Mike Laity

Mike Laity, born and raised in St Ives, has had a keen interest in boating since birth, forty odd years ago. His father Norman Laity, was the original proprietor of the self-drive boats in St Ives, which were established in 1958. It was working alongside his father where Mike developed his love and passion for boating and the sea. Stripping and repairing outboard motors, making fibreglass repairs, showing customers the ropes, skippering the safety boat, mooring boats, all became second nature to Mike.

When his father sold the self-drive business, Mike decided to see the world and skippered luxury yachts in Europe and the Caribbean, gaining valuable ocean experience and obtaining his yachtmaster’s certification. He is proud to have made Trans-Atlantic crossings by sail on six occasions.

The Laity family has strong links with St Ives, stretching back at least five generations, all seafarers. It was inevitable that Mike was going to follow in their footsteps.

In 1994 Mike and family members built and launched the Cornish Lugger “Dolly Pentreath”, which has been run as a successful business making boat trips from St Ives ever since, though sold on in 2010.

Dolly Pentreath, was the last person to speak Cornish as their first language and Mike’s family are direct descendent’s of Dolly’s. Proud of this fact, Mikes daughter is named Dolly as well as his latest boat Dolly P