Avalon Marine Services is managed by Tony Buick and Jacquie Dowding from their bases in Newhaven and Brighton Marina. They have a vast experience in the sailing and yacht industry, which is set out below.
Tony Buick was born in Cosford, Herefordshire and grew up in Cyprus, Scotland and Norfolk, on various Air Force bases. He has been an engineer for over 30 years, running his own 'classic car restoration' company, in West London. Experience: Neilson & SailnetUK contracted engineer Das Air Engineering: Overseas Parts & Outstation
Manager Director and owner of Classic Car restoration company, 20 years BMW GB Parts & Service Manager Peter Stuyvesant: flotilla engineer (Princess 35’s) & water skiing instructor;First Mate & Engineer on a 75’ sailing yacht in the Mediterranean;Richmond Boat Co. maintained and ran a fleet of hire boats.Richard Green Fine Art Dealers: frame & picture restoration etc.Founded Avalon Marine, based in Brighton Marina.Current & recent projects: Prepared a Beneteau 50’ for TransAtlantic crossing (in Caribbean)Maintained and serviced a 49’ Westerly (in Caribbean)Restoring a 25’Gaff rigged yawl. Preparing for charter ‘Windstrutter’ a 54’ ketch, out of Pacific West Coast; Restoring his 1948 gentlemen’s motor yacht and a gaff yawl (see sales page).RYA Power Boat level I & II and Advanced.RYA Diesel InstructorKings Lyn Technical CollegeNorwich School of Art
Jacquie Dowding is co-director of Avalon Marine. She is the proud owner/skipper of her 31’ Hallberg Rassy, which she sailed from Sweden - England, in 2005.
Her father was a merchant Seaman who came from a family of Essex boatbuilders. Boats and horses were her childhood. Most of her career has been in Education and the Healing Arts. In 1989 she was hand picked to crew in the Fastnet Race. She left the UK in 1995 to sail as First mate on a Kim Holman twister 31’.and after 5 seasons cruising in the Caribbean, she returned to live in Sweden. She sailed from Sweden to England in 2005. In 2008 she sailed her sailing boat ‘ Svanevit’ around Britain, raising awareness for, RNLI Sea Safety and Organ donation and Transplantation.(see website).
Jacquie also offers own boat tuition and is a volunteer Sea Safety Advisor with the RNLI.
