RIPCORD; a legend has Passed.

[Walker]

"I regret to inform all of you that Raymond R Goodsell AKA Ripcord AKA Rip_Rap Passed away April 24th 2014."

So reads the e-mail I received from his widow.
My dear friend is gone and I am broken.

More later when I am able,

Tom

[madmattd]

The virtual flag of HurlingForums.com shall now fly at half staff in memory of the loss of Ripcord.

Walker said it well: the hurling community has lost a Legend.

Many of us here knew Raymond, if not personally then at least through the Catmess, TheHurl.org, and (briefly) here. He was a huge help to many, and always ready to chat about hurling, no matter what the mechanism involved.

His contributions to the hurling community are numerous and far too many to list, but perhaps his biggest contribution was the development of the "Whipper" Trebuchet, to this day still one of the most efficient designs out there. For many years he also ran the website he created (down for several years now), ripcord.ws, which was a massive repository of information for newbie hurlers. Many of us, myself included, owe our start into hurling to Raymond.

Raymond, aka Ripcord, aka Rip_Rap, you will be sorely missed.

- Matt

[CaptBob]

That is a shame. Rip will be greatly missed. He was always so helpful, thoughtful, and funny. He often provoked creative thinking and new ideas. He also made me a coif that I have been wearing for years at the WCPC chunk - and I will continue to do and always remember him.

Truly a legend in his time!

Bob

[TommyL]

http://regionalnewsnetwork.blogspot.com ... -scio.html

[madmattd]

[Floivanus]

Man just tried to find the hurl a few days ago been bored and having had a treb or onager in years, shocked to see this news on a new forum that replaces the one ron ran for years (also long gone) this whole scene gas changed I was active 8 or so years ago and everyday a new build seemed to be going on, usually with insight and ideas from Rip, along with all his cad drawings.

When I was in high school I would visit his sight stare at his drawings and daydream. Pictures of Rips train wheel counterweighted machine and kip foss's giant treb still float around in my head, so sad to see how things have changed.

[BobP]

Just found this. Man, that hurts. Much too young.