I came into competitive sailing at a relatively late age - 23 - but my enjoyment of being out on the water started when I was just 5 or 6 years old.

I work with a local school for excluded children - the Quay Side Education Centre and also Portsmouth Football Club and their amazing commitment to youth development.  My mum died when I was a teenager, and I didn’t know what to do with my life – I spent three or four years going off the rails.  Then I found sailing and it changed my life.  If I can help young people through their hard times I will.

There are lots of ways to get involved and the key is to find what works best for you, identifying where your talents lie and being prepared to test yourself to get what you want. I have been lucky with the opportunities that have come my way but half the battle is to have the courage to follow your dreams.

My first real break came from Kevan Townsend who gave me the job as an apprentice at [Britannia Sailing] and then subsequently from Sir Robin and that highly eventful expedition to Greenland with Sir Chris Bonnington, and more latterly from my friend, business partner and mentor, Sir Keith Mills.

Whilst my future is by no means secure, I feel I have the chance to share some of my good fortune and hopefully encourage more young people to get into competitive sailing, whether it be solo ocean racing or any of the Olympic classes.

We are always looking for young talent and have taken on a number of students and young sailors in the short time AT Racing has been running, either on a permanent or work experience basis. I get huge pleasure from solo ocean racing, even when it’s really tough, but I also really enjoy sharing that with others and as such have given talks at schools, sailing clubs and formal dinners all over the UK, as well as in Europe.