The Hebe Haven Yacht Club has staged a wake for former Commodore Philip Boothroyd. Toasts were sunk in his memory and recollections swapped. Philip, who succumbed to lung cancer, was described as “an exceedingly nice guy”.
The commercial photographer Derek M. Allan told a story: “We always like to be by the sea. We wandered down onto a pontoon one day and there was a bloke sitting in a boat, whittling a bit of wood. We got talking and he offered us a beer. Far too many beers later I had joined the Hebe Haven Yacht Club. That was Philip.”
A keen sailor and supporter of the charity for the disabled Sailability, Philip headed the club’s committee for several years. Although at the time he was living in Sha Lan Villas, Taipo, he was active in sporting and social circles in Sai Kung. He was chairman of the rugby club Flying Kukris and supporter of WAGS Golf Society and International College of Hong Kong. A civil engineer, Philip’s last business position was at Penta-Ocean Construction Co. Ltd where he worked as Project Director for Contract 825 of the High Speed Rail Link.
In its obituary, the HHYC described Philip as “generous, gregarious, self-effacing and friendly with a direct ‘Yorkshire’ approach to life”.
Rest easy sailor. Fair wind and light seas.
Garry Ward.