Class of 2020 Alumni Finn de Bruin spent his schooling years in Phuket at BISP. Through his participation in the BISP Duke of Edinburgh Award and as part of the Phuket Yacht Club’s youth sailing program, he was able to develop his passion for sailing. Since graduating from BISP in 2020, Finn has gone on to race in the ‘Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2022’. This 628 nautical mile course is often described as the most gruelling long ocean race in the world.
When Finn started sailing, he had no idea of the places that sailing would take him – and certainly did not expect Hobart would be a destination. From a young lad he sailed with his dad as a passenger on SY Stargazer to Langkawi. Further along he got his sea legs sailing on the mighty Awatea, a 36-foot Swanson his parents sailed from Australia to Phuket. But his real induction into racing started at the Phuket Yacht Club.
When he joined the youth sailing program there were only a handful of youngsters and some very old optimists; however some very tenacious dads turned up most weekends to help their kids rig and set up boats. Over time the Phuket Youth Sailing Club up’ed its game with new boats, affiliations with more schools in Phuket and a more resilient sailing program with more training, fun days, island weekend getaways and regattas, to support the families and the budding sailors. Although sailing might not be for everyone; for kids living on an island it is an ideal way to learn water skills, appreciate the sea, gain independence and make friends. The social side of youth sailing club activities was and is as important as the sailing.
As Finn reached his teens he was further able to extend his passion of sailing through the Duke of Edinburgh Award at BISP. Finn was also given the opportunity to race in local regattas firstly on Lori Ashton’s Lunasea in the Phang Nga Bay Regattas and later with John Newnham’s Firefly One Design 850, Twin Sharks, in the Multihull Solutions Regatta.
After graduating from BISP in 2020, COVID and border closures meant that Finn could not fulfil his dream and experience a gap year on Superyachts. He joined the Australian Defense Force program and was eventually posted to Adelaide.
The experiences sailing in Phuket gave Finn the confidence to knock on boats and ask to crew. A fabulous opportunity occurred when the commodore of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron, Ian Roberts, gave Finn an opportunity to sail on Bowline, a Beneteau 44.7 in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage than does the start on Sydney Harbour. This 628 nautical mile course is often described as the most gruelling long ocean race in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part. This opportunity and adventure all started with the local Phuket sailing community’s determination to support youth sailing.
We are proud to see the BISP alumni follow their passions and resiliently endeavour to become the leaders for tomorrow. We wish Finn the best of luck on his continued journey as he takes to the sea and sails the high winds:
May the seas lie smooth before you. May a gentle breeze forever fill your sails. May the sunshine warm your face, and kindness warm your soul.
