Make me smile even wider and brighter
by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 22 Apr 15:00 AEST
Construction of the Rainbow they would then sail © Paddy McAlpine
What's better than writing about a great programme to get people into yachting? Well, how about actually speaking with a former participant who has then gone on to work in the industry. That's what!
In December last year, we published, Make me smile, which looked at the boatbuilding that takes place over Winter at the Concord and Ryde SC. Clearly, our Managing Editor and I are not the only ones to have really had an uplift from that, as the Editorial's readership has been quite stellar, and just keeps going with its interplanetary trajectory.
Just recently, we were blessed to be able to speak with Paddy (Patrick) McAlpine, who is just shy of his sixteenth birthday. In 2024, he undertook the Making Waves Foundation's Wright Of Passage, and helped to build Rainbow dinghies at the delightful old docks at Woolwich in Sydney. As is the custom, they then sailed and raced the very craft they had been so actively involved in over the preceding months.
With Year 10 completed, he made the bold move to leave school, and in January of 2025, he began his Shipwright's Apprenticeship at Sean Langman's Noakes Group in McMahons Point, just West of Sydney's famed Harbour Bridge. Sleeping in? Gone. Loads of holidays? Gone. Long days - like 6.30 to 4 or 4.30. Absolutely. Tired? Not in your life. Duck to water, you might say... Youth is definitely not wasted on this young soul.
"I wouldn't say school was going badly. I just thought it wasn't really the right thing that I should be doing and what I wanted to do with my life, so I decided I should leave when I could and chase an opportunity," said McAlpine Jnr. "Being on the tools is a bit of a wake-up call, a big one actually, and it is hard, but very enjoyable."
We spoke with Paddy as the Taxi of Mum and Dad collected him after a day's work, and immediately prior to the Easter break. Paddy's Father, Ben, also displays a genuine sense of time to crack on, and does not see it as onerous. On the contrary, Ben's smile for what Paddy has achieved to date is completely visible, even down the phone line. Good thing there are other hours in the day to get one's work done...
As for the Wright of Passage, McAlpine Jnr reflected, "The trial was in February, with the first day at the start of March, and then it went all the way through to the end of the year. We just pretty much started getting all the small components built at the start of April before we moved on to making the boats themselves. Then, every second Wednesday we went sailing at the Concord and Ryde Sailing Club, which I really enjoyed."
Ben is a long-time fisherman, and young Paddy is pretty adept at it as well. The pictures telly you that. So boating had clearly been a part of the McAlpine family activity list. Yet it is interesting that Ben grew up in a family of sailors, and elected to go fishing instead. Through his son's involvement, the pair have found a love for yachting, and it is one they plan to develop. Ben added, "Twilight racing seems like fun, and I do harbour a desire to do a Hobart, as well." (No pressure, Sean.)
So how did Making Waves fit in? "It was actually my mate who recommended the programme for the school. Because we were both sort of doing a lot of boating, he said to me, 'Do you want to do this course?' I thought I'd give it a go and then end up really liking it. So, I did it for the whole year with him, and then as it unfolded, I thought this is my passion. I was doing the right thing. I had natural skill for it."
"When Year 10 ended, I decided I should go do something productive and get a job around what I had been doing. In early January I had a small interview on the spot and then they called up the boss at Noakes, and I got called back a few days later. They showed me around the place, gave me a job offer, and I simply could not resist it."
"At the start of the year they get all the inductees, whether that's Shipwrights, labourers or office staff, and you go and scrape barnacles off. Now I go along with a fully qualified person to give them a hand, and do basic tasks. Today, I was working on Sean Langman's, Vagrant, (a gaff rigged day boat), and yesterday I was helping with wiring in a mast. I have also done wooden pegs on bowsprits to make them look nice, and some fibreglass repairs and other things on Young Endeavour. Even down in engine rooms doing all manner of things."
Clearly when you're building Rainbows you have to do woodwork, but what does Paddy really get into? "I love being a shippie, but I am really into mechanics. My plan is to become a fully qualified Shipwright, and see where that takes me."
Closer in on the time scale, and young Paddy is busily saving for his first car, with a Toyota Hilux the first, and only, weapon of choice it would seem. Towing is high on the priority list. Independence is part of the young lad's mantra, as is seeking out and utilising every opportunity that comes his way.
As an unborn child Paddy was on the water, and infancy meant being out there, even in the baby carrier from the hospital, Ben reflected on. The salt certainly runs freely in this young man. "I thought sailing was awesome. That feeling of being out there alone and you've got to make decisions quickly. Jobs just have to be done. No time for questions. You can really enjoy yourself out there. Everything that you do has got a consequence for it, whether it's good or bad. I can certainly see yachting becoming something more in my life."
Given Paddy has a few days for Easter, whereas his old schoolmates have a couple of weeks, how does he feel about it all? Ben probably answered it best, when he said, "How does it feel with all of your mates are on holidays, and they've been sleeping in? Paddy replied swiftly, 'Pretty good when I look at my bank account, Dad." Q.E.D.
Reflecting on the fact that last year he was at school, and this year he has a job, Paddy commented, "I don't even think of it as a choice. Last year I was getting out of bed at 8am and dreaded the day, whereas now here I am getting up at 5am and ready to smash it out."
The proud Father that is Ben added, "I've watched him go from an older boy to a young man really, really quickly. He's super independent, and a big difference is on a Sunday when it's school the next day versus his job. Paddy's already talking about his job on a Sunday night. He's got great self-control, goes to bed early to be sharp the next day, and the smile is very evident."
"Deeper than just learning skills, Making Waves gave Paddy something that I think is absolutely vital in shaping young men; that being the strong mentors that earned the respect of Patrick and all the boys at Making Waves, and now Noakes too. Matt Smyth, Shane Greaves and Ross Venner totally took Paddy under their wing, and shared their passion, skills and more importantly life skills along the way. Personal standards, etiquette and self-discipline in a trade environment. From what I can see, the team at Noakes are exactly the same, and are certainly passing on high standards to Patrick," said McAlpine Snr.
As for anyone else not finding school to their liking, and maybe had no boating history to draw upon? "I would say the best thing for most young people to do is grab every opportunity that sticks out to you, and things are going to find a place. I did a lot of work with people that never even thought boats would be anything in their life. You see them not knowing what a transom was, and now they're just knowing every single part of a boat."
"Without a doubt, everyone got something from finding and creating new skills, as well as interacting with other, often very different people to yourself."
As for how many mates he has at Noakes? "Hard to tell. Most of the marine guys drop a bit of banter every now and then." Trips for smoke absorbers and left-handed hammers won't get this sharp kid for long, me thinks... Time spent with a lot of Uncles has Paddy reasonably bulletproof. I'm tipping Paddy fits in pretty well.
Now Paddy might not have wanted to say it, being a tough young man and all, but Ben certainly did on his behalf. "I think he really liked being part of the sailing and boat building community, which had open arms. He liked going to the awards night for the Wooden Boat Festival, being part of Noakes and the crew are all sailors and boat builders. Working for the Langmans is at the top end of town inside that community. I can see he appreciates it."
So well done, Paddy. As too, all the other participants. As for being in the Noakes uniform on his first day of work, "Yes. Pretty much the same thing as your first day of school," said Paddy.
If it has all got you smiling and you'd like to help the Making Waves Foundation allow some other kids to have a go, then please go here.
Please enjoy your yachting, stay safe, and thanks for tuning into Sail-World.com
John Curnow
Sail-World.com AUS Editor