I am forwarding this letter from the Scuttlebutt newsletter. Chris used to be very involved in Hobie racing in Michigan when it was in its glory days:

It is very sad to hear of the passing of one the world's great catamaran sailors, Capt. Rick White.  Through his many books and seminars, he taught more people how to have fun, sail fast, and be safe on high performance sailboats than we could ever guess. His zest for life came through with every conversation. 
He would recount with great detail what went right or wrong on a race course, and do so as a complimentary teaching moment that was meant to last.  It didn't matter whether he was on a Tornado Olympic class boat, or a Hobie Wave, he knew how to get the most out of the vessel that he was driving at the time. 
Rick showed a lot of young aspiring catamaran sailors how to sail like a winner.  Just go out and live life on the edge, standing on the boat's edge strapped in a trapeze wire, flying across the water, just as fast as the wind, waves, and sail trim will let you go.  Godspeed Rick White, may you sail on forever in peace.
- Chris Sundberg; Kalamazoo, Michigan