In 1979 we bought a 29' Seamaster 925 cruiser racer, ABANNA, and also took a flotilla holiday in Greece as an introduction to cruising for Susan and our children. In ABANNA we cruised extensively around the of English south coast, Normandy and north Brittany usually with a family crew comprising ourselves and 3 small children. Some cruising was with the Channel Sailing Club, which sought to provide experience to non-boat owners completing their RYA courses. Average mileage per year was around 1500.

In 1986 we sold ABANNA and spent the next 12 years sailing on a wide variety of boats with Channel Sailing Club and the Cruising Association, variously acting as skipper, "number 1" or crew, depending on the experience and requirements of the owners.

This mode of sailing allowed us to complete somewhat longer passages in a 2-3 week summer holiday than is possible in one's own boat - including cruise in Denmark followed by the return to the south coast, one from Brest across Biscay to the Spanish Rias and, in 1996, Rally Portugal from Plymouth to Lagos on the Portuguese Algarve coast.

In 1998 we bought our present boat, SEA BUNNY, with a view to long term cruising within 5 years. We have sailed SEA BUNNY in the familiar waters of the English south coast, Normandy and Brittany, as far as the Scillies in 1999 (for the eclipse) and to Aberbenoit in 2000. Before leaving on our world trip on SEA BUNNY we generally took it in turns to take the role of skipper and "No 1".

Apart from a few outings in dinghies owned by relatives when I was a teenager, I started sailing in dinghies while abroad from 1977-1980

I started sailing at about the age of 11 when I persuaded my parents to buy an 11' clinker built lugsail dinghy and, as a teenager, I also crewed in racing dinghies. I originally learnt navigation with the Royal Naval section of the CCF at school and started sailing cruising boats at university when I chartered in the summer vacations, sailing as skipper.

A period of no sailing followed, except for a small amount of dinghy sailing while abroad and some short cruises.

RYA Competent Crew

Ships Captains Medical Course

RYA Sea Survival Certificate

Long Range Certificate (SSB and Inmarsat C)

RYA Diesel Engine Course

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean shore-based courses completed

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

RYA First Aid Certificate

RYA sea Survival Certificate

Long Range Certificate (SSB and Inmarsat C)

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean shore-based course completed