Jumping in the deep end – crewing on classic boats

“I was on the mainsail. I had no idea what it was but it was a big sail. I just needed to do it right and trust the person trying to teach me.”

Catalina (left) is now a confident and experienced sailor. Image / RNZYS

That was the first sailing experience – ever – for brand-new sailor Catalina Leiva who stepped onto Tino Rawa Trust’s Rawene as a brand new recruit for the Duder Cup regatta in the Waitematā Harbour. four years ago and hasn’t looked back 

Her friends, also sailors, knew she was brave, strong and would be a great fit. 

And she hasn’t stopped. As well as now being a core member of Rawene’s crew, she has completed the PIC Coastal Classic – the 119-nautical-mile yacht race from Auckland to Russell onboard a more modern boat called Mustang Sally three times!  (Mustang Sally is owned by Rawene skipper, Bob Still.) 

Cat, who moved to Auckland from Chile ten years ago, says that sailing with an all-female crew and a skipper who knows the boat and the harbour well is fabulous. 

Remarkably, Cat hasn’t done a course or even read books. She has learned ‘on the tools’, as she puts it, from the skipper and more-experienced crew. 

“Bob could sail Rawene with his eyes closed,” she says. “It’s been a novelty, and I just needed to perform.” 

At some point, she will get into dinghy sailing for a deeper understanding of the wind and boat dynamics. 

In the meantime, she has a full calendar of classic sailing to look forward to on Rawene, and club racing on Mustang Sally too. 

To find out about joining a classic sailing crew, contact the Classic Yacht Association - check out its Crew Finder service.

Photos / Supplied