During 2012, we set up the Mersea Island Rowing Club, hoping to bring the joy I found in rowing to a wider audience. As a Level 2 British Rowing Coach, I wanted to share what had been my playground as a lad, the banks and narrow creeks at low tide to a vast area of open water and sheltered marshes at high water. The lack of an engine has always allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the marsh and wildlife found in the Thames estuary. Money can’t buy some of the fantastic sunsets and sunrises I have seen whilst out rowing, With the growth of the club, it was only natural to search for stable coastal boats and begin to introduce some healthy competition!

For many years I have built boats as and when they were required and I have been lucky enough to work with some good friends with a wide range of skills. The boats we built are 14ft Heybridge boats and 18ft Haningfield Skiffs. These are generally fixed seat boats and can be rowed in almost any conditions. But our quest for a sliding seat boat has been key to the latest drive in rowing.

My wife Donna came to Mersea as a land lubber and I soon converted her to love the open expanses of water and built a boat especially for her. Both my children row and scull and have recently progressed to sliding seats. 

Phil Plumtree introduced me to Liteboat, and I was immediately struck by the boats performance and its ight weight. When my wife first tried one, the sheer pleasure of watching her easily manoeuvre and row the boat with such ease was fantastic. It was her beaming grin that convinced me that the boats would have a broad appeal and that is why we are now UK distributers for Liteboat.