Our Team
Andy Mosier
West Vancouver
Commuting to the office from Bowen Island every day, Andy spends a lot of hours of the water. From his fleet of various boats he is currently running a commercial built Silver Streak, easily identifiable by his dog, Fonzi, riding on the roof.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Andy’s passion for boating started at a very young age. No surprise he loves the water, growing up with a waterfront cottage on Salt Spring Island. He started his boating life at the age of seven years old. With his hand on the tiller of his first 9.9 Mercury engine powering a 10’ boat that his father built with him, he set out to explore every inch of the area around the cottage. By age ten he had upgraded to a 14’ center console as fishing became one of his favourite things to do. Andy’s summers were spent working in River’s Inlet at fish camps, where he quickly earned the title of fishing guide.
There was no doubt that Andy would end up with a career in the marine industry. Choosing yacht brokering was a natural fit and he excelled quickly. He is an incredible boat handler and enjoys teaching new boaters how to handle yachts of all sizes. Andy has spent over 25 years with Thunderbird Yacht Sales, growing the business and guiding clients with his lifetime of boating experience and his connections to the industry. Any boater in need of guidance, whether buying, selling, servicing, or boat handling can always rely on Andy for help and advice.
Cormac O’Kiely
West Vancouver
Cormac’s passion for the ocean began on Pasley Island, where he spent summers with his family. He was just a kid when he got his first boat, a wooden clinker that was kept in Caulfeild Cove. His teenage years were spent log salvaging and working at Bay Boat Rentals. As an adult Cormac spent twenty years at Rivtow Marine as a tugboat operator and ten years operating commercial vessels with Mercury Transport. When it was time to head back to land, he became the Zodiac dealer for the lower mainland.
Looking to further his expertise in all types of boats, he landed at Thunderbird Yacht Sales in the mid-2000s. For Cormac, being a yacht broker means dealing with great people and great boats every day. Despite having operated hundreds of boats throughout his life, sea trials are still his favourite part of the deal. After spending so many years in the marine industry Cormac has become a boat show institution. He is currently serving on the board for Boating BC, with a focus on boat shows. When not in the office, you can usually find Cormac on Pasley Island paddle boarding, fishing, crabbing, swimming, running, playing tennis, or upgrading the cabin.
Sonia Walmsley
Sidney
A proud Past Commodore of the West Vancouver Yacht Club, Sonia began sailing at the age of 4 aboard her family’s Grampian 28 that cruised extensively throughout the PNW. After nearly 20 years of running her own local marine maintenance company, Sonia joined the Thunderbird Yacht Sales crew in 2019 at our West Vancouver location, focusing on growing our presence in the sailboat market. In 2022 Sonia took the helm of our Sidney location on Vancouver Island, rebranding our brokerage to a fresh new “Westport Yacht Sales” to suits our clients’ needs in both power and sail in the unique Gulf Island, San Juans and Vancouver Island market.
When not in the office, Sonia is found sailing aboard her Beneteau 45f5 “Northern Girl” or serving as a Race Officer in local regattas. When asked what she became a Yacht Broker, Sonia’s response is always the same “I love making boating dreams for both Buyer and Sellers come true. Finding the perfect boat match and seeing people fall in love with the sport I love will never stop being a passion of mine”.
Tom Huntingford
Port Moody
Boating is Tom’s ultimate source of peace and calmness; the feeling of freedom that comes with cruising at 40 knots is unmatched anywhere else. His favourite run is Vancouver to Pender Harbour on a calm day in his 35’ Formula. Outside of brokering, most of his free time is spent on boats- fishing, cruising, and weekending. Tom’s clients can feel at ease knowing they have a boat-obsessed broker who loves to share his passion working for them.
Tom’s extreme passion for boating developed in his childhood, spending every summer vacation on his family’s 35’ sailboat. He bought his first power boat at 18 years old, a 17’ Sea Ray. Chasing bigger and bigger boats Tom spent 5 years buying and selling power boats privately, where he became well-versed in the buying and selling process. Professional brokering was a natural next step, and he eventually landed at Thunderbird’s Port Moody office.
Sinead Sprigg
West Vancouver
Sinead’s love for boating began when she was about 8 years old and sailing Lasers. She loved the thrill of capsizing on purpose! She was on her university’s sailing team in the UK, then bought her first keelboat when she moved to Canada – a San Juan 24. Sinead currently sails a Mirage 27 and also volunteers for Jericho Rescue.
After founding She Sails Vancouver, a sailing school which fosters inclusive and supportive spaces on the water, Sinead realized how much she enjoyed helping others find their way on the water. Transitioning to yacht brokerage was a natural next step, allowing her to combine her passion for sailing with her desire to guide others in finding the perfect vessel for their own adventures.
What Sinead loves most about being a yacht broker is the opportunity to connect with people who share a passion for the ocean. Every client has a unique vision of what they want from their sailing experience, and she loves helping them navigate the complexities of buying or selling a yacht. For Sinead, there’s nothing quite like the excitement of matching someone with their ideal boat and knowing they’ll create lasting memories on the water.
Stuart Sumsion
Sidney
An active racer and long-time member of SNSYC, Stuart began sailing at the age of 13 with his dad aboard their family Catalina 27. Having purchased and sold with TBYS, Stuart joined our crew at our Sidney location upon retiring from his 20-year career with CFB Esquimalt. When not on the race course, Stuart can be found showing his Arabian horses with his trusty corgis Bob and Kevin by his side.
