It’s clear that firefighters depend on water when fighting blazes, but one Johns Creek firefighter’s other passion sits on the water.

Firefighter Bob Scott recently won the 2012 Catalina 22 National Championship Regatta held on Scotts Flat Lake in Nevada City, Ca.

Scott began sailing about 17 years ago but didn’t start racing until 2000. In 2004 he won the Silver Fleet Championship and, with the win this year, he has become the only person in 40 years to win both championships.

“I was very proud of that accomplishment,” Scott said.

While working as a Johns Creek firefighter Scott, who has been with the Johns Creek Fire Department since its inception in 2008, has had opportunities to mesh his job and hobby when he acts as a member of the swift water rescue team.

“One of the biggest things it does is because of my sailing experience I was able to take the coastguard exam,” he said.

The rescue team has two boats they use during recovery situations and he has been able to train some of the other firefighters on the team.

“Mostly because of my experience with boats I’ve been able to help some of the guys,” he said. “It’s not just swimming.”

The Catalina 22 Nationals is a week-long regatta with two to three races a day, each three to four miles long. On average, sailors are on the water for four to six hours a day.

The regatta is scored on a low-points system, and with only 12 points Scott came in under the rest of the Gold Fleet competitors.

“We won eight consecutive races,” he said. “That’s something to be proud of.”