Ian was born and raised in Pembrokeshire, which
is the western most county of Wales in the UK. He
had his first plywood dinghy and Seagull outboard
when he was about 6 years old and learned to sail
in the chilly waters of the Milford Haven estuary.

Favourite Sailing Film?
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Favourite Sailing Book?
Sailing to the Moon: The Biography of Rolly Tasker.

Favourite Fictional Sailing Hero?
Captain Pugwash.

Biggest Sailing Inspiration?
Robin Blacksell, the man who taught me how to sail.

Favourite Marina?
Puerto de Mogan, Gran Canaria.

Favourite Regatta?
Cowes Week.

Favourite Anchorage?
Southeast Racha Noi in the southwest season.

Favourite Chandlery?
Marine Super Store in Portsmouth, UK.

Favourite Boat Show?
Southampton, UK.

Favourite Sailing Bar?
Neyland Yacht Club, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.

Favourite type of sailing boat?
12-metre-class America's Cup yacht, specifically Australia II.

Favourite motor yacht?
Sirena 88.

Boat you’d most like to design/build?
An affordable 2 to 3-man plywood sailing dinghy that a family could
build at home and learn to sail together.

Sailing race you’d most like to compete in?
Anything that is sailed in warm waters, competitive but still fun and
finished in time to share a laugh over a beer in the bar before sunset.

Sailing destination you most want to get to?
I am already there.

What brought you to Southeast Asia originally?
I left Wales when I was 25 and spent two years backpacking around
Southeast Asia and Australia and returned to Phuket in 1996 and spent
another year as a PADI diving instructor.

Why did you stay?
I arrived in Langkawi with Sunsail in 2002 and moved to Phuket in
2004, met my wife and settled here for good, we have two sons.

Please tell us a little about the Go Boating networking program you
spearhead. Grow Boating is a monthly get together of people in the boating
industry, boaters and people who are interested in getting into boating. It was
started by Royal Phuket Marina in 2016 and in 2017 it was decided to move
the venue around each month. It is held on the first Friday of the month
alternately in the Royal Phuket Marina, Boat Lagoon Marina and Ao Po
Grand Marina.

And what about the TYBA, what are its goals and what’s your role
with that organization?
The Thai Yachting Business Association is a non-profit marine leisure
industry association serving yacht builders, yacht charter operators and
brokers, yacht sales brokerage and dealerships, marinas, yacht repairs and
refit, yacht management and other yachting-related companies throughout
Thailand. I am a volunteer on the board and take care of events and membership.

Please tell us a little about the scope of your job with Derani Yachts?
I am the brokerage manager and also take care of one of our new
yacht brands, Sirena Yachts.

What are the latest happenings in Derani?
Derani recently became the regional dealer for Horizon Yachts, the
largest Asia based shipyard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

If you weren’t in the leisure marine business, you would be…?
Retired!