News
How She Sails: Judi
Published Wed 05 Aug 2020
How long have you been in the sport of Sailing?
Decades
Decades
What Club, Association or company are you involved with?
Townsville sailing Club (Townsville), Bellerive yacht Club (Hobart)
What Part do you play in our sport?
Sailor; Instructor; Club Volunteer; on water volunteer; Club administrator; Committee Member
Tell us how you first got involved with Sailing.
I learnt to sail with my father in a Mirror dingy as a child when he decided to fulfill his life long dream of sailing
I learnt to sail with my father in a Mirror dingy as a child when he decided to fulfill his life long dream of sailing
There are many pathways in sailing, where has your journey taken you?
Sailing has taken me on many journeys and adventures around the world for cruising, deliveries and racing. You are privileged to go to places others cant without a boat.
Whatever part of sailing you belong to, tell us about what you enjoy about your sport?
I enjoy being out on the water in the breeze. It blows the cobwebs from the brain and focuses you to be in the moment. I love the smell and the feel of the salty air. The sailing community is a group of wonderful like-minded people.
What would you say to someone thinking about getting into sailing?
I would say give it a go and see if you enjoy it. You may like to start by trying a big boat, but will get more benefit to get into a dingy if you want to be skillfull.
Tell us your favourite story ….
I delivered a boat to Hamilton Island in 2015 and competed in HIRW in a Townsville boat. During this week (yes Schoolies week for 50YOs), I met so many people, got so many offers to do MIRW, Lizard Island, Port Moresby. So I just packed up my house in Tasmania and drove to Townsville (for initially 6 months). My friends thought that I was mad! In the first 2 years I did all the regattas I could get to (up to 9 per year). I was fortunate enough to represent Townsville twice and BYC once in the AWKR (love those S80's). I also prepared and sailed a Bavaria 38 to Darwin for the Darwin to Ambon race, Raja Muda (Malaysia) and Kings Cup (Thailand). I have since competed in the Sydney to Hobart, sailed back from Noumea via Chesterfield Islands. So now my 6 months in Townsville has turned into over 4 years and I now have my own little boat (a trailer sailer) which I am preparing with my partner to take to the Kimberlies as a floating caravan. My dream is now is not racing but seeing as much ocean as I can. I still return to Hobart to see my much missed family and do the Christmas races. Just need that elusive job that works around the northern (April to Oct) and southern (Oct to March) sailing seasons.
I delivered a boat to Hamilton Island in 2015 and competed in HIRW in a Townsville boat. During this week (yes Schoolies week for 50YOs), I met so many people, got so many offers to do MIRW, Lizard Island, Port Moresby. So I just packed up my house in Tasmania and drove to Townsville (for initially 6 months). My friends thought that I was mad! In the first 2 years I did all the regattas I could get to (up to 9 per year). I was fortunate enough to represent Townsville twice and BYC once in the AWKR (love those S80's). I also prepared and sailed a Bavaria 38 to Darwin for the Darwin to Ambon race, Raja Muda (Malaysia) and Kings Cup (Thailand). I have since competed in the Sydney to Hobart, sailed back from Noumea via Chesterfield Islands. So now my 6 months in Townsville has turned into over 4 years and I now have my own little boat (a trailer sailer) which I am preparing with my partner to take to the Kimberlies as a floating caravan. My dream is now is not racing but seeing as much ocean as I can. I still return to Hobart to see my much missed family and do the Christmas races. Just need that elusive job that works around the northern (April to Oct) and southern (Oct to March) sailing seasons.
"My dream is now is not racing but seeing as much ocean as I can." |
