TripSailor.com® Sailing Blogs

Personal Website: http://sites.google.com/site/stevetull14/Home

Sailing Experience

Grew up sailing Pelicans, VJ’s and surfcats at Koombana Bay Yacht Club and Eaton Sea Scouts in Bunbury, WA. Family owned a 14 foot power boat which we used for skiing and fishing around Dunsborough and Bunbury. Traded it in for a surfcat, which I ended up keeping – even took it to Shark Bay one Easter with Anthony and Anita. Part owner of a 23 foot cutter rigged trailer sailor in Bougainville for a while. No wind and a dodgy outboard lead me to conclude that we were better off going diving on friends boats – did close to 300 dives over the 2 and a half years that we were there. Came back to Perth and got wrapped up in family and work and nothing much happened until last year, with the exception of a bit of twilighting and corporate sailing days on Foundation 36’ers. ASG was going well and felt I needed a new challenge outside of work. Started going around looking at Beneteaus with Geoff (who I started ASG with) who was trying to talk his Dad into going halves (so he could use his pen). At about the same time, Rob H. came up with the idea of getting a world cruiser and diving our way round the world in 2012 (with a stop over for the Olympics). Liked the concept but always had the idea of getting a catamaran since I was a kid. Remember reading some book about a guy racing one around the world (broke up after he crossed the finishing line). Had fun doing a lot of research which led me to the Seawind 1160. In the meantime have joined Royal Perth Yacht Club and completed their Keel boat course. Spent summer out on the river racing on a Mumm 30 called Red Fever (giant dingy) starting to learn the ropes. Worked out I preferred cruising to racing. Was competent enough to do a week bareboating with my brother in the Whitsundays on “Champagne on Ice”, another Seawind 1160. Hit some bad weather and spend most of the time with two reefs in the main, but had great fun. Did some more sailing with Patrick on his 1160 (including an overnighter from Busselton to Mandurah) and doing a VHF course in early September. Next stop Sydney.