2014 SCIBS: The Boat Works
The Boat Works is a marine services facility based on the Gold Coast.A large facility with a 9.2 hectare site in the marine precinct, The Boat Works specialises in vessel maintenance, with particular expertise in multihulls. Up to 100 vessels can be housed at any time.
THE BOAT WORKS
According to David Whyte, general manager of The Boat Works, the operation is different to traditional shipyards because of its large size. Describing the facility as being a bit like “a supermarket for the industry”, The Boat Works relies on high volumes and plenty of turnover of vessels.
“We have a lot of space and we use that space to our advantage,” says Whyte. “Therefore, we can keep our prices lower than what’s traditional, turn over vessels more regularly and be very, very competitive,” he adds.
MARINE MAINTENANCE
Around 25 separate businesses operate on The Boat Works’ site. Whyte says they specialise in all areas of marine maintenance: antifouling, vessel painting, marine engineering, electrical work, marine trimming and much more. “Everything that your boat would need during its visit for marine maintenance can be catered for onsite,” says Whyte.
MULTIHULLS
As mentioned, another speciality for The Boat Works is expertise in multihulls. In addition to this being a specialty for many of the various companies operating on site, The Boat Works also has a key piece of equipment called a Sea Lift. It’s a purpose-built lifting machine designed to lift catamarans underneath the bridge, lifting them through the vessel.
The Boat Works can be reached on (07) 5500 0000 or visit the Boat Works home page.