July has been HUGE. I had the opportunity to drive to Goolwa South Australia for the Australian Schools Team Racing Championship where DeckHardware was a sponsor and I was an umpire. I had never driven to South Australia before so it was a bit of an adventurous two days!
I could not believe after hearing so much about the Sturt Highway it was raining for a fair percentage of my drive. Water everywhere and some green fields! So this is outback Australia? It was fantastic to see them getting some rain even though it did make the drive a little more stressful. I stopped overnight in Hay but unfortunately only had a limited amount of daylight to wander around. What an experience to be able to see so much of Australia, even if only from the view of the Van.
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Heading to Goolwa in Winter meant ensuring I had my fair share of Thermals packed. Staying warm in a RIB can be tricky as you don’t move around a great deal. The event was fantastic and if you are interested check out the Down Under Sail Facebook page where you will find some video of the on water action. To see 24 teams from around the Country participating in some brilliant racing was fantastic.Lucky enough I did not have to drive back, Phil aka Dad took over in South Australia with the van to see some of our DeckHardware customers. Flying back was certainly much faster!
Just a little rain when I arrived in Goolwa!
The next month is a busy one as an Aussie Sailing Fan. I would like to wish everyone on the Team a MASSIVE Good Luck. I can see increased coffee consumption in my future.
Nathan Outteridge Sailing Team on the front of the van
Today I was going to sit down and write about the regatta’s I have been volunteering at to kick start 2016. The Opti Nationals and Australian Youths, however LinkedIn had other ideas.
It has now been over 10 years that I have worked for DeckHardware. I had done the marketing for the company for several years prior to coming onboard full time in 2006. In the early days before my family purchased the business we shared a warehouse with the owner’s other business and my friends at Musto. My road rep for a while there was Nathan Outteridge with the special DeckHardware van with logos and his name on the front hahaha.
Those were the days when we had four brands to distribute. We could see the potential as the four brands were great brands to work with. In December 2006 with both my Mum (Robyn who has been with the company even longer) and I knowing the company inside out we purchased DeckHardware and Dad (Phil) came to work for the company. I think we might have to do something in December to celebrate that!
Loved that kite!
There certainly has been some huge changes during that time both at DeckHardware and for the Australian Marine Industry. What a journey it has been for us.
We are extremely proud of the hard work we have put in and to be able to say we are the distributors of:
Allen Sailboat Performance Hardware, Billy Bung, Blue Performance, CC Marine, Forespar, Houdini, JDC, Liros Rope, Man Ship Marine, Peter G’s, PROtect Tapes, Sanol, Schaefer Marine, SpliceRight, Splicing Nut, TBS by Passage and Walder.
During this time I have been on an incredible journey. I have worked strange hours, multiple other casual jobs at one point at the same time to help fund the growth. I had to sell my beautiful yacht Animus for the extra funds and because there was just not the time to sail her enough let alone 5 days a week like I had been.
Germany in Winter
I have travelled around Australia to the different Boat Shows as an exhibitor and a visitor, to the Annapolis Boat Show, Dusseldorf Boat Show, London Boat Show, Auckland Boat Show and of course METSTRADE several times in Amsterdam to grow the business. For a while there I felt like I lived at boat shows hahaha. I have spent time in Los Angeles working in the Forespar office, I have experienced the Liros Factory in Germany in the snow. What an incredible experience this has been and one that led me to creating the Sydney Sailboat Expo.
It has not been an easy journey and certainly been a challenge learning so many new skills along the way. Who would have thought studying music I would end up here? At least the course for musicians taught what you needed to know to run your own business and the basics of HTML, Poster design etc etc.
Amsterdam is beautiful
I am grateful to my friends and family who have stuck by me through the long odd hours.
To our DeckHardware suppliers thank you so much for all your support and friendship over the years. I am looking forward to November when I will once again be travelling to Europe to visit suppliers and METSTRADE. Of course one of the best things about heading to Europe is seeing two of my old crew Marty, Marlene and their family who now live in Frankfurt. After all, Sailing is what got me here.
The last few weeks have been amazing and at the same time it feels like months haha. The first Olympic Sailing Team Members were announced for Rio with Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen announced as our 49er Team. Mat Belcher and Will Ryan on the 470 and Lisa Darmanin and Jason Waterhouse on the Nacra. It is an exciting time to be involved with the team as a sponsor as well as seeing people like Nath and Goobs who I have known for so long get the call up to another Olympics.
The Extreme Sailing Series hit my home waters of Sydney Harbour and old friends Katie Spithill and Stacey Jackson were in the thick of it competing onboard 33 South Racing. I should say that they are not old, we have just known each other longer than we probably would care to admit. As a result I offered myself as a mini cheer squad, Social media advisor and whatever else I could help with. For many reasons I was more than happy to help, including the fact that we are old friends and crewmates as well as how well they represent sailing and female sailors especially.
What an experience it was. An amazing opportunity for Katie in particular to show she can mix it with the more experienced Extreme Sailing Series skippers. It didn’t all go to plan thanks to a Port and Starboard setting back the weekend however I think the determination and attitude the crew showed to come out the other side proved their was a lot of promise and competitive nature backed with skill. To say the crew were itching to get back out on the water would be an understatement whilst waiting for the repairs.
A year earlier I had been cheering on Nath Wilmot and crew on GAC Pindar and this time around it was another crew from our youth. I think I have mentioned before that Aussie Sailors Rock! There is something special about where we have come from that has created a really inspirational group of sailors on and off the water. I am so proud to be connected with so many friends from the past and doing what I can via both the Sydney Sailboat Expo and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation to promote Sailing. I hope the next generation of young sailors can be just as lucky to create great friends and memories.
Speaking of the next generation, Sail Sydney was on over the past weekend with a brilliant turnout! As one of the MANY volunteers it was wonderful to see so many course areas and classes competing on the Harbour. There were also some amazing photos of the Super Maxi’s out training sailing past the Sail Sydney Competitors.
Now comes Christmas but there is no slowing down! Boxing Day is a pretty big day in Sydney Sailing and there is no need to guess where I will be! On Sydney Harbour of course! Once again volunteering on the second line Start Boat. Being able to do so is something special for all of us and a reward for all the hours of volunteering we do throughout the year and the effort we go to as volunteers to ensure we have the skills to back it up.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart brings many Aussie Sailors Home. Yesterday morning it meant catching up with Nocka (Anthony Nossiter) for a long breakfast, it has been a big year. So it was nice to sit down and chat about all sorts of topics including of course plans moving forward for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation and how we felt about how the year had unfolded. It has been quite the journey.
In the end it is all about friendships. Nocka’s friendship with Bart, Nocka and My friendship, My friendship with Katie and Stacey. I think you get it, sailing isn’t just something we do competitively. We do it because we love it and that is why I hope to introduce many more to this great sport and will continue to put up my hand to support friends should the opportunity be there.
As 2015 started many people were on holidays or taking it a bit slower than normal at work. Not the DeckHardware team! I was getting ready to head down to the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club in preparation for the Moth Worlds. With being so busy organising the Sydney Sailboat Expo I could only afford to be there for just a few days. The main reason for going is we support so many Moth sailors. The thing with the Moth fleet is that they aren’t just Moth Sailors! So many of them we actually sponsor in other classes and of course also support them in the amazing Moth fleet. Which is seeing some incredible developments in Technology along with being a class the so many of the Worlds Best Sailors are sailing.
So down I headed on the drive with a boot full of Liros Rope and PROtect Tapes in particular. What the Moth fleet love! I also had a bunch of stickers as I knew many of them would have new sails, boats or equipment needing new stickers! I also knew some of the sailors we sponsor were in need of new mainsheets but just had not had the time to arrange it yet. So this way I ensured that everyone we support was ready to go as much as we at DeckHardware could support them! I stayed for a few days knowing some of the guys would not think of things till after I left. As it was on the last day a couple of them realised they needed new stickers! I managed to stay long enough to watch the Bangin the Corners Cup which was some fantastic action. I can’t wait to see it online in the near future once Beau Outteridge Productions wraps his Worlds videos. It really was a who’s who lineup!
Thanks to all who’ve put our different brands stickers on their boats. Especially those who put several! And especially the big Liros ones which look great! It’s greatly appreciated. I really wish I could have stayed longer to watch some of the racing. I left the first day of the Australian Championships and it was HOT HOT HOT and extremely frustrating as there was NO breeze. Massive thanks to my hosts Sam and Carl who I did not see much of due to spending so much time at the club! I am loving following all the action and really wish I could be there to watch some of the best sailors the world has to offer in action however the Sydney Sailboat Expo is now just 95 days to go! I better get some work done! Sailing – It’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle.
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.The Changeover boat was a busy place over the weekend.Teams Racing
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!
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!
2014 started with us doing slightly reduced hours at the warehouse to have a bit of time out of the office. As a small family business it can be hard to get a break. At the same time Phil and the DeckHardware Van have spent almost every day at the Sabot Nationals as a Silver sponsor and doing some regatta support. This went so well and was appreciated so much that he has been asked to come back to Drummoyne and spend some more time there for the 13 and 16 foot Skiff Nationals. I’m glad to see the idea we had of regatta support is being appreciated so much when we are involved with events.
The 16′ Skiffs will see good friends and DeckHardware Ambassadors in action along with many other boats who use our product. This week we return to normal hours but having said that we really haven’t been working any less as yesterday Robyn and I were working on laptops in front of the Cricket! Time to start working on a new price list as the dollar changes and suppliers come out with new year pricing. There’s always so much to do.
It’s been fun to spend a few extra hours around the house as for Christmas we got two kittens! We can’t have a dog as we are on a main road with no fence and unfortunately over the last two years we had lost our previous cats to old age and cancer. We are pretty excited to welcome Gus and Max to our home. The best part of Christmas was bringing them home from the Animal Welfare League.
Tomorrow is the last day in the office before two Match Racing events at RPAYC and CYCA. It has been a busy few weeks and I have had the chance to go out and watch the 18′ Skiffs a couple of times to support friends and DeckHardware Ambassadors. I even got to watch from the 18’s ferry an old friend out on a 12′ Skiff showing off some extreme skills and managing to keep the boat up whilst it turned 360 with a kite up! There are plenty of photos on the DeckHardware facebook page.
Yesterday I was at MHYC for the Launch of the new 470 Happy Feet for Mat Belcher and Will Ryan. Here is a photo album from in the rain. I had the opportunity to be there along with other sponsors, supporters and team members. It wasn’t the best day for sailing with pouring rain and strong breeze! However we were all there to celebrate the success that Mat and Will have had the past year.
It has been an interesting start to the season weather wise and Ambassadors Fire Stopping Skiff Racing Team seem to be doing things a little different. Check out their facebook page to read how their season is going and just why they may be looking for recipes! Never a dull moment working with these guys that is for sure! They have also been working hard on their Trailer program to ensure all their requirements are met when onshore.
Yesterday I headed over to the 18’s as Team Southern Cross launched their boat for the start of a new season after a massive refurb! The boat spent two days at our warehouse along with skipper Ollie Hartas getting ready for the big day. Ollie has been a DeckHardware Ambassador for a number of years and it is always great to be able to support someone who appreciates it! The previous weekend we also had the UK Team visit the warehouse and spend more than a few hours working on their boat along with my radio co-host Nic aka Adventures of a Sailor Girl. Nic and I had spent the morning on air with Sailing Chix with Nix before heading down to the warehouse to help the guys out. Nic only planned on being there for a few hours but ended up staying for the day!
It is great to see a couple of 18’s with Liros, DeckHardware and Allen stickers on them in the fleet now! A big thank you to Cam McDonald who does a lot of work for the skiffs and uses our products also. Cam sails onboard the Kitchen Maker and was rigging alongside the two boats who have spent time at our warehouse recently. You know you are supporting the right people when they greet you so warmly and are so glad that you are there to watch them launch their boats. Being just a small family business we really feel like our Ambassadors and those who support us are a BIG part of the DeckHardware Team.
Melissa Yeomans 