‘Why I saIl WIth the Navy’

Sam Savage, Engineering Technician

‘This is my first time on a yacht, though I have sailed a Fireball with my dad at Langstone before. I saw the notice calling for crew for this event and thought I’d give it a go. It has been great so far, and I definitely want to do it again. It will depend a bit on where I get drafted though. I’m hoping to get a Type 45 destroyer and finally get out and see the world. I’ve only been in the Navy for six months, but it’s been the best choice I’ve made.’

Alex Rigg, Royal Marines Reserve

‘I work in web analystics, so joining the RM reserve is something completely different that’s a bit exciting, and is also serving the country. The training is satisfying, even if you wouldn’t always call it ‘fun’. I’ve been doing it for five years now. I have my own 36ft wooden offshore yacht, built in 1962, but I did my Day Skipper course with JSASTC, and this seemed like a good change to go racing. I only started sailing in the spring of 2016 when I bought the boat as I wanted to learn to sail. This all adds to my experience.’

Commander Mike Shrives, RNSA General Secretary

‘I never needed to own a boat, as I’ve always had Services boats to race or charter. I ran a Sigma 38 for the Navy for ten years, which was great. We’ve had family holidays afloat most years, cruising to the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly and even in Norway, where I was based for a while. It’s nice that we can still sail together as a family even now that the children have grown up. During my service career RNSA enabled me to qualify as an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore instructor and examiner.’