Q. What brought you to the Flying Fifteen fleet?
A. Graham in 2009!!  I was desperate to fill an employers’ panel for a degree validation at my university and spotted Graham in the bar one Friday night! In return he invited me to crew on his FF ‘Gripple Nipper’ at the RM.
 
Q. Tell me about your sailing history
A. Started in my Mirror, aged 13, on a very small puddle in Staffordshire with no clubhouse or changing rooms. Progressed to Firefly class  and my first Poole Week – I could not believe the facilities!  On to many many years cruiser racing and cruising.  Supported Youth Week from its beginning and my daughters through AB’s/Toppers/420s. My years big boat racing have included all the usual – many Cowes Weeks, Cork Weeks, Dartmouth Weeks, PYRA races, IRC nationals and since 2013  - Caribbean racing weeks e.g. Antigua Week, Heineken Regatta St Martins etc and racing big boats and FFs in Australia! And of course the mighty Suzie!
 
Q. What has been your best sailing experience to date?
A. Probably racing Manitou (classic 62’ Bermudan Yawl – raced by JFK in the early 1960’s)  in the magnificent Voiles de Saint Tropez Classics.  Beating Tara Getty’s Bermudan Yawl (Skylark) in a mini one on one series (the Blue Bird Cup). The after party  on Getty’s classic motor yacht Talitha G was epic!. Racing our silver fleet Gripple Nipper in the Worlds in Perth was also truly epic.
 
Q: What has been your worst sailing experience to date?
A:  The advantage of worst sailing experiences are they are a. character building (!) and b. a learning experience!  When a very new cruiser sailor, very many years ago, sailed a 30’ cruiser Poole – Guernsey with my two young children.   Got the nav and timings wrong and ended up in the Alderney Race big wind against big tide – very large scary waves with nowhere to go but down the plug hole to the Channel Islands. I did learn to do the nav more carefully!!
 
Q: What is the best boat you have sailed?
A: Racing the J133 for many years.  A lot of fun with 10-12 crew.
 
Q: Upwind or downwind?
A: If I am helming upwind if I am crewing downwind!
 
Q: Light or strong winds?
A: Neither – a steady force 4 is good
 
Q: Harbour or Bay?
A: Depends  on location!
 
Q: What would your last meal be
A: Surf and turf.
 
Q: What would be your walk-on song?
A: Katrina and the Waves – Walking on Sunshine