Ian Vickers, NZ's leading radio-controlled sailor, designer and builder remembered
by Various Contributors 12 May 11:46 BST
Ian Vickers - New Zealand's leading designer, builder and sailor in the IOM class © NZRYA
The sailing community lost a true legend with the passing of Ian Vickers on May 4, 2026, at the age of 57yrs, following his short battle with melanoma.
Despite his illness, Ian won the 2026 IOM North Island Championship, contested on Kai Iwi Lakes in late March, with sailors from Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia competing.
Tributes have poured in from both sides of the Tasman and the wider international community, recognising his monumental contribution to radio-controlled (RC) sailing, particularly from sailors within the International One Metre (IOM) class.
Long-time competitor,
Phil Pryde remembers.
Born in Howick East, Auckland, Ian's natural sailing skills came to the fore early in his life, when he competed in school sailing regattas.
From there, he moved into Youth classes, representing New Zealand at the Youth Worlds in Sydney 1987, then into an Olympic 470 campaign competing at the Goodwill Games in 1990.
After leaving school, Ian completed a boat-building apprenticeship with Marten Marine in Auckland and went on to build a series of race boats, including the VO60 “NewsCorp”, which raced in the 2001-2 Volvo Ocean Race.
From there, Ian moved into the America's Cup, first working for Swedish Victory and later for Oracle Racing. All along, Ian fostered his love for radio control sailing via the IOM class. One of his early boats, the V3, was noticed by many at the time.
Ian sailed in seven IOM world championships, beginning in Wellington, NZ, in 1997, never far from the front. Ian scored a second place at the 2025 Gladstone World Championship.
Ian established his own RC business, “Vickers RC Sailing”, in San Francisco in 2013, before moving his family back to Auckland in 2014.
He set up in Auckland and produced his own designs. Over the next decade, Ian developed a world-leading RC design, development, and building business - a testament to his tenacity, skills, perseverance, and dedication.
Ian lived a simple life, never seeking the limelight nor grandeur. He was a reluctant hero, holding strong values and beliefs around right and wrong,
Money wasn’t Ian’s God, nor fame. He was a genuinely good person. He was a man keenly looking forward to the second part of his life.
Ian is survived by his daughter Maddie.
He gave so much and asked for very little in return. He will be sadly missed by us all. [Phil Pryde]
Brad Gibson, twice world champion and one of the most respected radio sailors in the world, remembers his international competitor:
Ian sailed in seven World Championships for the IOM class, which is the most competitive and cutthroat class by some way.
He was only once out of the top 10 and finished 2nd in the 2024 Worlds.
Ian totally dominated the NZ scene for the past 12 years, or since 2014 when he returned to NZ with his family.
He won the 2017 Australian champs with his new design, a V10, with a day to spare!!
Following that win, over the next few weeks, he sold two years' production for that boat. [Brad Gibson]
The NZ Radio Yachting Association noted that Ian was an absolute stalwart of the sport, known for "precision, innovation, expertise, and most of all simply being a gentleman both on and off the water."
While he was a giant of the pond, Ian brought a wealth of full-scale racing intelligence and high-tech boatbuilding experience to his RC designs.
His peers in Australia echoed this sentiment, describing Ian as "always contributing, always giving more than was asked of him."
A recent race report noted that, even while preparing to defend a title, Ian could be found helping the race team monitor conditions on the water.
He was incredibly generous with his design knowledge and setup guidance, helping sailors of all skill levels find more pace and enjoyment in the sport.
Ian's legacy is physically cemented in the hundreds of hand-crafted IOM hulls he produced. After establishing Vickers RC Sailing in Beach Haven, Auckland, in 2014, he developed the highly successful V-series designs, from the V8 through to the latest V12.
These boats, renowned for being stiff, lightweight, and brilliantly engineered, have consistently stood on international podiums—including his V12 design finishing 2nd and 3rd at the 2024 World Championships.
The NZRYA credits his "local" designs as a significant catalyst for the rapid growth of the IOM class and the overall sport of radio sailing in New Zealand.
Despite his phenomenal success, including multiple national titles across Australia and New Zealand and numerous podium finishes at the IOM World Championships, Ian is remembered as a reluctant hero who lived a simple life and never sought the limelight.
The New Zealand Radio Yachting Association have set up a "Book of Remembrance" on their Facebook page. If you wish, you may leave your memories and thoughts in the book, and those messages will get to his loved ones.
Ian's Service will be live streamed at 247.stream/rooms/vickers Wednesday May 13, 2026 @ 1300hrs NZ time