Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast

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Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features one of the most respected names in boat building, as Jason Carrington takes to the mic to discuss his phenomenal career in the sport.  Carrington has been at the forefront of high performance boat building for several decades, and in this, Part 2 of his chat with Robertson, much of the discussion relates to his work inside the boat shed as he builds some of the world's fastest racing machines.

This Episode begins with the discussion around Carrington's final Volvo Ocean Race, onboard "Ericsson", one of the first Volvo 70s, again built under the watchful eye of Carrington, before the chat turns to life in the boat yard and the formation in 2017 of the now world renowned Carrington Boats.

Based in Hythe, on the UK's south coast, Carrington Boats have recently been responsible for the build of some of sailing's most talked about race machines, most notably the latest iteration of Alex Thomson's "Hugo Boss" and Ben Ainslie's 2021 America's Cup AC75 "Britannia".  Carrington talks passionately about the difficulties of building foiling yachts at the very cutting edge of the sport, and does not shy away from the responsibilities that such complex projects bring.  Carrington's interview reveals a modest character, keen to remind Robertson that the men and women of the boat shed are often the unsung heroes of a successful campaign...:

"There's building boats and there's building boats, but these type of boats, you've got to be very good at what you do, they're not in the spotlight, but they should be really."

Robertson's two part podcast with Jason Carrington is a fascinating glimpse into the career of a man that has played a pivotal role in the progression of the sport of sailing, and reveals a passionate character driven by a very obvious and deep rooted love of the sport of competitive yacht racing.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify

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Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast this month features one of the most respected names in boat building, as Jason Carrington takes to the mic to discuss his phenomenal career in the sport.  Carrington has been at the forefront of high performance boat building for several decades, but as his chat with Robertson reveals, his achievements in the boat shed are more than matched by an impressive career offshore.

In this two part edition, Part 1 sees Carrington reveal how a childhood spent on the water in Lymington (UK) led to an apprenticeship at the groundbreaking Green Marine, under the tutelage of the pioneering Bill Green himself.  It wasn't long before Carrington was impressing as a bowman, and was soon setting off on his first Whitbread attempt on the 1993/94 "Fortuna" campaign with British Whitbread stalwart Lawrie Smith.  It was the first of four Whitbred / Volvo campaigns for Carrington, his second seeing him again take on the Round the World race with Smith onboard "Silk Cut"....:

"Sailing with Lawrie was wonderful, I remember my first glimpse of the Southern Ocean, I've never been with anyone that sailed so hard in the Southern Ocean...I was on the handles on deck....Lawrie was in the hatch and I looked and said 'this is crazy' and Lawrie just said "This is when you make the miles!.""

Carrington's tales of sailing the 93/94 and 97/98 Whitbread are told with a very obvious enthusiasm that hides nothing of his love for the camaraderie and hardships of round the world sailing.  As the Whitbread transitioned to the Volvo Ocean Race, it's Carrington's memories of building Volvo60 "Assa Abloy" that then begin to reveal a glimpse of the attention to detail he's since become famous for...:

"(Our sponsor) wanted the coach roof to be red and I caused such a fuss about 'why are we putting this paint on the boat, it's heavier, we don't need that paint' and I worked out per square metre what that was gonna weigh and I said 'No, we're not painting it red', I even phoned the sponsor...there was no compromise!"

From a lap of the planet on "Assa Abloy", tales from Carrington's sailing career then take in a Jules Verne attempt with Ellen MacArthur onboard catamaran "Kingfisher 2", as this epiosde wraps up.  In Part 2 of this month's pod, Carrington then discusses his final Volvo Ocean Race another onboard "Ericsson",  before the chat turns to life inside the boat shed, and the formation in 2017 of the now world renowned Carrington Boats.

Robertson's two part podcast with Jason Carrington is a fascinating glimpse into the career of a man that has played a pivotal role in the progression of the sport of sailing, and reveals a passionate character driven by a very obvious and deep rooted love of the sport of competitive yacht racing.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify

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This month Shirley Robertson talks to a man with one of the most varied careers in the sport of professional sailing, as she sits down for an extensive chat with one time Team GB team mate Paul Goodison.

Having discussed Goodison's Olympic career, which peaked with a gold medal in Beijing 2008, this second part of their chat concentrates on Paul's America's Cup campaigning.

Most recently Goodison has been an integral part of the New York Yacht Club's 36th America's Cup campaign as main sail trimmer on board American Magic's Patriot.  Goodison and Robertson reflect on many of the key points of the Auckland Cup, as Paul eloquently discusses the process of developing and building a seventy five foot foiling monohull the like of which has never been built before.Ultimately of course, talk turns to the catastrophic capsize midway through the Challenger Series Round Robin that severely effected the campaign...:

"I remember clearly with about thirty seconds coming into the mark how dark and black the sky was and how the water was getting rougher and looking at the speedo, we were doing 42knots upwind, it was 'woah, this is pretty full on, this is going to be exciting!'"

Goodison's recollections on American Magic's campaign in Auckland are fascinating, as the team desperately tried to overturn the disadvantages dealt by the nature of the capsize.Looking forward though, perhaps the most exciting of Goodison's insights concerns the next America's Cup.  He reveals to Robertson he has recently re-signed with the American outfit, and will be continuing in a key role as American Magic continue to represent the New York Yacht Club.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]. 

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This month Shirley Robertson talks to a man with one of the most varied careers in the sport of professional sailing, as she sits down for an extensive chat with one time Team GB team mate Paul Goodison.

Most recently sailing as main trimmer in the 36th America's Cup with American Magic, a closer inspection of Goodison's career reveals a remarkable strength and depth that has brought success across a multitude of disciplines in a career that's spanned several decades. Growing up in the the north of England, Goodison learned to sail on a reservoir, but was quickly mixing it up with that precocious young talent pool of the time, honing his sailing skills with contemporaries Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy, Andrew Simpson and Chris Draper.  A professional career beckoned, which initially led to an early career campaigning in the super competitive Laser class.  After a fourth place in the Athens Games of 2004, Paul topped the podium in Beijing to win Olympic Gold, completing a journey that had began in earnest after a night out celebrating his friend's silver in 1996...:

"When Ben returned from Atlanta having won a silver medal, we were all at the Laser Nationals...and Ben had his medal with him and I remember for the first time, it was the first Olympic medal I'd ever seen, and held, and all of a sudden you make the connection, this is no longer one of those things you see on the TV, this is a guy you've sailed against and all of a sudden it became clear it's not so far away."

After the highs of Beijing, Robertson and Goodison then turn to the home Games of London 2012, and Goodison is honest and frank about the disappointment of finishing in seventh place.  Going into the Games Goodison felt well prepared, but he reveals how some poorly timed competition with his peers in the gym seriously effected his chances at his home Games - it's a honest and precautionary tale!

At the same time, Goodison had fallen back in love with sailing on discovering the foiling moth - he uncovered a new energy and enthusiasm that would propel him to three consecutive world titles in one of the most competitive classes out there.  His love of the moth is clear to see as he shares his enthusiasm with Robertson about the single handed foiling dinghy.

Looking forward to the second part of their two part chat, Goodison and Robertson spend the second half talking about the America's Cup, and most notably Paul's role with American Magic, the official Challengers of the New York Yacht Club.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]. 

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Shirley Robertson this month talks to a man that has sailed in a remarkable six America's Cup campaigns, as she sits down to chat with New Zealand grinder Jono Macbeth.  As the pair discuss, Macbeth's career in sailing was in no way scheduled, starting after a chance encounter with the legendary Sir Peter Blake.  Team New Zealand had just won the 1995 America's Cup in San Diego when Blake invited a young Macbeth to join an exciting new venture in Auckland.  The pair first met after a random encounter at an Auckland kayak shop....:

"I was down in a squat position and I was about to try and pick up this fridge all by myself and I hear this big booming voice behind me..."Do you need a hand?"  And without turning around I said "Yeah, that'd be good mate", and glanced over my shoulder and low and behold there was (Sir Peter) Blake, standing over me, arms folded."

What followed is one of the most exhaustive Cup careers in the sport. Blake invited Macbeth to join the team, and since that first Team New Zealand defence of the Cup in 2000, Macbeth has been a regular feature competing for the illusive trophy, and has lived through some of the modern era's most fascinating campaigns.

Macbeth stayed on at Team New Zealand as Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth left the team to sail with ultimate 2003 Cup winners Alinghi, and then again sailed in the Cup match after New Zealand won through the exhausting 2007 Louis Vuiton Challenger Series in Valencia.

As the future of the Cup went through the courts, and a Deed of Gift match looked likely, Macbeth joined Russell Coutts at BMW Oracle, and began sailing the monster 90ft trimaran that would ultimately win the two team Deed of Gift battle in Valencia.  It was a fascinating period, as designers, sailing teams and shore crew all came to grips with the introduction of the wing sail.

Jono's story spans almost two decades of Cup campaigning - Part 1 wraps up after that Deed of Gift victory, before Part 2 gets underway in San Francisco 2013.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast.

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Part Two of Shirley Robertson's chat to a man that has sailed in a remarkable six America's Cup campaigns, as she sits down to chat with New Zealand grinder Jono Macbeth.  As the pair discuss, Macbeth's career in sailing was in no way scheduled, starting after a chance encounter with the legendary Sir Peter Blake.  Team New Zealand had just won the 1995 America's Cup in San Diego when Blake invited a young Macbeth to join an exciting new venture in Auckland...:

This part of the podcast joins Macbeth  as the Cup yachts dropped to 72ft for the 2013 edition in San Francisco, by which time Macbeth was a regular fixture in the world of the Cup, and an integral part of the sailing team at Oracle, desperate to develop the foiling capabilities of the exciting new multi-hulls.  It was a development period that didn't always go to plan...:

"I remember Jimmy clear as day over comms 'Watch out boys, look out for all your mates here', and I was thinking 'what is he talking about', and then "BANG", the bows go under and I was second cockpit back with Rome Kirby and Joey Newton and we just went underwater....the boat just kept on driving down!"

The team ultimately of course went on to overturn a huge deficit against Team New Zealand, winning the 2013 Cup in dramatic fashion, a moment that Macbeth reveals to be the highlight of his multiple Cup winning career.

From San Francisco Macbeth joined the newly formed Land Rover BAR, running the British sailing team for Sir Ben Ainslie, exiting the Cup at the Challenger Series phase in Bermuda in 2017.

Now working in a sustainability role at North Sails, Jono Macbeth is one of the most experienced grinders in the game, and his behind the scenes revelations of life at the very heart of the fight for the oldest trophy in world sport is truly fascinating.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast.

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In this month's two part Podcast Shirley Robertson talks to four of sailing's most successful and influential sailing coaches.

In Episode Two Robertson talks to one of Olympic Sailing's most influential coaches, and she talks to one of the business world's high end psychologists who's had a big impact on the world of offshore sailing.

A double Olympic silver medallist himself, Joe Glanfield has recently coached Hannah Mills to her third Olympic medal.  A gold in Tokyo with Eilidh Macintyre in the 470 Class made her the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time - each one of her three Olympic medals has been won with Glanfield as her coach.  His thoughts on how to achieve success at an Olympic level, how to handle the stresses of sailing at such a high level are enlightening.

And to finish the four interview podcast, Robertson talks to Dutch business development coach Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel - an organisational psychologist specialising in executive team development who's unique approach to motivating team communication and solid leadership saw her apply her in depth knowledge in the last two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.  Eight time Volvo veteran Bouwe Bekking recruited van Boxtel to coach his team at Team Brunel, and her insights into the application of business theory to offshore sailing are fascinating.

Both coaches operate at a very high level, both coach some of the biggest names in the sport, but their thoughts and methods are as relevant on an Olympic sailing course as they are to the amateur weekend racer.

It's an inspiring listen as Robertson once again takes a deep dive into some of the most fascinating characters in the sport of sailing.

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In this month's two part Podcast Shirley Robertson talks to four of sailing's most successful and influential sailing coaches.

In Episode One Robertson talks to one of the most ubiquitous coaches in sailing, former Australian Olympian Andrew 'Dog' Palfrey, and she talks to French America's Cup super-coach Philippe Presti.

Both men coach the sport at a very high level, both men coach some of the biggest names in the sport, but their thoughts and methods are as relevant to an America's Cup sailing team as they are to the amateur weekend racer.

It's a fascinating listen as Robertson once again takes a deep dive into some of the most fascinating characters in the sport of sailing.

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In this month's edition of the podcast, Shirley Robertson sits down face to face with one of offshore sailing's most accomplished sailors, as she talks to British offshore trail blazer, Dee Caffari.

In Part One of the podcast, Robertson talks about her journey into sailing and her decision to leave an established job in search of adventure.  In this edition of the podcast, now well in to her sailing career Caffari continues her account of her non stop solo around the planet adventure sailing the distinctive yellow "Aviva" around the planet in the Vendee Globe.

Post Vendee the pair discuss Caffari's thoughts on what was her third circumnavigation and touch on her next adventure, the Barcelona World Race, before discussing Caffari's experiences in the Volvo Ocean Race.

It is undeniable that both Robertson and Caffari have forged incredibly successful sailing careers, in a world that is, also undeniably, male-centric.  Talk therefore inevitably turns towards this aspect of the sport, as Caffari offers some enlightening insights into her first Volvo Ocean Race campaign with all-women campaign Team SCA. The pair share the opinion that it's a great shame it needs to be discussed, but that there are clearly very limited opportunities for women in the professional world of sailing.

Staying with the Volvo Ocean, Caffari then discusses the 2017-18 edition that saw her skipper a young crew onboard "Turn the Tide on Plastic" before the pair finally reflect on the extraordinary nature of Caffari's career  and the landmarks she has achieved.

This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website, at www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]. 

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In this month's edition of the podcast, Shirley Robertson sits down face to face with one of offshore sailing's most accomplished sailors, as she talks to British offshore trail blazer, Dee Caffari.

Caffari's achievements are well documented, she holds multiple 'firsts', she's sailed around the planet six times, completed two Volvo Ocean Races, spent months alone at sea sailing 'the wrong way around' and finished a Vendee Globe in it's most attritional edition ever.  And she's achieved all of that after a sudden and unexpected career change in her mid twenties...:

"I don't fit the mould, I think that's what confuses everybody, and they can't pigeon hole me, they can't put me into a box so I always feel on the outside a little bit.  I grew up dancing, I didn't grow up sailing!"

From the outset Robertson and Caffari's discussion is frank and honest.  Dee reveals the catalysts that saw her turn away from a successful and established career to take a chance on making it in the world of sailing.  Her story is inspiring, and before long she was skippering a yacht of amateurs in the 2004 Global Challenge race.

That successful endeavour kick started an unparalleled career that first saw her become the first woman ever to sail around the world solo non-stop against the prevailing winds and currents.  From there a Vendee Globe campaign onboard "Aviva" lead to a sixth place finish in an edition of the gruelling race that saw just eleven boats complete the course.

"In 2008 there were thirty entires, and only eleven finished, completed the race.  In the war of attrition, which the Vendee is known for, the odds are pretty much always against you.  But for me the big thing was to stand in the skippers' line up!  I hadn't grown up in that environment and I'd literally just exchanged my 42 ton steel tank for an 8 ton carbon fibre race machine!"

Episode One of this two part podcast finishes as Dee Caffari sails across the start line of the 24 000 mile Vendee Globe.  Her journey non stop solo around the world is then picked up as the duo continue their chat in Part 2.

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