Bill Anderson started sailing off the North Antrim coast in an open fishing boat. He spent 13 years as a seaman officer in the Royal Navy, serving as Navigating Officer of a minesweeper, a frigate and a destroyer. On leaving the Navy he joined the training division of the Royal Yachting Association, where he set up and run the RYA/DTp Yachtmaster training and examinations. He has always been an enthusiastic sailor, with experience ranging from dinghy racing to an Atlantic crossing (from Brazil to the UK). He now spends most of his summers cruising NW Europe.