Australian Sailing is mourning the passing of back-to-back A-Class World Champion, Barranjoey Pin recipient #108 and industry legend Allan Goodall.

Goodall was one of Australia’s most talented and successful international catamaran sailors at a time when the field included some of the finest talent to ever come out of the nation.

Introduced to the sport by his Grandfather Ernie, Allan and his brothers Greg and Steve learned to sail at Bendigo Yacht Club on Lake Eppalock in an old Mirror Ernie and the boys had brought back to life. Brother Greg later went into boat building, and it was in one of his brother’s boats that Allan won back-to-back A-Class World Championships at Wellington, New Zealand in 1984 and Spray Beach, USA in 1985 where Greg completed the family double finishing second.

Greg and Allan joined forces on the double handed Tornado catamaran for a six-year campaign that included trials for the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. In that time Allan also earned his Barranjoey Pin when he won a bronze medal at the 1989 Tornado World Championships in Houston with his crew Greg Cann.

Greg penned the following note on his brother’s passing:

My eldest brother Allan passed away yesterday morning with Ruth and Allison at his side. Allan was born in Bendigo in 1950, The eldest son of Nancy and John Goodall. Allan was a quiet achiever and excelled at everything he took on. In his final year at Golden Square High School Allan was the head prefect and earnt a teaching scholarship to Melbourne University. Allan graduated with a degree in physics and teaching. After a few years of teaching in the State school system he transferred to Haileybury College working as a maths teacher where he stayed for the next 45 years, Allan held the position of senior maths teacher and sailing coach.

Allan was introduced to sailing at the age of 10 by his grandfather Erny. Allan took to sailing like a duck to water. He had a liking for speed and ventured into the Quick Cat class catamaran. he went on to win several state and national titles. Looking for something faster he moved onto the Dolphin class and then onto the International A-Class catamaran where he won 2 world championships. This international success inspired Allan to compete in the Tornado Olympic class catamaran. Allan and I teamed up for 6 years competing at the highest level with Allan skippering and me as the crew. Allan continued sailing the Tornado with his son Johnathon for another 10 years and then retired from competitive sailing apart from a few annual regattas with David Judkin in his Ultimate 18. Allan’s need for speed saw him join the Alfa Car Club where he raced at club level for many years. Eventually a major crash into a brick wall that destroyed the Alfa and put Allan in hospital for a couple of days put an end to his racing days. He loved his Alfas and took part in club days until a few years ago, just not as fast as before.

Allan was a life well lived and it was only the last 12 months that his illness got the better of him.

He will be missed by all who new him; the thousands of students he taught maths to, sailors he competed with here and internationally, Alfa club members, family and friends.

Goodbye big brother.

(reposted with thanks to Greg Goodall and family)

Australian Sailing is thankful that Allan was present at the 2025 Victorian Sailing Awards where he was presented with his Barranjoey Pin by Sarah Ogilvie OLY (image above), and would like to extend our deepest condolences to Allan's family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.