In the very nicest possible way, to me Don was more of a verb than a name. He was also the best skipper the club never had. I looked forward to having him on any trip and he never once disappointed.

On one of my first of many trips with Don aboard we were both crewing for Alan Howells, crossing the channel at night in very rough weather. Everyone else including Alan were taken by the conditions but Don came up on watch and started chatting as though there was nothing going on.

Don: Tough, good company, hard working, reliable in difficult situations.

“It’ll be alright in about 6 hours as we get closer to France and the tide changes” he assured me. He then went on to explain how and why this would happen. He was right. Don would keep track of the weather and tides etc as though he was the skipper but never once tried to put himself forward. I once asked Don why this was and he just said he liked to be there and just do what he could.

Don: Knowledgeable, interested and interesting.

Don and I sailed that boat through the night and on into the next morning. He was as tough as they come and, given his age, more than a match for most other members of the club. As things eased up and people started to appear on deck Don started making breakfast. He fed the incoming watch before himself then we both hit the bunks. When I woke Don had been up a few hours and was on the helm as we entered port.

Don: Tirelessly devoted to looking after the crew and doing as much as possible.

Many times we would be imbibing and swapping stories and jokes after arriving in port and sometimes Don would start one of his long rambling narratives. I don’t think he got to the end of many of them as there was just too much latitude for fun at his expense. He was often in tears of laughter as he tried to deliver some of the saddest punch-lines imaginable.

Don: Good fun to be around.

I spoke to Don just days before he succumbed to his illness. He was still keen to be on a boat but only if he could be useful and do his part. I assured him I would be happy to have him as a passenger and no one else in the crew would mind. But he was determined; ‘Only if I can do my bit’. He insisted.

Don: Unable to let others do his share of the work.

Every crew benefits from having a Don. I hope that, on whichever shore his soul finally comes to rest, he meets his crew mates again.