RIP Syd Fischer. Don't know if we'll see his like again. A legendary sailor and businessman.

Harder than nails, but the leader when Australian ocean racing was at its peak in terms of numbers and international competitiveness.

Only did a couple of short races with him, when he was very good to me, but even that (and knowing some of his crew) gave me some classic Syd stories. Like having a beer in his boatshed, with Syd looking at the pic of the three owners of the 1981 Australian Admiral's Cup team (Alan Bond, Peter Briggs and Syd) and him saying "I was the only bastard of the three who wasn't put in jail.....and I should have been!". And that wasn't the hardest thing I heard him say.