Name at birth: Kay McLaren

Place of birth: Sydney

Parentage: d. of James J. D. McLaren and Joyce Minie McLaren

Family: m. Peter Westland Sutton 1989; one s.

Education: Moorefield Girls' High, Sydney and Summerhays Business Coll.

Career: Proprietor Yacht Charter Business 1980–85, then professional boatbuilder and sailor, now Corporate Motivational Speaker, writer and artist; first woman to sail single-handed, non-stop and unassisted around the world, in her self-built 11.2 m sloop First Lady, taking 189 days, 29 November 1987–5 June 1988; member Bd Australian Nat. Maritime Museum 1989–95, Chair. 1995–2001; Patron NSW Govt Kay Cottee Sailing Encouragement Programme in asscn with NSW Sport & Recreation, NSW Yachting Asscn, Life Educ. Programme of NSW 2005; currently Proprietor and Partner Yamba Marina, Proprietor Kay Cottee Fine Art Gallery; Chair. Volunteer Marine Rescue NSW

Honours and awards: Hon. member Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Short-Handed Sailing Asscn of Australia, Sydney Maritime Museum; numerous awards include Bicentennial Australian of the Year 1988, Cutty Sark Medal, Spirit of Australia Award, Single-Handed Hall of Fame, Newport, RI, USA, Int. Navigation Award, New York, USA, Outstanding Personal Achievement Award, Confederation of Australian Sport, Australian Marine Award of Excellence (for design of Kay Cottee 56 yacht) 2003

Exhibitions: Solo: Newport 2001, Yamba 2009; numerous group exhbns since 1992

Television: First Lady (documentary) 1989

Publications: First Lady 1989, All at Sea on Land 1998

Leisure interests: sailing, painting, writing, sculpting, designing yacht and home interiors

Contact details: Address: PO Box 553, Yamba , NSW 2464 (office); Address: Yamba Marina, Yamba Road, Yamba, NSW 2463, Australia (office); Tel: (2) 6645-9898 (office); Fax: (2) 6646-1744 (office); Email: svleeway@bigpond.com (office); Website: http://www.kaycottee.com/ .