I am finishing off 2025 with a very important guest who leads an incredibly inspirational project that is dear to my heart in my continuous goal to have more women join me in the boating industry and boating generally.

Victoria Low and I met in 2023 at the ICOMIA Congress in La Rochelle. I interviewed her then but she's since changed to lead an incredibly important project she was actually part of the creation of 10 years ago.

A meeting after a sailing event which illustrated that the guys were being given opportunities for employment but women were not....inspired some incredible women to create a group which had an aspiration to "Create a group to change the world".

The Magenta Project has this on it's website:

Mission & Objectives

Sailing is a unique sport—a test of skill, endurance, and the interplay

between humans, technology, and nature. It is one of few professional

sports where men and women compete together. Yet, despite this,

only 5% of professional sailors are women, and a mere 3%

represented across the entire marine industry.

Across the marine industry, from the intense environment onboard

race boats to the practical settings of boatyards and the wider marine

industry, women navigate a complex landscape of challenges that

mirror those of the corporate boardroom.

These hurdles extend beyond simple discrimination, encompassing

limited access to opportunities, support, difficulties in obtaining

certifications, and the pervasive impact of systemic bias.

Recognising these inequities, The Magenta Project, an

award-winning global charity, is dedicated to building a

sustainable network and implementing impactful programmes.

Our mission is simple: to ensure greater equity and inclusion

for women in the sport and the wider marine industry,

by working to dismantle the barriers that hinder their full

participation and advancement.

You can see more about them here:

https://themagentaproject.org/

Big thanks to Sunseeker International and Sunseeker London group

for hosting us on their beautiful Sunseeker 74 at Southampton Boat Show.

https://www.sunseekerlondon.com/

https://www.southamptonboatshow.com/

Fairline Yachts has had its tumultuous times – has it reached safe hands now?

The boating industry is going through a transition period for the next 10 years or so, in my view. Those who created the manufacturing businesses, marinas and small enterprises are entering their retirement phase and, as a result, someone has to take over — or sadly, sometimes they simply shut down.

Often the skill set isn’t available in adequate numbers to pass it on, or the generational handover is not there, or simply not interested. In some cases, investment funds or private equity have recognised this shift and are entering a market that is entirely new to them.

It’s a unique industry. With funny words, unusual problems, and a solid requirement for reinvestment. What some of these businesses have historically lacked, however, is strong financial management skills, clear growth strategies and financial backing (banks have, for some unknown reason, always been extremely cautious with LVRs in this sector).

And so we get to my next podcast interviewee.

Starting in the banking industry before most of us would normally leave school, Paul Taylor brings a wealth of financial experience and strength as the new owner of Fairline Yachts, alongside his partner Robin Southwell OBE. Paul also had a period invested in marinas, with the second-largest European marina at Vilamoura in Portugal.

It was a delight to interview Paul on the back of a Fairline Targa 50 at the Southampton Boat Show. Having someone with a brain like his to delve into brings insight, intriguing ideas and genuine hope that Fairline is now in steady hands.

I hope you enjoy it.

🎙️ Listen to the episode: 👉 The Boat Princess Podcast: https://theboatprincess.com/podcast

🚤 Learn more about Fairline: 👉 https://www.fairline.com⚓ Southampton Boat Show: 👉 https://www.southamptonboatshow.com

#TheBoatPrincess #FairlineYachts #BoatingIndustry #Leadership #MarineBusiness #SouthamptonBoatShow #Yachting #Podcast

Today I have something a little different for you. I am venturing outside the Boating Industry into the Hospitality Industry and the timing of the release of this podcast episode is critical.

As you know my ethos is to support women in business. A rising tide lifts all boats. This is a woman I have admired for a very long time as she quietly achieved in the background of a very famous husband and someone today I can gratefully call a friend. She is someone that has done so much more than many people realise, changed her career and adapted strongly to her new circumstances and through it all faced some challenges and moments many do not even know of.

In this conversation we explore topics that actually reveal our similarities and endless connections and we discuss what's happening in her world, including the very exciting new restaurant at Coogee Sydney, which literally opens on Monday - 1st December.

Thus the crucial timing of this release. She, as a PR expert, has got it covered but that doesn't mean I don't want to shout from the rooftops my support for her new venture and encourage as many as possible to enjoy what is the great cuisine (which is actually always complex yet simple flavours allowing the ingredients to shine through) of Rick Stein.

Rick is of course well known for his TV shows - truth be told he is my go to at the end of a stressful day - his dulcet tones about all things food and beautiful locations in Europe are the perfect escape.

I hope you enjoy my chat with Sas Stein, this bubbly, humble, high achieving human in London earlier this year.

Big thanks to Brown's Hotel in Mayfair for hosting us in one of the most beautiful suites I have ever seen.

https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/

Here's the restaurant you need to visit soon:

https://www.ricksteinatcoogeebeach.com.au/

And here's my Girls Getaways location which is literally a 4 minute walk to Rick Steins at Mollymook (who buys a house based on it's location to a restaurant? Well me I guess! - You'll get that story in this episode)

https://venusgetaways.com.au/south-coast-girls-getaway-beaches-mollymook/

Much love

Nicky

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