Lats and Atts

[Toadhall]

Mostly for those that came over from the dark side...

Heartbreaking


Here's an interview on NBC with Bob Bitchin about what happened.

 

[KnotYet]

Yup, tough break for Bob and Jody...
At least he has the right 'attitude'.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Yup, tough break for Bob and Jody...
At least he has the right 'attitude'.

A true sailor; grabbed the scrimshaw and the rum.

 

[kthoennes]

I was one of the charter members/investors when they had to restart the publication some years back, when the buyers flaked out on them and Lats & Atts almost disappeared. Boy they're tough survivors. Talk about a string of adversity. Finally got to meet Bob in person at the Newport Intl Boat show three years ago I think. He's even featured a lot of the South Dakota sailing photos in the magazine. Best wishes for a quick rebuild/recovery.

 

[Moonfish]

Bob and Jody are doing as well as can be expected, given the circumstances. They lost the house/office with 75 years of memorabilia from sailing around the world, and the "warehouse" (an attached building) that had all the products they sold at boat shows. Plus 20+ years of back issues of the magazine. They've been staying at a friend's place in Oroville, but will be moving this week into a hotel for the foreseeable future.

They evacuated at 3am with a couple changes of clothes, and, fortunately, all the hard drives and a couple of computers. Bob jokes that the Lats & Atts offices are now operating out of his backpack and from our boat. Fortunately, he and Jody do have a great attitude! We are pushing through full steam ahead with the next Winter issue, which is actually going to be a double issue with two separate magazines.

The regular Winter issue will be poly-bagged with a separate "Int'l Boat Show Spectacular" magazine, which will contain new boats, new gear, and lots of other things boaters would have seen had the boat shows not been canceled. Bob came up with the idea last month during the week they spent with us on our boat. It's going to be A LOT of work, especially with the fire tragedy and them being displaced, but we will make through...

 

[kthoennes]

Boy I just feel terrible for them, but we know they're tough. Our prayers and best wishes to them, and if they ever want to take a break on the water in South Dakota our boat is always open to them -- well, until the marina pulls it by October 15 -- and the state and our house is wide open to them too. Wish we could take them to dinner and give them a well-deserved break until the work re-starts in earnest.

 

[oscar]

At least he has the right 'attitude'.

As the man himself said... "The difference between adventure and ordeal".

I was privileged to have a coupe of articles published about 15 years ago....

 

[hollywood8118]

That just plain sucks, Bob is a fun guy to hang out with. We were out cruising the Pacific at the same time and we drank a few bears together during that time. He had quite the following in Tahiti with his years of Biker Magazine.. they held a ride in his Honor and found him a Harley to ride around the island. Bob and Jody go all in and I'm sure the place was his own piece of heaven. His boat, Lost Soul looked like a modern pirate ship.. with the exception of the Teddy Bears in the stern cabin windows. Bob definitely had a soft spot somewhere in his massive exterior.
I wish them speed and fair winds in rebuilding their lives.
HOLLYWOOD