introduction



I was brought up in Malborough near Salcombe in sunny South Devon.
My Father "Scratch" used to work a fishing boat from Salcombe and continues to work on the water sharing his knowledge with those wishing to experience the joys of sailing.
It was inevitable that I would share his love of the sea and I spent a great deal of my youth sailing in the harbour. I sailed toppers to National Standard and grew keen on Yawls at an early age, buying my own at 16. Y61 "Tailor Maid", I raced her for a few years and will see if I can find some old photos to put up on this site.
At 19 I started working for my Father "Scratch" on "Prospector" and by 21 was her skipper. Three years later I bought my own boat "Don Andrews", a 27 tonne steel crabber trawler. I worked her for 5 years out of Salcombe with 650 pots catching crabs and lobster.
By this time I had a young family and wishing to spend more time with my wife and boys I decided to make a career change.

Having made this decision I knew I was going to have to complete a major refit on my 10 meter steel fishing boat to get the best possible price for it alongside my 600 pots.
I renovated the boat over five months working alone. My tasks included shot blasting, re-panelling the wheel house and accommodation area, fitting of new windows, new mast and trawling gantry and a complete rewiring of electrics. due to the boats immaculate condition when I had finished it was snapped up immediately and is now working in Ireland.