Insights & News

Diurnal Emissions – Part 3

In our past newsletters, we discussed diurnal emissions and what the USA has done to reduce them. In addition, we described the basic ways these systems work. This month we’ll talk about different fuel system design goals and costs.

Boat builders often have different fuel system requirements. Perhaps safety is primary. Or, maybe installed cost is the focus. It could be that customer satisfaction from the ease of refueling is the goal. Maybe system simplicity or commonality of design across many models fits a builder with a continually changing workforce. Another builder may want to reduce long-term maintenance costs. And for some, achieving the maximum range possible is paramount. The list is endless.

Some of these goals are complementary. Others are mutually exclusive. Numerous factors make these goals easier or harder to achieve. The supplier matters. So does the shape of the tank and the size of the boat. Regardless, deciding on the performance requirements for a fuel system should be the first step of the design process.

So, what goals are common? And, what are the characteristics of those systems?

Safety – Generally, the safest systems operate at atmospheric pressure and may use more control valves. The lack of daily pressure swings puts less strain on seals, hoses, and clamps. Adding additional valves and more complex plumbing reduces the likelihood of venting problems. But that also adds to the installed cost.

Range – Adding more control valves or using two small tanks versus one large tank can increase the fuel a boat can carry. However, both will increase the installed cost.

System component cost – A pressurized system will cost less than an atmospheric system on smaller boats with one engine and one tank. That will be reversed for larger boats with a couple of tanks and two or more engines. The reason is that every additional engine and tank each requires its own fuel demand valve to prevent engine feedline pressurization. That isn’t the case with canisters. Many tanks and engines can share the same large canister. At 30 Euros or more per fuel demand valve, more engines and more tanks quickly add additional cost to pressurized systems.

Low Maintenance – There are systems available that use only one valve or have almost no moving parts to fail. They use air-fuel separators and stanchion tubes instead of tank-mounted valves. These systems are also among the least expensive options to purchase.

Ease of refueling – Adding an additional vent to handle only refueling vapors can significantly improve the ease and speed of refueling, but it will add slightly to the cost of the system.

Installed cost – Connecting valves in series can reduce hose length and the number of connections involved, lowering installed cost. But safety can be compromised in long-term storage at angles much beyond static rest.

So, what might one of these systems cost? The components (valves and canisters or FDVs) for a common 1-tank, 1-engine system would run around 110 Euros for a boat with one engine and one tank. Getting fancy might up that to nearly 135 Euros, and getting creative could drop it down to as little as 60 Euros. Installation and higher costing tanks could add another 100 to 150 Euros. So, systems for small boats probably cost between 175 and 275 Euros more than today’s systems.

For that, you get increased safety, easier refueling, cleaner air, and cleaner water. And over time, you will save on fuel. But, unless you understand these systems, it is easy to fall short of your goals in the design process. American fuel system component manufacturers and consultants developed a high level of expertise by working with these systems for a decade. Any of them can help European boatbuilders determine approaches that best fit their goals.

That is a significant advantage that American builders lacked. The EU will likely implement similar regulations on boats sold throughout Europe in the next three years. Then, no one builder will have a “green advantage” over any other. A proactive approach to move in this direction before competitors offers European builders two advantages. First, numerous people have the time and expertise to help builders design the best system for their needs. That will not be the case when this is regulated. The number of builders needing help will stretch the few groups with that knowledge too thin – just like they did in the USA 10 years ago. Not every builder will get the type of help to make a cost and performance difference. And second, there is no green advantage to promote when all your competitors are doing the same thing.

It won’t be long before all European builders install these systems. Now is the time to determine whether the best strategy for your company is to be proactive or reactive. Two years from now, that strategic option will likely be gone.

George B. Bellwoar, GMBA United States
Email: george.bellwoar@gmba.blue
Tel:: +1 954 646 5920

Disclaimer: Global Marine Business Advisors is a registered legal entity and is a network of independent marine industry advisors. In all articles the opinions expressed are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of GMBA.

GMBA Finland’s Jouko Huju talks to Anders Kurtén, CEO of Baltic Yachts about the importance of sustainability

Baltic Yachts of Finland is a market leader in sustainable super yachts. For Baltic Yachts sustainability is not just verbiage. It means thorough and complicated research and knowledge about rapidly changing customer requirements. And profound concern about the environment.

JH: How would you describe the business you are in?

AK: Our industry, and us, we are in the difficult business of delivering dreams.

These dreams they vary in size, form and investment. Yet the sea is the same for all, whether experiencing it from a kayak or a superyacht.

For us a superyacht is a product that exists for one main reason. That reason is to put a smile on the face of the owner. Every boat, or yacht represents freedom. Freedom from speed limits and various land-based restrictions.

But not everybody’s idea of freedom is a superyacht. In my country, Finland, the dream boat is a small aluminum outboard powerboat. And by the way, Finland has the highest boat density in the world. Every 5^th Finn owns a boat.

JH: Let’s talk about Baltic Yachts and sustainability first in terms of history!

AK: To truly understand our approach to sustainability we need to go to way back in history. For hundreds of years, we in Finland have built ships mainly for export markets. It all started from frigates in the 16^th century. This heritage meant that we had the boatbuilding skills passed on through generations. Much later, in 1973 a few young men relit the torch and started building sailing boats again. And they had a particular philosophy in mind. The boats needed to be lighter, stiffer and faster.

In 50 years, Baltic Yachts has evolved from a humble local boatbuilder to become a leading global builder of sustainable superyachts. Globally, superyacht dreams are changing shape. Sustainability has become paramount.

The fundamental idea and decades of experience with light construction gave Baltic Yachts the basics to create sustainable superyachts as a lighter boat need less energy to move. Today I can subsequently claim, that we are world leaders in sustainable advanced custom carbon composite superyachts.

Our philosophy too has evolved. We still build lighter, stiffer and faster yachts. We have added one dimension though. The boats are also greener. Together with our customers we have been able to create sustainable solutions. Sustainability for us is managing and myopically focusing on multiple small details all combined creating a big impact.

JH: Could you explain in basic terms the sustainability principles at Baltic Yachts?

AK: Our customers represent 0,003% of the global population but as they control 13% of global assets, their actions matter, also in terms of leading the way as these customers in many cases are thought leaders in their own right.

For sustainability there is no single silver bullet. There are no simple solutions to complex problems, despite what politicians may tell you. Sustainability for us broadly falls into three categories;

one – reduce the environmental footprint of our production – and use more organic materials

two – minimize the total lifecycle emissions of our products while under way

three – reduce the total lifecycle emissions of our products when at standstill

Reducing the environmental footprint of production is a continuous challenge. The key here is to measure your impact. Baltic Yachts has been measuring sustainability impacts since 2014. Over the last 5 years we have finally got the hang of it. We now track 30 parameters and convert them to CO 2 equivalents annually. In 2018 we had 1400 metric tons of CO2 equivalents. By 2020 we had reduced this to 400.

This represents a 2/3 reduction in build time environmental footprint and all this without any significant investments. Organic materials further reduce the environmental load. Let’s take a few examples:

Cork replaces teak in decking
Flax replaces carbon fibre in hull and structures – like on our recently launched 68 Café Racer where we have 50% flax in hull, deck and structures

The quantum leap, however, is yet to come. We are researching recycled carbon fibre which I predict will be a game changer.

What really matters though, given the longevity of our products, are lifecycle emissions.

I would again give two examples where we are market leaders;

Both Baltic 142 (S/Y Canova) and Baltic 117 (S/Y Perseverance) feature electric propulsion with hydrogeneration. Both can cross the Atlantic without burning a single drop of fossil fuel, thus saving hundreds of litres of diesel over a single crossing. This means several cubic meters of fossil fuel saved over a typical full season. Hydrogeneration makes minimal emissions under sail possible. The freewheeling propulsion drive unit is used for generating power to the battery bank.

On S/Y Canova and S/Y Perseverance 14 knots of speed means 15-20kW of generated power making both yachts self- sufficient while sailing. There are other benefits to electric propulsion as well.

Namely silence: S/Y Perseverance features 42 dB in the owner’s cabin.

Motoring under full throttle: batteries also give us 8- 10 hours of silent period at night. An electrical main engine also gives us much more volume inside the boat in premium social areas as the engine room typically is much smaller on a hybrid yacht. Where we still have work to do is in reducing emissions while at standstill.

On a recent launch, 60 sqm of solar panels allow a couple of hours of time off for generators on a sunny day. The advice here is to sail more, spend less time in ports. Well, drinking cold champagne in port is nice, so we need to work harder as an industry on reducing standstill emissions.

The fact of customers demanding sustainable solutions remains and the technologies are available. For once the morally right thing to do is also best for your business and future market shares.

For Baltic Yachts lifespan means a lot. The first ever built Baltic, the 46 foot S/Y Queen Anne, from 1974, returned to our yard for her first ever refit. For us the future is bright green.

www.balticyachts.fi

Anders Kurtén, CEO (anders.kurten@balticyachts.fi)

Dr Jouko Huju, GMBA Finland
Tel: +358 40 5509310
Email: jouko.huju@gmba.blue

To ensure a quality service throughout the value chain, the challenge of Breton marinas! *

*This article has been originally published in French, to address the marina operators in Brittany, France.

During a speech at the Nautik Deiz conference organized by the Brittany region last October, I introduced the different modes of management of marinas on an international scale, briefly sketching the panorama of their particularities, pros and cons, with the desire to outline potential solutions that could inspire a Breton model.

The private operation model: the customer is king, the goal is to make more money

Marinas are in fact mainly managed by private companies in most countries of the world, from Australasia to the Americas or from Europe to the Middle East. These may be specialized groups bringing together several dozen marinas, such as MDL, Premier Marinas, or Boatfolk in the United Kingdom, Suntex in the United States, D-Marin in Greece, Croatia or Turkey, d’Albora Marinas in Australia, and even groups present in several markets, such as IGY Marinas. It can also be a simple family business which manages a marina and the associated services, like operating a hotel or a campsite. The common points of this management model are that the level of service is generally high and the whole value chain is controlled by a single operator. This would include the moorings to the lifting facilities, from the boat park to the repair, maintenance, and sale of boats; the restaurant, the grocery store, the swimming pool, the fitness center; maybe even the sailing school or the adjacent hotel.

The undeniable advantage comes from a single interlocutor, controlling all levels of the service to satisfy the client, meeting its least expectations, or even anticipating them, with the ulterior motive of making an ever-increasing financial profit. For the customer, it is often the guarantee of personalized services of unparalleled quality, although it comes at a higher price.

The cooperative model: the customer is me!

There is an intermediate model between public management and private enterprise. This is what I have called the cooperative model, which is most frequently operated by yacht clubs or non-profit associations. Very widespread in Belgium and the Netherlands, it is also found in Spain and diffusely in various countries. Here again, most of the time, the scope of operation goes beyond the simple management of floating berths to incorporate hard standing boating areas and lifting facilities, the running of a club house with bar, restaurant, wintering sheds, a workshop, even shared tools, in some cases.

Although more limited than in a private management scenario, the services considered essential are integrated and those offered to boaters are generally richer than in our Breton marinas, which are publicly operated. Above all, they have the advantage of being limited to what boaters themselves expect from their favorite home marina, since they control their choice, take the decision, and set the price!

Public management: the client… which client?

I do not want in any way to criticize the public management of our Breton marinas, whether municipal authorities, joint syndicates, autonomous public services, mixed ownership public companies, local public corporations, or chambers of commerce. Many of them can be cited as positive examples on a number of points and have guided the development of marinas in other regions. It is above all the legacy of history, and a model of public management very prevalent in our country, which can be found only anecdotally in most other countries, with the notable exception of Sweden, and a few yacht harbours around the world.

But if progress has been made over the years, which, beyond the floating berths, makes it possible to offer services such as boat lift, boat parking on land, dry stack facilities, bicycle rental, or even a sauna or toilet blocks with real bathrooms, the marinas do not directly manage the extras. Those are in the hands of different service providers, even if in the end, they contribute to the overall quality of service offered to boaters. This is the case for boat maintenance yards, restaurants around the port, golf course, swimming pool, gym, food store or even a hotel. The result is that for each of these services, the customer must contact a third party of which he is a simple customer, and not a privileged one, on the grounds he holds a mooring contract in the local marina, whether as a permanent resident or a transient boater.

No longer a client, but a “Guest ar Vro” **

Several challenges arise from this devolved management structure. The restaurants around the port can all be closed on a Sunday evening, even though the marina receives visitors; the tennis club can refuse access to a yachtsman because he is not a member; the repair boatyard can use an overworked excuse to postpone a technical intervention and force a visiting boat to wait several days; this list could be extended with multiple examples.

This is the reason why I suggest creating a sort of “club of service providers” at the level of each port, which would mutually commit to ensuring a quality service for yachtsmen. They would coordinate to give the customers accessibility to the whole commercial, leisure and hospitality offer provided in each locality. Thus, each customer of the marina would be considered as a privileged consumer, a “temporary” member of the golf club or fitness center benefiting from specific access conditions, if he has a contract in the marina. I called this client “guest ar Vro” which no longer makes him an ordinary individual, but a client common to all stakeholders, entitled to expect a special attention. This type of organization already exists in another industry, the ports which welcome cruise ships having created “cruise clubs” which bring together and coordinate all the service providers in the value chain, from shipping companies to custom agents, tourism professionals, coach operators and even retail shops.

By embracing such an initiative all over Brittany and by transforming our customers into “guest ar Vro” with all the service providers committed to satisfying them, we could thus significantly raise the level of service offered in our marinas. We can get closer to the best examples of private marinas, while maintaining our singular model of public management with a limited scope, that will probably never change, because it is part of our history for over 50 years now.

Another advantage, and not the least important one, would be also to reciprocally open our marinas more widely to those practicing other activities, in coordination with our nautical clubs and our boat charter companies. The members of the riding club, those of the golf club or tennis, those who stay at the hotel on the quay, or have lunch at the port restaurant could perhaps become our customers of tomorrow!

** “Guest ar Vro” means “Guest of the country” in Breton language

Jean-Michel Gaigné CMM, GMBA France
Tel: + 33 682 112 524
Email: jm.gaigne@gmba.blue

No more superyachts. Really?

One’s rights finish where another’s rights start. No doubt exists that Extinction Rebellion protested at The Superyacht Forum in a civilized way, with the organizers being intelligent enough to bring the protesters on stage at the conference to share their views. But what Extinction Rebellion preach is a utopia focused on an apparently easy target.

In the world we live in, any legal and successful business achievement generates earnings for its owner: modest earnings for a small business, or huge earnings for multinational ones. Governments rule the conditions in which those earnings can be kept, that is part of the so-called Free Economy of the World. Some people can have properties and cars adequate for a basic quality of life, and some other people (the very few) can afford various enormous, and sometimes historical properties, with cars costing hundreds of thousands of euros, works of art that museums cannot afford, or even large yachts. Large yachts are not too many and are used not too often, and a calculation of their CO2 footprint is now possible thanks to the YETI method. The effort being made to reduce emissions, use alternative fuels, and improve design and propulsion efficiency is certainly benefitting smaller boats, both leisure and commercial. This is like Formula 1, which has for years, helped improve road and people’s safety, develop steering, and brake systems, and reduce consumption in people’s cars.

Nobody needs a 130m yacht to have a holiday, I agree, but such yachts are paid 100% by private money and provide two of the legs of sustainability (social and economic), including large taxes to governments. Nobody needs a 550.000-euro Ferrari to drive every day to work and back. Or need to live in a house with 25 rooms (unless royalty) and have another two or three huge properties, empty most of the time. Large yachts are easy to blame for such excess but are not the only ones.

Vladimir Ilych Ulyanov * decided in 1917 that no family had the right to live in a big house and he forced change, filling up the homes with as many families as possible. 73 years later the system collapsed and proved inviable, as it did not work.

Let’s regulate reasonably, learn from history, use our experience, and not use cheap populistic extremes to make a point. To complain is the easiest road to take. The only valid and useful complaint is the one which also proposes feasible actions to achieve the changes. We, as educated human beings, should always take that road.

*Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov: LENIN

Oscar Siches, CMP, GMBA Spain
Tel: +34 667 494 858
Email: oscar.siches@gmba.blue

Impressive Developments ensure the New Zealand Marina Industry is Future Proofed for the increasing New Zealand Domestic and Global Market

Maryanne Edwards, GMBA, asked the New Zealand Marina Industries Operators Association (NZMOA) current Chairman, Chris Galbraith for an update on the current developments occurring in the NZ industry. It is nothing short of impressive when one reads the summary written by Zoe Hawkins for NZMOA which confirms that New Zealand is certainly investing heavily in the marina sector ensuring they can meet the demands from the current and future domestic market. The NZMOA is also very aware of the keen interest from the international boating market to cruise in the safe and pristine waters downunder.

The marina and boatyard industry in New Zealand is thriving. Kiwis turned to boating while the country’s borders were closed in the Covid years, celebrating the America’s Cup and investing in boats instead of travel. Added to this, boosts for marine infrastructure prioritized by the government and private investors as part of Covid recovery efforts has further lifted what was already a healthy sector pre-pandemic.

New Zealand has an expansive coastline but a relatively small population of around 5.5 million people, who own around 20,000 moored vessels at 50 marinas from the far north to the deep south.

Increasingly, like many around the world, the industry is constrained by water space and ability to expand, with strict regulations designed to protect the environment making the build of new operations challenging if not impossible.

That said, when there is a will there is a way, and new marinas are being built at Waiheke Island near Auckland and Whakatāne on the east coast of the North Island. While the boutique Waiheke facility provides much needed berthage for Auckland’s high-end fleet of recreational boats, Whakatāne and Ōhope are strategic investments that ensure infrastructure for commercial vessels and boat builders.

Demand for berthage is strong. Many marinas maintain extensive waiting lists. Therefore, rather than build new facilities, it is much more common to see marina and boatyards investing in expansions and reconfigurations. Along with this, the industry is continuously progressing its environmental performance, and finding ways to work more efficiently in order to service the maintenance needs of the growing fleet.

“Capital investment is a sure sign the sector is in good health and there has been plenty over the past 12 months, both in water and land-based developments including haulout equipment,” says Chris Galbraith, Chair of the New Zealand Marina Operators Association.

New Zealand prides itself on its environmental protection mindset. Policies and regulations can mean that marinas and boatyards have to adapt their approach to meet changing requirements: but NZMOA also considers that this is an opportunity to improve and to find new and better ways of doing things and business opportunities. Covering insurance risks and the cost of insurance is a challenge for the New Zealand industry and like our international counterparts, attracting and retaining staff, inflation, climate change and sea level rise and supply chain costs for construction are also issues that the industry is facing.

Galbraith explains: “Marinas and boatyards are like an environmental gateway to make sure the impact of vessels through biofouling, maintenance and waste discharge is minimized, and New Zealand has been particularly innovative in this area, setting benchmarks both through the Clean Marinas program and the strict environmental standards needed to construct or expand a new marina in recent years.”

Featured Projects

Northland

Bay of Islands Marina is a relatively modern marina that was only opened by Far North Holdings 22 years ago, but it is built around one of the oldest ports in New Zealand. In fact, its 216m wharf was constructed more than 130 years ago. In 2017, a 180-berth extension was added to the marina along with a 10,000m2 land reclamation. In 2022 its 8000sqm boatyard was fully reconstructed and resurfaced, with significant operational and system system improvements that mean the operation is now a high performer in environmental terms, which is great news for a region that thrives on marine and eco-tourism.
A new marina under the management of the Whangarei Marina team is under construction near the town basin. Okara Marina will have 114 berths ranging from 10-35m in length and will help to provide berthage for world cruisers and locally owned boats. Berths have sold quickly.

Auckland

A significant expansion of Orams Marine Village means this specialist superyacht facility is now home to 30 marine specialist businesses on a 19,274 square metre site. The marina can accommodate boats up to 90m in length and it boasts an 820 tonne travel lift and a 600 tonne slipway.
The publicly owned Westhaven Marina remains one of the biggest marinas in the Southern Hemisphere (if not the biggest) with more than 1,800 berths. It is nearing the end of the delivery of an extensive masterplan, a suite of projects encompassing more than 15 years. This includes converting underutilized space to modern marina berths, public space and boardwalks, a new marine village within the marina’s boundaries, a charter base, refurbishment program and more.
Half Moon Bay is also extensively refurbished and expanded: a new North Pier features 94 berths that were all sold before construction began, bringing the total to 582 A new boatyard is serviced by an 85-tonne travel lift and offers an undercover work area for up to 24 vessels.
An important part of the solution to Auckland’s infrastructure shortage: Tamaki Marine Park is a new entrant to the market and offers a drystack, marina and haulout in a sheltered river location. Its haul out trailers can accommodate boats up to 60 tonnes and it offers large undercover sheds.
A new marina at Waiheke Island is under construction. Kennedy Point Marina will provide permanent berthage for approximately 180 recreational boats in fully serviced berths ranging from 10m to 25m in length.It features New Zealand’s first floating car park pontoon, designed by internationally acclaimed Swedish marina company, S F Marinas AB.

East Coast

VesselWorks is a new operation in the Bay of Plenty Region that has been transformed through council investment to support the marine industry as part of the city’s economic strategy. The 3.4ha precinct provides 6300m2 of hardstand and can lift boats up to 350 tonnes.
Te Råhui Herenga Waka in Whakatāne will be the first marina owned by Māori in New Zealand. It has received resource consent and is funded by government and local council as part of an economic development strategy and to support the city’s very successful boat building industry. It will provide berthage for around 70 commercial vessels, a haulout and boatyard, and a marine training school.

South Island

The $20m Queenstown Marina opened in November with 85 berths and 85 further berths, and a suite of new commercial buildings, will be available for occupation in 2025. This marina supports nautical tourism around Lake Wakatipu on which the remote alpine town is based.
Since it was opened by the Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) in May 2018, the 170 berth Te Ana Marina has breathed life back into Lyttelton’s west side waterfront. Set between two traditional sites, Ōhinehou and Te Ana o Huikai, Te Ana is Canterbury’s only walk-on floating marina. The marina was part of a recovery plan to assist Canterbury with recovering from two significant earthquakes, and opening up more waterfront space to the public of Christchurch.

A masterplan is now being finalized for Nelson Marina in the top of the South Island that will enable this operation to meet the needs of the region for the future. It includes Reconfiguration of marina berths to meet excess demand for larger berth sizes and ensure the existing water space is used optimally, a promenade and public space, and potentially a new sea sports facility and dry stack.

Several regions will also receive impressive and much needed new hardstand facilities: a 560tonne lift for Oceania in Whangarei, a new 380 tonne travel lift for Whanganui Port, and a 400 tonne lift for the Port of Nelson hardstand project. These facilities will be particularly useful for the commercial fleet operating around New Zealand’s coasts.

Maryanne Edwards, GMBA Australia / New Zealand
Tel: +61 41 291 6036
Email: medwards@gmba.blue

The great little skipper – the legendary Charlie Barr

At a fishing village in the Scottish firths, the youngest of the Barr brothers, from a known seafarer family, was born in 1864. His mother, afraid of losing all her children at sea, led him to learn a trade on land and got him a job as a greengrocer. Charlie’s experience was short-lived on land, the saltpeter in the air intoxicated him and one day he decided to run away and found a position as a cabin assistant on a coastal trade schooner. In 1885 his brother John Barr was hired to take the 16-meter Clara to New York and Charlie embarks with him. In 1886, at age 22, he was called back to England to take over the Fife 40ft Minerva, and with her he crosses the Atlantic again. He wins numerous regattas, rising to fame as a talented and innovative skipper and making some money, as many regattas had monetary prizes then.

Charlie Barr, short at only 1.5 meters, with a bushy mustache, he was a man of few words. Despite his Glasgow dialect that Americans found very difficult to understand, he attracted the attention of the big Americans shipowners of the time (Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Morgan) and took on American nationality.

At the helm of Ingomar, he accepted the challenge of Kaiser Wilhelm II’ Meteor, in a series of regattas organized by the Royal Yacht Squadron and brought a club representative onboard during the races. At one point in the regatta the Kaiser, at the helm of Meteor, approached with good bows and the club representative yells at Charlie: “Captain, the Kaiser! Turn!”

Reply from Barr: “The Kaiser stops being Kaiser when he’s at the helm of a racing yacht!”

The two yachts maneuver on a tight near miss but without damage as the Kaiser had come about before. The regulation stipulated that the victor could choose the trophy. That afternoon, Charlie Barr requests the Kaiser to lower Meteor’s pennant and be given to him as a trophy. The Kaiser objects, but Barr doesn’t budge. Today, that pennant is still on display at the Royal Yacht Squadron. Charlie Barr was hired to skipper Columbia, winning the 1899 and 1901 America’s Cup, and Reliance, with which he was awarded the 1903 one. Nine wins over nine regattas. 84 years would pass until Dennis Conner could equal the record, and 100 years until Russell Coutts did.

In 1904 Kaiser Wilhelm launched a challenge of crossing the Atlantic. Charlie Barr was skipper of the 57-meter schooner Atlantic, belonging to Mr. Marshall, who would take part in the regatta with six guests. Charlie hires 51 fishermen from Nova Scotia as crew. Regatta rules required to remove the propellers and display them on deck. He takes the hard route towards the north and following the orthodromia. On the sixth day they do a 341-mile run. The ninth day Atlantic sails on the reach by a following storm, just a small jib and a square sail up. The decks were swept by the waves and two men were busy with the steering wheel. The owner Mr. Marshall requests from Charlie Barr to head into the wind and wait until the storm eases. The skipper answers: “Mr. Marshall, you engaged me to win this race, and that is what I intend to do”. He then accompanies him to his cabin, closes the door and locks it. Charlie Barr and Atlantic won the Kaiser Cup and broke the record for crossing the Atlantic. The record was kept for 75 years. He died of a heart attack during a visit to his family in Southampton at age 46, in 1911. He is still recognized as the best skipper of all times.

Oscar Siches, CMP, GMBA Spain
Tel: +34 667 494 858
Email: oscar.siches@gmba.blue

Q & A: What are some of the examples of projects GMBA has been involved in?

We receive questions and queries via our website and social media on a regular basis and use the newsletter as an opportunity to share some expertise and information with our readers. In this edition, however, we want to give some examples of key projects GMBA team members have been involved in as there is some uncertainty in the marketplace.

GMBA is a group of independent consultants who individually and in partnership with each other, provide a range of business consultancy services, at a competitive price. It is so well summarized by our GMBA Australia and New Zealand representative, Maryanne Edwards:

“It is a tough road for businesses entering and surviving in the marine industry nationally and globally whether in the recreational boating or the superyacht sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made this more difficult. It has been exciting that GMBA has continuously been able to open doors to global markets, providing relevant industry research to allow businesses to make timely and quality decisions. The ability for GMBA to provide key introductions for exporters and importers has been enormous value in shortcutting that often arduous road to new markets.”

Since its inception, GMBA has flourished, growing to 19 consultants over 5 continents and 19 countries. Given the close relationships between GMBA advisors, their services have been able to be provided efficiently and effectively. This ensures the client gets the best advice, connections, and data available at a realistic and affordable cost.

To date there have been a significant number of projects undertaken, a sample of these being:

Assessing the situation of marinas in specific countries/regions in order to implement strategic development plans for boating activities.
Helping marine industry businesses explore potential export markets.
Undertaking in depth market research recommending potential dealers for boat manufacturers
Undertaking assessments, technical diagnosis, and consulting missions for Port authorities.
Provision of research and support for the development of superyacht hubs
Development of industry award applications to ensure success and relevance
Working with boat builders/manufacturers to find subcontract manufacturing across the globe.
Developing market intelligence webinars for the industry.
Collation of current industry global situation for various industry publication
Advising on the development of industry trade and boat shows
Assisting with the sale of marine industry businesses
Development of marketing strategies and key data for businesses to enter global markets, including reviewing websites for various businesses to optimize sales.
Researching investment opportunities for global players.
Designing and assessing feasibility of automated dry stacks.
Appraisal for marina acquisitions and marina designs.
Development of business proposals to access government funding

Drop us an email and we can chat about how we can assist you in unlocking opportunities.

Skye Advance Africa – pushing the boundaries in the African workboat sector

The demand for affordable, durable and safe workboats in Africa has never been greater. Skye Advance Africa is looking to fill that gap by manufacturing light weight, reliable vessels here in Cape Town for the local South African market, and setting up partnerships in the rest of Africa to manufacture and supply into those local markets too.

I was privileged enough to meet two of the team members in Westlake, Cape Town, to see their new Composite Innovation Centre. Ewen Niske is the Founder and CEO. His specialisations include, but are not limited to advanced and high modulus composites. Ewald Engelbrecht, the General Manager, joined in June 2022 and has over 20 years’ Naval experience and a vast network of contacts within the defence and maritime sector. Ewald believes that Skye Advance is ready to lead the charge for innovation in the workboat sector. “Skye Advance has positioned itself as a leader in composites and is able to fill the market gap in workboats”.

This facility provides Skye Advance with a modern environment to facilitate development of specialised closed moulding technology for the marine sector where composites are applied. The facility was created after the successful completion of scientific research, funded by DTIC, into locally produced raw materials for use in the commercial and defence workboats sector in Africa. Aluminium has long been the material of choice in African workboats but this study highlighted the advantages of high modulus composites over aluminium, and has opened a world of opportunities for manufacturing the crucial workboats not only in South Africa, but in other African countries too.

Tooling is underway for the Skye 10 and 38 series, due to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. There is real interest in the vessels both locally and across the African continent. The, lightweight, high payload fresh water workboats are designed to service Africa’s demand for safer and more efficient work platforms for fishing, patrol and ferry.

One of the key things that drives the success of Skye Advance is their passion about education and training. Ewen is a great mentor and educator, committed to delivering QUALITY and PRACTICAL training to his team. He is a perfectionist and understands the exacting standards involved in closed moulding.

“Mostly in the young I see the most potential for teaching processes as they are blessed with 2 important traits , the need to feel purpose and the wish it develop their lives “, says Ewen. Presently there are two dynamic young men, Byron and Reginal, training under his careful eye.

Skye Advance is preparing to launch the Skye 10 Series into Africa this year. They have aligned themselves with supportive suppliers that will help them get there. They are also looking at new production partners to optimise in country local production, upskilling and sustainable job creation.
Their motto says it all: Skye Advance is building in Africa for Africa and beyond!

Veda Pretorius, South Africa
Tel: +27 82 975 1156
Email: veda.pretorius@gmba.blue