Changing tack pays as boat sales slow

A major Bay boat builder hammered by plummeting international sales has diversified into fitting out house kitchens and bathrooms.
Tauranga's Southern Ocean Marine was facing a shaky future after overseas demand for boats dropped, prompting it to diversify so it can keep its staff in jobs.
In a radical move, the Mirrielees Rd company has launched a subsidiary, Southern Ocean Interiors, to compete in the shore-based kitchen and bathrooms market.
The move follows the rising New Zealand dollar eroding the competitive edge of the custom luxury end of the boat building market.
In its determination not to follow Tauranga boat builder Paschouds Motor Yachts into liquidation, the company has aggressively shifted its focus into the New Zealand boat building, repair and refit marketplace, with directors Greg McNabb and Greg Prescott saying they were still posting a profit.
"We are making the best out of a bad situation," Mr Prescott said. But the style of racing craft sailed around New Zealand waters meant their team of joiners and cabinet makers - with skills honed by building some of the finest galleys and bathrooms afloat - were under-used.
So Southern Ocean's directors decided to seek similar top-end work in buildings rather than boats.
They nabbed the services of old friend Steve Wilkinson who needed no convincing that the industry was in a tight spot. Having arrived back in the Bay in January and preparing to leave for Spain, he changed course to sign up as managing director of fledgling Southern Ocean Interiors.
The joiner, boat builder and architectural diploma holder was the right man to lead the company registered only six weeks ago.
He secured contracts and took on two of Southern Ocean Marine's seven craftsmen - with others on call when needed.
On the current workload, Mr Wilkinson said they will be employing four over the next month and maybe more after that.
"Good tradesmen are very hard to get and you have to look after them. The thing about boat building is that it's a feast or a famine."
Southern Ocean Interiors has leased a section of the Mirrielees Rd complex and set up an office, showroom and workshop.
The company was targeting developers, designers and entrepreneurs who were seeking a higher level of work than that done by a standard cabinet making firm. Mr Wilkinson said results have been promising.
So far, he has picked up two good-sized contracts from Western Bay developers and another substantial contract looked promising. The company has also sewn up two jobs with individual non-corporate clients.
The strong start leaves Mr Wilkinson, who arrived in the Bay 22 years ago, with no doubt about the value of local contacts.