Kiwi boatie lands US market
Passionate Southlanders are building vessels to float the dreams of American boaties and fishers, reports.
Collette Devlin
Boat design and manufacturing company Stabicraft has developed a purpose-built vessel for the US fishing lodge market.
The company first developed the Alaskan Special for Doc Warner’s Alaska Adventure’s fishing lodge which purchased 23 and now plans to replace its entire fleet.
Off the back of several years developing and refining the vessel specifically for the needs of the fishing lodge, Stabicraft is now launching its craft into the wider North American and Canadian fishing lodge markets.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is working with Stabicraft to grow the commercial side of its business that will complement its successful recreational line of products.
Founded by chief executive Paul Adams in 1987, Stabicraft boats are exported globally.
Adams, with his former business partner Bruce Dickens, built their first commercial workboat out of a backstreet workshop in Invercargill in 1987.
It was a rigid hulled aluminium chambered dinghy called the Ally Duck.
These days, clients include the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Coastguard, Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services, and Australian Customs and Border
"It's also the people. I have a fantastic team who put these boats together with such passion." Paul Adams
Protection Service.
The company makes about 600 boats every year and employs 74 staff at its Invercargill factory. It also has a group of about 30 global dealers.
The business is one of the biggest employers of apprentices in the New Zealand marine industry – a fact Adams is proud of.
‘‘We are always looking for great people who want to find a trade.
‘‘Some people do not want to go to university, and have great practical skills.
‘‘We offer great training programmes and have a great relationship with the Marine Industry Association.’’
The virtually unsinkable product was only part of the reason for his business success.
‘‘It’s also the people. I have a fantastic team who put these boats together with such passion.’’
However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the business.
‘‘The GFC was a reality for everyone and that was a huge challenge for us to get through.
‘‘We feel like we are just back and are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities.’’
Adams said the US market opportunity was large, with more than 12 million registered fishing vessels in the US alone.
With each vessel retailing for about $30,000, he is expecting an initial increase in export revenue of around $1.5 million a year.
But the full potential is yet to be determined as part of a three-year growth strategy for the market, he said.
‘‘What we’ve identified is an opportunity with a proven product that meets the needs of the massive US fishing lodge market.
‘‘It’s a market with its own unique boating and fishing styles, very different to what we see in New Zealand and Australia.
‘‘And we’ve put a lot of work into understanding the customer and developing a solution that works.’’
Stabicraft sells recreational vessels through dealers but the commercial models will go directly to the customers such as Warner.
Warner first approached Stabicraft in 2007 seeking a safer solution for its customers.
‘‘The positive buoyancy is important but we also found Stabicraft to be soft on the water.
‘‘The boats don’t seem to mind what sort of sea is being thrown at them and neither do the guests,’’ Warner said.