JEFF THOMAS FAREWELL
RPAYC BOATYARD MANAGER
Jeff Thomas, the Boatyard Manager at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club since the club’ s $ 3M slipway redevelopment in 2007, has finally decided it’ s time to think about what his future holds and that is retirement; spending time with his wife Pauline, their family and going on some lengthy road trips exploring Australia.
Jeff spent the first years of his working life as a real estate valuer. In his late twenties he decided upon a change and took a job at Sailors Bay Boatshed Northbridge working with Andrew Moncrieff which whet his appetite for all things boating. He met Pauline in his early thirties and soon realised he would have to earn some serious money. He bought a taxi cab and, while being successful financially, required dedication, working exceptionally long hours, seven days a week. The demands took their toll so he sold the taxi and started a custom made teak outdoor furniture business. This also gave him the time to take up a school run for disabled children, forming great attachments to the children and their families.
Come 1989 and Jeff was approached by Ian Smith of The Wooden Boat School to become yard manager of a new boatyard being built at Mortlake on the Parramatta River which became known as River Quays. The yard was more or less built by Ian and Jeff from the ground up designing and installing the travelift tracks and runway.
Jeff sailed many ocean miles doing several Sydney-Hobart races. He was also forced to abandon, with nothing but the clothes he was wearing, a Melbourne to Osaka twohanded race aboard Mad Max after hitting a reef.
RPAYC boat yard manager Jeff Thomas.
Over the years Jeff has built three yachts and also bought a Swanson hull and deck and fitted it out. His last two yachts, Saga a 28ft Beal and the aptly named Glory Days a 40ft John Sayer design, were built for two-handed racing with the Short Handed Sailing Association which both he and Pauline were heavy involved in. After River Quays, Jeff was offered a position in 2000 by Sean Langman at Noakes Boatyard in North Sydney which saw him move into the role of General Manager. Then in 2006 when Sean ventured into a new facility, Woolwich Dock, Jeff moved with him and set up what became a very successful boatyard.
In 2007 Jeff was free and as chance would have it, a position became available at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club where he spent the last years of his working life.“ These years at the RPAYC have been some of the best times in my career,” he said and while he will miss the staff, members and clients he’ s very much looking forward to a new type of challenge … hitting the road with Pauline and his new Tvan Camper Trailer.
RPAYC ACTIVITIES
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