Author: Melissa Yeomans

Melissa Yeomans

Back to taking it easy

I did it well and truly this past week. Just doing normal every day things I managed to put my back out of alignment… This happens when I am weak from exercise and not able to support my joints as much as I need to. It is a tricky situation as to be strong enough to hold myself together I do have to spend time at the gym weakening my muscles to get stronger… As a result I now have a sprained back.

So this past week has seen me able to do very little the first few days. I am now back to walking in the pool at a slow pace and hope to be able to get back into Pilates this coming week as I miss it! The good news is it has been longer this time since I last did it which means all the hard work is paying off and I am improving. I just wish it wouldn’t happen at all! Two trips to the Physio in one week is more than enough!

Lucky for me this weekend is a Long Weekend so I can focus on taking it easy and repairing slowly. This really is so hard to do as I would love nothing better than to go to the gym for a good two hours or even a sail in some good breeze. Instead it is the little things once more that count…

Enjoy the Long Weekend those who have one. Lets hope the recovery time sees me stronger on the other side.

Melissa Yeomans

Never stop learning

Just this morning I attended another seminar which is what has reminded me of everything I want to do. I am lucky enough that I live and work within Warringah Council who have a great Chamber of Commerce setup. It was surprising though I must admit that I was only one of 12 people in the room? A big thanks to Warringah Chamber of Commerce and Industry for putting together some great events for small businesses.

Those who work in Small Businesses will understand this one. The more you do and the more you learn the more there is to learn. DeckHardware is just a small family business and I like to try to keep up on the latest Technology, Laws, Marketing ideas, Products etc as much as possible. It seems though that my list of what I would like to do and learn just keeps getting longer rather than shorter! I see this all as self – growth though which is always good. There is still all the work that needs to be done on a daily basis and all this just adds to the work I do at home after hours and on weekends. After all the real work of running a business and earning enough to keep going has to come first.

The life of those in a small business is an interesting one. The long hours can be tough sometimes and in particular the lack of holidays. Over the past two weekends we have had public holidays in Australia which meant I got to work at home rather than at the warehouse. Which was great as I could focus for a few hours at a time.

It is a well-publicised fact that business owners struggle with a work life balance and I will admit that I do. I am lucky to have a handful of friends who have stood by me and supported me since we bought the business. Over the past few months I have been back working a little more rather than getting out on the water but that was in part due to a fractured foot. It is now healing fairly well and only getting a little stiff and sore when I do too much too soon. So over winter I have decided to focus more on getting my health back on track which will take away some time from volunteering on the water unfortunately. I hope though that I am then able to get out sailing this coming summer to work on that balance just a little bit better. Now that I have been officially diagnosed as Hyper Mobile it is getting a little easier to manage which is great.

Now don’t get me wrong I love my business and I love the research that I do for it I just love it. I just wish I could find the time or money to spend on some of the things I would love to do for DeckHardware as well as have a life. In the meantime I will continue to work on it and watch the business as it changes and grows. I am sure many of the things I would love to do will happen in time! So many dreams for our small family business and I am lucky to have so much support. Even as I type this I am watching our Facebook likes grow closer and closer to 1500 people. That I am extremely proud of!

Melissa Yeomans

Rules, rules and more rules

The last few weeks have been very much about the Racing Rules of Sailing.  I have started having monthly dinners with my good friend Liesl Tesch to talk rules.  So far we have got together twice at different locations with our little boats to play with whilst having dinner.  With both of us busy it is great to make the time for a catch up and to play with different scenarios.   With both of us doing different events we always have plenty of scenarios to share and discuss.

I have also had the chance to do a few more events recently as a Judge and an Umpire.  WIth the Opti States and the NSW Schools Teams Racing both on the last two weekends.  It has now been a few weeks without a day off and it is certainly showing!  Both events were great fun and I learnt a great deal.   This past weekend with the Teams Racing it became obvious that winter was fast approaching.  Many of the umpires were wearing multiple layers for the first time this year.  It is one thing when you are out sailing but when umpiring you aren’t doing a great deal to keep warm!!!  Big thanks to my fellow umpires who take care of me with my joint troubles.

It is a busy week this week as we prepare for the Combined High Schools Regatta that we (DeckHardware) sponsor.  It is an event I loved competing in so being able to support it and watch it continue to be a strong event that people love is fantastic.   It is amazing how many adults I speak to who would love to do it again….  If only it wasn’t just for High School Students.

Opti States - when it is a day like this I realise how lucky I am to be on the water.
Opti States – when it is a day like this I realise how lucky I am to be on the water.
The Changeover boat was a busy place over the weekend.
The Changeover boat was a busy place over the weekend.
Teams Racing
Teams Racing
Melissa Yeomans

Out on the water again

On Sunday I competed in Manly Yacht Club’s Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge.   It’s been a few years since I have steered an Adams 10m and Ben Nossiter was extremely generous to allow me to borrow his boat. With some of my old Animus crew onboard it made it even better and a great deal of fun. I’m extremely lucky to be able to borrow Sirius and that Ben says yes before I ever can ask the whole question.  I am extremely grateful to be in such a position.

I didn’t know how I was going to feel having spent so much time off the water to focus on getting my hypermobility under control.   With the help of a great massage on Friday I can now say two days later I am feeling ok!  YAY!  This is a huge relief and makes all the effort, cost and time worth it.  I am so glad I have a physio who has been able to help manage how I move forward.  I just wish I could afford to visit more often for treatment to speed along the process!

There is still a long road ahead with this morning having more tests done but at least I can now hopefully get out on the water racing a little more than I have the last few years.  The first lap saw a fair few cobwebs and with two fairly new crew onboard we eventually found our rhythm and had the boat going nicely.  Sydney Harbour helped too as it was a stunning day to be out on the water racing.  We managed a third place in our division which was great considering new crew and sailing only 5-up.  To be honest we weren’t really focused on a result we just wanted to have an amazing time.   For me it was all about having the chance to go for a sail again in the hope that I could do so.

Massive thanks to Ben for the boat, Damo, Brad, Tais and Lucy for a great day on the water!  It is always a great event to do and so much fun thanks to Manly Yacht Club especially Ivana and the organising committee for talking me into entering after a few years away.

This weekend once again I will be around the water volunteering at an event.

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Melissa Yeomans

Supporting friends and sponsored sailors at the JJ’s

I have spent almost all of the past week and a bit out on the water taking photos, helping rig and more at the 18′ Skiff JJ Giltinan Championships.  Another JJ’s is over with 7 taking the win. We were there every day to support the teams we Sponsor and those who use our products. With our suppliers Allen Sailboat Performance Hardware along with Liros Ropes also sponsoring several boats from the UK and Europe there were plenty of teams we were following. What a tough series in some tricky conditions, well done to those who made the podium.

We are very proud to support the 18’s where we can and it is always funny when asked on the ferry which boat am I following.  Such a tricky answer that always ends in a few laughs.  Of course the main one we follow is our good friends onboard The Kitchen Maker.  Having known Mal Page for longer than I would like to let on, as well as Cam McDonald who is a friend and customer it is great to be able to support them and cheer them on.  This time around Darren stepped aside with a bad back and they got Will Philips a member of the Australian Sailing Squad to steer the boat.  Will is someone I have known of for a while through work and sponsorship commitments so it was great to be able to get to know Will better over the week.

Between friends and boats sponsored by DeckHardware and our suppliers we couldn’t count on one hand the boats that we were following and hoping would do well. Always good for the heart rate! With the UK boys on Haier finishing in 10th place which was a fantastic achievement after moving to Sydney for several months.  The Kitchen Maker had their moments during the regatta with their best result a 2nd place finishing just behind Haier, a brilliant result for a team who had not sailed together.  Thanks to Kim Wilmot for joining me on the back of the ferry to celebrate that 2nd place which was so close to a race win.  A definite highlight of the week!

There are plenty of photos if you head over to the DeckHardware facebook page.

Now to spend the week in the office before heading out on the water once more this weekend to do some umpiring.

Haier
The Kitchen Maker

 

Melissa Yeomans

Yes I am Hypermobile

This morning I visited the Royal North Shore Hospital to get a little more on paper about my Hyper-mobility.  Up until recently I have been relying on my physio to tell me what it is that is the problem.  However my doctor wanted a little more information before looking into treatment and management of Hyper-mobility.   So the good news is I do have Benign Hyper Mobility which is what we thought.  The other great news is at this stage it looks like I do not have any of the major side affects.  I guess you are wondering what it is?

“Benign hypermobility joint syndrome — or BHJS — is a common source of joint or muscle complaints by children and young adults. Benign hypermobility describes looseness of joints that may be associated with daytime pain, nighttime awakening, or discomfort after exercise. People with the condition generally report prolonged pain. In the past, this type of general pain often was called “growing pains” or “limb pain,” which can be similar. Both, though, are different disorders. The term “benign” has been used to differentiate the BHJS from other similar disorders that also involve other organs such as the eyes and heart.

 How Is Benign Hypermobility Joint Syndrome Diagnosed?

Assessment of children or young adults suspected of having BHJS does not require special equipment. Testing the range of motion of your child’s joints will determine if they are more loose than normal. Several specific mobility tests are used for diagnosing BHJS, including:

  • The wrist and thumb can be moved downward so the thumb touches the forearm.
  • The little fingers can be extended back beyond 90 degrees.
  • When standing, the knees are abnormally bowed backward when viewed from the side.
  • When fully extended, the arms bend further than normal (beyond straight.)
  • When bending at the waist, with the knees straight, the child or adult can put his or her palms flat on the floor.”  linky for this info

Where to next?

So from here the next step is to keep going as normal.  Lots of pilates and physio which unfortunately come at a cost which is hard when working for a small family business.  Plus now I can speak to my doctor about how to better manage the pain side of it.  The Fatigue is an interesting side affect also.  I am hopeful that as ALL of my muscles get stronger through Pilates it will help with the fatigue that I sometimes feel.   It is good to know that some of the things I have come across over the years were indeed all side affects of the Hyper Mobility including my low blood pressure and dizzy feelings when I was a teenager.  People used to laugh when I would eat salt!  Guess I really am a salt water baby after all! haha.  

It turns out I should have kept sailing 5 days a week and hitting up the gym a couple of days also.  Not sure how I was meant to fit that in with life and work!   The main reason I was not diagnosed when younger like most is because I was so strong and that kept the pain away!  So once this core of mine is a bit happier I am definitely going to be back out on the water.  Sailing is clearly going to be part of the management process of my hyper mobility.   

Melissa Yeomans

Sailing getting some recognition!

The Australia Day Long Weekend of 2014 has been a great one for sailing.  We have seen sailors rewarded with Australia Day Honours along with others who are behind the scenes of our sport.  Over the weekend we also saw Richard Hinds counting down the current 100 greatest Aussie sports stars which was featured on the Daily Telegraph.  Sailing as a sport is currently growing in interest and awareness.  Australian Sailors have always been up there as some of the best in the world but recently the achievements have been even great to see them getting noticed more.

The Olympians, Paralympians and America’s Cup Sailors bring our sport into the limelight.  It is not what everyone does when they go sailing on the weekend and many sailors often would like to see the focus shift away a little from the high profile events.  As someone who is in the Sailing Industry and involved in my local club I honestly am happy to see anything that will help increase the participation rate of sailing.  The more sailing is in the news the better chance we have of people deciding that it looks like fun and something worth trying out.  The more people aware of how much fun it is spending time on the water and at your local club the better!  Let’s face it, it is a lifestyle and makes us who we are. There are often boats looking for crew and many clubs have a variety of ways for people to get into the sport.

Seeing the sport of Sailing in the news and getting recognition can only be a good thing.

OAM ‘s on Australia Day were awarded to Our Medal Winning Sailors Tom Slingsby, Mathew Belcher, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, Daniel Fitzgibbon.

Liesl Tesch was recognised for more than her sporting abilities, awarded an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) for both her Paralympic success and her “promotion and facilitation of sport for people with disabilities”.  Liesl is the co-founder of Sport Matters, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes disabled sport in developing countries.  Make sure you check out all she does for Sport Matters.  How she finds time to do all the she does is remarkable and she deserves to be recognised for what she does for those with disabilities as well as inspiring others.

Peter Campbell was recognised for his journalism in Sailing with an OAM.  Just do a search for his name and many articles appear as he has been at the front of sailing journalism for a long time.  He has been recognised by Yachting Australia a number of times for his efforts.

David Tillett was awarded an AM (Member of the Order of Australia).  For significant service to the sport of sailing.  Here is a link to an article on just some of what he has done for our sport.  His Yachting Australia Profile just gives us the tiniest insight into the time and energy he has given to Sailing.

Robert Oatley received appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia in this year’s Australia Day Honours.  Bob received the honour in recognition of his service to the wine industry, tourism and yacht racing.

Next up was the list compiled by Richard Hinds.  A Massive congratulations to Tom Slingsby, Mat Belcher and James Spithill for being recognised. To have a sailor at number 5 is just awesome and a fantastic highlight of where our sport is going. It is a shame that Nathan and Goobs missed out as their achievements have been fantastic and worthy.  As with any list like this there will always be a big discussion on how you would see it differently.  There is no doubt that I am more than a little biased when it comes to some of the sailors I have had the privilege to support and get to know.

Sailing in the spotlight.  We need to see this more to ensure our sport continues to grow as when it grows it just gets better for us all!  More competitors, better clubs, more crew, more skippers looking for crew, more chandleries, sail makers, boat builders and so much more.

Congratulations to those who have been recognised.  If I have missed anyone please let me know so I can add them!   Sailing going mainstream media, who would have thought!

Melissa Yeomans

New Ambassadors and more

We have two new Ambassadors! Zac and Jake Barnabas who have jumped into a Flying 11 for the very first time! They just competed in their very first Flying 11 Nationals with some great results in the lighter winds. Still a few years to grow into the stronger winds yet but a great first time result for a small team.

This is extremely exciting for us as Phil and Robyn know their Grandad very well from years gone by and Mel went to school with their Mum Christine along with knowing their Dad Trent as kids at the 18’s park. I guess you could say we were always going to sponsor Zac and Jake. The best part is they love Sailing and that is a big part of how we choose ambassadors, their attitude! It is in their blood after all.

It really is nice to be able to support some young sailors who love the sport that’s in their blood.

Zac and Jake
Zac and Jake

Last Friday and Saturday I headed to Gosford Sailing Club to support Sam Ellis who put together the very first Gosford Match Racing Event! Sam deserves massive praise for putting together the event. As do all the top competitors who attended using the event as a training session which was so very smart. Ash Rooklyn took out the event and made a great speech encouraging everyone to support the smaller and startup events. Nice one Ash. When you consider the skippers were Ash, Jay Griffin, Sam Ellis, Milly Bennett and David Witt it was quite an event with some great racing! Even better was the effort from Harry Price and Louie Collins who were the Race Officials! It really was a fantastic event out together by the young match racers to help promote and grow the sport.

Gallery Melissa Yeomans

2014 eh?

There really has been a lot going on lately!

Phil Yeomans's avatarPhil Yeomans

What happened to 2013? That year went pretty quick, as we arranged each trip, some months in advance they quickly caught up. The month of December even more so. My trip to Sail Melbourne at Sandringham Victoria, followed immediately by a trip north to Yamba and Grafton. Then Sail Middle Harbour where I ran part of the regatta for 420s and Finns. Then of course the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, finishing off the year with DeckHardware’s support of the 50th Sabot national titles.

Sail Middle Harbour was the result of Sail Sydney not being run and our club Middle Harbour Yacht Club in conjunction with Middle Harbour 16′ Skiff Club combined to give some of the classes an event. We had a good fleet of 420’s and it was great to have the Finns for the first time, especially with some of those who had been at Sail Melbourne turning…

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