Boats

John started sailing Enterprise dinghies with the Lloyd's Bank Sailing Club in the UK some time before before emigrating to Australia. The Bank had excellent sailing courses and of course sharing the clubhouse with BEA (aka British European Airways - now that dates him!) meant that there were always plenty of dishy hostesses around. However, do you really think they were interested in a spotty faced teenager!

In Sydney, after a short dabble with water skiing (a Pride Playmate named SupaDuck) John returned to sailing and a very neat Heron (Sail # 7171) was the first boat to fill his garage. These are a great small family boat for racing, social sailing and picnics (with an outboard!).

As the family grew John moved up to a Hartley TS16 which he renamed Tack Ticks. It really was just a grown up dinghy, but did have space for the family dog!

John dabbled with a Laser, but this was really just to get his boys, Andrew & Simon, into racing (at BYRA - Bayview Yacht Racing Association).

And then John & Carol moved to Perth and after a couple of seasons crewing John purchased his first keel boat in 1991 - a very competitive Endeavour 26 which he renamed Strange Times.

John was Hillarys Yacht Club Sailing Champion 1993/94.

Strange Times was sold in 1996 after many successful years racing.

John & Carol then moved into "cruising mode" in 1996 and you can see their Spacesailer 24 Ceilidh. Click here for additional Spacesailer 24 photographs and information.

In 2001 John & Carol moved up into a Van De Stadt 30 (Pion) named Ling Kong.
Click here for additional Van De Stadt 30 photographs and information.

Come mid-2006 and Ling Kong had to go as part of retirement planning. January 2007 and a move to a new home in Broome in the north west of Western Australia.

John couldn't keep off the water for long, so purchased a Hobie Bravo Petit Chat.

In addition, John enjoys a bit of excitement by joining the Sea Rescue and driving Redbill II.

John'sMusings

Boats

John's
Musings