A good sailor requires a vast array of skills to be successful at sea, but chief among them is proving adaptable, agile and versatile no matter what comes their way.

Boatswain’s mate Able Seaman Sophie Newlyn seems to have this in spades.

A boatswain’s mate is a specialist sailor responsible for a wide range of operational duties, including seamanship, small-boat operations, weapons handling, safety and survival, boarding operations, maintenance, cargo handling and emergency response.  

But there’s another skill Able Seaman Newlyn proudly boasts that comes in just as handy at sea: sewing.

She is part of the Fleet Support Unit – West’s Survival Equipment Workshop, which delivers specialised capability through the maintenance of life rafts, life jackets and other critical survival systems. 

The six-person team is also responsible for extensive sewing, repair and embroidery works.

“When you sign up as a boatswain’s mate, you don’t expect to be behind a sewing machine,” Able Seaman Newlyn said. 

“But survival equipment plays such an important role in what we do and a big tick to have on your résumé.

“On top of that, sewing is just a really useful life skill. Everyone I tell says the same thing – it’s something you can use inside and outside Defence.”

'There was a huge spirit of collaboration.'

With USS Vermont alongside at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia for a scheduled submarine maintenance period, Able Seaman Newlyn and her team supported the Virginia-class submarine.

The Survival Equipment Workshop produced a range of bespoke products for Vermont, including seat covers adorned with the submarine’s crest, remaking smoke curtains, chair and table covers, as well as reupholstering cushions for engineering work spaces.

They also welcomed two US Navy sailors from the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to lend a hand during the busy period. 

“There was a huge spirit of collaboration,” Able Seaman Newlyn said.

“They taught us a lot about the skills they use in their shipyard and we were able to implement those during this maintenance period.

“We showed them some of our embroidery skills and they were blown away. Their sewing speed is incredible, so they also showed us their techniques and how they worked so quickly.”

Able Seaman Newlyn was already plotting out how she and the team could play their part in future iterations.

“Definitely, we’ll be ready to go next time and are really looking forward to it,” she said.

“We’re already thinking about what we may be tasked with and are looking forward to a mix of familiar and new tasks so we can keep improving our skills.”