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Sailing has been a lifelong interest for Stephen who now holds the position of Commodore at the Hornsea Sailing Club. His interest in sailing began as a schoolboy. Having given up on the rough and tumble of playing rugby and with the help of the school's woodwork teacher they began to build a boat. Having built it, Stephen had to learn how to sail it and he's never looked back.

When he left school he found himself involved with a different sort of deck. Disco decks took him around Europe and after a few years he returned to these shores to take up a job with a holiday firm that offered sailing activities for children. It was a job he enjoyed a great deal and over the next few years improved his sailing skills. As time moved on, he became a teacher and moved up north and was pleased to find an active sailing club based at Hornsea Mere which uses the facilities for part of the year.

Stephen's picture is of him and a crew member on his Osprey at 'full chat' on the mere and for him typifies the experience of sailing. He says it is a prime example of the experience of sailing: "Crew out of the trapeze, spinnaker bulging, the dark water
signifying the passage of a fierce gust of wind and the white spray, a demonstration of speed."

The picture was taken by a long time friend of Stephen's, Malcolm Sharpe. Mr Sharpe was a former head teacher of Longhill Primary School and raced his own twelve foot 'Firefly' on the mere and was heavily involved in the activities of the club.

It was as Regional Race Training Coordinator that Stephen first met sailor Dame Ellen Mccarthur at a time which was to become a milestone in her racing career, as Stephen explains in his interview, which you can hear using the link on this page.

He says, few people realise what an important place Hull is to Dame Ellen. When she won the Yorkshire and Humberside Young Sailor of the Year award, it was Malcolm Sharpe who made an engraved clock and barometer baseboard for her Corribee. A
memento which she's carried with her and is believed to be aboard her present craft.

Stephen says, sailing has something of an elitist image and that couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to the Hornsea Sailing Club which welcomes it's members. He says sailing craft are not as expensive as many people think and they can be up and running for a few hundred pounds for a pastime that is both thrilling and rewarding. You can find out more from the club's website. There's a link at the top right hand side of this page.