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Emeritus Professor Peter N Joubert AM.

Monday, 20th July 2015

On Monday the 13th July 2015 we sadly lost a famous Yachtsman, Yacht designer, Intellectual and member of Sandringham Yacht Club for 17 years, when Peter Joubert passed away aged 90 years .

Peter had a remarkable life with many achievements. He was a World War ll fighter pilot and saw the role that seat belts could play in saving lives while on duty in the Pacific. This led him to be sought out as a consultant on road safety issues and often acted as an expert witness in road accident cases. He is credited with being the instigator of legislation leading to the compulsory use of seat belts in motor vehicles and which is now adopted in most countries in the world.

Peter was a well known yacht designer and there have been more than a hundred yachts built to his designs. He was an annual competitor for 27 years in the Sydney to Hobart race and survived the storm of 1998. In 1993 he was awarded the Commodore medal of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for outstanding seamanship after his crew rescued eight survivors from the sunken yacht Adjuster in high seas in a strong gale.

Peter has authored over a hundred scientific papers, including 24 papers in the Journal of fluid mechanics and 10 in the journal of Ship Research. His achievements are far and wide. He retired in 1989 but has continued his research as an Emeritus Professor at the university. His recent work includes the study of separated flow about a submarine body while engaged in a turning manoeuvre. He has also been advising the Department of Defence and senior naval officers on the shape of the new hull for the Collins class submarine.

Closer to home he was the designer of our member Thorry Gunnersens beautiful boat “Tilting at Windmills”. Another of his stand out designs is Berrimilla, a Brolga 33. Three years ago she circumnavigated the globe. Having competed in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race she was sailed from Hobart round Cape Horn where she sailed the RORC Fastnet race. After that she returned rounding the Cape of Good Hope and the coast of Australia ion time to compete in the subsequent Sydney-Hobart Race.  Berrimilla has subsequently sailed the NW Passage leaving America to Starboard en route to the UK.

Peter will always be remembered for his wonderful safe and fast designs. What an amazing life. Thanks to the sources I have used to write this amazing story.

A memorial service will be held on the 27th August at St Paul’s Cathedral at 10:00am.

Bruce Edmunds Past Commodore.