After many years' involvement with the Shipwrights' Livery and his family's heavy-engineering company - which during the last World War manufactured landing craft and marine equipment for the War effort - Nevill Towler decided to enter the boating business personally and in a more direct way. It was, therefore, in 1973 that he founded Anglo Marine Services in Frinton but, at that time, the company concentrated on the retail and maintenance aspects of boating.

As the business and the leisure market expanded, it was eventually decided to move to the present factory in Clacton, in order to establish what has proved to be a highly successful GRP boat manufacturing company. Over the following period, Anglo Marine manufactured a range of dinghies which, amongst others, included Apprentice, Adventurer, Adventuress, Angler, Express and Nimrod.

But it was the company's involvement with the late Ian Proctor which proved the greatest influence on its success and its well earned reputation for quality boat-building. When the Proctor Partnership assigned the manufacturing licence for the WANDERER to Anglo Marine, it was the beginning of a relationship which moved on to encompass the BLUE PETER and the GULL.

Since taking on the Licence well over 1000 WANDERERS have been manufactured and the boat has been used with great success to launch National promotions such as "Get Afloat Get A Boat' from HMS Wellington, with Libby Purves and Paul Heiney. It has also proved to be a great charity fund-raiser and at the 1991 London International Boat Show raised £12,750 for Save the Children, with wonderful support on the stand from their Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Richard Noble (the Land Speed Record Holder at that time), Tracy Edwards (who had just been voted Yachtswoman of the year) and most of the crew from her yacht Maiden.

Photograph (courtesy the new owner Mr Roger Worracker) shows 'Save the Children' Wanderer 1000 10 years on. The boat is now based at West Wittering and is sailed extensively, exploring Chichester harbour and, weather permitting, the solent.

Wanderer was also used by Jonny Norton to sail the wrong way around the Isle of Wight, to raise funds which enabled him to take part in the Around the World Race on Commercial Union.

Over the years, in collaboration with the Proctor Partnership and the well-known and respected yachtswoman Margaret Dye (for whom Wanderer was originally designed by Ian Proctor), there has been a great deal of development work carried out on WANDERER and the now re-designed/re-named GULL SPIRIT. Both dinghies have been brought up to EEC standards with built-in buoyancy and modern, user-friendly interiors, plus WANDERER is now built to facilitate the option of a steel centreplate. So Nevill Towler was, therefore, extremely pleased that in 1998 both boats achieved Category 'C' classification within the EU Recreational Craft Directive. Confirming, without doubt, their quality, safety and sailing capabilities.

Another factor which has greatly influenced the company is its involvement with the RYA SAILABILITY programme and the licence granted in 1993 to manufacture the CHALLENGER TRIMARAN. Since then Anglo Marine has built nearly 70 CHALLENGERS at various stages of evolvement and the boat has now been developed to achieve its full potential for safe and exhilarating sailing for the disabled

Throughout its 26 years of operation, Anglo Marine has also looked to the overseas markets and has exhibited every year at the London International Boat Show. This consistent exposure has enabled the company not only to maintain its position in the UK boating world but also to build up a strong export strategy, with boats located in America, Canada, France, Greece, Hong Kong and now Italy. Just recently Anglo Marine's newly appointed Italian Agent took delivery of his first Wanderer and has since ordered two more - so both companies look forward to a new mutually successful European market opening up for the future.