How did you get into sailing and why?
I started when I was 16 at Port Hunter 16-foot skiff club at Stockton, Newcastle. This probably came about because my father was a tug boat master on Newcastle Harbour. Actually, in the boat I crewed in all of our dads were Master Mariners except for the skipper. We all were brought up around the water.
What sort of boat are you sailing at the moment?
A Spider 24 MKII called Sheerventure, a trailer yacht that sleeps four.
Racing/cruising highlights to date?
I love the Bay to Bay trailer yacht race in SE Queensland every May, which starts at Tin Can Bay and finishes at Hervey Bay. I have competed in 14 of the 29 races so far, 11 of those being in Sheerventure. We finished 23rd this year on PBH and managed a 3rd in our division in 2000.
Moments you'd prefer to forget?
The day another yacht failed to give right of way in a race and hit us and we almost sank. We had to use the bilge pump and buckets. We took all our sails off, raised the keel and rolled the hole out of the water and motored back to the yacht club at a rather acute angle. The hole was big enough to put your head in. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
If you could have any boat, what would it be?
I am interested in a good, fast cruising boat but have not decided yet. It would be good if it had a lift keel because Lake Macquarie is getting very hard to get in and out off
What do you like most about being on the water?
The peace and serenity when cruising and the adrenalin rush of racing and the friendships that I have formed at sea I love the dog watch — you know you are alive when you observe the sunrise on the horizon first thing.
Is there anything you dislike about sailing ?
Skippers who yell and scream at their crews in a derogratory manner. Raising your voice so you are heard is acceptable, but screaming abuse does not make you a better sailor it intimidates those around you. And let's face it, we all make mistakes — that's why they have erasers on the end of pencils.
