Tom Ashwell

I started working with Boatshed North Wales in January 2023.

What did you do before working with Boatshed?
It has always been boats!
Early days were spent racing dinghies going on to being an instructor, first in sailing and then windsurfing. I worked a few seasons in Greece and Turkey before heading off to the USA as Sailing Coach for Cornell University. A few years later a random invite as a guest windsurfing coach got me to the Caribbean on board a 70 foot Catamaran covered in windsurfing gear. I was sold!

I worked my way though the ranks of yachting finally landing a skippers post on a Lagoon 55 (the old epoxy kevlar fast one) while convincing childhood sweetheart Nicki to give up her career and take the punt with me. Following a zero to hero course at Le Cordon Bleu for her and a Yachtmaster for me we cast off into 12 fabulous years as a charter team (of some reputation I like to think… ;-) aboard a series of ever-larger Catamarans.
Babies meant a change to UK based catamaran consulting. Good industry connections meant some fantastic projects came our way - a real 'who's who' of large cats and their owners. The 2009 slow-down saw myself and Phil focus on an Adventure Boat Tour business which has grown to be the UK largest. Developing this ever changing fleet, including creating the worlds fastest MCA coded RIB, added powerboat knowledge and experience to my sailing-heavy CV. Consultancy bounced back after a while. From deliveries, refits, world cruising assistance, new builds right up to becoming technical director assisting in in design of the Vantage 86 catamaran to be the longest, lightest and fastest yacht to comply with SCV code.

So it's always been boats. When not around boats I try and satiate an overpowering addiction for foiling in the form or kitesurfing, wing-foiling and efoiling. Land Rovers, motorbikes and mountain bikes offer a brief respite from the water but it never lasts long.

What attracted you to become part of the Boatshed team?
As the co-owner of a small boatyard, we strive to offer our customers a high standard of service. Listening to their grumblings about the boat sale and purchase process got us thinking. We knew some of the Boatshed characters and their reputation for high standards, it seemed a perfect fit!

Are you a motorboater or a sailor?
If it floats…

What is your most memorable boating experience?
A weeks racing as bowman on the 35m classic yacht 'Boheme Deux' at the final La Nioulargue (now Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez). Dressed in white cotton overalls and only being allowed to drink champagne while on board 'as standards must be upheld' puts a different spin on things...