Leonie Crosbie

J116 Jemima

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Leonie discovered sailing as an adult. Her initial interest was sparked during a family holiday at Paynesville during which time she became enchanted by a particularly beautiful schooner named Star. Leonie’s promise to herself that she would learn to sail and one day own just such a boat.

This promise came to fruition; she now currently sails for six months of the year with her husband out of Airlie Beach aboard their boat, Spirit Chaser, a Moody 43 Eclipse.

Leonie’s sailing experience now spans almost twenty years. Initially, Leonie joined the Ballaarat Yacht Club Ladies Auxiliary and actively supported her children as they participated in state and national sailing competitions. However Leonie also wanted to sail and became one of only a few women who competed at the Ballaarat Yacht Club’s pennant competition.

As her own skills and confidence grew, she embarked on a third share purchase in Jemima 116, a Jubilee class yacht that she still owns and skippers out of Ballaarat Yacht Club. From the beginning Leonie encouraged changes at her club to provide more opportunities for women to be included which now offers courses and opportunities to both adults and children to learn to sail.

As a recreational sailor, Leonie has sailed in New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji and Malaysia and has completed a passage from New Caledonia to Bundaberg. She enjoys the aspects of sailing that enable men and women to compete on an equal basis, whether engaged in social or competitive sailing.

Leonie has sailed competitively in both State and National Championships, placing second in State and fifth in Nationals, in the Jubilee Class. She skippered “Spirit Chaser” in the 2014 Airlie Beach Race Week.

At the Ballaarat Yacht Club, Leonie has been a committee member, race official, functions and bookings co-ordinator, and has received Best Club Persons Award. She is currently treasurer and secretary for the Jubilee Yacht Association of Victoria. She also volunteers with the Sailability Programme which provides a sailing experience for young people with a disability or a disadvantage; she does this both in Ballarat and at Airlie Beach.

Leonie makes her Jubilee Jemima available to support charity and corporate events, and on a regular basis provides social sailing for new club members and interested persons wishing to learn how to sail. Leonie aspires to continue with crew training and development and she particularly wishes to encourage more women to engage with the sailing experience.

On a personal note, Leonie actively works toward growing her skills and achieving line honours more regularly. She also desires to hone her navigational skills whilst discovering all seventy-four Islands in the Whitsundays; as she says, the world is your oyster and sailing is the best way to enjoy it!