Biography

He built his first boat, a 7 ft. pram dinghy at Sea Scouts in his home town of Regina, Saskatchewan , Canada when he was 12 years old. He has been crazy about boats ever since. His Grandfather, Henry William Niccolls ran away to sea from Salford, England as a boy and sailed the seven seas in Clipper ships. Among them was the famous tea and wool Clipper, “ Cutty Sark” which William Niccolls picked up in Sydney Harbour, Australia, Christmas Day 1894. So , we would assume that his Grandson, Barry got his love for the sea honestly. Barry has sailed and dived since 1970 and owned and operated three sailing yachts capable of offshore voyaging. The first, a 47 ft. Cutter rig, followed years later by a self designed custom “cold molded“ sloop that he built for his Son, Rob and then later owned and sailed in the Pacific Northwest.

His last boat was a 27 foot Coronado. Barry raised three sons in the ways of the sea. They were pirates, exploring the Canadian Gulf Islands and the American San Juan’s….. never to be forgotten experiences. As a designer/ inventor of things nautical, Barry invented and manufactured 1) The Marine Portable Fireplace for the salons of big and small yachts. 2) The Beach / Dock Dolly, a multiple purpose, soft wheel small boat dolly which doubled as a supply carrier and boat boarding steps for dockside use. 3) A significant achievement was the design and construction of a 33 foot cold molded sloop with fully lifting daggerboard and rudder allowing the boat to be beached and floated off on the high tide. It was hand laid up in the back yard garden from the finest edge grain cedar to be found in British Columbia, fitted out and finished by son, Rob to became one of the most beautiful cruising boats in the Vancouver, B.C. area.


It all started in the garden. Buildings don't build boats... people do.


Launch day. After all the work was done.

Sitting peacefully in downtown Vancouver.


Barry's son Rob, sitting in the main salon which he built.

Next came the very popular NN10 Nesting Dinghy. It was designed to be a sport sailing craft, auxiliary tender and lifeboat for cruisers. Built in FRP fiberglass with a full interior liner, the bow disengaged from the stern and nested inside the stern section to go from 10’2” LOA to 5’ 8”. From 1993-2007 , over 100 were sold from Dubai to Taiwan, the Caribbean to Alaska, Hawaii to Europe. It’s craftsmanship made it the Mercedes Benz of dinghies. It was marketed on the boat’s website exclusively. It sold for over 4,000 US including options, plus crating and shipping. The terms were 1/2 down with order, the balance due before shipping. Every boat was paid for. Every boat ordered was received by the buyers. There were never any claims against the builder. The company was sold prior to moving to the Philippines in 2009.


NN10 Nesting Dinghy assembled

NN10 Nesting Dinghy packed

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In addition to building, Barry has been very successful in the area of adverting, consulting and marketing, being independent advertising council, creative director, writer, and producer of film, commercial music and point of purchase materials for the second largest builder/developer in Canada, among other advertising challenges. It puts him in the perfect scenario for building, advertising and turn keying the production and sales of the new FIREISLANDSTEN10FLEET of watercraft. This line of newly developed boats is perfect for beaches anywhere.

NN10 Nesting Dinghy sailing

Barry is in good health, living with his wife Meloni and Daughter Mecah on the island of Camiguin, Philippine Islands. Together they currently operate Little Bridges, one of the top two restaurants on the Island.

Two boats joined as one. Practical, easy, beautiful.

The forerunner of the fireislandsTen10 - the 9+9 in St. Roberts marina.