In 1994 I started at Beauchamp’s High school with Gabriel as my form tutor. His stories of motorcycle racing and sailing adventures were always of great interest to me. In 1996 when Gabriel first started the project I always wanted to get involved but because of age restrictions it wasn’t till 97-98 that I became part of the team, this involved preparing and maintaining the bike before and during race meets.
In 1999 I successfully completed my GCSE’s gaining an A in engineering, earning a technician apprenticeship at EEV (now e2v technologies) in Chelmsford. On completion of my apprenticeship I graduated with a HNC in manufacturing production and started work in the Design office. During my three years in the design office I worked on various projects including thermal imaging cameras, gas sensors, dental imaging equipment, CCD’s for the Hubble space telescope and became proficient in the use of Auto Cad, Pro engineer, Inventor and Viz max 3D.
Although leaving school in 1999 I continued helping with the project in my spare time and was lucky enough to be part of the team to go to Bonneville Salt Flats in 2000. This certainly was another great opportunity where I gained some great experiences and met some of the amazing people involved in land speed racing and witnessed some of the great machines racing including the Phoenix; the fastest truck in the world that ran at 252mph!
After my three years in the Design office I realised I was not meant to be sat behind a desk and preferred hands on work so I became a self employed dry liner and suspended ceiling specialist.
In 2007 after hearing a BBC Radio 2 interview my dad told me that there was a shortage of engineers in the yachting industry and that the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) on the isle of Wight were offering a 10 week Professional Yacht Engineer (PYE) Course.
Having completed the PYE course I headed to the Antibes, in the south of France seeking a job on a Yacht. After two weeks there I was offered a job as 2nd Engineer onboard Motor Yacht Tuscan Sun a 45m motor yacht.
I spent 15 months onboard cruising the France, Italy, Caribbean, Virgin Isles, Bahamas and Florida.
Tuscan Sun motor yacht
Once I had earned enough sea time I left Tuscan Sun to go study my Y4 engineering licence. Once I successfully passed my Y4 I got a job as Chief Engineer onboard Motor Yacht Bamsa a 35m Riva where I spent six months in Beirut servicing and restoring the yacht systems back to the high standard required on a luxury yacht.
Now I have been given the opportunity to go and work as 2nd Engineer on a 52m Palmer Johnson that is still in construction in Southampton and will be starting as soon as it’s ready for launch.
Being out of the country a lot curtails my activities within the project, but when I am available, I get involved wherever I can. I am looking forward to the testing and then the attempt next year, as I feel Gabriel has the passion, and the team, to pull it off.
