Emily Olliver- From First Sail to Future Dreams: Her Journey into Yachting 

Recently we sat down with Emily who has completed her RYA Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper Yachtmaster Coastal and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition with us onboard Duel. Emily is now planning to take her Yachtmaster Offshore Exam in May and talked us through her sailing journey. 

What first got you interested in sailing? 
Sailing’s always kind of been in the family. My Papa sails, and one summer in Wales he got me out on his Speedbreeder dinghy. He thought I already knew what I was doing… I didn’t. We headed out anyway, the mainsheet snapped, and getting back to shore was a bit of a struggle. But even with all that, I absolutely loved it — that was the moment I knew I wanted to keep sailing. Not long after, I joined Sea Cadets and started building my experience from there, moving from dinghies to keelboats and then yachts. The freedom of being on a yacht is still my favourite part. 

Did you have a specific goal in mind when you began? 
Not at all — it started as something fun. But after my first proper week away sailing, I realised I wanted to turn it into a career. Since then, I’ve been trying to get out on the water as much as possible. Every trip is different, which is what makes it so exciting. 

What challenged you the most — and why? 
Probably the week leading up to my Yachtmaster Coastal exam earlier this year. It was my first external assessment, and I had no idea what to expect, so the pressure felt pretty intense. But with loads of practice during the week, by the time the assessor came onboard, I actually felt ready — and just wanted to prove I could do it. 

What’s your most memorable moment during the training? 
It’s hard to pick just one because every trip’s been so different. But night sailing always stands out — there’s something about being out on the water under the stars that just feels a bit magical. 

Any particularly challenging or funny situations you encountered? 
Definitely the cooking… which is not my strong point. At one point I dropped a pizza upside down on the floor and still served it to the crew (I did tell them, to be fair). Safe to say I’ll stick to on-deck jobs in future. 

Would you recommend sailing as a DofE activity? 
100%. I did my Gold on Duel and it was honestly one of the best weeks I’ve had. We planned everything ourselves — routes, food, all of it — and even managed to put together an origami animal project at the end. It was such a fun way to do it. 

What made you choose ASY? 
One of the main reasons was that they accept under 18s but still treat you like an adult. They trust you with real responsibility, which makes a huge difference when you’re learning. 

How would you describe the instructors / environment? 
They’re amazing. They make learning really enjoyable and never make you feel like any question is a stupid one. They’ll challenge your decisions, but in a way that helps you understand and improve. It’s definitely helped build my confidence a lot. 

What would you say to someone thinking about starting? 
Just go for it — you won’t look back. I was hooked from my first offshore trip, and since then it’s given me so many opportunities, experiences, and even a potential career path. It’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done.