Max Holgate

Max Holgate

After many years driving boats connected with fishing, diving, the offshore oil and gas industry plus some time with the Royal Naval Reserve, Max taught himself to sail in (on?) a Topper dinghy on Loch Lomond, progressing to Bosuns up at the Faslane Naval Base.

His first sailing boat was a Hurley Felicity then, after a bit of time crewing on other people's yachts and flotilla holiday, he bought a Fisher 37 in Mallorca, sailed it back to the UK with a friend (who's own experience was an afternoon sailing a Mirror dinghy) – and that was home for the next six years. “Home”

did lots of Southwest and Channel Island sea miles, quite a number of those with Jo Bower. Work at the time, meant he could take leave in big chunks, and so for three years, February/March had him skippering yachts for a company in Antigua, taking tourists on day charters, supporting the RORC

Caribbean 600, driving the evening water taxi and “misc duties”. Currently sailing Valkyrie, a Twister 28, and now that retirement has finally arrived, the plan is to get back into some regular cruising and visit hitherto unvisited ports of call. Max completed his RYA tickets in Gibraltar and Antigua, up to Offshore Yachtmaster and Cruising Instructor. Having found himself as Rear-Commodore (House), Max sees this as an opportunity for giving something back to Saltash Sailing Club