C. Steve, what brought you to the Flying Fifteen fleet?
 
S. You. It’s as simple as that. Actually, that’s not quite right. Mike Riley said, “My mate’s looking for a crew.”
 
C. In the meantime, he said to me, “I know a guy in Poole Yacht Club who might be a really good crew for you.”
 
S. So it was Mike Riley.
 
C. Steve, tell us about your sailing history
 
S. The minute Val and I had children, I started sailing! I was 34 before I stepped in a boat and that was a GP14. Rob Webb, a Poole Yacht Club member, who I still sail with, said to me, “You need some waterproof trousers and waterproof boots,” so I put wellingtons on and an old sou’wester that I got off the council when I was working for them. And I so loved it, it was just brilliant.
 
C. And then what?
 
S. I sailed with Rob in his GP for a year. His boat was a pile of…not very good quality, so I went and bought a virtually new GP14, but he still helmed it. We only liked going out when it was blowing old boots, so we said, “Why don’t we try an Osprey?” So I bought an old Osprey and renovated it with lumps of stainless steel - a bit over the top! - and we went out in that a few times. He was not a particularly good helm and we used to capsize quite a bit. We did the Poole Yacht Club regatta and it was really quite windy and that’s when I had my first heart attack. We capsized about three times, and the third time he scraped me up and I said, “Rob, we’ve got to go in. There’s something wrong. I feel dreadful.” He said, “Steve, that’s the trouble with you, you’re a hypochondriac.” Then he turned round and looked at me and said, “Oh…OK,” and then, from off the end of Brownsea - luckily it was a reach all the way in - he sailed this boat I’d just renovated straight into the marina and straight up the slipway. All I did was step out of it. I don’t remember a lot after that - ambulances… That was thirty-five years ago, almost to the day.
 
C. Why did you love sailing so much?
 
S. I was running my own business and it was very stressful because I had to remember everything and learn how to manage people and so on, but when you went sailing, you could only think about sailing. Even today, when I’m sailing with you, nothing else matters, it’s only what we’re doing at the time.
 
C. What have been your best and worst sailing experiences?
 
S. The best was winning the last race in the 2015 Flying Fifteen world championships in France. We’ve had many brilliant races. Another that sticks in my mind was at Hayling Island some years ago, where it’s absolutely honking, big sea, where we bear away round the mark, and up goes the kite, whoosh, and we’re off, and I look to my side, and there was a Flying Fifteen totally upside down, with people sat on the bottom! I said to you, “I thought they’re not meant to do that,” and you said, “Concentrate!”
 
The worst was having that heart attack, but the best thing is that I didn’t give up sailing after that. People said, “You’re stupid, Steve, don’t go back to that,” but my old doctor, Dr Howard, said, “I’d rather you didn’t sail, but I guess it’s not what I think but about what you think,” and off I went sailing again. With all the people I’ve sailed with I’ve always said, “Look, if I say I don’t feel well, honestly, I don’t feel well.”
 
C. What is the best boat you’ve sailed?
 
S. Osprey, because they’re so quick, then the Fifteen.
 
C. Upwind or downwind?
 
S. Downwind - I can work the boat harder!
 
C. Light winds or strong winds?
 
S. I’m getting less enthusiastic about heavy weather, partly because I don’t feel as safe as perhaps I did, so strong winds but not out of control. Force 4 - 5.
 
C. Harbour or Bay?
 
S. Bay! We never get enough Bay!
 
C. Favourite music?
 
S. Out on the Floor by Dobie Gray
 
C. Favourite drink?
 
S. Lager
 
C. Last meal?
 
S. Curry - a Crispin curry.
 
C. Something about you that might surprise us?
 
S. I can’t read. I can tell people now but when I had a business I couldn’t let anybody know.
 
C. I think people might also be amazed by how many boats you’ve owned…
 
S. Most of them were renovation jobs: 2 GP14s, 3 Ospreys, 5 R19s, 2 Lasers, 1 F27, 1 MG27, 3 Sonatas and a J24. Oh, and 3 cabin cruisers!
 
C. What would be your walk-on song?
 
S. Anything by James Brown
 
C. One record that you’d want saved from the waves?
 
S. A Level 42 song, but I can’t think of the name
 
C. What’s trendy now that you think is ridiculous?
 
S. Nobody talks to each other because everybody’s on their bloody phone
 
C. Helming or crewing?
 
S. Crewing, definitely! I prefer crewing. I enjoy helming as well but I’m a better crew than a helm. I think I know my limitations - it’s great steering and doing well, and certainly over the last few years I’ve done better because you’ve taught me everything - literally! Particularly about the wind. I’ll ask, “Why did we tack there, we were on a lift?” You’ve taught me to look about and see whether the next gust will be a header or a lift, or to look at the boats in front. It’s all about what else is about that gives you the clue.
 
C. Thank you, Steve. I look forward to sailing with you again very soon!