How long have you been in the sport of Sailing?

I first started racing at 14 and have been involved ever since.

What Club, Association or company are you involved with?

I first joined Dobroyd Aquatic Club at 14 and then sailed yachts at Drummoyne Sailing Club.  When I moved to Lake Macquarie I joined Mannering Park Amateur Sailing Club. I have also been involved at Wangi Sailing Club.

What part do you play in our sport? (eg. Sailor, club volunteer, committee member)

Race Official; Club Volunteer; on water volunteer; Club administrator; Club Management; Club Flag Officer; Committee Member; Parent

Tell us how you first got involved with Sailing

I first started sailing when I was probably about 12. I would take the dog out on our Fairlight Gull on Lake Macquarie in the holidays. I went on an friends Spiral and sailed that just before a storm and thought how cool it was. Family friends mentioned that Lasers were faster so I bought a Laser at 14 with money I earned from delivering pamphlets in our local area. I then joined their club at Dobroyd Acquatic Club.

There are many pathways in sailing, where has your journey taken you?

My journey is mostly now about getting the best results for my kids in the sport.  My kids James and Emily sail and F18 catamaran and we do the NSW traveller series for that (they won it this year). We have travelled most of the East Coast with Nationals for Sabot and Lasers something which I didn't do myself in Sailing.

Whatever part of sailing you belong to, tell us about what you enjoy about your sport?

By far the best part of sailing is the people you meet. I have friends all over the country from the sport.  We can see people once a year and mix with them like we saw them yesterday.  I have found it cool over the years to be watching the news and see something on it and the kids say that's where someone lives and this is what they posted on Facebook or Instagram on what the event is on TV. Another  great thing is that the best in the sport are so approachable. To be able to meet your heroes and just chat to them is great.

What would you say to someone thinking about getting into sailing?

It's a sport for the whole family. It doesn't matter how young or old they are everyone can enjoy it. The bonds between my family are far stronger than others that don't share a common interest.

Tell us your favourite story ….

I bought a boat in Sydney and brought it back to Lake Macquarie. The boat was a Columbia 27 and unlike the race boats we had in the past it was very slow. I named it Chugger. At the time it was appropriate boat for me because I was a newly single parent with an 13 yr old, an 11 yr old and a 8 yr old. We could all sleep comfortably on it for weekends away. We sailed through the washing machine of Sydney Harbour and out to sea. The bottom was not clean so we stayed inside Barrenjoey the first night. The second day was not much breeze and sunny and we heard a tornado warning come over the radio. The 2 of us on board, my friends dad and I looked at each other and thought it must have been a joke but no Kurnell did have a Tornado that day. Dark clouds set in with a big line of cloud the whole horizon across. The wind blew up, the seas started to get very choppy and Chugger was bobbing around like a cork. The rain then came down with hard drops like 20 cent pieces. It was a pretty hairy trip up. I went inside to get some food for us and slipped carrying a finger bun and it flew out of my hands. I was still finding the sprinkles 2 years later throughout the cabin. We got into the channel and lightening struck and I was holding the rails and it zapped me. I turned to look at my friends dad and his pants were around his ankles they were so wet and heavy from the rain they wouldn't stay up.  We got through the bridge and up the channel into the lake for it to turn into a lovely sunny afternoon. I got the boat back to the club mooring and rowed in for the kids to say what's for dinner mum we're hungry.