Allie Smith

Allie n trophyAlison Smith has spent her entire working life in the sailing industry - initially managing high profile yacht racing events for companies and individual skippers before in October 2004, Allie founded the company, Sailing Logic.

After completing her Sports Management degree, Allie signed up for and completed the inaugural British Steel Challenge Round the World Race in 1992 as bow. So impressed was Sir Chay Blyth with her tenacity and organisation skills, that he headhunted her to stay on after the race to work for him full time as Operations Manager replacing Pete Goss when he left on the Vendee Globe Race. For 3 years Allie managed the fleet of 16 Challenge 67s, organisisng the stop-overs in the 1996 race, co-ordinating with press and sponsors, planning the training programmes, fulfilling corporate hospitality events and being the skipper's dedicated contact wherever in the world they were.

Allie then moved to work for Mike Golding Yacht Racing as Operations Manager for his Vendee Globe 2000 Challenge, then continued to oversee all the logistics for Mike Golding in Around Alone, Transat Jacques Vabre and OSTAR campaigns. One of Allie's key roles was to provide Mike Golding with his race food and nutrition, a skill which she has developed and adapted since, advising on five round the world races to date - as well as Sailing Logic's offshore racing campaigns. On a Sailing Logic Fastnet, you certainly won't go hungry!

In addition she also managed Mike's yacht charter company, Round the World PromOcean, and helped develop an on-water management-training programme, which was successfully used by companies such as Jansen-Cilag, Heath Group, Group 4 Securitas and the England Rugby Squad. She was also the Project Manager for the first ever Trans-Atlantic Rowing Race in 1997 from Tenerife to Barbados.

Moving back to amateur racing, Allie then took on the role of Marketing Manager for Sir Robin Knox-Johnston at Clipper Ventures Plc. Alison managed the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race start and finish events in conjunction with council representatives, and implemented a new company database system utilising web based technology, as well as developing the Clipper brand. 

When Clipper decided to sell off some of their training vessels, Allie saw an opportunity to make yacht racing available to individuals without the need to commit to an entire round the world programme - and Sailing Logic was born. 

Since its conception, Allie has ensured that the company is run in a professional manner, everything is seamlessly organised, meticulously planned and all insurance cover and legal compliance is up to date. 

Contact Allie directly

  • Meticulous preparation...

    Thanks to Allie Smith, the organisation that goes into a Sailing Logic campaign is meticulous and painstaking. Everything is prepared, the boat is ready to go, the rig is tuned, sails are great and the hull as slippery as can be. We learned to play our part in race preparation to ensure that all the supplies, tools, and safety equipment was present and correct. Allie's home prepared meals always hit the spot and kept us going strong. How does she find the time to cook in between everything else as well!
    Ben Kennedy - Consulant Haematologist
  • Only Sailing Logic for me...

    Whether it is for the thrill of a race campaign, or to be guided through a Yachtmaster Course, I would never go anywhere other than Sailing Logic.   
  • Becki Milton - Oerations Manager