It allows you to experience moments such as taking in a sunrise and noticing a coastline. Sailing is not all about good weather. There is also a real sense of achievement in having completed a long passage or sailing through challenging conditions. I don't think it can be appreciated until tried first hand. Getting cold and wet while making little progress does not always sound appealing to the average landlubber, but it is a great form of escapism. I started sailing dinghies when I was 10 at a local Sea Scouts near Chester.

When racing a yacht, the result is obviously a direct indication of how you've done. But a crew's response will let you know how well you've done as a skipper. There's little point winning a race if the crew aren't happy.

As a sailor, I can only really be happy when there's enough breeze to gather a reasonable pace. Otherwise it's frustrating. It's important for a skipper to stay calm when the going gets rough. I try not to let my mood reflect the mood of the water.

Lack of money makes me unhappy, especially at the moment when I'm trying to get sponsorship to become a single-handed yacht racer. Like most sportsmen I'm competitive, so losing has an effect. There would be no point in pursuing my goals in such a single-minded way if I lost everything else along the way. I am very conscious of this. I recently married and have a three-month-old baby. For me, that's happiness.