Watch: A little collage of video clips… from Portland tidal race English Channel, Biscay, Mediterranean and Atlantic.
Available for first mate/crew roles: offshore, coastal and ocean crossings.
RYA coastal skipper with a VHF marine licence, Yachtmaster theory, STCW First Aid, RYA marine engine maintenance. 14,000+nm logged.
Coastal: England, Channel Islands, France, Portugal, Spain, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Canaries, Tasmania, Thailand.
Offshore passages: English Channel x4, Bay of Biscay x4, Mediterranean x3, Atlantic crossing east/west, North Atlantic: Spain, Portugal, Madeira, Gibraltar, Canaries , Cape Verde; several passage combinations.
References below.
With a passion for adventure, traveling and sailing, I have spent extended periods travelling and living overseas. The ocean is my happy place. I’m comfortable with and enjoy solo night watches (350+ hours), sail trimming, navigation and passage planning along with all other aspects of sailing, running a boat and working with crew. Being quite resourceful and solution focussed, I enjoy problem solving. In challenging situations I tend to remain pragmatic and level headed. I have a good degree of all round intelligence, and I’m able to hold the bigger picture whilst also having attention to detail. I’m hard working, courageous and in possession of a positive ‘can do’ attitude. If I don’t know something then I ask, researching and studying the interesting, useful and necessary.
For the past two decades I have run a successful business in South Devon as a Somatic Bodywork therapist and qualified yoga and mindfulness teacher. I’m also a dancer, artist, crafts woman, writer, gardener and rock climber. I am a strong swimmer. Having long ago been a chef/partner in a veggie restaurant, I’m a good cook (veggie/fish/low carb. No meat) and can do so whilst under way. When I was much younger, I learned how to work on motorbike and car engines and was a motorcycle instructor. I'm a mother of a grown daughter and have been self employed for all of my adult life. Relatively strong and fit, I can build structures and fix things. Which is helpful as I live a semi off an grid lifestyle in a tiny home when I’m at my place on a South Dartmoor farm, in Devon, UK. In Portugal, I live off grid on a Beneteau Oceanis 36 in a mooring field in an Algarve lagoon.
I’m quite quirky, youthful for my years and comfortable with myself. I enjoy socialising and having fun with others, and equally enjoy time alone. I don’t get bored at sea. I value integrity, kindness, openess and a strong moral and ethical compass.
I’m keen to keep learning and growing as a recreational and professional sailor/skipper
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References:
Luka completed her Day Skipper Practical Sailing course with us in March 2022
During her time she showed great confidence in her approach to all aspects of the course, and has performed to an excellent standard to be awarded the “Day Skipper Sail” Practical Certificate
I am confident in her ability to perform her duties on any delivery.
David Masters
Principal
Portugal sail & power
Luka crewed for me on SY Bright Star for a day on my Beneteau 321, sailing from Dartmouth to Weymouth across Lyme Bay and around Portland Bill in a southerly Force 5, in September 2022. She was very capable both as a helm and as a crew, always thinking about how best to sail the boat, good communications and good company too. I'd be very happy to have her sail with me again.
William Brook-Hart
Hertfordshire. UK.
Luka joined me on my 'new to me' Etap 28. We sailed from Cattewater in Plymouth to Nos Mayo and back (via Rame Head/Cawsand)
Having never met each other, Luka was good to communicate with prior to our trip and subsequently was a pleasure to sail with. We spent the day learning from each other, taking it in turns to 'Skipper'. Conditions were good with a fresh F5 Easterly to navigate into on a fairly lumpy sea. Healing was fun as Luka's confidence enabled us to put my boat through waters I may not have negotiated on my own. Good tacking was required (and achieved) to get into Wembury Bay and the tricky entrance to the River Yealm. Our piloting skills were put to good use to round Misery Point an hour before low tide. Fore and (later) aft transit's were needed to guide us through 1.5m deep channel, not for the feint hearted with the stiff easterly testing the Etap's broad beam.
Following lunch on a mooring at Noss (allowing tide to go out and come in again over our exit bar), we set sail to run downwind towards Rame Head. Conditions were good through the day and Luka ensured our sail trim was kept in good shape as the Easterly subsided as the afternoon wore on.
A great days sailing with Luka culminated with us motoring back to my trot at Cattewater, where our good communication and close quarter skills made for a quick and simple mooring.
I'd happily sail with Luka again, not only was she competent and experienced, Luka was great fun to be sailing with.
Andy Deighton
'Darcy' Etap 28 owner
Plymouth, UK
Close
Luka: First Mate on challenging month long passage, La Gomera to Gosport.
To whom it may concern, I was lucky to receive, Luka, as crew on a recent delivery trip, starting in La Gomera, Canary Islands, finishing in Gosport, UK via Madeira. We had a wide range of weather on this trip; force 8 winds, large seas, rain and hail. 3 blue water passages and a Channel crossing. A torn mainsail mid-Biscay, various breakages and problems to solve en route (old boat!). Luka handled herself, the crew and the boat with ease throughout, she was actually the only crew member to see it through until the end. Luka is a very competent sailor and importantly always asks questions if she has any doubt. She is not 'gung-ho', she is confident and methodical. She knows how to interpret weather forecasts, complete passage plans and has a great holistic understanding of boats and sailing. She is observant and if she see's something that needs to be done, she does it. She has a wide range of knowledge, experience and is a very thoughtful crew member. She can also comfortably take the lead managing crew during manoeuvres. On a couple of legs on this trip we double-handed, something I do not usually do, but due to an understanding of her ability I felt totally comfortable with it. We completed the trip as a pair and it was extremely smooth. I'd recommend her as crew to anyone and would definitely sail with her again. Given the chance she will exceed your expectations performing any task and is well on the way to becoming a fantastic skipper herself.
20th Apr 2023