Further to our post from yesterday Palm have issued the following press release.

After thirty two years at the coal face of Palm our co-founder Bob Slee is hanging up his tool belt, but probably not putting his feet up.

Bob helped Andy start Palm; building their first kayaks together. After ten years on the high-seas working as a pilot in the Merchant Navy, Bob arrived back at Palm wearing seafaring white socks and bringing a ‘Shipshape & Bristol Fashion’ attitude.

Bob brought the ethos of can make; will make; make it better as our technical director. Never more happy than in his overalls with an angle grinder in hand, he is responsible for us having a purpose-built factory, with its own roto-moulding oven – all built by Bob.

Always a champion of paddlesport’s place in the world, Bob’s strong Bristol accent has echoein the ear of Westminster MPs as chair of the Association of Canoe Trades and more recently as a founder Marlins Canoe Club in Palm’s hometown.

Having no intention of stopping, Bob has prepared for this moment by constructing the World’s most over-specced Man Cave, where he can enjoy his woodturning. He’s made camp on the North Devon coast where he takes his sea kayak out catching fish and through careful breeding has crafted a small army of grandchildren who dote after Grandad.

Bob will be well and truly missed at Palm and through the paddling trade. So please join us in wishing him all the very very best and saying thank you.

The Palm Team