Previous Boats |
Laser, sailed and raced at
Glossop SC for two years
Javelin, sailed with my mate John for
one season. We were really too light a crew for this fast boat and we
never did get the spinnaker to work without capsizing !
Mirror dinghy, only sailed once ! came in at the back of the fleet and sold
immediately afterwards
Hunter Horizon 26 - Sunrise, co-owned
with my mate Vince. Lovely boat, bilge keel with inboard Yanmar 1GM. We
sailed this around North Wales, Morecambe Bay and other North West ports. |
| Sailing Qualifications and experience |
RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 2
RYA Safety Boat
Dayskipper 5 Day practical (sailing on
Sunrise around Anglesey)
VHF/DSC
RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster (did the
winter night school course but missed the exam)
|
| Sailing Clubs |
Manchester Cruising Association |
| Profession |
Good question, some people call me a Project Manager |
| What did I want to be when I was younger ? |
A Chef |
| Who is my hero ? |
Ellen Macarthur and Gordon Ramsey |
| What was my most scary moment sailing ? |
Not sure I've really been scared but once or twice I
though I've bitten off a bit more than I could chew ! My most memorable
occasion was when I was going through my fanatical windsurfing stage,
during which I went for a two week holiday to the wind surfing hotspot of
Tarifa in southern Spain. After 10 consecutive days of perfect
conditions the surf hire company knew I could handle myself; then
on the 11th day it blew up to F7 gusting F9. The hire company would only
rent out
the smallest 3m rigs to the small number of windsurfers they trusted on the
understanding that if we went out nobody was going to come
out to rescue us. In deciding to go out I was confident in my
equipment and my ability to handle the
conditions.
Reveling in the warm sunshine and the
sea white with wind and surf, I went further out on each gybe without
noticing that the conditions were getting wilder and wilder. Just before
turning and heading back to the beach, a ferocious gust whipped me vertically
off the top of a huge wave. I'm never sure how high I went but
it it was a long way down before I crashed back into the sea and desperately
swam to my rig before it blew
off on the next wave. That really brought home to me the power of the
ocean and not to tempt fate too much with Neptune .....go out sailing if
you trust your equipment, your mental and physical ability to handle the
conditions and don't plan on somebody coming out to save your butt. |
| Favorite Book |
Aron Ralston, "Between a rock and a hard place"
This is Aron's true story of how after five days trapped by a rock
in a Utah canyon he faced the decision to cut off his arm with a
Leatherman in order to live.
It's a riveting story about the human spirit and survival skills. |
| What is in my fridge at the moment ? |
Not a lot, I'm usually too busy so I'm a bit of a Tesco
Express shopper |
| What is my most unappealing habit ? |
My kids would probably say I say I generate a lot of my
own wind ! |
| What is you my pet hate ? |
Vanity |
| What qualities do I admire in people ? |
Guts, perseverance, conviction |
| What are my other hobbies ?
|
Gardening (yeah right Dad when are you going to finish the
decking and pond ?); enjoy topiary and making some Bonsai.
DIY and decorating (yeah right again Dad)
Digital photography, painting and occasional poetry when I'm feeling mellow Going
down the gym and skiing every year with my kids. |
| Who inspires me ? |
My kids |
| Greatest achievement to date ? |
My kids |
| My personal motto ? |
If the memories are better than the dreams, then it's
all over
Unknown
|
