Kirsty Shotts

What did you do before working with Boatshed?
I spent 20 years working in the marine industry.

What do you enjoy most about working with Boatshed?
The people, they are a great bunch!

Are you a motorboater or a sailor?
I love both as just being on the water on anything that floats is great fun.

What was your first/most enjoyable/worst boating experience?
First was sailing the Enterprise dinghy that Lucas (my husband) and I rebuilt. Most enjoyable, recent sailing trip was last October half term in Scotland. Worst - sailing up the Brittany coast with 2 small children, rough seas and a fire in the engine room.

Hi, I am really pleased to be part of the HQ team.

I started in the marine industry way back in 1989, many moons ago! My first role saw me as a receptionist at a newly opened marine in Portsmouth, Port Solent. I grew with the company and had the opportunity to work in pretty much every sector of the marina. Front of house, boatyard admin and boatyard operations, lock control, berthing master, boat moving before moving up into the management roles controlling staff, contractors, tenants, budgets, development and many many more. I moved around the country working in the various Premier Marina’s; Beaucette, Chichester, Falmouth, finally returning to Port Solent as a Certified Marina Manager.

My next journey took my husband and I off on our gorgeous Laurin 36, wooden Swedish yacht, around the Med, for as long as our budget would allow. Several years and nautical miles later, interspersed with several skiing seasons, our first baby on the way, brought us back to the UK.

With our first daughter now 13 and second daughter now 7, our UK trip has lasted a little longer than we expected. So we have fun with our 21ft motor boat, kept in Portsmouth Harbour, and our HR36 currently in Scotland.

You may see us blasting over to Bembridge for a quick swim or sedately cruising down the Solent, hoping for a quiet anchorage!!