PHUKET: Andy Dowden, one the key figures who drove the original development of Phuket’s boating and sailing yacht industry, has passed away.
“Hi Everyone, our beloved Andy has passed away this morning. Hope they have a good gin and tonic up there for him! Smooth sail Andy… Love you Dad xx Namprik and Family,” his family posted on Andy’s Facebook page earlier today (July 22).
People were invited to share pictures of their good memories with him in the post. “We will let you know if we have more details about the funeral service,” the family added.
Tributes have already started to pour online to mark Andy’s passing.
“One of the founders and a co-author of Southeast Asia Pilot, Andy Dowden, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, July 22,” wrote long-time friend Grenville Fordham.
Andy, a British yachtsman who left the UK in 1981 aboard his own 46-foot sloop to cruise the world, was one of the pioneers of yachting in Thailand. He arrived in Thailand for the first time in 1984 and set up Phuket’s first yacht services and boat building company in 1989, Grenville noted.
“He was a past president of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, co-founder of both Thailand’s first boat show (PIMEX) and Phuket Raceweek regatta – a sailors’ favourite largely due to the imprint of Andy’s personality on its organisation. Such was his love of Phuket’s sailing scene that no local regatta committee boat went out without Andy on board – unless he was racing himself.
“But Andy’s real legacy, and the main reason he’s almost universally described as ‘a legend’, is that he was a kind, compassionate, forgiving and easy-going man; he never had a bad word to say about anyone and, to top it off, he was a consummate, if quietly spoken, raconteur – everybody’s friend and the perfect companion for setting the world to rights over a few sundowners. I can just see him now, entertaining the celestial host with that mischievous ‘Dowden grin’ firmly planted on his face.
“Fair winds and following seas, Andy.” Grenville lamented.
Funeral services for Andy will be held at Wat Manik in Cherng Talay from 7:30pm each night tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday (July 23-25).
His cremation ceremony will be held at 11am on Wednesday (July 26).
There will a gathering at Pepper’s Bar in Cherng Talay after the cremation to celebrate Andy’s life.
The quintessential story of how Andy came to be in Phuket and his achievements thereafter, is told by Scott Murray in his article, “Two-year sailing journey turns into life’s work (Andy Dowden)”.
