Palmer Johnson, Westport, San Lorenzo and Feadship among leading exhibitors confirmed for 2012 show

Singapore; 20 February 2012: Organisers of the Singapore Yacht Show are delighted that more and more heavyweight international yachting brands including Palmer Johnson, Feadship, Westport and San Lorenzo will be heading to Singapore to participate in this year’s show – Asia’s top dedicated superyacht and luxury boat show. These industry stalwarts have produced some of the most spectacular luxury superyachts in the world, including the motor yachts Helix (48m) and Onyx (43m) all of which will be making their massive presence felt when they line up with some 30 other yachts and boats on the dock at ONE°15 Marina Club on April 27th.

A new addition in the world super yachting calendar, the Singapore Yacht Show 2012 is expected to attract some 6,000 high society guests from around Asia looking to experience all that Singapore has to offer, at the same time as connecting with the very best-known yacht and boat builders, brokers, dealers, designers and suppliers in the industry.  Burgess, Ocean Independence, Simpson Marine and Northrop & Johnson are all world-renowned yacht brokers and charter brokers who are there to support the new local industry in this exciting early phase of its development.

Andy Treadwell, Managing Director of Informa Yacht Group explains, “The show is obviously much bigger this year, and many of Asia’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, business people and movers and shakers will be converging on Singapore to see some of the biggest names in yacht building and brokerage. These guys are coming half way round the world to present some very well-known and eagerly anticipated boats which are making their Asian débuts at the Singapore Yacht Show.”

He added, “We are extremely proud to host industry leaders such as these, who are keen to introduce their yachts and yacht services to the new market in this region. We provide the perfect platform, in the perfect place, for them to launch their businesses in Asia. Singapore is now becoming known as the Switzerland of the East, as well as the Monaco of the East, and this is for a very good reason!  Private banking, casinos, night life and sport - that’s why we are getting such a great response when we and our partners extend a personal invitation to a very select audience to attend the Singapore Yacht Show!”

Palmer Johnson, the world famous builder of ultra-sleek luxury high performance power boats, are participating in the Singapore Yacht Show for the 2nd year running, confirming their commitment to growing their business in the region. Russell Morris, P-J’s Sales Director, explains, ‘We see it as a long-term strategy to participate in what we believe will become the key industry event in the natural hub for the whole region. We regard our role here partly as “educational”, in the sense that we are introducing the Palmer Johnson brand into a new market, but also introducing the many wealthy people in the region who are not familiar with yachting to a lifestyle that is perfectly suited to private entertaining for family and business associates.’

New to the Singapore Yacht Show this year is Burgess, one of the biggest and most prestigious yacht brokers in the world. Asia is fast establishing itself as a new yachting playground for the elite, and brands like Burgess now want to explore the most credible and valuable networking opportunities for forging lasting relationships with this exclusive but fast-expanding community. The Singapore Yacht Show, after only one edition, has already laid claim to a reputation of providing the best platform in the natural hub for the yachting industry, and the most appreciative regional audience with a real interest in yachting and an enormous propensity to consume.

The 4th Asia Pacific Superyacht Conference runs from 25-26 April, immediately prior to the Singapore Yacht Show, and is a highly important event for the global superyacht industry. It is the only platform in the region to bring together local industry professionals with global players from the West, to discuss the key issues and opportunities in Asia.

The conference programme is an energetic forum to listen and learn about from the pitfalls and the potential for new business here: yacht services; designing yachts to appeal to Asian tastes and lifestyle; how Western companies need to market themselves where there is little familiarity with the yachting lifestyle; and local rules, regulations, and obstacles. International industry players meet local service providers and government rule-makers, with the aim of promoting and developing the region for the superyacht industry. Guest speakers and a confirmed schedule of events will be available soon.

The Asia Pacific Superyacht Conference and the Singapore Yacht Show are important events striving to promote Asia as a yachting destination, grow the industry locally to the advantage of the local economy, and provide a quality showcase of luxury yachts to a select audience from around the region.

The British Marine Federation’s South West region brought together over 60 key representatives from industry, marine and local businesses at its Conference and AGM, held at South Devon College, in Paignton on 10th February.  The event was sponsored by Hayes Parsons, Bartons Solicitors, and Boatshed Dartmouth.

The South West has seen plenty of activity during 2012 with a 15% increase in new members in 2011, the launch of a new website, and a successful ‘Try a Boat’ event held in May.  The region’s growth and activities were congratulated by the British Marine Federation’s Chairman Alan Morgan, who also spoke about the BMF‘s activities nationally and internationally.

The AGM was followed by the conference, which included round table discussion on key business sectors, enabling delegates to gain useful and practical information and support for their businesses.  Subjects included the superyacht sector, renewables, export, HR recruitment and retention, waste management, legal and business support, sources of finance, and boat registration.

Each discussion group was hosted by a facilitator and a specialist, including Stephen Reynolds from Barclays Corporate, Neil Stallard from Alpha Logic Waste Management, Nick Kirsop-Taylor from REGEN SW, Andrew Storey from Credit Protection Association, Tom Reed from Scanstrut, and Tom Chant from BMF Superyacht UK.

Three 45 minute sessions enabled delegates to move between tables, ensuring plenty of lively discussions and useful networking opportunities.  Ben Sharp, from Devon-based electronics manufacturer Sharp & Tappin Technology Ltd said; “The day was well planned at an excellent venue and proved to be a very valuable networking opportunity. I have already attended one follow up meeting with one of the companies I met there with a positive outcome.

The discussion topics were relevant to current business issues and the specialists on the tables were very helpful. It was an excellent opportunity to meet fellow BMF members and it also re reinforced that we should use the BMF services as a resource more frequently.”

Following the conference, there was a short presentation by marine apprentices from South Devon College, and delegates had the opportunity to tour the college’s boat building and repair facilities at Noss.  BMF South West’s Chairman Will Blagdon said; “This was the second year that we have held this style of conference with round table discussions and networking at our AGM, and it has again proved very successful.  Attendees had the benefit of hearing about the BMF’s activities and support for its members from the very top, and could also take the opportunity to raise the pertinent questions and issues facing them in their businesses.  I’d like to thank all the experts for their time and support, our sponsors, and our secretary Paul Singer who organised the majority of this event.”

The next key event being organised by BMF South West, in conjunction with South Devon Marine, is the On the Water event, taking place on 2nd and 3rd June at the South Embankment, Dartmouth.

Trade Show Expands and Broadens Its Reach to All Segments of the Boating Industry, Scheduled for Oct. 2-4 in Louisville

MIAMI – Feb. 16, 2012 – (Marine NewsWire) The 22nd annual International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) is scheduled to take place Oct. 2-4, 2012, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. The trade show and industry gathering is owned and co-produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Professional BoatBuilder magazine.

“It’s not too early to start planning for IBEX 2012,” said co-director Carl Cramer. “The boating business is finally starting to turn the corner, and at IBEX you can get a jump-start on the business upsurge by seeing what’s on the horizon in new products for the coming year, learning about new technologies and techniques, making deals, engaging with customers, meeting with your distribution partners and networking with your peers.”

IBEX show management anticipates an increase in attendance as the marine industry business climate continues to improve. “With more than 100,000 sq ft of exhibit space, 500+ exhibitors, 90+ technical/business seminars, 12+ free exhibitor workshops and three full days of meetings with business partners and trade customers, IBEX will be the premier trade event on the boating industry calendar for 2012,” said Cramer. “IBEX is moving beyond its traditional core market of production and custom boatbuilders, and is becoming an industry-wide event with something for everyone. We’ll again be featuring an outdoor demo area, Connect Fest, sponsored by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), and the dedicated Aftermarket Pavilion sponsored by Soundings Trade Only will offer exhibits, seminars and events tailored to the interests of distributors and retailers and much more.”

IBEX is moving to a new time slot for 2012, two weeks earlier than 2011. “Under our agreement with the Kentucky Exposition Center, we will gradually move it earlier on the calendar over the next two years into a mid-September timeframe, which research has shown is the most desirable time for exhibitors and attendees,” said Cramer.

Last year’s IBEX, held Oct. 17-19, was a successful event despite the economic slump affecting the boating business, with 555 exhibitors, including 41 international companies from 11 countries, showing their products and services to 4,672 marine industry professionals attending. There were also 90 seminars in 14 different tracks presenting technical information as well as management, service and operations.

“IBEX has been and remains important to us because during these last few years of a slower than average economy, our experience has been that the quality of attendees has been much higher,” said Ronnie Free of Frees, Inc., a long-time exhibitor at IBEX. “By quality I mean that the persons visiting our booth were in key decision making positions. We are seeing more owners and top executives. And the value of seeing our customers, getting to say thank you and getting to say hello to old friends is priceless.”

About IBEX

IBEX is owned and produced by Professional BoatBuilder magazine and NMMA. For boatbuilders, designers, repairers, surveyors, and boatyard/marine operators, IBEX is the single source for the latest boatbuilding technologies, tools, and materials. For complete information, visit: www.ibexshow.com.

About Professional BoatBuilder magazine

Professional BoatBuilder, a boatbuilding-industry trade magazine, was first published in 1989 in response to a growing need for a dedicated forum for boatbuilding-related professionals. The magazine’s worldwide readership exceeds 24,000 (subject to BPA international audit). Professional BoatBuilder is online at www.proboat.com.

About NMMA

The NMMA is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in North America. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. Learn more at www.nmma.org.

Scorpion RIBs are considered to be one of the premier RIB manufacturers in Europe and since being sold to business entrepreneur and confirmed RIB enthusiast, Patrick Byrne, the company has been completely restructured, pressing forward with new designs, personnel and company strategy.

On January 12th this year, Scorpion invited journalists, established customers, friends and business associates to the grand opening of their new, very impressive works situated about a mile from their existing operation in Lymington. The new set up has it all, with a state of the art layout to make the ergonomics flow cohesively from one division to the next. Compared with the rather disjointed layout of the old works at Haven Quay, the new set up is a revelation.

For the time being, the sales office remains at the old premises but everything else, including the GRP moulding work, tube manufacturing, boat fit out and engineering will be carried out at the new climate controlled operation at Ampress Works on the outskirts of Lymington.

Not only does the new expansion allow for new models to be developed and brought into production more quickly, it also allows for a significant increase in the number of craft that can be built over a twelve month period whilst at the same time significantly reduce delivery times.

With 2000 sq feet of spotless new workshop and 29 skilled workers, it is clear that Patrick and his team are here for the long haul and ready to welcome established and new buyers into the Scorpion family.

We wish them every success.

Suzuki is motoring into 2012 with the announcement of its sponsorship of The Powerboat and RIB Show.

The free-to-visit event, which will be held at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth from May 11 to 13, is expected to attract more than 80,000 people. Among the attractions will be a wide selection of RIBs, powerboats and associated products for sale, the opportunity to trial boats on the open water and free Suzuki RIB rides.

Gareth Lumsdaine, Sales and Marketing Manager for Suzuki GB’s Marine Division, said:

“Suzuki is proud to sponsor The Powerboat and RIB Show in this very exciting year of change and we are looking forward to a great show. It has always been a fantastic event and fits perfectly with our exhibition strategy of focusing on shows where customers can get out on the water and try our range of lightweight and fuel-efficient four stroke outboard motors.”

Organiser, Hugo Montgomery-Swan, added: “I am delighted to have such a great name like Suzuki affiliated with the show. Its support of the marine industry is to be commended and I know The Powerboat and RIB Show, with its tens of thousands of expected visitors, will provide real return on Suzuki’s sponsorship.”

Suzuki will have a major presence at the show including the Suzuki RIB Experience, which will offer free RIB rides to show visitors. Amongst the Suzuki powered boats will also be Wetwheels, which is a 9m Cheetah catamaran powered by two Suzuki 300hp outboards. Wetheels is the latest project by disabled sailor Geoff Holt MBE and will enable fellow wheelchair users to get out on the water for a powerboat experience as well.

Exhibitor space is still available for The Powerboat and RIB Show and any companies interested in booking a stand should contact The Powerboat and RIB Show on 01884 266100.

To find out more visit www.powerboatandribshow.com.

Henshaw Inflatables Ltd, based in Wincanton, Somerset have recently commissioned a completely new website to feature their unique range of products, accessories and services. www.henshaw.co.uk

The company have had an existing website for 12 years but found that it was failing to generate enough interest or sales enquiries.

Iconography put forward a proposal for a completely new site that would reinforce the uniqueness of the company, clearly present the breadth of their products and services, encourage positive enquiries and generate on-line shopping.

Founded in 1974, Henshaw’s are acknowledged as a major force in the global market for Inflatable Boats but don’t manufacture any actual vessels -Their acknowledged skill and expertise is in the design, development and manufacture of inflatable tubes and collars for over 80 boat builders throughout the world and as such their products are an integral part of vessels as diverse as small leisure RIB’s to military spec RIB’s used by armed forces throughout the world. In addition they design and supply various Super Yacht products including Inflatable fenders, Sea Pools and other unique products ‘We felt our existing site was failing to match our high profile in the inflatable boat building sector, comments Chris Hornidge, Henshaw’s MD,’ Iconography quickly picked up on the challenges involved and worked closely with us to create a very clean, attractive and functional website, that we feel reflects our professionalism and expertise.’

The new site clearly features the very comprehensive range of product categories and offers a unique RIB ‘visualiser’ function that allows on-line customers to ‘build their own boat’.

The site has been developed by Ilminster based Iconography who specialise in successfully working with a variety of specialist manufacturers, retailers and organisations to create effective ecommerce websites. The Iconography team have worked closely with Henshaws to co-develop the brief and have created an attractive, easy to use, secure site that incorporates the very latest ecommerce technology.

‘ The Henshaws project was an interesting challenge,’ comments, Iconography MD, Wayne Roberts, ‘it was vital that we presented the company in a way that reflected their status in their field – itself a global market, while at the same time to creating an robust, easy to access and functional site.’

For further details, please contact:

Wayne Robbins, MD, Iconography on 01460 258530

For more information on ICONOGRAPHY, please visit   http://www.iconography.co.uk

For more information on Henshaw Inflatables Ltd, please visit http://www.henshaw.co.uk

WORLDWIDE boat transportation firm, PSP, says 2012 has got off to a roaring start as a result of its attendance at the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show.

Managing Director, Frank Dixie, said: “This has been our most successful London show to date. Despite talk of ticket sales and attendance being down, we took more actual bookings than ever before.

“We held several successful meetings not just with individuals looking to transport boats, but also with fellow exhibitors about their boat transportation and wider logistics needs.”

PSP, sponsor of the PSP Southampton Boat Show, kicked off the 10-day event with a positive mood as it announced that its marine turnover had increased by 20 per cent last year.

Frank concluded: “While the news is seemingly filled with stories about companies of all types going under, the marine industry really does have reason to be positive. We are just one example of a marine related company doing well and we are certainly not afraid to say it.

“We will not rest on our laurels though. We will continue to support the marine sector and be seen at shows such as this in order to cement our relationship with the industry.”

Although the home market remains quiet, Revenger Boat Company continues to steam ahead. Their European dealers having secured orders for three stepped hulled outboard powered boats, consisting of a 29 twin 250hp for Austria, a 29 single 350hp for France and a top of the range 32 twin 300hp for Norway.

It seems that in parallel with the highest end British car market, build quality and handling continues to be in demand for the foreign marketplace. Revenger’s reputation has brought them sales from beyond the UK and Europe, including such places as America, Australia and China.

This worldwide interest in their products has demanded the appointment of yet more overseas outlets, adding to an already impressive list. The most recent of which is their Hong Kong dealership, opened in January of this year.

January 2012 – Jolyon Martin, the UK RIB and OEM Sales Manager at Raymarine, was announced as the Marine Trades Association’s Personality of the Year at the Awards Dinner held during the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show.

The award was a complete surprise for Jolyon, who had not even known he had been nominated for the prestigious award.  Rob Clay, Managing Director of TCS Chandlery, was one of the people who voted for Jolyon.  He said, “We voted for Jolyon because he is a true industry person.  He is totally likeable, genuine, and works with us to develop our business.  The support he provides is invaluable and his knowledge outstanding.”

Jolyon has worked in the marine industry for over 25 years.   Initially working for eight years in a chandlery in Plymouth, he moved to Simpson and Lawrence as an electronics specialist.  After five years in that role he moved to Raymarine.  Initially the UK Area Manager, he has worked at Raymarine in export sales, and is now the UK Retail and RIB OEM Sales Manager.

Jolyon received his award to cheers of delight from the packed audience of fellow marine industry colleagues.  “I was totally surprised to hear my name being read out,” he said.  “I had no idea I had even been nominated.  It’s a wonderful accolade to receive this award and I’m absolutely delighted.”

From 12th January 2012, the McMurdo Fast Find Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) will be permitted for use on land in the UK as well as at sea, following a change in legislation by OFCOM, the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom.

Whilst the use of PLBs has been permitted in maritime and aviation environments, OFCOM’s published regulations now permit the use of PLBs on land in the UK, which heralds huge progress for the safety of those taking part in outdoor activities around the country. It is recommended that anyone venturing in to remote areas where there are limited means of communication, whether that be on land or at sea, carries a PLB. In the event that the emergency services cannot be contacted via phone due to battery or signal strength, a PLB gives a direct method of alerting the search and rescue authorities, no matter how remote the location.

Commenting on the change in legislation, Ross Wilkinson, Global Sales Director of McMurdo Ltd said, “We have been campaigning for a number of years to permit the use of PLBs on land in the UK, which have been permitted for use in the maritime and aviation environments, as well as on land in numerous countries around the world for many years.

“The Fast Find 210 PLB has been instrumental in a vast number of documented rescues around the world from bear attacks in Alaska to climbers in New Zealand and rescues in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In 2010 alone 2,338 people were rescued in 641 distress situations globally using information provided by the COSPAS SARSAT system*.

“This change in legislation is a real breakthrough in the safety of outdoor enthusiasts venturing in to remote areas of the UK. Thanks to the beacon’s 50-channel GPS, which gives precise location co-ordinates to the search and rescue services, the Fast Find takes the ‘search’ out of ‘search and rescue’ and will ultimately reduce costs to these emergency responders.”

McMurdo’s Fast Find 210 PLB is a powerful distress beacon, which operates on the global 406 MHz search and rescue satellite communication system, COSPAS SARSAT. The COSPAS SARSAT* system is a global goverment-controlled system which defines a common standard for search and rescue by satellites. As well as sending out a distress signal by satellite, the Fast Find PLB transmits a 121.5MHz homing signal, to enable search and rescue teams to home in on the beacon once in the vicinity. The Fast Find 210 PLB is subscritption free and does not rely on commercial call centres. It also has a 50-channel GPS to give precise location co-ordinates and make recovery speedier and more efficient. The location of a Fast Find 210 GPS PLB can be determined to a typical positional accuracy of +/- 62m (0.03 miles) within a few minutes of activation , making it a must have personal device for all safety-conscious sailors and outdoor enthusiasts.

The beacon is waterproof to 10 metres, will operate in temperatures as low as -20? and is small in size; weighing just 150g and measuring D 34mm x W 47mm x L 106mm making it easy to carry tucked in to a pocket or on a belt. Once activated, the Fast Find will transmit continuously for a minimum of 24 hours at a powerful 5 watt output and also features a LED flash light to assist with rescues at night or during limited visibility. The beacon is easy to activate with a simple three-stage activation function and contains a replaceable battery with 5 years storage life.

The Fast Find PLB 210 is available with a retail price of £225 ex VAT. For further information and a list of stockists, visit www.fastfindplb.com.

In recent years there have been a number of accidents caused by the failure of on-load release hooks during lifeboat drills, which have resulted in seafarers being seriously injured and even killed. IMO has therefore been developing measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats.

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has been following the IMO discussions through the Industry Lifeboat Group (ILG), which is made up of a wide range of shipping industry organisations and is co-ordinated by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and IMCA has now published an information note (IMCA M 20/11) on the subject, which is available to members on the ‘members-only’ website.

The information note explains that earlier in 2011, after lengthy deliberations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted new design requirements for on-load release hooks for lifeboats. On-load release mechanisms must be evaluated against the new requirements by 1 July 2013, and any non-compliant hooks must be replaced no later than the first scheduled dry docking of the ship after 1 July 2014 but, in any case, not later than 1 July 2019.

The requirements will apply to new and existing on-load release hook designs and will necessitate the assessment and possible replacement of large numbers of lifeboat hooks. There could therefore be significant cost and scheduling implications, and vessel operators should start discussing the new requirements with hook manufacturers and flag state representatives as soon as possible.

“The new requirements are an important step forward, but there are still a number of outstanding issues,” explains IMCA’s Chief Executive, Hugh Williams. “Shipping industry organisations, including IMCA, have therefore developed supplementary guidance on the selection of replacement hooks, which recommends considering hook designs that incorporate a permanent secondary safety system, such as a locking pin. In addition, IMO has agreed to continue to keep lifeboat safety issues on its agenda, so members should anticipate further developments on this issue in due course.”

Information note IMCA M 20/11 looks at the background to the issue; at the new IMO requirements; at industry guidance – with hyperlinks to relevant documents; and at further IMO work explaining that members should be aware that there are likely to be further developments on this important issue.

Further information on IMCA is available from at www.imca-int.com and from IMCA, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AU, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7824 5520; Fax: +44 (0)20 7824 5521; JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING

Bainbridge Marine is delighted to announce its appointment as UK marine distributor for Gerber, a company dedicated to making high quality, innovative knives, multi-tools, torches and equipment.

Bainbridge Marine is well established as one of the UK’s leading marine wholesalers and is committed to delivering the best products available to marine professionals. Combining their experience with the expert knowledge that SailForce, Bainbridge’s network of sales agents, already has of the Gerber range, will provide customers with a first class support service.

The Gerber range will be stocked and available for immediate delivery from Bainbridge Marine’s Southampton warehouse from January 2012. The products will also be available for customers to browse and buy online from the beginning of the year.

About Gerber

Gerber is a name synonymous with quality, a company committed to developing one-of-a-kind innovations. Products include knives, multi-tools, torches and the Bear Grylls Survival Series, which brings together Gerber’s 70 years of expertise with Grylls’ extensive outdoor survival experience to create a range of innovative knives, tools and gear that offer a multitude of uses in any environment.

www.gerbergear.com

About Bainbridge Marine

Bainbridge Marine, the marine hardware division of Bainbridge International, is a leading UK distributor of top international brands including Quick, Ritchie, Teleflex Marine, OverBoard, RWO, Hempel, Perko, Hubbell, Marlow Ropes, Hella, Shurflo, MG Duff and many more. www.bainbridgemarine.co.uk

Sutton Harbour Marina has been awarded five Gold Anchors following a recent assessment by The Yacht Harbour Association. The rating is the highest which can be achieved, and is a reflection of the consistently high standard of facilities and customer service at the marina. Sutton Harbour Marina also benefits from following the Green Blue’s environmental policy and has recently joined the RYA’s active marina scheme to further enhance its strong customer service focus.

Mark Brimacombe, Sutton Harbour Marina Manager said: “We are absolutely delighted to have achieved the highest possible Gold Anchor rating by The Yacht Harbour Association. We are extremely proud of the quality of our facilities and staff, and it is great to have that recognised by a leading industry award scheme.”

The Gold Anchor Award Scheme has been operated for 23 years by The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) and is based on the TYHA Code of Practice for the design construction and operation of marinas.

Gareth Turnbull, General Manager at The Yacht Harbour Association added: “Any Gold Anchor Award issued is a sure sign of a credible, quality marina. The number of anchors awarded is a direct reflection of the facilities and standard of service available to berth holders and compliance with statutory regulations. It is great to see Sutton Harbour Marina taking such a proactive approach to their quality standards.  It is clear that this reflects in the excellent service they offer their berth holders”.

The Yacht Harbour Association provides support for marinas and related business throughout the UK and internationally.

Westerbeke Corporation, is pleased to announce the appointment of AYS (Advance Yacht Systems Limited) as a Westerbeke Master Distributor for the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. AYS specializes in onboard systems; engines, generators, inverters/chargers, electrical power management, air conditioning and watermakers.

The ability to provide a complete, yet focused package of complimentary core products allows AYS to focus their expertise on all they offer in regards to both sales and technical support. As keen sailors, both blue water cruising and racing, the AYS staff brings an enthusiasm to the marine industry providing the customer satisfaction they would expect themselves. Westerbeke is pleased to be a part of this endeavor.

For more information on Advance Yacht Systems, please visit www.advanceyacht.co.uk. For further information, contact Westerbeke Corporation, 150 John Hancock Road, Taunton, MA 02780 USA; Telephone: 508.823.7677 Email: JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING Website: www.westerbeke.com

ICS Electronics, a West Sussex marine company with only ten employees, has beaten national competition at this year’s prestigious British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEA), to scoop both the highly acclaimed Gran d Prix award, as well as the 2011 Small Business of the Year award.

The BEEA are designed to recognise and promote the quality of engineering design within the UK, enabling smaller companies to compete on an even platform with larger ones. This year’s event was held on the 13^th October at the London Globe Theatre, and over 50 UK companies were shortlisted to receive an award.

Established in 1982, ICS Electronics has gained itself an enviable reputation as one of the most experienced suppliers of marine communications systems. The company operates within the coast station, commercial and leisure markets to provide turnkey solutions for Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS), Digital Selective Calling (DSC), VHF, MF, HF radio communication and NAVTEX.

ICS Electronics was recognised by the panel of judges for its exceptional business structure within a highly competitive market. With just ten employees, the company has still managed to install more Digital Selective Calling and NAVTEX systems than any other company. With 85% of its turnover coming from export, ICS Electronics has continually invested in product development to secure global recognition for its marine communication systems, which are now widely used in 55 countries by over 1000 operators. In addition the company helps to set industry best-practise by participating in international committees, maritime organisations and technical forums. As a result it is regularly consulted by international agencies for guidance on marine communication issues.

One of the judges said: “I couldn’t believe that such an influential company only has ten employees – it’s deeply impressive, and I am particularly impressed that a product with global reach is from a small UK company”.

Peter Batt, Business Development Manager at ICS Electronics said: “We are absolutely delighted that ICS has been recognised by the British Engineering Excellence Awards. We have a strong and long track record, good repeat business, market specific products, competitive prices, high quality products and high levels of customer satisfaction.”

*Pictured from left to right: Eric Wilkinson chairman of the judging panel and Chief Operating Officer at Cambridge Consulting and Managing Director at ICS Electronics, Kevin Page

Crewsaver, the leading manufacturer of lifejackets and water-sports equipment, has appointed David Ellis as its new Sales & Marketing Director.

The high profile appointment will strengthen the Gosport-based business as it seeks to take advantage of new opportunities to develop the Crewsaver®, YAK® and CSR® brands as part of the global Survitec Group.

Parent company Survitec Service & Distribution (SSD) believes David's experience and track record in driving sales, implementing creative marketing strategies and launching new product lines will help take the Crewsaver business to a new level. In a career spanning 25 years David has honed his sales, account management and marketing skills with a number of major brands.

Before joining Crewsaver, David was Marketing Manager for the UK's leading online lingerie retailer Figleaves.Com where he developed an in-depth knowledge of online marketing.  Prior to this he spent 12 years with Henri Lloyd, one of the major manufacturers of technical sailing apparel and high street fashion garments. As UK Marine Sales & Marketing Manager he was responsible for all aspects of business development including building new product categories and setting up key sponsorship deals with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and Olympic sailing champion Ben Ainslie.

Said David: "It is a great time to be joining Crewsaver.  Under the Survitec umbrella there will be the resources to grow and develop the business in so many exciting directions.  My immediate focus will be on understanding how the business operates, getting to know Crewsaver's talented team and formulating a clear sales and marketing strategy. It will be important to not only connect our sales efforts with our marketing activities, but also leverage the obvious synergies between Crewsaver and the other Survitec brands."

Outside of work David is a keen sailor and has been involved in coaching the GBR sailing team at world-championship level. In his younger days he was a bronze medallist at the world team racing championships and campaigned an Olympic 470 dinghy from 1992-1996.

Added Andrew Richards, SSD's Managing Director: "David's appointment is important for us and for the Crewsaver business.  His arrival signals Survitec's commitment to growing SSD and developing the Crewsaver®, YAK® and CSR® brands.  With David's experience in sales, marketing and of course, the leisure marine market, we will be able to drive sales and take Crewsaver to the next level.

Further information on Crewsaver can be found at www.crewsaver.co.uk.

UK manufacturer Ribcraft hands over Ferryside Lifeboat featuring several bespoke features at PSP Southampton Boat Show - View it on Stand C043

The South West Wales Ferryside lifeboat crew will have plenty to celebrate this Friday when British UK manufacturer Ribcraft performs the official handover of its brand new lifeboat at the 2011 Southampton Boat Show at 13.15 on Stand CO43.

Ferryside chose Ribcraft to design and build its new lifeboat because they wanted a company capable of providing a strong, durable craft of the highest quality that would offer a bespoke service that meant they could place all instruments exactly where they wanted them.

Anthony Rees, Ferryside’s coxswain, says, “Ribcraft was the obvious choice as not only do we already have one of their boats, but also we value their input and expertise as design consultants.  For example the design of the hull was particularly important and Ribcraft built an excellent offshore rib hull with upgraded 1500 gsm Orca 866 Hypalon tubing.”

The boat operates in and around Carmarthan Bay and has to cope with a large tidal range which means it has to float in shallow water as well as using its twin engine 90 hp motors to reach an incident as fast as possible.

Another important feature is the addition of Raymarine’s revolutionary e7 multifunctional display (MFD) with built-in WiFi connectivity so that the crew can access the e7 screen display from anywhere on-board via mobile iOS devices. This is particularly useful as Anthony Rees explains, “Being able to access the display from a variety of positions is ideal when training as it means that I can be situated in the navigational position but also see exactly what is happening at the helm. However the biggest advantage is the built in redundancy so if we lose one, there is a fully functional spare.”

Dorian Martin, Ribcraft Project Manager said, “We chose Raymarine’s new e7 because much of what was required in the spec from the client, including dual displays, connectivity, BLUETOOTH connection to the onboard mobile phone is in fact packaged in the system from Raymarine and Neptune.

“We are delighted that Raymarine has worked tirelessly to bring the products together for the fitment to the boat for the boat show.”

Ferryside Inshore Rescue, the marine division of St John Ambulance Cymru, is one of more than fifty independent lifeboats stationed around the British Isles that operate independently of the RNLI. They provide the same role as the RNLI and are the only “declared facilities” within HM Coastguard’s search and rescue organisation in the UK. As a declared facility Ferryside Lifeboat is launched by HM Coastguard in response to ’999? calls and distress calls on VHF CH16.

Ferryside is particularly grateful to Masonic grand officer of West Wales Bob Darkin who secured more than £46K donation from the organisation. Also, a donation of £2,500 was received from the Ray Gravell and Friends Charitable Trust.

Ferryside lifeboat is available 24 hours a day throughout the year and is staffed entirely by local volunteers. A smaller second lifeboat is also available at any state of the tide for mud and sandbank rescues

For more information please contact RIBCRAFT LTD - Tel: 01935 411846

Web Site: http://www.ribcraft.co.uk; E-mail: mailto: JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING .

For further press information and hi res images, please contact: Jane Adkins, A Head for PR Ltd, T/: 01935 813114; M/: 07960698089; E/: JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING www.aheadforpr.co.uk

Sept 2011 [RC 06]

National Coastwatch’s first purpose-built watchtower on Daddyhole Plain, Torbay was opened by Admiral Sir Neville Purvis KCB officially opened.

Speaking before the unveiling, Sir Neville referred to David Cameron’s Big Society, saying, “I can’t believe there is any better example than the one we are seeing here today of making things happen for the general good.”

Following the unveiling, Alan Richards Chairman said: ““The future of NCI depends entirely on growth; on growing stations around the coast where they are most needed, so that we can improve and increase the level of support which we give to our colleagues in the search and rescue organisation. We are developing a firm financial and managerial platform capable of sustaining growth on that scale.”  “The one thing that remains constant is the NCI stations and the volunteer teams that man them. They always have been, and they will continue to be, the powerhouse of the organisation”.   A steady stream of visitors then climbed the stairs to sample the view from the lookout itself, before returning to the buffet, which had been prepared by members and their wives.