48 | Takacat MARINE SIFA NEW ZEALAND International freight forwarding Sea and air import/export, logistics, customs expertise • Export to the Pacific Islands • Dangerous goods and pharmaceutical transport • French–New Zealand trade specialist • Bonded and biosecurity-certified warehousing +64 9 222 0350 • 63A Richard Pearse Drive, Airport Oaks, Auckland • sifalogistics.com/en Take your business further Proudly Supporting Takacat Unleash your business potential with fast funding solutions designed to keep your business moving. prospa.co.nz 0800 005 797 Inflatable Cat redefines portable boating Takacat was the first boat with an inflatable floor and the catamaran design. T T Virginia Wright “Takacat brought the first inflatable catamaran to the market and has been at the front of the market ever since.” When Paul Powney bought the Takacat Inflatable Boat business from its founder Greg Sowden, he had already known him for some time through their mutual interest in a charity that restores classic yachts and launches, and the New Zealand Sailing Trust. Paul’s professional association with the sea began with six years in the Royal New Zealand Navy. He went on to become the Marine Sales Manager for a company selling diesel engines and, having always aspired to having a business in the marine industry, he and his wife Helen took the opportunity to take over Takacat in 2020. “Takacat brought the first inflatable catamaran to the market and has been at the front of the market ever since,” explains Paul. “It’s been a leading edge in innovative product design since the first semi-rigid inflatable Takacat was built in 2007. Within a year Greg saw a place in the market for a truly portable, inflatable catamaran.” Monohull inflatable dinghies that could be collapsed and put in a bag already existed, but the new Takacat was the first boat with an inflatable floor and the catamaran design which, unlike traditional dinghies, is inherently stable. You can stand on one tube and the boat won’t tip and, because they get up on the plane quickly, they’re fuel efficient. Takacat’s two key markets are providing portable tenders for yachts and launches, or portable boats that can be taken in a motorhome or on a camping trip. The boats are an international as well as a local success story. Distribution outlets in Australasia, Europe and America mean over 16,000 Takacats have sold around the world since 2007, and the sort of innovation that means they’re the only boat brand with the truly removable transom means they’re likely to keep their market share. Locally Takacat are known not only for their products but for their service. New Zealand’s Most Trusted Business Awards are customer driven, based solely on reputation rather than size or turnover. Last year Takacat not only won the Most Trusted Business Award in the Auckland Region they also received an award for the Most Innovative Top 20 products in the country. “It was exciting and we were really grateful to be voted for by our customers, and to receive that recognition. It cements our belief in all the work we put into the back up and support of our products,” says Paul. They work hard to have plenty of stock and a full range of spare parts available, and they’re as willing to advise a customer on what boat or engine might best suit their needs as to take a call from someone needing help setting up their boat for the first time. Word of mouth is their best marketing tool and being handy to the Northern motorway from their Albany base makes them easy to get to. Takacat has recently launched two more of the kinds of design that brought them their award for innovation. The T220 Ultralight combines high performance with its ultralight weight at only 14kgs and fits into a backpack, and the new LX-R design was inspired by the very first Takacat, explains Paul. “It has an aluminium deck (instead of fibreglass) and new features such as an anchor locker, a dual plate deck and EVA deck linings which look really cool and are nice and soft under your feet.” The power of the written word. New Zealand Business News, delivered to you.
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