Q&A With Flying Fifteen sailor, Estelle Buys

Point Yacht Club

Q&A with Flying Fifteen Sailor – Estelle Buys

One of only a handful of experienced women sailors, Estelle Buys makes a welcome return to the water after taking a year’s sabbatical where she took up studying Nature Conservationism. Her first appearances of many this year was at the Opening Cruise hosted by Point Yacht Club. Every time the gorgeous young lady competes, you hear her joyful laughter and gleeful shouts a mile off, her bountiful passion evident both on and off the water.

My name is Estelle Buys

I was born on the pavement! Seriously.

I completed my schooling at the Afrikaans Hoërskool Kroonstad

I am a qualified Physiotherapist specialising in the treatment and rehabilitation of people with disabilities.

I got into sailing in 2006 when I was treating a principal sailing instructor from a sailing school and we had to figure out what he needed to be able to get back onto yachts. Afterwards he asked if I wanted to sail on dinghies, my answer was, “Why not?”. And a few years later I was having a beer on the lawn at the yacht club with the guys and I was asked if I wanted to buy a boat and my answer was,  “Why not!” and the rest is like they say - history.

Currently I live in Pinetown.

I am afraid of, actually I am yet to find something that I am afraid of.

My character is very interesting.

I have a weakness for nice tight bums and red wine.

My goal is to put a smile on people’s faces.

I am driven by my passion.

The one word I used the most: You have to ask Myles that!! I sail with him, and he hears it all.

If I could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, it would be to do something that scares you every day.

My favourite jokes is probably one where everybody is laughing at me being my silly self again.

What do you most enjoy about sailing Every moment out there! Even on a bad day it beats a good day indoors.

The best moment on the water was when I was sailing with Rick on my old classic lady Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum who is roughly 30 years old and we beat the hotshots, Patrick Harris and Jeremy Kriek on their new Foxxof!

Footnote from Myles White - I guess that there are several things that Stel says often, and some of those are unprintable! But, she loves to greet all and sundry, even on the water, with an enthusiastic ‘Hello hello hello!!’