Paul Young passes away

Paul Young © Mark Jardine

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Paul Young of Rondar Raceboats, one of Britain's most respected racing boatbuilders.

A naval architect, accomplished sailor and boatbuilder, Paul took over Rondar in 1991 and over the following three decades helped establish the company as one of the best-known specialist racing boatbuilders in Britain and internationally.

Paul's boats achieved extraordinary success across many classes, most notably the International 505, as well as the Contender, 420, B14, Enterprise, Viper 640, Sonar, K6 and National Squib. Rondar-built boats won numerous World, European and National Championships and were sailed by many of the finest sailors of their generation.

Yet those who knew Paul will remember far more than his achievements on the racecourse.

Paul was an exceptionally kind and generous man. He freely shared his considerable knowledge and was always willing to help another sailor, whether they were competing for a World Championship or simply trying to make their boat go a little faster at their local club.

For Paul, customers frequently became friends, and over more than three decades he became a familiar and much-loved figure throughout the sailing community in Britain and around the world.

Paul leaves behind an extraordinary sailing legacy: championship-winning boats, classes that he helped develop and sustain, and generations of sailors who benefited from his knowledge, enthusiasm and kindness.

Above all, Paul Young was a great boatbuilder, a dedicated sailor and a very kind man. He will be greatly missed.