Martin Northey founded the first RYA (The Royal Yachting Association) sea school in Portugal over twelve years ago.
In addition to being a maritime journalist he is an RYA Yachtmaster Examiner and Instructor for sail and power with a commercial endorsement, he is also a Powerboat Instructor and holds the top qualification for sailing in Portugal (Patrao do Alto Mar).
He has coached literally thousands of pupils to success in RYA courses and examinations up to Yachtmaster standard and beyond. He has owned several boats himself and helped many others with their purchases.
"My mission is to promote the highest standards of ownership and operation"
Boats and Boating History
The first time I went to sea in a boat was from Cowes in about 1949 at the age of five when I sailed with my step grandfather Ralph Gore on his 12 metre called Tomahawk. I remember he asked if I would like to go up the mast in the boson’s chair, it seemed to be a very long way up and to my relief I realised that he was joking.
Following that experience Ralph sent me for Christmas one year a book called ‘Sailing Primer’, apart from Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ I think that this was the only other book that I read when I was young.
My next sailing experience was with a friend called Pip and his parents for a week in the Channel Islands and France; I was 14 and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. The boat was a 26-foot Scod and the owner had just bought the very latest direction finding equipment, it was called Beme Loop and with this wonderful bit of kit, we managed to find Cherbourg in thick fog.
FOR MORE VISIT HIS WEBSITE ATwww.martinnorthey.net