selfless efforts in this country and abroad.

Aged 15, he got off the bus at Gautby Road one day and became hooked by what he saw at the Birkenhead Model Yacht Club. Initially he crewed for the blazer and tie establishment, then acquired his own boat, which led on to building his own in timber. He became a first class vane sailor winning the Marblehead National Championship in 1963 and many events in the other vane classes including the 2001 'A' class Championship. In his latter days he said modestly that he didn't mind where he finished in radio races so long as he enjoyed the sailing, but he was still quite capable of getting to the front. In the recent World Championship in Italy he finished his last race in the A heat.

He worked for Shell as a research chemist specialising in grease for the likes of McLaren and Ferrari, but in his spare time he was a prolific builder of the boats that he loved to sail. He would start from scratch, sometimes with some bizarre designs produced by his friends and would not be unduly upset if these did not satisfy his dreams. This merely gave him the opportunity to build another one! He was an ace moulder firstly in GRP in the 1970s, then in the 1980s with carbon fabric reinforcement for his long 'A' boats that needed to be both light and stiff.

Ken's moulded catamaran hulls got the very young Martin chasing around model yachting lakes and he has moulded very many different boats for his son ever since. Since his retirement he has been moulding the Chris Dicks' designs 'Widget' and 'Gadget' for Housemartin Sails and was extremely proud to see Martin become the world leader in the One Metre class.

Not content with these activities, he was a dedicated worker for the international administration of the sport having been secretary/treasurer of the ISAF RSD and its predecessors for over 20 years until 1999 and then a further two years as the Oceania regional officer. He oversaw the transition from the independent world model yachting body, the IMYRU, to become part of the world's full size sailing organisation, the IYRU, now the ISAF Radio Sailing Division. In recognition of this and his family's efforts for the sport, he was awarded the Syan Trophy in 1997 by the MYA, presented in memory of another great model yachtsman, Peter Maskell.


During the 'A' class Championship last year he was both proud and thrilled to represent the MYA at a Buckingham Palace garden party and thoroughly enjoyed the day there with Joyce.

Taking early retirement at the age of 57 allowed him to travel the world. He lived life to the full, including getting around on a bicycle or walking where possible, camping on holiday and by the lakeside in his trailer tent, brewing his own wine and doing his share of the cooking as well as enjoying creative activities in his workshop at 51 Edinburgh Drive. We will all miss him lots in so many ways, but our thoughts and prayers are now with Joyce, Hazel and Martin and their families who have the hardest task of coming to terms with their sudden loss.