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Specialist marine electronics company Nav Station has bought Westhaven-based brokerage firm Busfield Marine. In what he admits is an unusual move, Nav Station managing director Bill Rutherford says he was attracted by the brokerage's long history of integrity and honesty.
"When Peter Busfield [now executive director of the Marine Industry Association] founded Busfield Marine, he set very high standards," says Rutherford, "and I believe these have been faithfully maintained in the years since."
Rutherford says his investigations showed Busfield Marine had a rigorous set of standards, ensuring both parties are well protected through all stages of the sales process.
"Busfield Marine uses only independent surveyors and all deposits are secured in a trust account," he says.
Founded in the early 1980s, Busfield Marine has remained in the same building all of that time and currently employs two established and experienced brokers.
Colin Rees joined the company 11 years ago after sailing to New Zealand from South Africa. His speciality is offshore cruising boats. The other broker, Peter Broadhurst, specialises in New Zealand yachts and launches and has been with the company for six years.
As well as selling a wide range of second-hand yachts and launches, Busfield Marine also has the exclusive New Zealand distribution rights for the French Dufours range of yachts. These are available in two model ranges: the performance line, which ranges from 10.4m-13.8m and a cruising line, which ranges from 9.75m-15.9m.
The brokerage also exclusively markets the Bill Upfold designed 12-metre Espresso sedan-style motor cruiser, which is on display on Busfield Marine's Westhaven hardstand area, adjacent to Swashbucklers restaurant. The company also has a substantial number of sales berths in Westhaven marina.
Rutherford, who also has a long history of selling boats and has been in the marine industry since 1967, believes the two businesses will work well together.
"Because some of the boats on the brokerage's books are ones the Nav Station originally helped outfit or refit, we know these vessels very well. That certainly gives Busfield Marine an edge, as does the fact we at the Nav Station have such a lot of experience in electronics and engineering systems.
"These are such a big part of a modern vessel and we are able to help both buyers and sellers understand what is happening with these systems.
"We are also able to help those buying an older boat and wanting to then modernise the electronics or engineering systems."
Rutherford says Nav Station will continue to specialise in upgrading electronics packages for moored boats and in installing marine computing technology for navigation, communications and audio-visual systems.
The two businesses will continue to run out of joint premises at 23B Westhaven Drive.
