From Southampton Echo July 2009
Born in Dublin in 1920, Bill grew up on a farm in the Irish town of Carlow.
It was there, while strapping two pig troughs together, he came up with an idea for a boat that sailed on two hulls.
After serving as a rear gunner in the RAF, stationed in Egypt in the Second World War, Bill moved to Weston to work in the aircraft industry in Hamble where he worked with the company setting up a boat section. During this time he designed and launched the popular Jumpahead and Shamrock catamarans.Bill, along with friends Don Harvey, Franz and Ivan Morris and Bert Drought, then founded Weston Sailing Club in the Seaweed Hut on Weston Shore.
In the late 1950s he launched Bill O’Brien Catamarans and went on to design the popular BobCat and Oceanic boats.
He also helped Norman Kemish and Arthur Gale with the planning for the inaugural Southampton Boat Show in 1969.