Honouring the late John Goode
It is with incredible sorrow that we announce the passing of our dear friend and colleague John Goode. He touched so many lives including those he worked with, and the countless people that he shared his love of the sea including the IYT family, school owners, principles instructors and students. After a short and unexpected battle with cancer, John passed away peacefully this last weekend surrounded by his loving wife Rosie and children Samantha and Patrick.
John joined the training ship Arethusa at the age of 12 and moved on to the Merchant Navy at just 14, serving on the “Temple” and the “Dunster” to name but a few where he worked up to the rank of Chief Navigator. After a career in the construction industry, John returned to his love of the sea and in 1985 started the “Southern Sailing School” in Southampton.
Alongside Southern Sailing, John started the Marine Training Trust, Rosie’s’ Charters, Cornish Cruising and was a leading contributor to numerous nautical publications before becoming the Editor of “Sailing Today”. He was deeply involved with the Southampton and London boats shows where he has fond memories of escorting Her Royal Highness Princess Anne around the London boat show where they shared anecdotes. John spent a lot of time driving around the UK giving presentations to sailing clubs, always available to answer questions 24/7. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and a member of the “Anchorites” where he would regularly “pipe” his shipmates to dinner with his bosuns whistle and was invited to represent the Anchorites at a summer garden party at Buckingham Palace with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. John was also an “expert witness” for multiple seafaring court cases spending meticulous time in preparation for these making sure he had his facts 100% correct.
In 2015, we had the honor of first meeting John in Southampton, where he was seeking to join a yacht training organisation that had meticulous high standards and ethics that replicated his values in life. His passion for teaching and seamanship knew no bounds, and his desire to share this information with as many people as possible was a lifelong ambition and a job that he fulfilled admirably, and for which is now so fondly remembered.
In 2016, John flew to Canada to meet the IYT team and Board of Directors where he was appointed as IYT Chief Examiner and IYT Ambassador for Europe where he played an integral role in propelling IYT’s reputation and commitment to excellence in yacht training and customer service. The entire team are so thankful for his unending support and are devastated to lose such an amazing colleague and friend. The company would not be where it is today without John’s leadership and today, we reflect on his past and we honour his legacy and will always remember him fondly.
It is wonderful to know that John spent the last five years of life totally devoted to his family, his students and sharing his stories and his love of the sea.
John Goode was a legend, and legends never die. His life was a life well lived; may he rest in peace.
Mark & Jennifer Fry
IYT Worldwide