Good Vibrations

Tom was born in 1947. He was educated at a grammar school in the North of England before going on to read law at the University of Liverpool. In 1968 he left the world of academia behind him and has pursued a career in sailing ever since. Starting as an uncertified instructor in the South of France, he has served before the mast in small sailing ships, skippered yachts for private owners, raced offshore, been to sea as mate on a British-registered coasting vessel and taught sailing, seamanship and navigation at all levels. He is one of country's senior Yachtmaster Examiners and is a consultant for the governing body of sailing in the United States. In his own yachts he has cruised with his family and friends to destinations as diverse as Brazil, Iceland, the Caribbean and Russia. Tom has been a writer since 1986, he is a columnist for Yachting Monthly has authored 15 books, including two 'Best Book of the Sea' award winners for Topsail and Battleaxe and Hand, Reef and Steer. Tom has been riding motorcycles since 1965. The bikes have included a 250cc BSA C15 that taught him about mechanical breakdowns, a 650cc Matchless that almost killed him at the age of 19, various reliable Hondas and Yamahas in the 70s and 80s, a Kawasaki GPZ1100 whose performance you simply couldn't ignore, a 1979 Triumph Bonneville T140 and the star of Good Vibrations a Harley Davidson Soft-tail called Black Madonna. Tom is married to Ros, fellow biker and sailor. Together they have a daughter called Hannah. Check out his own website at www tomcunliffe.com.