Wellington sailor Leah Hannaford becomes one of Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club’s youngest ever leaders
Leah Hannaford has spent a decade leaving permanent marks on people.
As a tattoo artist, precision and trust are everything — there’s no room for error - and, as it turns out, those same instincts translate unexpectedly well to yachting.
Three years after stepping onto a boat for the first time, the 27-year-old Wellingtonian is now one of Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club’s youngest-ever flag officers, helping steer a 150-year-old institution into its next chapter with that same steady hand.
It is not a path anyone would have predicted — least of all Hannaford herself.
In 2023, fresh from a period of health challenges and looking to test her body’s capabilities, she signed up for a learn-to-sail course at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. What she found on the water surprised her.
Leah Hannaford signed up for a learn-to-sail course at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in 2023. Photo / Supplied
“Being on the water absolutely captivated me,” Hannaford said. “There is something so unique about how closely connected you become with nature when sailing. It helped me feel present in the moment and comfortable in my body, which I hadn’t felt in a long time.”
That first course led to membership and, eventually, crewing on Revenue Cutter. Before long, the club became a second home.
“I have built so many lifelong friendships through this sport. It truly makes you feel connected to community.”
Hannaford grew up between worlds — born in Wellington, but shaped by time spent in Malta, the Mediterranean island her father is from, as well as early years travelling internationally with her parents.
“These experiences really opened my eyes to the diversity and significance of culture and community,” she said. That upbringing gave her a sharp sense of what makes people feel included — and what can leave them on the outside looking in — something she now carries into her club leadership.
Now serving as rear commodore, a role she describes as a real honour. While the role centres largely on organising social and off-water events, Hannaford's motivation runs deeper.
She has been a tattoo artist for the past decade - and has done pieces for several club members. Photo / Supplied
“This year I would like to focus on creating an environment that instils members with a sense of belonging,” she said. “The key thing that motivated me to contribute to the club was gratitude for the generosity I received. I was warmly welcomed into the community and want to extend that to others.”
For a club approaching its 150th anniversary with ambitions to grow its membership, that mindset is increasingly both strategic and cultural.
Alongside her club role, Hannaford also sits on Yachting New Zealand’s Membership and Affiliation Advisory Group, contributing to discussions on how the national body engages with its affiliated clubs. The group has been examining everything from participation pathways through to how clubs can better support non-competitive sailors and broader, values-based membership models.
The experience has both challenged and energised her, particularly the alignment she found among younger voices in the room.
“The unison of the youth perspectives was a happy surprise,” she said. “We share very similar visions for the direction in which the greater sailing community should steer.”
It has also sharpened her thinking on collaboration across the sport.
“It is important that clubs work more closely together,” she said. “We are all facing similar challenges when it comes to growth. The focus should be on what unites us rather than what separates us.”
There is a natural symmetry between her work on the water and her life as a tattoo artist. Tattooing, she notes, has always been closely connected to seafaring traditions, particularly in naval and Polynesian cultures.
And yes — she has tattooed a few fellow club members, naturally in nautical designs.
“Supporting clients emotionally during the tattoo process is also a large aspect of my work,” she said. “It has taught me how to help people stay calm and grounded in challenging situations, which is equally valuable on the water.”
Hannaford and her crew after winning in a recent women's helm race. Photo / Supplied
The craft’s demand for precision has also shaped her approach in other environments.
“Tattooing has taught me to maintain focus and clarity under pressure, and I believe those skills carry through into sailing and leadership.”
On the broader question of accessibility, Hannaford is realistic. Owning a yacht requires both time and money that many people in their 20s do not have. But she is quick to challenge assumptions about exclusivity. Hannaford is quick to point out that Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club is actively working to broaden its reach, with a growing female membership and a women’s helm racing programme dating back to the 1910s.
“I have never been in a space where I have received such a level of generosity as in the sailing community,” she said. “People give their time, knowledge and wisdom so freely.”
For anyone still unsure whether sailing is for them, her advice is simple: “Life is about perspective. If you approach it with curiosity, many doors will open.”
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