What is your favourite CYCA memory?

Mateship. Simply motoring out for the start of a race, be it a twilight or the start of a Rolex Sydney Hobart. Having a beer after a race, in particular a late night finish and also just being on the marina with like minded sailors.

What is your proudest achievement out on the water?

For me it is the pleasure of racing with a crew of great people, over a couple of decades, on five different “Balance” boats, building friendship and trust. Also, unless it is a safety issue, no yelling!

Being fortunate enough to have outright IRC wins in various races and regattas such as Hamilton Island, Coffs Harbour, Port Stephens and so on is a bonus. Taking out IRC overall in a Lord Howe race in truly terrible conditions was a proud achievement, but winning the 2015 Hobart, the Blue Water Pointscore and the CYCA and RSYS Ocean Racer of the year was an extraordinary honour. That will sit with my terrific crew and I for as long as we live.

What bucket list sailing event would you still like to enter/attend?

I reckon something a bit warmer such as the Antigua Bermuda Race Week would be great.

What do you think is the best thing about the CYCA?

The CYCA is a boating club, no confusion or mixed messages there. So like-minded people congregate together to be near the water and on the water. People make a club and people with similar interests make a better club.

What is your favourite sailing movie/book and why?

I’m not into sailing movies. Having spent thousands of hours at sea in all sorts of crazy conditions and at times at ridiculous speeds, they seem a pale imitation of the real thing.

Any historic sailing book is great for me, even with our modern navigation and safety systems, at times it is still terrifying. How early sailors did all of that, plus little idea of where they were, or if they would get home, is seriously heroic.

What do you do when you are not sailing?

I’ve been lucky to have had a terrific 38 year marriage to Vicki. We have three adult kids, a grandchild and one on the way. Plus two grand pups. I love spending time with Vicki and our rapidly growing family.  A TP52 was never a hit with any of them, but they all love our Beneteau 47 Swift Trawler. Mind you, I still find a boat with a toilet, running water and a fridge a bit strange.

I still enjoy the Boards I sit on and a bit of media commentary.  Snow skiing and golf along with sailing are important to me.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Absolutely pointless. I would not have listened to the older me anyway. At age 65 I would have counselled more caution. Thank heavens I ignored any such wisdom, a life somewhat on the edge has been a hoot.

A CYCA Story

About a decade ago Balance was a Sydney 47. We were all set for Hobart until on Christmas Eve our starter motor broke. Chances of a new one by Boxing Day, zero.

But a chap I barely knew had just taken delivery of a new Sydney 47. Abandoning his plans to proudly take guests out to watch the start, he donated his starter motor to us.

This exemplifies the spirit in our Club. As the years went by I got to know this Member very well through sailing and sitting on the CYCA Board alongside him. And the Club is fortunate indeed that this member, Noel Cornish, is our new Commodore.