From Googling Offshore Racing to Getting Hooked—Hear about Next Gen Sailor Sashi’s first year offshore
We caught up with Next Gen sailor Sashi Anjan to hear about his journey into offshore sailing, what he’s learned, and what’s next.
Sashi only started sailing about a year ago. It wasn’t something he had planned for long.
“I just realised how many sailing clubs there are around the bay, and it seemed like something I could actually try.”
At first, he was unsure.
“I thought it would be expensive, time-consuming, and hard to get into.”
But he kept coming across the same advice. Just show up.
“So I did. I started turning up once a week, did a Competent Crew course, and after that I was hooked.”
Offshore sailing came unexpectedly
“I was just Googling offshore racing and the ORCV website came up. I didn’t even realise it was all happening here in Victoria.”
The Beyond the Bay course was starting the following week.
“I called up and said, ‘I haven’t done much sailing, but I’m keen to learn.’ They said it would still be useful, so I just signed up.”
At that point, it wasn’t about committing to offshore. It was about understanding what it actually involved.
“But once I got on those boats, that was it. It just kept building from there.”
A big part of his journey has been the people around him, especially his crew on Faster Forward
“Matt Fahey's (owner of Faster Forward been a big help. He saw that I kept showing up, and the more I showed up, the more opportunities I got.”
That eventually led to a delivery from Hobart.
“That was a big moment. I’m honestly really grateful. Even if I stopped sailing tomorrow, I’d owe a lot to him.”
He’s also sailed on Mercedes 4 in Williamstown and spent time on Stealth. His first boat was Silver Cloud, a Yamaha 27.
“Each boat’s been a bit different. The classic yachts are more relaxed and a bit quirky. It’s good experience.”
The biggest learning curve has been the reality
“You hear about it in courses, but when you’re actually out there, competing in an offshore race, it’s a lot more real.”
Long hours, tough conditions, and nowhere to go.
“You’re wet, cold, tired, and you just have to keep going.”
There’s also the dynamic of being on a boat with the same group for extended periods.
“You can’t really get away from each other, so you’ve got to manage that. You can’t let your emotions take over.”
He credits his crew for making that side of it easier.
“We get along really well. We can have tough conversations, but we move on from them.”
It’s a very different experience to inshore sailing.
“Inshore, you’re out for a few hours and come back in. Offshore is a completely different feeling.”
Sashi’s first offshore race was King Island
“I’d heard a lot about it. People say it’s their favourite race.”
The race itself was tough.
“There were definitely moments where I thought I don’t know if I want to do this again.”
But arriving made it all worthwhile.
“That’s the best part about destination races. You get somewhere you’ve never been and suddenly you’re part of it.”
At King Island, the whole community gets involved.
“It’s not just sailors. Locals come down, everyone’s at the yacht club, even the mayor turns up.”
It changed how he saw the whole experience.
“That’s when it all made sense. The race to get there is hard, but once you arrive, it’s completely worth it.”
Sashi is keeping things simple
“I’m still really new to the sport, so I’m not trying to rush anything.”
There’s been talk of bigger races like a Hobart, but he’s not in a hurry.
“It depends when I’m ready.”
Instead, he’s focused on building experience step by step.
“I’ll keep putting my hand up. Port Fairy, coastal races, Sea Pilots. Just keep learning.”
One thing he’s clear on.
“Offshore racing is a completely different beast. You don’t want to rush into it.”
For him, it’s about doing it properly.
“I just want to make sure I know what I’m doing and can actually help the crew.”
Because offshore, it matters.
“You’ve got other people relying on you. You don’t want to be unprepared.”
Interviewed by Melissa Warren (Next Gen lead)
