BOAT REPAIR CENTRE - Key Persons
The Business was set up in June 2001 with a premises in Kenn by Jo Line who had been repairing dinghies for the previous five years. Jo comes from a dinghy racing background, having started in Mirrors and Toppers at the age of eight with her father. She is an active Fireball sailor, regularly attending circuit events. Jo has also been involved in an Olympic campaign racing a Yngling (GBR1), the women's keelboat class at the time.
Because of this sailing upbringing, Jo is passionate about boats and looks after every one as if a member of the family.
Jo spent three years studying for an HND in Yacht Manufacture and Management at Southampton Institute of Higher Education. During this period she was self-employed, repairing local boats during college holidays, as well as undergoing two summers of work experience for her qualification. One of these placements was working for RMW Marine in Devon for four months, building and repairing RS boats. The other was at Southern Sailboats where Jo had worked on and off since the age of fifteen following a school work-experience week.
At the same time as the business was set up, the development of Portishead Marina was just getting underway. Now Jo regularly gets called upon to undertake repairs to all sorts of motorboats, cruisers, yachts, catamarans, etc. With years of experience her colour matching skills are now a local legend, earning her the nick name of "Gel Coat Jo"!