Geared for adventure – Ian Anderson

Geared for adventure –

Ian Anderson

Sailor, boat-builder, engineer, racer, and Porsche owner, Ian Anderson has developed a storied career across multiple fields. So, what makes him tick?

Trained as a food technologist, Ian’s talent for engineering has defined his life’s interests. ‘Initially working in product development for various major food companies, I moved through process development roles into packaging research and development,’ he says. ‘In the early ’70s, I joined a major packaging company and was right there when wine casks were invented. ‘For the next 30-odd years, I was involved in the flexible packaging business as Technical R&D Manager. We invented and developed a unique system for aseptic packaging of liquid food and biomedical products under sterile conditions, which blossomed into a multinational business with equipment installed everywhere from Zimbabwe to Northern China.’

Crucially, this role gave him access to high-level equipment development and manufacture, which would prove important later. ‘I learned a lot about stainless steel fabrication, electronic process control systems, and advanced composites manufacture, and completed a course in carbon fibre lamination at RMIT Aerospace,' he explains. Ian’s materials-based skills proved crucial in his passion for sailing, a devotion he has enjoyed through several decades of his eventful life. ‘My sailing career didn’t start until around 1975,’ he says. ‘A friend told me his mate had just bought a big yacht, and suggested I spend a long weekend at sea with them. I knew bugger-all about sailing but went anyway, and found myself steering 26 tonnes of famous old classic yacht around Port Phillip. I was hooked! ‘The boat was the Winston Churchill, later sadly lost in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart disaster.' Since then, Ian has used his engineering expertise to develop his sailing interests. ‘Over the next few years, I built my own “Trailer Sailer” from a kit, which I used for about 15 years to compete in various club and class events – including 13 Marlay Point Races and lots of family cruising fun. ‘I competed in ocean racing on bigger boats, including the wild Great Circle Race around Tasmania, the equivalent of two back-to-back Sydney to Hobarts. The trick is to get on the crew of someone’s else’s big boat, while also sailing your own small one. The thrills are the same, but much less expensive!' This was just the beginning of Ian’s burgeoning interest. ‘I was attracted by the speed and dynamics of unballasted multihull boats,’ he says. ‘I joined the Multihull Yacht Club of Victoria sailing catamarans and trimarans, found myself Commodore of the club and Regatta Manager, and was recently awarded Life Membership. ‘Over the years, I became interested in naval architecture and yacht design. I believe it is one of the last bastions of art and science, and one of the few areas where one can still let imagination fly (budget permitting). I started to draw up some concepts for a reasonable-sized catamaran that was actually legally trailable but hopefully a good performer.’ Instead of just daydreaming, Ian designed and started building a rather radical boat along these lines. ‘It’s been in various workshops and sheds over the years and is now about three-quarters finished, including an unstayed carbon fibre wing mast,’ he notes. ‘There’s still a fair bit to be done, but I’m hesitant to hand that over to someone else to do; it’s a very personal project.’ g

Someone with Ian’s technical prowess was always going to be attracted to cars. ‘I became interested in Riley cars and bought my first when I was at university. I moved to Melbourne in 1963 and started attending motorsport events with the Riley Club. One day I was going down Wellington Road Chadstone, when I saw in a garage, a chassis with a 2½ litre Riley motor,’ he remembers. ‘It was a 1948 Healey Silverstone (only 100 made) – I had to have it! The car was in my life for 25 years. ‘After becoming involved with the Light Car Club, I started racing in hillclimbs and open race meetings at Sandown, Calder, Winton and Albury, later competing in historical classes and regularity events. I rebuilt it twice before selling it in 1989.’ Ian hadn’t seen the last of that Healey. ‘Astonishingly, it popped up recently in Holland,’ he says. ‘The American who bought it in 2021 contacted me to find out if I had any more information on the car, because he was planning on entering the Mille Miglia in Italy. I did have some information, documents and old bits, he did run in the event, and I now have a standing offer of a drive should I get to Holland.’ Motorsport formed the backbone of Ian’s youthful adventures. ‘In 1969, I took off with a mate for the ultimate backpacking trip,’ Ian reminisces. ‘Posing as a photographer and with a letter of introduction from CAMS Australia, I gained entry to the Monaco and British Grand Prix, and several other major events. I bought a BMW 700CS Sport coupe in Switzerland, which we pounded around Europe and North Africa. 'Over the next two years I had many adventures, following some very exciting motorsport moments such as LeMans, BrandsHatch and rally events, as well as some very sobering photojournal essays into Russia, East Germany, and Northern Ireland troublespots.’ After selling the Healey in 1989, Ian tried to recapture the rush. 'When I sold the Silverstone, I immediately bought a ‘73 Jensen Healey, but it wasn’t quite as satisfying – so I ended up buying a 250 Yamaha bike, then taking the Honda training course so I could actually get a bike licence,' he says. 'Motorcycling filled that need for open road thrills beautifully. I bought a BMW R1100RS a year later, one of the first in the country and the best motorcycle available at the time. ‘I became involved with the BMW Safari touring event every 12 to 18 months. I’ve ridden in every single one over the last 25 years, travelling to all states except NT in that time.’

After gaining so much joy from this collection of boats and bikes, Ian was won over by the Porsche magic. ‘A friend with a 911 turbo took me for a ride in the mid-'80s, which popped my brain a little,’ he recalls. ‘Until then, my only involvement with Porsche had been racing against (or rather, after) Alan Hamilton back in the late ’60s, who just blitzed everybody, and watching Porsche’s first Le Mans win in 1970.’ Retirement in 2009 had started well with a wonderful cruise on a friend's yacht around Italy and Croatia and several motorcycling tours, but Ian’s life then took an unexpected and stressful turn. ‘In January 2014 I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Follicular Lymphoma, a blood cancer. While this form of the disease wasn’t considered curable, it was at least treatable, so I went immediately onto a long course of chemo, steroids, and immunological treatment. Meeting the Legend. Donald Healey on his Australian visit, 1976

The Silverstone in current Mille Miglia livery.

‘I had tumours all through my body but remarkably, the chemo, despite all its horrible side effects, made them disappear. When remission landmarks like this happen, you must celebrate them … so, as you do, I bought a Porsche! A 1999 996 Cabriolet, which certainly scratched the itch. ‘All the ongoing treatment (including 17 radiotherapy sessions in 2016 for a tumour on my spine) seemed to work okay until 2019, when another tumour beside my left kidney was found.

‘I was then offered participation in a clinical trial of a radical antibody treatment, which I took. Administered over two months via a portable pump and IV line directly to my heart, the side-effects were neurotoxic with weird hallucinogenic periods – some trip! It worked, though, and since then, I’ve been back in pretty clear remission. 'This success called for another celebration. My partner and I did a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest followed by visiting the Villa d’Este Concours on Lake Como, one of the world’s top classic car events. Another tick on the bucket list.

‘Then in early 2020 I bought myself a Macan S, all optioned up. Thanks, Brighton Porsche! For me, it’s the ultimate daily driver; it’s also big enough to tow the boat, if I ever finish it. ‘To complete my celebrations, I now have a 200m2 workshop/factory/man cave, which has been a longtime dream. I gave my son the 996 for his 40th on the condition he restores it with me, so we spend time fiddling around together with the hood, windows, electrics, and all the usual woes of a 20-year-old 996.’ In tandem with all this activity, Ian’s family remains a focus. ‘I have a son, a daughter, and two granddaughters (13 and 10), all doing very well,' he says. That’s another reason for getting the Cab back together – it fits two in front and two little ’uns in the back!’

Finally, Ian’s passion for blues music provides a soundtrack to this restless activity. ‘As a would-be musician, it's been nice to take the 911 off to various country blues festivals,’ he reflects. At almost 80, Ian has a healthy attitude. 'I’m conscious that the clock is ticking, so I’m glad to be still physically capable of doing some of the things I love. This year, Covid permitting, I even hope to be able to run in another BMW Safari … this time on a smaller motorbike (an 800) and get in some serious touring in the Macan.’

What further proof could there be of Ian’s determination to enjoy everything life has to offer? •