ALIANA – CYA MEDIA GURU

Meet Aliana, a passionate member of the classic yachting community who has been capturing the spirit of our fleet through photography and video for the Association’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Her beautifully composed footage of yachts and crews in action, with sails perfectly trimmed, reflects both a keen eye for detail and a genuine appreciation for classic sailing. The result is a collection of stunning images and videos that bring our fleet to life and provide a wonderful showcase for followers of our social media channels.

https://www.facebook.com/ClassicYachtAssociation/

Aliana is 22 years young, born and raised in Freemans Bay to Iranian Parents.  She is currently completing a Masters in Philosophy majoring in Logic, Love History, Mathematics, and learning languages.

Her connection to sailing has been anything but conventional. Unlike many New Zealanders, she did not have the privilege of growing up around boats or the sea. As her parents were raised in Iran, surrounded by snowy mountains with the nearest coastline some 12 hours away, the idea of sailing felt like a distant world—something beautiful and inspiring, but far removed from her everyday life. It was an activity she admired from afar, never imagining that it would one day become such an important part of her own story.

During her early studies Aliana started working at the New Zealand Maritime Museum where she was first exposed to sailing.  During this time she was invited to spend some of her summer exploring Northland aboard a Raven 26, learning bits about life on the water.

“There was something utterly magical about it for me—the intimate relationship between a sailor and their boat, the care and attention it demands, the freedom it provides, and all of the challenges that come with it,” she says.  “For me, it was all about heritage and identity—Kiwi identity. As someone deeply drawn to history and stories, I became fascinated and wanted to learn more. The love I developed for sailing was not just sentimental. I always considered it an intellectual activity—mathematical and calculated. Racing, particularly, with its infinite details, tactics, and breadth of knowledge, was incredibly attractive to me, while also having the capacity to be a humble lifestyle at times. It pushed my limits, gave me something to think about, something to read about. I became obsessed with boat design, and the physics and maths behind it all. One day I built up the courage to actually get into sailing. I decided to email the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust, which, to my great surprise, welcomed me aboard Waitangi. It was a very vivid experience for me—pure freedom”

“Since then, I’ve said yes to every opportunity to go sailing on one of the classic fleet yachts, and in every instance have had the incredible privilege of learning from the very best”.

The welcome I received from the community confirmed that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel nothing but enthusiasm for all things sailing, and I hope one day to have gained enough knowledge and experience to help preserve this community for the next generation.”

Aliana is currently a regular crew member aboard Aramoana, where she says she owes much gratitude to Andy Ball and crew for their patience, encouragement, and wisdom.

Since Aliana has become the CYA media person,  Facebook and Instagram hits, followers and comments have grown immensely.  See why – Check out this short clip – https://www.facebook.com/reel/1943859916282992

Aliana asks you to send any of your favorite photograph or footage to her, or to post onto  Facebook for classic enthusiasts to enjoy – media@classicyacht.org.nz 

Camera in hand for the perfect shot

Trimming in style

 A winning crew member