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Andrew Wood
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Andrew Wood A sailing biography RYA Yachtmaster Ocean (commercial) Andrew Wood was born in Penzance, Cornwall, England in May of 1973. He grew up on and around the sea, surfing, windsurfing and sailing. Family holidays consisted of sailing voyages, usually to the Scillies or the continent. As soon as he was old enough, Andrew raced mirrors with his brother from Penzance Sailing Club of which he is still a member. Later still, he raced offshore in his fathers Firebird Catamaran, a Formula 26 that effortlessly reached speeds of around 25 knots. Andrew’s father raced semi professionally in the 70’s and 80’s, competing in two Round Britain races in the 70’s. Consequently names like Robin Knox Johnson, Tony Bullimore, Giles Chichester and Chay Blyth were passed about casually in family conversation. One skipper who stayed with the family before a race, and whose story has left a lasting impression on Andrew, was the 1979 mini-transat winner Norton Smith, who had sailed his revolutionary 21ft boat ‘American Express’ from the States in order to compete in the 2nd Penzance hosted ‘mini transat’ race to the Caribbean. In 1993, Andrew worked for two years as a boat builder in the Isles of Scilly, manufacturing small glass fibre boats as well as repairing existing glass and wooden ones. During these two years he gained many valuable practical skills, particularly in glassing techniques. Not long after this, Andrew helped his father build the 42 foot, steel mono hull‘Norwegian Blue’. Over a 4 year period Andrew put his many practical skills to good use; welding, fitting electrical wiring and plumbing, applying foam insulation, carpentry, setting up rigging and installing engines etc, all of which have been invaluable in his career as a professional skipper. In 98 he passed his RYA Coastal Skipper and fitted ‘Norwegian Blue’ to charter standards in order to run a surfing-based charter company in the Canary Islands. Following two successful years chartering, Andrew felt the urge for something more worthwhile. Inspired by his father’s zeal for the ice, and further fueled by books of Arctic adventurers, he sailed ‘Norwegian Blue’ to the Arctic for three months where he explored the shores of Spitsbergen, Biornoya and Norway. That winter was spent in Shetland aboard ‘Norwegian Blue’, where he and his long term girlfriend Zoë planned and saved for a 3-year sail ‘round the world. With a tight budget and chartering whenever possible, Andrew sailed to Panama via the standard trade route. Then, (under sextant alone just for fun), down to Easter Island and Pitcairn, before rejoining the rest of the cruisers further North for the island hop down to New Zealand. Although this was the most idyllic voyage imaginable, for Andrew, there was still something fundamental missing. After six months working in New Zealand refitting, saving and researching, Andrew sailed non-stop the 6000 miles from New Zealand to the Aleutian Isles in order to attempt the Northwest Passage. After navigating through 3000 miles of dense pack ice and narrowly escaping a winter stuck in the Arctic, Andrew emerged into the Atlantic to become the first British Skipper to sail the NWP from west to east, as well as the first ever to make it in one season. Andrew immediately sailed back to the Isles of Scilly, arriving in October, having set out from Opua, New Zealand only 5 months earlier. Much media attention was given to his voyage and Andrew was awarded several accolades including the prestigious RCC Seamanship Medal. That winter Andrew gave several talks on his adventures and wrote a 14 week column for the Brighton Argus. Knowing that sailing was to be his life, Andrew took his RYA ‘Offshore’ and ‘Ocean’ exams in the spring of 2004 and was later presented with the Yachtmaster of the Year award at the 2005 London Boat Show, as well sharing the Musto International Cruising (MICA) Award with his father and girlfriend. At the show James Stevens, RYA Training Manager commented: ‘He was an outstanding and truly exceptional candidate in every respect.’ And his Examiner Michael Stratton said: ‘It’s his ability to take charge’; ‘Andrew is one of the most competent seafarers I have ever examined for the RYA Yachtmaster. His seamanship and navigation is outstanding, exceeded only by his modesty’. Having been repeatedly asked the question, “So, what next?” Andrew knew exactly how to answer… “Single-handed ocean racing!” The primary goal on his agenda: to be the first Brit to win the Mini Transat, a race that has many uncanny ties with his childhood and birthplace. It would also serve as the perfect vehicle in which to shape his vast range of self-reliant cruising skills into those of single-handed racers. Having phoned, emailed and met with practically every mini sailor he could find, Andrew concluded that the best way to approach the mini scene would be to charter a mini for the summer. With little money and having already been let down by 3 boat owners, the season was becoming late and Andrew was forced to settle for an old, water ballasted proto with an incomplete and tired sail wardrobe. Never the less, this turned out to be a great move as with his usual determination, he raced consistently well, made plenty of contacts and observed which boats would perform well for him in the 2006/7 season. It also strengthened Andrew’s determination to win the 2007 race. During that summer, Andrew entered and completed 3 official races, the 460 mile solo Mini Pavois, the double handed Open Demi Cle as well as the 600 mile solo Trans Gascogne. These races all started from the west coast of France and in order to get in as much training as possible, Andrew always sailed the delivery trips single-handed from Falmouth and back gaining him over 2000 miles of invaluable mini sailing experience. At present, Andrew has purchased Nick Bubb’s mini no. 500, a fully carbon, all British design that is more than capable of victory. He has teamed up with a title sponsor and has interest from several other backers including ITV, regarding a documentary series that would follow his progress over the 2 year campaign. In order to fund his mini campaign at the moment, Andrew works as a delivery skipper for PYDWW. In this time he has racked up a further 5 transatlantic crossings as well as numerous Baltic and European voyages in boats ranging from small cruisers to all carbon 70’s. He has under him well over 100,000 miles as skipper, and a commanding ability to keep things running, whatever the circumstances. Formal Education 1995-1996 Chichester College of Arts Science and
Technology Maritime Qualifications & Certificates RYA Yachtmaster of the Year 2004
Extensive media coverage @ : http://norwegianblue.co.uk/Clippings.htm
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