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13-01-2011, 10:27 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Country: England
Location: Great Horwood
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Great Horwood
Posts: 2,372
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Willie Meyers
Willie Meyers passed away today.
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14-01-2011, 09:16 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Country: UK
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Occupation: Marine Engineer-ish
Interests: Boats, Cars.
Boat name: Splash 4
Boat make: Hunton
Engines: Mercruiser 640
Cruising area: Poole, Solent
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Posts: 599
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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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14-01-2011, 12:17 PM
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#3
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Registered User
Occupation: Ex marine engineer
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 175
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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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18-01-2011, 11:10 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Country: UK
Location: Hampshire
Interests: Powerboats,Commentating, Bikes
Boat make: None at the moment
Cruising area: Wherever I can get a ride !
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 690
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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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19-01-2011, 12:24 AM
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#5
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Registered User
Country: Italy
Location: Viareggio
Occupation: no
Interests: Offshore powerboats/Motor racing
Boat name: no
Boat make: no
Engines: no
Cruising area: no
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Viareggio
Posts: 388
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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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