OBITUARY Colin Turner, 1935-2022
East Coast sailors of a certain age will mourn the passing of Colin Albert Turner, a sea dog of the highest pedigree who died in Ireland in March, writes Jo Burge.
Born in Wivenhoe, Colin grew up in a fabulously sea-faring family. His grandfather Captain Albert Barr Turner was skipper of King
George V’s yacht Britannia, and his father too.
Colin’s first command wasn’t quite J-class but an aircraft fuel drop-tank; salvaged, sliced and fitted out with lug-rig, this was the ideal boat for a young lad putting to sea with the war over at last. Many other craft followed, some featuring make-do construction methods such as roofing felt over clinker, his native seamanship and ingenuity making up for any shortcomings the vessel might have.
His resourcefulness led him to be recruited into the RAF and see duties as navigator on Short Sunderland flying-boats. He spoke of the fascinating sight of lightning over the Atlantic, travelling up the aircraft’s radar system. Back in civilian life Colin followed an engineering career with Paxman Diesels and numerous maritime businesses, including commissioning Sir Donald Gosling’s yacht, Brave Goose. Leaving Tough’s Yard at Teddington, the 126ft vessel developed engine problems in the Thames; strings were pulled in urgent fashion and permission was granted to raft up alongside HMS Belfast, where repairs were made, using the warship’s considerable workshop.
Colin had many yachts in his sailing career. He always favoured the classic, timber and steel, and despite never being in the least bit sniy about boats, he would say: “I draw the line at anything without a drinks’ locker.”
Some he lived aboard, all he sailed with pleasure and twinkle-eyed accomplishment. Not a club yachtsman, he was to be found cruising and sounding the swatchways; a natural and gentle teacher, never happier than when passing on the skills of boat handling and seamanship.
Not so long ago, he was teaching my son, then aged nine, to navigate “properly – with a pencil”.
Colin married Brenda in 1962 who predeceased him. He spent his last years in Ireland with their daughter Emma.