About Us
Our roots are in watersports and we opened our first specialist store in '87. Since then we have developed great partnerships with the worlds best watersports companies.
We are pleased to have a long history linked to these original watersports brands that grew out of a need for high quality, functional products on boards, boats and oceans.
Over the years we have always aimed to change, evolve and grow. At Crazywater we are constantly looking for new ideas and testing new equipment ourselves.
About Crazywater owner - John Haynes
My first boating was in Christchurch Harbour then racing sailing dinghies and cruisers in local waters. Seasons of Solent Points and cross channel RORC racing led to offshore races on sailing boats from 10m to 25m included the legendary 1979 Fastnet, the Admirals Cup, Southern Ocean Racing Conference & the International Maxi series.
Running boats took me to Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Italy, France, Spain and numerous islands in the Med. Boat deliveries from Florida to the Bahamas, Caribbean, and across the Atlantic. There are many different sea conditions from the Med to the North Sea but I still retain a healthy respect for the waters of the English Channel.
I kayak and spend a lot of time on power boats and RIBs. My first experience of RIBs was over 25 years ago using Avon Seariders and Zodiacs as support craft for charter companies and as rescue boats. I am a Commercial Yacthmaster Ocean (since 1982) an RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor plus owner of Blue Ride RIB Training.
About Crazywater manager - Paul 'Baz' Barrow
I first got into riding waves bodyboarding at Southbourne Beach then on surf trips to Cornwall and the North Devon coast. The local surf crew from the 1990's went from riding waves locally to travelling and riding the best breaks around the world.
Memorable surf trips to the Pacific have included Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Most winters I aim to get away for some travelling in Australia or South East Asia and and to catch up with friends anywhere from Tasmania to Thailand.
Back in the UK I have started mountain climbing and discovering a whole new set of challenges away from the coast. I go kayakking and kayak fishing plus get out on the RIB to explore the coastline, wakeboard and wakeskate.