How long have you been in the sport of Sailing?
4.5 Years

What Club, Association or company are you involved with?
Princess Royal Sailing Club

What Part do you play in our sport?
Sailor; Instructor; Club Volunteer; on water volunteer; Club Management; Committee Member; Sport Promoter

Tell us how you first got involved with Sailing.
Raising an autistic grandson & encouraged to take him to Sailability.  Since I am a long term (over 50yrs) above knee amputee it was suggested I try too.  Was trained at the helm, then did keelboat course & sailed & raced keelboats for 3 seasons.  Now a qualified Para Sailor and train all abilities, focusing on disabled.

There are many pathways in sailing, where has your journey taken you?
Keelboat sailing, cruising and racing. Hansa sailing, competing at state and national level, Keelboat Instructor and now Club Commodore.

Whatever part of sailing you belong to, tell us about what you enjoy about your sport?
I enjoy the freedom and the physical and mental fitness sailing has provided. Never considered sailing as a sport and aged over 70 when I became hooked - I'm grateful for all the support from my club and mentors. The camaraderie of working with a keelboat race team is exhilarating. Assisting and participating with people with diverse disabilities is humbling.

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

Come Sailing! Go Sailing! Try  Sailing! For your body, mind and soul, GO SAILING!
Just do it - go sailing.

Tell us your favourite story ….
I have so many, but perhaps my favorites are about racing in the 2020 WA State Hansa Class Championship on Princess Royal Harbour with a young sight impaired teenager.  Weather was not kind and he was very wet and cold after the first day's three races.  I wasn't sure he would return for the last three races the next day.  He did, in full wetsuit, ready for another day of unkind weather.  Although we had only sailed together twice before this event, we were both pleased with our bronze medal for third place in the Hansa 303 doubles fleet.