It is with heavy hearts that we honor the memory of Robbie Robinson, founder of Signature Yachts and friend to many. His peaceful death at age 61 on Sunday morning, September 15, concluded his long battle with cancer. Robinson passed in his Seattle home surrounded by family and friends.
“The personal loss we all share is lessened by the knowledge that he has left us a great legacy of achievement, integrity, and dedication in our industry,” said Signature Yachts broker and friend Chapin Day in the initial press release.
Robinson seemed born to lead a rich boating life, sailing in El Toro sailboats and fishing with his family in Hawaii by the tender age of five. Robinson would grow up to join the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower in ports around the world. His civilian life afterward was no less sea salty, founding his first yacht brokerage Performance Yachts in Bellingham, Washington and Portland, Oregon, while working as a Nordic Yachts intern.
After selling Performance Yachts about 25 years ago, Robinson moved north to Seattle and founded Signature Yachts, one of Puget Sound’s most prominent new and used yacht brokers representing brands like Beneteau, Foutaine Pajot, and Amel. He has embraced just about every aspect of boating on a multitude of cruising boats with his partner Cesar Quirino with their Siamese cat Rumor and many friends and family, to sailing West Coast waters from Alaska to Mexico, and far afield in the Chesapeake Bay, Bahamas, BVIs, and more.
Known throughout the industry, including at this publication, as an upstanding and successful business partner and source of community leadership, Robinson leaves behind a legacy to be proud of.
“Even as his health failed, he carefully laid the foundation for ensuring that the Signature Yachts team will remain on the job, continue representing our outstanding brands, and continue to uphold the high standards he set and exemplified for each of us,” continued Day.
While there are no immediate plans for a memorial service at the time of this writing, Robinson asked that anyone wishing to honor his life can do so with a donation to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Mercy Corps, ACLU, and/or Habitat For Humanity.
Northwest Yachting will be donating to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance to honor our friend who passed. Fair winds and following seas, Robbie.
