Meet The Team

Nick has been sailing the Norfolk Broads all his life and there isn’t an inch of water he doesn’t know. A prominent competitor in the many races held locally, sailing really is his passion. His daughter Zoe can also be found here during the summer months teaching many families the joys of sailing with her expert tuition.

Tom is the latest recruit to join our hard working boatbuilding team here at Eastwood Whelpton. In another life he was a teacher and worked internationally for many years. However, having recently re-qualified at the Lowestoft Boatbuilding College, we are delighted that he has chosen to settle into a new ‘Norfolk’ way of life with us.

Angie joined the EW team for summer 2021 – our busiest year ever! She really did hit the ground running and it is fantastic to have had her back for these following seasons! Angie grew up living and working on a boatyard in Norfolk, so she shares our passion for introducing folk to sailing on the Broads.

Introducing Terry. A long time member of the crew, his hard work means that all of our yachts are sanded, varnished, painted and finished to the highest of standards. He has lovingly restored many of the yachts in the fleet over the years. A secret petrol head on the side, outside of work Terry enjoys any opportunity to dabble in a spot of car maintenance and restoration.

Frosty by name, but not by nature, David is a gentle and caring member of our team and a total legend. He helps keep team morale up with his cheerfulness, singing and playing of sea shanties on his accordion! He helps with rigging, varnishing, launching, re-fuelling and customer briefings, yet can be found skippering the Wherry Albion and guarding on the Bure Valley Railway in his spare time!

Hannah is an important member of our cleaning team here at the yard. Meticulous in her standards, she always adds those ‘little touches’ to our yachts leaving them pristine and sparkly clean: ready for your holiday to begin. With her mum and sister also working at the yard it is a real family affair. Hannah lives locally with her young family and knows all of the best dog walks in the area if you have a furry friend on board.

One of our longest serving team members, Jacob is a real Norfolk gem. A talented boatbuilder, Jacob has a superb eye for detail and has worked alongside Local Master Mast Builder Peter Charlton to make new masts for the fleet. Jacob also helps with running the yard in the busy sailing season, managing the Changeover Team, on-going maintenance, and customer care.

Gerry is a Norfolk lad and has a fantastic backstory as a submariner travelling all over the world in his youth and as a local postman more recently! His Navy background, cheerfulness and hard work ethic is a great asset to us at the yard where he aids with a variety of boatyard tasks. Gerry is the fastest splicer in the yard and has many stories to tell.

Sarah first came to the yard for work experience whilst she was at school and has become a regular seasonal team member, when she is not studying for her degree at University. Hardworking and enthusiastic, she can be found helping out with a variety of boatyard tasks from varnishing spars to running our horsebox coffee shop – The Anchor! Sarah takes real care to ensure yachts are fully equipped and beautifully clean for customers.

One of the crew’s most recent additions, Port has quickly affirmed his status as the yard’s ‘right’-hand cat, frequently found exploring the workshops. If he had opposable thumbs, we’re sure he’d be in there with a hammer! But he’s equally happy snoozing in the office…

Tony has been with us for several years after completing his training at the International Boatbuilding College in Lowestoft. Having worked with wood and furniture all his life, he is a great addition to the team. Tony enjoys the variety of work that comes with a Hire Fleet and can turn his hand to many other tasks, as needed.

Every business needs a Bob. He is completely unflappable no matter how busy things get and always ready to get stuck into the next challenge. This could be anything from working in the shed finishing projects, to getting our hire fleet ready to set sail. Whatever it is, Bob will work calmly and methodically to get the job done!

Ed also came to the yard for work experience and helps out when he is not at University, trying to keep the ‘Saturday Boys’ in order! Helping with anything from rigging to scrubbing decks and deep cleaning yachts, Ed is also an assistant instructor and loves getting out on a Dinghy or borrowing one of our half deckers for a sail.

Port’s sister Starboard enjoys being ‘left’ to her naps, often nestled in an unused sail! This curious cat relishes keeping an eye on the equipment in storage from a sunny spot and eagerly welcoming any new customers into the office.