The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and the National Family Island Regatta committee are paying tribute to Bert Knowles, “a multi-faceted Bahamian son” and Long Island resident who died last week, aged 71.

Mr Knowles was the son of Rupert Knowles, a man Mrs Butler-Turner yesterday described as “legendary for his boat building and seafaring skills”.

“Bert was the second son of Rubert and Muriel Knowles,” she said, adding: “From his father, he learnt at an early age the art and craftsmanship of boat-building, design and sailing. The settlement of Mangrove Bush, Long Island is today synonymous with excellence in design and building of Bahamian sloop sailing boats.”

She added: “Uncle Bert, as I respectfully called him, was a man who possessed excellent recall. To visit with him and Aunt Chloe at Winter Haven meant you needed considerable time to sit and listen. He would recall things that related to Long Island in particular, and also to the wider Bahamas. He loved politics and remained faithful and loyal to his party. He contributed over the years greatly to framing and the cultivation of farming throughout Long Island.”

Mrs Butler-Turner said Mr Knowles helped build Long Island and advised most Long Island MPs on what the island needed. She extended condolences his family.

In a press statement, the National Family Island Regatta committee added that Mr Knowles “perfected the art of boat building, giving him a legacy of being one of the best sloop builders in the Bahamas. He was a national treasure in the field of boat building and it is going to be very difficult to replace him. He was truly a hero of the first order and the National Family Regatta will not be the same without him. He left the sport of sloop sailing and boat building better than he found it. He will surely be missed.”