Father and son team help boat owners in Cornwall do their bit to protect marine environment
Wednesday 18th October, 2023
Father and son team Mike and Nick Treglown are helping boat owners in Cornwall to do their bit to protect our marine environment.
The owners of Newham-based Truro Boat Services have invested in a state-of-the-art pressure washing system that stops contaminants from re-entering the water when a vessel is cleaned.
The system captures the pressure washing runoff – which often contains traces of metals from paintwork and other chemicals – on a mat placed underneath the hoisted boat. This runoff is then pumped through a series of filtration tanks which removes the contaminants to such a degree that the water is reusable.
Mike and Nick say demand for their eco-friendly pressure wash is rising all the time and they would like to develop the service as their business grows.
“We’re tapping into that green agenda as a clear strategy,” said Mike. “We’ve spent the majority of our lives on the water and we want to do what we can to preserve the environment for future generations.”
Mike has been around boats for as long as he can remember, spending time on them as a youngster before joining the merchant navy as an engineer. He still enjoyed being around boats in his spare time. When he retired, Mike decided to turn his hobby into a business and set up Truro Boat Services in 2012, offering engine rebuilds, marine electrics, engineering and software diagnostics as well as washing, lifting and storage.
Eight years ago, Mike’s son Nick came on board and the pair worked together to develop Truro Boat Services, which was originally based across the water in Malpas.
When the chance came up to move to a bigger site in Newham in 2021, Mike and Nick decided to go for it. Their riverside premises in Newham Road has room for eight boats to be stored, as well as the seven-tonne forklift used to hoist the boats out of the water for maintenance and pressure washing.
Mike and Nick would eventually like to move to an even bigger space in Newham as their customer base grows.
“It’s the perfect location,” says Nick, who used to work in retail before joining the family firm. “Newham works really well for us. We’re right next to the river, which is developing all the time. We want to be a part of that.”
The plan is to expand Truro Boat Service’s eco-friendly pressure washing service.
Mike and Nick also hope to take on more staff and offer apprenticeships to young people looking to start their careers in the marine sector.
“It’s an exciting time to be working in this industry in Cornwall,” said Nick, adding that there’s also a real feelgood factor involved with his job. “I like the fact we’re helping get people out back on the water, doing what they enjoy. But the environmental factors are important to us and the river, which is why we want to expand what we offer.”