Business North October 2021

22 | Super Yacht Coatings MARINA INDUSTRY Complete makeover for Miss Silver Kelly Deeks The refit work on Miss Silver is being completed predominantly by Tauranga - based contractors. Proud to support Super Yacht Coatings Established in 1955, Robert Page Marine services offer a full range of proven onsite marine engineering services. Specialising in certified hull repairs, propulsion systems, deck machinery to full survey requirements and refit project management. Highly skilled trained staff are fully supported by inhouse, Non Destructive Testing, onsite machining and a large capacity machine/ fabrication work shop. marine@robertpage.co.nz S uper Yacht Coatings is one of multiple Vessel Works contractors currently work- ing to create a new chapter in the life sto- ry of iconic custom sail yacht Miss Silver, the New Zealand-built 36.1m super yacht which took out the Millennium Cup this year after winning every race. “We’re giving her a complete makeover,” says Super Yacht Coatings general manager Ben Steele. Miss Silver was built at Alloy Yachts in Auckland in 1995 before moving to Europe to live the super yacht life over there for the next 25 years. In 2019, she was sold and the new owners have been enjoying her for the past couple of years, including competing in and winning the Millennium Cup this year. Their intention was always to refit Miss Sil- ver in New Zealand to honour her history and in April this year she was brought to Super Yacht Coating’s new 50-metre facility at Vessel Works in Tauranga for a major refit. While a traditional refit on a boat of this size would take about three months, this project is much larger and with Covid delays, will now stretch out until early December. There is work to do in the engine room, replacement of the teak decking, upgrades to the interior including the saloon and galley ar- eas, and a whole lot of corrosion to deal with. The work is being completed predominantly by local contractors, including boat builders Southern Ocean, and Jeff Scott Electrical as well as engineers, metal fabricators, and rig- gers, and of course Super Yacht Coatings. “Miss Silver is back in New Zealand and employing all of these local contractors, which is exactly what Vessel Works was set up to do,” Ben says. “This is the perfect example - we are using the full scope on this project. “It’s a cool one for the New Zealand marine industry, but equally for us here in Tauranga and what was designed at Vessel Works, and why we built our shed.” Exciting for Super Yacht Coatings is the fact Miss Silver is changing colour, going from the dark blue hull and white superstructure which has been traditional for a boat of her age, to white on the superstructure and hull, with a silver boot stripe. “We’re all excited to see what she looks like when she leaves the shed!” The many years of experience involved in this project have meant smooth sailing most of the way through. Ben says there are always pinch points on any project, but with an experienced captain and an accomplished refit team all on hand and working well together, they have all been in the industry long enough to foresee any potential issues and deal with them early. “The captain’s previous refit and industry experience have given the refit team an un- derstanding client with realistic expectations. “He keeps saying this is a world-class facility and he won’t go anywhere else in New Zea- land. “We are definitely proud of what has been created here. “It is unusual for a painting company to have a facility like this,” says Ben. “Normally we would just go where the work is - but now we have a home that we can encourage clients to come to.” Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. DO OUR READERS KNOW YOU EXIST?