News
How She Sails: Simone
Published Mon 11 May 2020
How long have you been in the sport of Sailing?45 Years on and off
What Club, Association or company are you involved with?
Paradise Point Sailing Club and South Brisbane Sailing Club
Paradise Point Sailing Club and South Brisbane Sailing Club
What Part do you play in our sport?
Sailor, Club Volunteer, on water volunteer
Sailor, Club Volunteer, on water volunteer
Tell us how you first got involved with Sailing.
Funnily enough it was my grandmother's fault. She was born in Fiji and grew up there and sailing was a regular social activity for her and my grandfather there. They subsequently retired to Southport, Queensland. Following the passing of my grandfather, my grandmother decided to get herself a small trailable sailing boat to the family's shock. As a result of the kind volunteers at Southport Yacht Club Sailing Squadron (Hollywell), she was able to get help to launch her boat. Naturally :-) she had a very rigorous process for rigging/de-rigging and launching and retrieving her boat. She was also very strict with observing the forecast. Nothing over 10 knots! I was boarding at St Hilda's at that stage and about 10 years old, and my grandmother would come and pick me up on day outs, with the boat on the back of her car and off we'd go to sail out of Hollywell.
Funnily enough it was my grandmother's fault. She was born in Fiji and grew up there and sailing was a regular social activity for her and my grandfather there. They subsequently retired to Southport, Queensland. Following the passing of my grandfather, my grandmother decided to get herself a small trailable sailing boat to the family's shock. As a result of the kind volunteers at Southport Yacht Club Sailing Squadron (Hollywell), she was able to get help to launch her boat. Naturally :-) she had a very rigorous process for rigging/de-rigging and launching and retrieving her boat. She was also very strict with observing the forecast. Nothing over 10 knots! I was boarding at St Hilda's at that stage and about 10 years old, and my grandmother would come and pick me up on day outs, with the boat on the back of her car and off we'd go to sail out of Hollywell.
When my parents returned to Australia, and also resided in Southport, I had my first opportunity to start dinghy sailing....in a sabot - 007. Yes I had a cool number back then.
I went through the training at SYC and started racing there. Progressing to a Flying Ant as I outgrew the Sabot and my sister also wanted to sail.
My family then moved to Melbourne. I was still in the Flying Ant at that point, and we commenced sailing at Black Rock Yacht Club. Hmmm.....Broadwater to Port Philip Bay......holy cow....what an initiation!
After a few months of sea sickness, capsizes, days starting at 30+ degrees and dropping to low teens mid race etc, we started to get our act together. We then outgrew the Flying Ant and moved into 125s. With schooling and other commitments, we retired from the 125. I continued with windsurfing and my sister fully retired from the sport and went into the Air Force.
There are many pathways in sailing, where has your journey taken you?
I've had the opportunity to go boating in lots of amazing places - sail and motor. My sailing development gave me a "6th sense" with anything to do with the water and weather generally.
I've participated in many different regattas and once again met lots of new people at these events. Particularly in Victoria where fleets were always significant.
Whatever part of sailing you belong to, tell us about what you enjoy about your sport?
In my latter years and my return to the sport, it is a massive reliever of stress. When I'm on the water, I live in the present....focusing on the weather, what's going on in my boat, what everyone else is doing. It is also is a major contributor to my overall well being....not just the mental aspect. The social aspect is also a major aspect. Long standing friendships and a group of like minded people who "get you" and your passion. This makes it even more fun when you are on the road together.
In my latter years and my return to the sport, it is a massive reliever of stress. When I'm on the water, I live in the present....focusing on the weather, what's going on in my boat, what everyone else is doing. It is also is a major contributor to my overall well being....not just the mental aspect. The social aspect is also a major aspect. Long standing friendships and a group of like minded people who "get you" and your passion. This makes it even more fun when you are on the road together.
What would you say to someone thinking about getting into sailing?
It can be daunting at first particularly if you haven't spent much/if any time in a boat on the water. To be fearful is ok.
Over time you will start to develop that "6th sense" in relation to handling a boat and how the different conditions affect the vessel. Don't expect to have it overnight. Only sailing regularly will enable you to develop it. None of us were experts on day 1.
Tell us your favourite story ….
There is one race in particular that sticks in my memory. My sister and I were sailing our 125 in a regatta at Parkdale (Melbourne). We'd had an awesome start and were top 3 in a big fleet of 125s. If anyone knows Parkdale, the winds can be flukey.
There is one race in particular that sticks in my memory. My sister and I were sailing our 125 in a regatta at Parkdale (Melbourne). We'd had an awesome start and were top 3 in a big fleet of 125s. If anyone knows Parkdale, the winds can be flukey.
Anyway, we were moving well with my sister flat out on trapeze when the wind changed...and not just a small shift or direction or speed. Long story short, we capsized over backwards with a few others.
We got ourselves sorted, boat back upright and off we went. Now well back in the fleet. The wind change had brought with it a good 20kn+ of breeze after a slow start. We were watching the other 125s as they rounded the first mark and noticed only a couple had put their spinnaker up. My sister Anne, being somewhat fearless said she was ready to roll with ours and I said fine, I'm in if you are. Anyway, round the windward mark we went, great spinnaker set and we were off planing magnificently. She was awesome on trapeze and we balanced our 125 really well for the rest of the race. No more swims and clawed our way back into the top 3. We were stoked with our efforts and sadly it was one of our last races together but we've never forgotten it.
