Business North October 2021

| 17 MARINA INDUSTRY Expansion underway at Westhaven Richard Loader Westhaven Marina is one of the biggest recreational marinas in the world. Westhaven Marina With a long and successful history enshrined in providing the highest levels of customer service at point of sale and beyond, Laurie Collins Marine Brokers is on the search for quality secondhand yachts and powerboat listings to meet increasing demand. Managing Director/Owner Wayne Baston says the closure of borders has resulted in huge demand for quality second hand craft as people look to invest money otherwise spent on overseas travel. With boat prices ranging from $100,000 to $5 million the good news is that the money is now being spent within New Zealand. But high demand, together with the closure of boat building businesses during the GFC, has created a huge shortage of quality second hand stock. “Generally if we have boats in stock they don’t last long,” explains Wayne. “While people used to buy boats overseas and bring them back that is also getting more di icult and expensive to do.” Located on the western end of Auckland’s Westhaven Marina, Laurie Collins Marine Brokers has been looking after its customers for 36 years, providing high quality service rewarded with repeat business and referrals, time and time again. The company has come a long way in the twelve years that Wayne has been at the helm, adding high value new boats to its listings with a broad range of respected Busy with boats brands, including top-end Whitehaven sedan style motor yachts, along with Flybridge. “We also have Integrity Motor yachts, a displacement type boat. In the yacht side we have high-end X Yachts fromDenmark and for the irst time X Yachts are nowmaking powerboats. We also sell Du y, Aquila and Manta brands. In addition to ample car parking space outside of Laurie Collins’ spacious showroom, ten dedicated sales berths right outside the showroom loor provide perfect parking for the boats. “Generally our fastest selling boats are those parked right outside the front door. The fact that customers can park their boat in one of the berths and it gets well exposed is a big driver for customers choosing to do business with us.” Inside the showroom, four large display areas along with two TV’s showcase new and second hand boat listings. With a high volume of repeat and referral business from customers the depth and breadth of New Zealand, Wayne says a tradition of looking after the customer has underpinned the company’s success. “When you buy a boat you need a survey, sea trial and a mechanical inspection. It’s a matter of helping customers through that process so they feel comfortable with their purchase and con ident about their eligibility for marine insurance.” We have over 30 years experience of selling new and used boats from our high profile location - with high repeat and referral business we are always looking for new listings - if you’re looking to sell your boat, please give us a call! www.lauriecollins.co.nz | wayne@lcw.co.nz WHITEHAVEN 7000 FLYBRIDGE - ALL NEW FOR 2022 ALL NEW INTEGRITY 460SX ALL NEW WHITEHAVEN 6100 EURO Agents for to page 18 L ooking down to the left as you drive south across Auckland’s harbour bridge you cannot help but notice the large expanse of sails and pleasure craft launches berthed at the iconic Westhaven Marina. Founded in the 1940s on the western fringe of Auckland’s CBD, well before the Harbour Bridge and certainly in a quieter time in Auck- land’s development, Westhaven Marina has emerged as one of the biggest recreational marinas in the world, and the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. From its early days providing moorings in protected water space, the marina’s journey was plotted with the introduction of yacht clubs, and in those days the marina was all about sailing. Yacht clubs continue to play a significant role, with four yacht clubs calling Westhaven Marina home, the biggest and most famous of which are the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Ponsonby Cruising Club. The marina currently has 1800 berths rang- ing in size from 8 – 24-metres, with a couple of 30-metre berths just on the T-heads at the end of some of the larger piers. But with an historical and on-going waiting list of 250 craft all keen to make Westhaven Marina their home, an extension project is un- derway which will be completed over three to four stages during the next two to three years, providing an additional 150 berths.