Bob: What brought you to the Fifteen Fleet?
Steve: When we sold our family cruiser, Lisa and I wanted to get back into competitive dinghy sailing but didn't want to return to the Dart class. We had watched the Fifteens racing regularly and were very impressed by the elegant lines of the boat. So we thought we would give the Fifteen a go, rather than any of the dinghies, despite our lack of weight.
Bob: Tell me about your sailing history?
Steve: I started at 9 years old with my brother, sailing a mirror dinghy. We then moved up to a 420, and then a Fireball at Christchurch Sailing Club. At about the age of 17, we went our own ways and for some maverick reason, I bought a Unicorn ('A' Class Catamaran) to sail at Highcliffe Sailing Club. This was a great boat, very exciting but it was difficult to manage in a force 5 and above so I moved into the Dart Class and started sailing with Lisa. We campaigned a Dart for nearly 10 years at Open Meetings and Nationals and even did a European Championship before taking a break from dinghy sailing. I then did a couple of years of offshore racing in a Sigma 33 culminating in the Fastnet. A little later, when our children were big enough, we returned to dinghy sailing as a family in a Wayfarer briefly, before buying a family cruiser (Hunter 27) and that brings us to the Flying Fifteen.
Bob: What has been your best sailing experience to date?
Steve: When we were Dart sailing we were particularly fast in a force 3. At one of the Nationals at Abersoch, with a perfect force 3 and sunny weather, we had a fantastic race with over 100 boats behind us and only the National Champion managing to beat us.
Bob: What has been your worst sailing experience to date?
Steve: Getting caught out in a force 6-7 squall in the Wayfarer, off of Lymington entrance with my daughter (aged 10) as crew. We suffered a really nasty capsize and had to be rescued.
Bob: What is the best boat you have sailed?
Steve: The 'A' Class catamaran
Bob: Upwind or downwind?
Steve: Upwind ... it is more challenging for us!
Bob: Symmetrical or Asymmetrical?
Steve: Symmetrical (Asymmetrical is far too untidy)
Bob: Light or strong winds?
Steve: Strong, for the exhilaration and physical test
Bob: What is your favourite music genre?
Steve: I don't have a particular favourite. I like an eclectic mix
Bob: Chinese or Indian?
Steve: Mediterranean
Bob: And finally, Strictly or Top Gear?
Steve: Embarrassingly 'Strictly'
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