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Emma Richards MBE - Yachtswoman
Emma is a record breaking, solo round the world yachtswoman. She was awarded the MBE in 2004, was a Brownie & a Guide & grew up in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire."Enjoy what you have ……taking each day at a time, and don't expect anything in life to be easy or free."
The west coast of Scotland is one of the most beautiful places I have sailed, especially when
the sun is out! It is my favourite place to sail with New Zealand being a close second.
Scotland offers a wide variety of sailing, it would be gentle and easy one day, then the next
day the roughest sailing, and dangerous too if you pick the wrong spots with a spring tide and
bad weather!
I miss Helensburgh where I grew up, and my parents still live. It is so close to everywhere you might want to go, Glasgow city, Loch Lomond, the Islands and west coast with the scenery that can't be matched!
Hard question! I am not sure really - every time I am asked where I grew up, when people tell me they have visited and loved it, or their grandparents are from Scotland… Whenever Scotland is in the global news for winning something.
The toughest part for me, around the world was having to climb the madly swinging 80ft mast
to make a repair. It was tough both mentally and physically and there was no-one around to
give me a hand.
I had to set the autopilot to steer a straight line and then climb to the top, make a repair
and then return to the deck. It took five hours in total, and was the scariest thing I had to
do!
It has taken me to my limits both physically and emotionally so that I know when I get impatient or frustrated; it is nothing like what I know I have been through so it has made me more tolerant. I am more satisfied with who I am and what I have achieved so far in life so I can enjoy small things in a bigger way now!
Greg Dyke (former Director-General of the BBC), Edi Stark (Journalist and Broadcaster), Greg Hemphill (Actor and Comedian).
George Monbiot (Author).
Of completing the whole race, some boats had to retire for various reasons. Having completed such an achievement that I never imagined that I would do!
Andrew Pindar who is the chairman of Pindar,
the printing company who sponsors me. He believed in my ability to go ocean racing, representing
his company.
Without his support, I am sure my career would have been harder to get off the
ground, and may not have continued so fluidly had he stopped and me trying to find a new sponsor!
No major ones just now, I am still working with Pindar on various projects but have taken the coming year to regroup and rest.
I think it is hugely important that young girls get involved with all things outdoors as soon as possible, keeping them active in any sport is always going to be better for them in every way emotionally, mentally and physically than the alternatives.
Sport gives a feel good factor that few computer games and TV will give a child, introducing them to new sports so that they might find a passion in any one of them that they make take to a further level.
My greatest achievements are lasting friendships with all the people I met at the time, the leaders who inspired me, the camps and reccies we did…
Try all the activities/sports offered to you, you will not always be offered such fun opportunities in your life and if you don't try them during your school years, you may never get other chances to do them.
Respect those people giving you the opportunities, they are there as volunteers and you wouldn't get those opportunities without their enthusiasm.
Right now, it would all go into a sailing fund for disabled people to have a go at sailing and feel some freedom. This is directly inspired by Hilary Lister who is quadriplegic and has recently crossed the English Channel on her own and felt a freedom she has not felt since she became quadriplegic six years ago.
To enjoy what you have, to live for now, work towards your future, while taking each day at a time, and don't expect anything in life to be easy or free.
It really would depend on the boat and the feeling at the time. A classic boat
would need a classic name, a new boat might justify a nickname while being built, and an old
boat you buy would usually be unlucky if you changed its name without some kind of renaming
ceremony (however big or small).
I have no fixed ideas of what I might call a boat if I had to name it today!
To find out more about Emma please see her website
Go to main inspirational women page