Meet our Team

We’re showing you just a few of our team here (the ones you are most likely to meet)
Behind the scenes, we have around 100 team members. Including Engineers, Boat Builders & Cleaners. The team pull together to build and maintain our boats and holiday homes ready for you to use. Just ask and we’ll do our best to help

Daniel Thwaites

Director

Daniel keeps an eye on the pennies. Managing the financial and administrative side of the business.           

He should know the business well by now, his first day in the office, was in a cot, whilst Jill was dealing with customers on a turnaround day

  • Joined the team in: 1998
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Thurn
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Encore

Matthew Thwaites

Director

Matthew oversees all the work going on in the boatyard. Inc design, build and maintenance.
His party trick, amongst others we won’t mention, is identifying a boat by the window shape or bathing platform.
His encyclopaedic knowledge of all things boats is incredible
  • Joined the team in: 1998
  • Favourite spot on the broads: S Walsham
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Tempo

Sian Pearce

Administrator & Bookings Clerk

Sian is our amazing office manager. Keeping us all on our toes

Don’t worry about asking her about the Norfolk Broads though, she’s a fully-fledged boat owner with loads of local knowledge

  • Joined the team in: 2021
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Horning
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Sonnet

Tom Lawn

Yard Manager

Tom’s the guy who’s responsible for the day to day running of the boatyard. Making sure each boat is “turned around” ready for your arrival
On a busy day in summer, Tom tells us he records over 30k steps a day! He reminds us of this quite often
  • Joined the team in: 2006
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Coltishall
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Melody

Philip Baker

Head Engineer

Philip co-ordinates our team of electrical and mechanical engineers. He started his first stint working for Barnes Brinkcraft as an apprentice. Something obviously stuck, Philip was the brains behind our hybrid boat Brinks Rhapsody.

  • Joined the team in: 2009
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Ranworth
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Rhapsody

Sara Thwaites

Marketing & Customer Services Manager

Sara looks after our social media accounts, keeps the website up to date, places our advertising and organises any events or festivals that we attend. Sara also takes a keen interest in customers holiday experiences and is your point of contact if you have any suggestions on how we can improve your Norfolk Broads holiday.

If you meet her in a sailing boat steer clear, she’s only just learning to helm!

  • Joined the team in: 2018
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Black Horse Broad
  • Favourite boat: Brinks Encore Plus

Sheila V

Head Housekeeper

Sheila stepped up to head housekeeper very recently and manages her team of nearly 50 with ease.
Her sharp eye keeps everyone on their toes -including the Engineers. Who wouldn’t dare leave any mucky hand prints behind them
  • Joined the team in: 2015
  • Favourite spot on the broads: Hickling
  • Favourite boat: The smallest one

Latest News & Information

How Hill to Ludham Bridge

How Hill is a great place to start a walk, there is a car park and plenty of mooring for boats, making it an ideal starting point however you arrive. Walkers should walk out to How Hill Staithe, a public mooring place for boats and from here, head south along ...

Learn more

Latest News & Information

How Hill to Ludham Bridge

How Hill is a great place to start a walk, there is a car park and plenty of mooring for boats, making it an ideal starting point however you arrive. Walkers should walk out to How Hill Staithe, a...

Learn more

Last minute availability and offers!

"I'll start by addressing the negative feedback, as seen on Google and various reviews sites. Firstly this hoilday isn't a 5 Star hotel. It's a basic boat and generally, boats do have their own set of challenges if your driving it yourself, so be aware it will be different. If your looking for the all Perfect hoilday - nothing is prefect and I'm sure the people providing negative feedback will always find something to moan about. I booked after reviewing the negative feedback and thought we'll see for ourselves and found that probably people didn't expect a boat to be how a boat is. We embraced the challenge and loved the experience of what came along, we don't do the 5 star Caribbean hotel experience or any of that nonsense, nor do we expect too much. The boat had all the basic bits and pieces to make experience of spending 3 days on the water enjoyable, living with a slightly comfort, to normal life. The staff at the yard were lovely on arrival and gave us all the info we asked for and more. Id say to 1st timers, like us - book the Swan Inn in advance, if you like to eat there, about an hour away from the yard and get to a mooring early on the 1st night, before dark. Stern mooring is much easier to get on and off, that side on. Plus we didn't stock up on enough provisions, so next time we'll take double the food onboard to last the trip, as we couldn't really find a typical Tesco express on the next corner. Take extra towels and your own bedding, like you would a caravan. Most of all, embrace the challenge and the change of scene and don't moan if you arnt prepared."
- Matt Owen
"What a fabulous week we had.we had a lovely welcome as always checking in.our boat was ready early, our boat was spotlessly clean and ready to go. We've already booked our next holiday as we left ! . Thank you to all the office staff including the cleaning staff and maintenance staff. Can't wait to return. Thanks, pete and tom."
- Peter Lawler
"Hired a boat for the day, which ranged from £138 upwards. Everything was ready to go, and we were shown how to operate it and given a map to navigate the broads. Had a relaxing day, and there are some nice stop offs on our journey. Boats dog friendly as well. Enjoyed it that much we are considering hiring a cruiser for a week. Well worth doing if you've never done it before."
- Mark Harvey
"Top place for holiday boat hire"
- William Quarrell
Go to homepage
Sign up to our newsletter

    Barnes Marine Units Ltd, Riverside Road, Wroxham, Norwich NR12 8UD. Registered in England & Wales Reg 1321482
    Built by Quickfire Digital