Growing up in country Victoria, Rob learned to sail on the Gippsland Lakes at Metung.  Spending many holidays in Sydney gave him the opportunity to do several School Holiday Courses at the YSA and Winter Series races on the harbour.  When the family moved back to Sydney, Rob joined Advanced Squad and sailed on Member’s yachts competing in his first Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2007 on Graeme Wood’s TP52, Wot Yot.  Four years and four Hobarts later, Rob had the opportunity to join the Investec Loyal team along with fellow YSA sailor, Will Parker for the 2011 race where the team took line honours ahead of Wild Oats XI in an exciting match race up the Derwent.  Rob spent the next seven years as a professional sailor based in Palma and London sailing in regattas on yachts from 22 ft Etchells to the 150ft J Class and ticking off many of the ocean races on every sailor’s bucket list.  Rob has spent the last two years living in Miami and spending most of his time sailing Etchells and J70s around some keel boat racing.

CYCA Member since:

2007

Favourite CYCA memory:

Making friends from all over the world, through match racing and ocean racing.  I continue to sail with many of these people in match racing and ocean racing while working overseas.

Favourite moment from the 2011 Sydney Hobart:

Working and sailing with Peter Merrington and the team on Investec Loyal for the year leading up to the race was a great experience and taught me so much about running a campaign.  Sailing with some ‘legends’ and helping many inspirational guest sailors achieve their Hobart dreams on a super maxi.

Most amazing sailing experience:

2017 – a year with the J Class, Lionheart leading up to the J Class Worlds in Newport Rhode Island, winning both the pre America’s Cup Regatta in Bermuda and the World Championship in Newport in that year.

Bucket-list event still to tick off:

The two Rolex ocean races that I have left to do – Middle Sea Race and Newport to Bermuda.

Best thing about the CYCA:

The opportunities that members extend to YSA sailors to help further their sailing experiences.  Sailing on Dick Cawse’s Vanguard with so many YSA graduates and being introduced to the Wot Yot fleet for many regattas and my first two Hobarts.

 Outside of sailing I…:

Ride, kayak and play golf regularly with fellow sailors.

 What’s next?

Looking forward to getting back to ‘the new normal’ as soon as we can and getting back out on the water.