From Dinghies to Large Sailing Yachts
and some Fun in Between
Allan Bridge is Team Windcraft's General Manager.
As he says in his own words...
'I love the water...
... the ocean has always been part of my life'.
Allan started sailing dinghies as a child and progressed into large sailing yachts as an adult.
He's done a number of yacht deliveries up and down the east coast of Australia, Hamo Race Weeks and Airlie Beach Race Week on a Sydney 38.
And of course his work with Windcraft allows him to spend a huge amount of time on the water.
But Allan hasn't always worked in the boating industry.
After finishing school Allan did a Civil and Structural Engineering Associate Diploma and worked as an engineering draftsman for 10 years.
He took the chance to travel with his job, spending 10 years working and travelling in the UK, Singapore and Australia along with travel through South East Asia and South America.
He worked on the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, the Docklands Light Railway in London and the Cadia gold mine.
Although Allan enjoyed the challenge of engineering his love of water made him seek out a change.
His first on-water job was in Cairns on a 60ft dive charter boat doing day trips and reef diving.
Allan then headed back home to Sydney with wife Lisa. They've since had two girls Chloe born in 2000 and Jasmine in 2001.
And of course Allan introduced his girls to the water and dinghy sailing pretty early on.
Allan started work at Bayview Anchorage Marina in 2001, initially with Pittwater Yacht Charter and since 2006 with Team Windcraft.
With Windcraft, Allan's main role has been to set up and develop the Service Centre as Hanse has grown as a brand.
Allan spends around 50% of his time overseeing the Windcraft commissioning and service centre.
Hanse Group yachts are engineered and built in Germany and they arrive here in Australia without their mast, keel and rudder.
Allan and his team are responsible for making sure your yacht is put together to Windcraft's exacting standards.
Every yacht has to pass through Windcraft's quality control system before handover and Allan is meticulous in his attention to every detail.
Allan often travels interstate to oversee commissioning of our large sailing yachts.
They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything...
... since Windcraft have commissioned over 200 Hanse Group Yachts since 2006 and Allan has notched up well over 10,000 hours on the job you can be sure your yacht is in expert hands.
You can read more about the commissioning of all our new yachts for sale here.
Allan is also responsible for the day to day running of the Service Centre and he organises all the Team Windcraft Events.
Boat Shows, the Hanse Rally and the Port Stephens Sail Away all run smoothly thanks to Allan's legendary attention to detail.
I asked Allan what he likes
best about his job.
Here's what he had to say...
'I like the environment the most. I love being near the water.
I also like the challenge this environment creates.
Boats are in a harsh place. They have to cope with sun, wind, salt and temperature extremes.
There's always something happening on the water.
I like the challenge of developing facilities and systems to cope with that.'
