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Old 13-01-2011, 10:27 PM   #1
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Willie Meyers

Willie Meyers passed away today.
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Old 14-01-2011, 09:16 AM   #2
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Willie

Willie Meyers probably won't be a familiar name to many of you as he was an old school American Throttleman.
I am sure that The Fish can enlighten us with some of Willie's achievements but for most of the 70's and early 80's he was a staunch supporter of Cowes, often to be seen in Limit Up boats with Tim Powell.
I raced in the 1984 Round Britain race with Willie as throttleman, (not entirely sucessfully it has to be said!), he was such a character.
HE used to tape chewing gum on the dash of the boat and pre-peel all of the sticks and then bend them out for easy grabbing when he needed a new piece. (I know its hard to envisage but it was always very funny at the time).
He had a very interesting history of which I do know some snippets:
He trained "Flipper" the dolphin for the television programmes.
He was George Bush's personal boat driver and long term friend.
He was a legendary Throttleman in Thunderboat alley where he knew all of the major players, he was on of the first on the scene when Don Aronow was shot.
He lived in retirement very quietly in Fort Lauderdale.
He has a wonderful daughter Amanda, who lives in the Bahamas.
He had a very sharp wit and was a very generous person; when I was starting to race he brought me over his old Lifeline lifejacket as hand baggage from Miami as he said I needed a decent Lifejacket!
Willie hadn't been seen in Cowes for about ten years I guess, but he will be missed by all that had the fortune to know him.
RIP Willie.
SIMON.
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Old 14-01-2011, 12:17 PM   #3
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Again it's a great shame, he was a really lovely guy, so many old friends are passing away.
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Old 18-01-2011, 11:10 AM   #4
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Willie Meyers

As Simon says, Willie was one of the great throttle men, going back to the early days of Miami-Nassau etc in the 60's.
He was seen at Cowes Races & competed several times I think.
TP invited him over to Cowes on at least one occasion, after he finished racing, and I remember him being at the RYS with a group of us, awaiting the Prize Presentation, post race.
Another "Great" lost - it is not a very good start to the year so far.
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Old 19-01-2011, 12:24 AM   #5
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Willie Meyers was playing the role of full offshore-man as it was Sam Griffith, the legendary father of this great sport.
Among the most sought t-man especially in the seventies, he ran successfully on boats with outboards such as the famous "White Label", which won the prestigious U.S. National Championships for the category in 1971 and with the larger Class 1 as the Cigarette 36' "Dante's Inferno" in which won the famous 1973 Bahamas 500 or the big 40' "Bounty Hunter" of Martin or the "Limit Up" of Doxford and Powell.
Willie inspired in me sympathy and admiration.
A great loss. Goodbye Willie.

Marco
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