FATHER'S DAY Q&A WITH NORTH SAILS AMBASSADOR ELLIE DRIVER AND HER FATHER, JIM.
A BOND AS DEEP AS THE OCEAN
For Jim and Ellie Driver, sailing isn't just a sport—it's a shared passion that has shaped their relationship both on and off the water. From chilly childhood races in the UK to navigating some of the world's most demanding offshore courses doublehanded, their journey has been guided by a love for adventure, competition, and the lessons the sea has to offer.
QUESTION 1
How did your shared passion for sailing begin? Was it something Ellie naturally gravitated toward, or did you encourage it?
Jim: I have always sailed. When Ellie was about five, my wife inferred that maybe I should spend less time sailing offshore and focus on my young family. So, I stopped racing offshore and joined a local dinghy club. We purchased a mirror dinghy, and I started introducing my two girls to sailing. Initially, neither of my daughters was that keen. Still, I persevered and found the best solution was not to mention we were going racing but just happen to start the race and then announce close to the top mark that we were in a good position and let the natural competitive nature come out.
It is something that Ellie gravitated towards but with some gentle encouragement. Ultimately, like any sport, if it doesn't become a passion, you'll never put the time and effort into being successful.Sailing with Dad in the Mirror was soon replaced with an Optimist dinghy and the RYA pathway... at which point, what does Dad know?
QUESTION 2
What's your earliest memory of sailing together?
Jim: A mirror dinghy on a cold lake in the Midlands—not very glamorous, but a great way to start.
Ellie: Sailing round the little lake at Ragley Hall in our Mirrors—Jelly Baby and Jammy Dodger. That's how it all started. During school holidays, around the same time, we would go up to North Wales, where Dad had always sailed. That's where I started sailing Oppies. I remember being hit out of the boat by the boom and saying, "Why am I doing this? I hate sailing, and I'm never going to do it again". But Dad took me back out sailing in the Mirror, and I gained enough confidence to get back into the Oppie. Soon after, I joined the squads and went up from there.
QUESTION 3
What's been the toughest challenge you've faced together on the water? How did you overcome it?
Jim: There have been a few tough races, notably the start of the last two Fastnets, but I think the most challenging race was probably the 2022 Round Britain and Ireland.This race was characterized by some very light wind around Ireland and a very long, tough, windward leg from St Kilda to Muckle Flugga.It is the longest race we have done together and definitely the one I felt most satisfied with once we crossed the finish line.
Ellie: The toughest challenge for me was the 2023 Fastnet. We were coming towards the finish and got hit by the third storm of the race. Dad had some sediment in his eye, so he couldn't helm for more than five minutes at a time because his vision would go. It was blowing about 35-40 knots coming into Cherbourg. For six hours, I helmed for 45 minutes at a time, would have a five-minute break where I'd drink Lucozade, eat some chocolate, and get back to it. It was one of those 'grin and bear it' and get to the finish line situations.
QUESTION 4
Is there a particular race or moment that stands out as your proudest achievement as a team?
Jim: Winning the Morgan Cup overall was very exciting and close.Dee Caffari and Shirley Robertson were sailing doublehanded on RockIT, a near identical Sunfast 3300. We pipped them to first place by just over a minute, having been neck and neck for eight hours.Eventually, it was decided in the last 20 minutes when we opted for the spinnaker. The breeze was around 25kts, and it was going to be a very tight reach, but we felt we could just about hold it.
Ellie: That's got to be finishing the Round Britain and Ireland Race. Just seeing that finish line was one of the proudest moments. Around the top of Scotland, it was freezing cold. I've never been that cold, and I wasn't well, but we just had to get through it. Once we got around the top of Muckle Flugga and headed down south, things started to get better quite quickly.
QUESTION 5
Are there any life lessons your dad has passed down to you through sailing?
Ellie: The main ones are probably resilience and understanding how to look after myself. Going from the 420s straight into doublehanded sailing, I lacked the knowledge of how to stay healthy when offshore for longer periods. You need to know what the signs are for hunger and exhaustion. You can't just think, "Do I want a snack?" or "Do I want my breakfast now?". You sometimes don't realize you're hungry or tired because you're so full of adrenaline from racing. But when we're out together, I can see it in Dad, and he sees it in me, so we're frank with each other. We're so similar in that way.
Resilience and not giving up are the other things. Dad's a very strong-minded person, and I think I get a lot of that from him. If we hit a wall during a race, we just have to work out when the next good moment of the race will be and focus on that. That's really helped us in our racing.
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