 Turner was originally apprenticed to 'Spud' Peter Rowsell, a boat builder in Exmouth with whom he won the Merlin Rocket Championships at Abersoch in 1978.He then crewed Phil Morrison to win the Fireball World Championships in 1981 at Weymouth.Turner won the British Merlin Rocket National Championship in 1974 and 1978 (Crew) and 1983, 1984, 1987 and 1988 (Helm).