Jimmy Cornell´s comment about Peter Förthmann

The first ARC, in November 1986, attracted a lot of nice people but also some strange ones. Among them was this tall German guy going around the marina dragging behind him a large tool box on wheels and doing maintenance and repair work on selfsteering gears. In those pre-autopilot days, 95 percent of the boats had wind vanes so I could see that this busy man was doing excellent business. He later dropped by the office and introduced himself.
“I’m Peter Förthmann of Windpilot.”
“I noticed you working on all those gear and doing good business too.” I replied.
“Yes, I can hardly cope, especially as I decided to service both my own and any other makes.”
“Good for you. More money never harms” I said with a hint of envy as in those days the ARC was run for free and money was definitely in short supply.
“Money?” he laughed. “I am doing it for free to help these guys on their way.”
“For free? I can’t believe it… you must be either crazy or very rich.”
“Well, probably crazy then”.
For the next 13 years, as long as I ran the ARC, Peter was in Las Palmas every year before the start of the ARC, doing just as he had done at that first ARC: servicing gears, giving advice to people, and all for free. And, as he had always done, he helped anyone regardless whether they were his clients or not.
In the intervening years we have become good friends, but my first impression has not changed, he may be crazy but also the most generous person I have ever met.

Jimmy Cornell

here is the link to Jimmy Cornell