Boating Business | Profile – Mark Rushall

PROFILE – MARK RUSHALL

HOMENEWSPEOPLEPROFILE – MARK RUSHALL

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MARK TALKS STRATEGIES WITH TWO OF GB’S SAILING TEAM

MARK RUSHALL WON HIS FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE AGE OF 16

MARK’S SAILING EXPERTISE SECURED HIS PLACE ON THE GB RACING TEAM

MARK WAS THE GB SAILING TEAM’S STRATEGIST FOR THE RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

MARK TALKS STRATEGIES WITH TWO OF GB’S SAILING TEAM

MARK RUSHALL WON HIS FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE AGE OF 16

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18 Feb 2021

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Mark Rushall – coach, strategist/tactician, mentor and author – certainly has an impressive CV. He’s been a coach with the British Sailing Team since 2006, was the team’s racing strategist for Rio in 2016, and is currently working on Tokyo and Paris.

A prolific content provider, Mark produces training videos, is a regular contributor to Yachts and Yachting magazine and a visiting lecturer at Chichester University.

In 2007, his first book, RYA Tactics, was published and the third extended edition was released in paper and e-book form in December 2019.

Following his first national championship win aged 16, Mark has continually notched up National, Euro and World championship wins in a range of dinghy and keelboat classes. Not bad for someone who completed teacher training with no formal career plan and whose life goal is to ‘be outside as much as you can’.

A self-proclaimed ‘terrible swimmer’, aged eight, Mark was tasked to swim a length of his local pool in Rugby; if he did, his father agreed to help him build a boat. Having held his breath the entire length, the rest as they say is history.

Higher sights

“Sailing became my life. In the Mirror dinghy with my younger sister Ruth, we set our sights higher each year.” Both Ruth and Mark’s wife Liz competed in 470s as part of the British Sailing Team.

Lured by the reputation of London University, Mark studied ‘team racing’ and physics, and trained to be a teacher. Though he won the British Universities’ Team Racing Championships an unmatched four times, he was underwhelmed by the teaching experience. “I was too young, too naïve, and expected everyone to be as enthusiastic about science as me.”

Instead, Mark began repairing wooden boats in north London, moving into jobs with Racing Sailboats, Proctor Masts, Selden Masts, and Hyde Sails. “With no lottery funding, like many of my peers I found that working in the marine industry enabled me to compete and live.”

Mark moved to Emsworth in 1990 to join Proctor Masts. “I fell in love with Emsworth, aged 16, and when I met Liz ten years later, I found it was her spiritual home too.

“A part of my job was always helping customers improve their performance, but my first formal coaching opportunity was at the inaugural ISAF World Championships in 1995. Olympic sailing was becoming more professional, it was a chance to see opportunities appearing. There’s a subtle difference between teaching and coaching and it became clear where my passion was.”

Pro-sailing

In 2002, Mark returned to self-employment, combining coaching, writing and project management with pro-sailing.

“The strategic specialism was a natural progression from pro-sailing. In bigger boats I felt the need to put some substance behind those apparently automatic decisions. As in real life, if the whole team is on-board with the rationale, buy-in and execution will follow. The models I developed found their way into my writing and coaching, and a series of strategic and tactical articles for a new magazine gave me the basis for the book.”

While Mark’s sailing expertise secured his place on the GB racing team, he’s quick to point out the coach doesn’t have all the answers. “My philosophy is that the coaches own solutions have more chance of success than those imposed on them. My role is to help define the problem or goal, encourage the right questions, and support the search for a solution.

Mentoring

“Being a RYA coach developer gave me a chance to complete a professional mentoring programme and explore and develop this philosophy further.”

Mark’s love of sailing and coaching are clear; when discussing career highs, he says: “Every time you help someone achieve their goal, whether novice or professional, knowing you’ve helped someone improve or enjoy the process it’s a high.

“And having a goal, no matter what the project, is vital. If you don’t have clear goals, how will you know if you’ve met them?”

Club racing

He concludes: “The landscape has changed since I grew up dinghy racing. There are less boats club racing, however lottery funding enables the very best to make a go of full-time sailing, and there are more career opportunities for racers outside and post-Olympic racing. There’s more training and coaching, but I think it’s vital the emphasis is firmly on fun rather than performance, especially with youngsters. That’s the only way to get and keep people in the sport.”

Outside of work – although Mark suggests that as ‘work is fun’, there’s no great differentiation between this and his hobbies – he likes to cruise in his 60-year-old wooden classic boat with Liz.

“Seas and mountains are good for the soul, so long as they are with us we are equally happy on foot, skis, bikes, or boats.”

via Boating Business | Profile – Mark Rushall.

Boating Business | Osmotech UK restructures

OSMOTECH UK RESTRUCTURES

HOMENEWSINDUSTRY NEWSOSMOTECH UK RESTRUCTURES

19 Feb 2021

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Osmotech UK MD, Mike Ingram, is to take a step back from the business after restructuring

INDUSTRY DATABASE

OSMOTECH UK

Motorboat and yacht repair and refit company Osmotech UK, has restructured its management team.

MD Mike Ingram will take a step back to allow sales director James Coker and technical directors Joe Caudery and Tristan Caudery to run the business.

Mike founded Osmotech UK in 1990 and the company currently manages refits, repairs and system installations.

Joe and Tristan joined Osmotech UK as qualified marine electrical Engineers. Joe has been with the company for 14 years and has 20 years of experience in the marine industry. Tristan has been with Osmotech for ten years.

“We are looking at streamlining the business, increasing sales and taking on more challenging projects,” explained Joe. “We have an incredible team here at Osmotech, with a broad skill range which enables us to take on any project.”

The company is a main dealer for a number of brands including Sleipner (Side-Power), Seakeeper, Besenzoni, Lumishore, Mente Marine, Webasto and Hydronautica.

It also manufactures Aquafresh Watermakers.

via Boating Business | Osmotech UK restructures.

Boating Business | Allen Bros partnership extended

ALLEN BROS PARTNERSHIP EXTENDED

HOMENEWSAFTERMARKETDECK HARDWAREALLEN BROS PARTNERSHIP EXTENDED

22 Feb 2021

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Allen has extended its partnership with the Swedish Sailing Team

INDUSTRY DATABASE

ALLEN BROTHERS (FITTINGS) LTD

The Swedish Sailing Team has appointed Allen as official hardware supplier for another year.

The partnership between Allen and the Swedish Sailing Team was first announced at the 2020 RYA Dinghy Show. The extended partnership means Allen will supply hardware to sailors competing at the Tokyo Olympics.

“We are delighted that the Swedish Sailing Team has extended its partnership with us as their official hardware supplier,” said Allen MD, Liz Adams.

“By working closely with the elite athletes in the team we are able to further develop our products and ensure that their sailors get the best possible performance hardware to help them win a gold medal.”

Thomas Hansson-Mild of the Swedish Sailing Team added: “It is great to work with Allen and benefit from the 60 years of competitive sailing heritage that they bring to the table. We too have a proud heritage. We won our most recent Olympic medals in London 2012 when Fredrik Lööf and Max Salminen won the gold in the Star and Rasmus Myrgren a bronze in the Laser. We aim for more medals in Tokyo and the cooperation with Allen will greatly improve our chances.”

Four Swedish teams have been selected to represent their country in Tokyo – in the Finn, 470 men, ILCA Standard and ILCA Radial classes.

via Boating Business | Allen Bros partnership extended.

Boating Business | Gingerboats Racing and RS Sailing team up

GINGERBOATS RACING AND RS SAILING TEAM UP

HOMENEWSBOATBUILDINGBOATBUILDINGGINGERBOATS RACING AND RS SAILING TEAM UP

22 Feb 2021

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Gingerboats Racing is to build the RS200 dinghy

INDUSTRY DATABASE

RS SAILING

RS Sailing has entered into a new partnership with British boat builder Gingerboats Racing.

The collaboration will see Gingerboats Racing take on the manufacturing of the double handed dinghy, the RS200.

Gingerboats Racing was established in 2011 and uses both traditional methods and also the latest in modern design and construction techniques.

“This is an opportunity not only to expand our one-design manufacturing but to also be a key part of one of the largest active racing classes in the UK,” said Phil Hodgkins, Gingerboats Racing director. “RS Sailing’s desire to celebrate British manufacturing, sustainable practices and premium quality aligns with our own ambitions and we are looking forward to building the relationship with them.”

Jon Partridge, RS Sailing CEO, added: “We are really pleased to partner with Gingerboats Racing, they are a trusted British boat builder well-known for their passion and love for our sport.

“We believe that this is an exciting new era for the RS200 and the class.”

Manufacturing of the RS200 is already underway at Gingerboats Racing Cumbrian workshop and both parties are anticipating an exciting time for the class with championship attendance of more than 100 boats the norm.

via Boating Business | Gingerboats Racing and RS Sailing team up.

Boating Business | Allen closes its foundry

ALLEN CLOSES ITS FOUNDRY

HOMENEWSAFTERMARKETDECK HARDWAREALLEN CLOSES ITS FOUNDRY

22 Feb 2021

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Allen Bros is discontinuing its YS range of fittings

INDUSTRY DATABASE

ALLEN BROTHERS (FITTINGS) LTD

Allen Bros is to close its foundry, resulting in the discontinuation of its YS range of fittings.

The hardware manufacturer says while the YS range has been very successful for many decades, sales have fallen recently as boat builders switched to a more modern alternative.

In addition, the company that completed the polishing and anodising of the fittings has fallen victim to Covid-19 and despite an extensive search, Allen has been unable to source a new supplier who can meet its quality criteria.

“The investment required in the foundry, anodising and polishing could not be justified for a shrinking demand,” said a spokesperson. “Sadly, we have therefore had to make the decision to discontinue this range.”

Some of the YS items will now be manufactured by Allen using new methods and under a different name.

The new AY range will be manufactured using Allen’s VMC machines which the company says will produce more accurate and reliable products.

Bespoke designs can also be designed and machined in-house to a customer’s specification.

via Boating Business | Allen closes its foundry.

Boating Business | Future Fibres in three-year SailGP deal

FUTURE FIBRES IN THREE-YEAR SAILGP DEALHOMENEWSAFTERMARKETMASTS, SPARS, SAILS & RIGGINGFUTURE FIBRES IN THREE-YEAR SAILGP DEAL10 Feb 2021EmailShareFacebookLinkedInTwitterPrintFuture Fibres will be supplying rigging for the F50 Photo: SailGPINDUSTRY DATABASEPreviousFUTURE FIBRES SLSAILGPFUTURE FIBRES SLSAILGPNext12SailGP has announced a three-season partnership with Future Fibres to exclusively supply rigging on the F50, the catamaran engineered for the global SailGP championship.Future Fibres will provide its multistrand technology, ECsix, to all eight F50s racing in the SailGP league. The three-season deal will also give SailGP access to Future Fibres latest hybrid products such as AEROsix as well as providing Future Fibres with a unique test platform to further develop its products.James Austin, Future Fibres general manager, said that SailGP was the pre-eminent high performance sailing league on the planet. “The selection of Future Fibres by SailGP further endorses Future Fibres’ position as the go-to supplier of performance rigging for high performance one design race applications,” he said.Reliable and fit for purposeBrad Marsh, SailGP tech team operations manager, said that SailGP looks for companies with experience to provide products that are proven to be reliable and fit for purpose. “With Future Fibres we are looking forward to developing our existing relationship and work in parallel to develop their product lines across the F50 platform and with our new modular wings,” he said.SailGP Season 2 starts in Bermuda on 24 – 25 April 2021 and features eight national teams squaring off in eight events across three continents.SHARE THIS ARTICLEFacebookLinkedInTwitter

via Boating Business | Future Fibres in three-year SailGP deal.

Boating Business | STA-LOK Terminal inventor dies

STA-LOK TERMINAL INVENTOR DIES

HOMENEWSINDUSTRY NEWSSTA-LOK TERMINAL INVENTOR DIES

02 Feb 2021

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Ivor Barfield has died, aged 97

INDUSTRY DATABASE

STA-LOK TERMINALS LTD

Ivor Barfield, inventor of the STA-LOK self-fit Terminal has died, aged 97 years.

An engineer at heart, Ivor invented the Terminal in the 1970s, just one of a number of innovative products he designed and developed throughout his career, seeing most through development into production.

As his family pointed out, the STA-LOK Terminal was developed in Ivor’s garden shed, in an era without technology, an era where everything was crafted by hand – a great testament to his engineering skill.

Encouraged by the performance of the STA-LOK Terminal, Ivor applied for and was granted Lloyds approval and gained the support of yacht riggers, boat builders and yacht owners around the world for which he was forever grateful.

Vision

“Manufacturing was one of Ivor’s passions,” said his family. “He was immensely proud to have established a British manufacturing company, STA-LOK Terminals Ltd, and of the staff who worked for him over the years, to achieve his vision.”

Part of this vision was to develop international markets and in 2006 this was realised with the incorporation of STA-LOK TERMINALS Inc in the USA.

With the support from customers and dedication of staff, STA-LOK has today become an established part of the global marine industry.

Ivor continued to work well into his 80’s and provided support to the company as Chairman, until his passing.

“A great family man, he founded his business on family values, which to this day continues to employ many family members,” added his family. “He was especially proud to welcome his grandson James into the company in 2019 continuing his legacy.

“An inspirational man, a brilliant mind. Much loved.”

via Boating Business | STA-LOK Terminal inventor dies.

Boating Business | Person Behind The Face – Marie-Claude Heys

PERSON BEHIND THE FACE – MARIE-CLAUDE HEYS

HOMENEWSCOMMENTPERSON BEHIND THE FACEPERSON BEHIND THE FACE – MARIE-CLAUDE HEYS

04 Feb 2021

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Marie-Claude Heys was MD of Key Yachting until January 2021

INDUSTRY DATABASE

KEY YATCHING LTD

How I got into this industry…at the end of my professional sailing carrier, Paul Heys offered me the ideal job, half office based, half outside looking after the boats. And the rest is history…

Best advice I’ve ever received…to drink water when I had a sore back while sailing offshore.

One thing the industry needs less of is…Expensive boat shows.

Most hated buzzword or workplace expression…Brexit

Best place I’ve been…Polynesia

Don’t worry about…the future

Favourite meal…anything with seafood

One thing I couldn’t live without…family

How I cope with stress…I refuse to let it get to me

Something about you that people might be surprised by…I like getting my own olive oil from picking my olives in France.

Marie-Claude (MC) Heys was MD of Key Yachting until January 2021

via Boating Business | Person Behind The Face – Marie-Claude Heys.

Boating Business | Bob Fisher ‘Mr America’s Cup’ dies

BOB FISHER ‘MR AMERICA’S CUP’ DIESHOMENEWSPEOPLEBOB FISHER ‘MR AMERICA’S CUP’ DIES27 Jan 2021EmailShareFacebookLinkedInTwitterPrintBob Fisher Photo: Daniel ForsterAward-winning yachtsman, journalist, author and expert on the America’s Cup, Bob Fisher, has died at the age of 85.Bob Fisher was born in the coastal town of Brightlingsea in Essex. Inspired by stories of the professional fishermen who crewed the big yachts of their day, he first made a name as a top crew, winning seven national and world titles in the National Hornet and Fireball high performance dinghy classes.He went on to win the 1967 Little America’s Cup in C-Class catamarans and it was during his trip to Newport Rhode Island to watch the American yacht Intrepid beat the Australian challenger Dame Pattie – his prize for the Little America’s Cup win – that Bob developed his life-long obsession with the real America’s Cup, covering all matches since, bar the current racing off Auckland.An absorbing interestBob wrote 30 books on the sport and in 1992 set about writing the definitive history of the America’s Cup, the two-volume ‘An Absorbing Interest’ which took 15 years to research and complete. The third volume is due to be published in the autumn.Bob was a trustee of the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation, a former Chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association and a founder member of the Society of International Nautical Scribes. He also sat on the panels for both the America’s Cup Hall of Fame and the Rolex/World Sailing World Sailor of the Year.Donations in Bob’s memory are welcomed by the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation. Messages of condolence can be left on his Facebook page.

via Boating Business | Bob Fisher ‘Mr America’s Cup’ dies.