Gosford Sailing Club – A Sailing Profile

Sailor: Barry Pownall

GSC - What got you interested in sailing? How old were you?
I was about 14 and used to build and sail model boats. After that, I started crewing in 12ft skiffs as a bailer boy. That was on the Parramatta river in 1948 and it was in and around Cabarita where I used to live.

GSC - Which year did you join the Gosford Sailing Club?
I joined the Gosford Sailing Club in 1972. I started crewing on La Toka, a 16ft sailing skiff. I eventually bought my own skiff and it was called Freedom Generation. From there I sailed a Laser, NS, and then back to Lasers.

GSC - What do you regard as your most memorable sporting moment?
I won the Laser Grand Masters Title in 2002, 2003 and 2005, but getting a medal in the Arafura Games in Darwin in 1999 was the most thrilling feeling. I also received a bronze medal at the Laser Worlds in New Zealand in 1993.

GSC - What is the toughest thing about competitive sailing?
Keeping on top of the rules! After that, it is the physicality and concentration during the race.

GSC - How do you spend your time away from the water?
Well, on a daily basis, I walk the dog, and I love gardening. We go away for three months of the year caravanning and, twice a week, I go to the gym.

GSC - Personal motto?
BARRY - Live a life worth-while and give back to the community. I feel quite strongly about that.

GSC - What is one thing that people don’t know about you?
I can’t think of anything. I think all my friends know everything about me.

GSC – Share a memorable sailing story.
Dave Senogles wanted to sail the Gosford to Lord Howe Island race in a Defiance 30 yacht. He got a group of skiff sailors together as a scratch crew, and on the night of the 24 hours race to Bird Island which is mandatory to sail prior to a Cat 1 race, a huge storm hit. The crew consisted of Dave, John Sprague, Paul Turner and John Rigg (all are still at the Gosford Sailing Club). During the race, everything broke. I was so seasick I couldn’t even stand up! This is an account by John Sprague: “Barry was up on deck and was trying to wrestle with yet another sail that had torn and was being shredded by the wind. It was so windy and wild, we couldn’t hear each other, or see, because of the combination of spray off the water and the rain which was beating us and stinging our skin and eyes. Barry was still being violently ill, and I told him to get down below. He disappeared down the hatch. I did as much as I could and tried to lash down the broken boom, sails, whatever I could. I crawled back to the cockpit and sat down. After some time, Dave asked me to see how Barry was. I went below, and there he was. Covered in his own vomit, half covered by shredded sails and tangled up sheets, soaking wet, and out cold. I went back up top and Dave asked me how he was. I just said ‘dead’. “How dead?” “Pretty dead” I said. We continued to sail with all the chaos that the weather was delivering.”

Barry continued: When we got back in the morning, I was told to hose the boat down – inside and out. I was feeling so seedy. Then I was fired! I couldn’t believe it! Didn’t ever have to go through that again! I have never been so grateful in my life! I even thanked Dave about six times!