News
How She Sails: Heather
Published Wed 13 May 2020
How long have you been in the sport of Sailing?60 years
What Club, Association or company are you involved with?
Whitsunday Sailing Club
What Part do you play in our sport?
Sailor; Race Official; Instructor; Club Volunteer; on water volunteer; Club Flag Officer; Committee Member; Parent
Sailor; Race Official; Instructor; Club Volunteer; on water volunteer; Club Flag Officer; Committee Member; Parent
Tell us how you first got involved with Sailing.
Started sailing in a Gwen 12 on Lake Tinaroo on the Atherton Tableland with my father and brother at the age of 11 and sailed in club events through until I was 16. I even featured in Australian Sailing magazine sailing into the mist!
There are many pathways in sailing, where has your journey taken you?
At University of Queensland I joined the Sailing Club and skippered the University Women's Australian Lightweight Sharpie for the next 4 years traveling to Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane for National Titles and Intervarsity Championships - all before I was 21 years old.
Whatever part of sailing you belong to, tell us about what you enjoy about your sport?
I have belonged to every part of sailing, as a skipper, crew, RYA Senior Dinghy Instructor, YA dinghy instructor, race officer, sailing club official and as a result I have enjoyed amazing lifelong social interaction with like minded people.
What would you say to someone thinking about getting into sailing?
Go down to your local sailing club and talk to people. Check out the Australian Sailing web site to find a pathway that would suit you. Read books about sailing from your local library.
Tell us your favourite story ….
Too many - Towing a boat across Nullabor Plain while still a dirt road to sail an Intervarsity in Perth, sailing in club championships with son and daughter on board dragging plastic ducks behind, circumnavigating the Isle of Wight in a RS 200 with s friend Estelle taking 9 hours and 5 minutes, Co-skippering a 47ft Yacht from Yarmouth, England to Mackay, Qld as part of the World Arc rally, Skippering my own yacht La Quilta (a 45ft Moody DS) to Vanuatu to distribute charity aid to islands affected by Cyclone Pam,
Too many - Towing a boat across Nullabor Plain while still a dirt road to sail an Intervarsity in Perth, sailing in club championships with son and daughter on board dragging plastic ducks behind, circumnavigating the Isle of Wight in a RS 200 with s friend Estelle taking 9 hours and 5 minutes, Co-skippering a 47ft Yacht from Yarmouth, England to Mackay, Qld as part of the World Arc rally, Skippering my own yacht La Quilta (a 45ft Moody DS) to Vanuatu to distribute charity aid to islands affected by Cyclone Pam,
