When people ask me how long have I been sailing I tell them that I was sailing before I was born. The fact is my mother was pregnant with me whilst sailing in a regatta. My first recollections are with my dad in dinghies on the Norfolk Broads. These are small lakes on the east coast of England where, incidentally Admiral Lord nelson learned to sail on the broads, whilst his parents owned a pub in the area.
So from this I have come to being the owner and captain of Tropibird. Some say a marriage made in heaven since she is a wooden ship and I have spent most of my working life as a Yacht Carpenter.
After starting my apprenticeship way back when I wasn’t quite sixteen years old I have worked on many fine yachts. There is passion in my work and since I adhere to the ethic which my father preached to me so many years ago ‘A job worth doing is worth doing well’ my carpentry has been praised.
My practicality has been applied to rebuilding yachts and also in emergency situations making repairs quickly and efficiently. My involvement with boats has resulted in learning other trades also such as diesel mechanics, plumbing and electrics.
Above all this is my passion for sailing. I have described sailing as the most spiritual form of transport known to man and I still quote ‘now here is the sweetest sound’ each time I turn the engine off and let my boat sail. I like to keep my sails trimmed precisely and everything ‘Shipshape and Bristol fashion’ and to quote my father as I am apt to do ‘look after the ship and the ship will look after you’!
My first experience of big boats was with my uncle on his charter yacht in the Greek Islands back when I was eighteen. Ever since I have been acquiring more skills and experience although I am never too old to learn. Someday I will learn celestial navigation but for the time being I use electronic and back this up with paper charts especially for long passages.
I can cook, although I am really pleased when someone cooks for me. Since I do the washing up for myself it comes as no hardship to pull my weight and do this in return for the cooked meal.
I believe in good manners and politeness, these attributes were taught to me by my parents and they have great value. I believe in ‘do unto others as you would have done to you’ thats also the closest to religion as I get.
It seems that alcohol doesn’t suit me as I wake up after a couple of hours sleep and suffer insomnia for the rest of the night, therefore I don’t drink. However I still enjoy a night out on the town and can dance the night away with the best of them.
I don’t particularly like paperwork and needless to say bureaucracy is frustrating for me. Despite this I studied and hold the Royal Yachting association International Certificate of Competence. (I had the choice for this to be ‘Yachtmaster’ but preferred to include the word International.
I like to teach and will readily show people the ‘right’ way to do anything around my boat, so absolute beginners are welcome. I hope that people feel safe under my captaincy and it is my wish that people can say that they have enjoyed my company and had a memorable experience in the very best of ways.