Passionate Craftsmen
Bill Barry-Cotter
Bill Barry-Cotter is rightly regarded as a living legend of the
Australian boating industry, not only respected widely by his
peers, but held in awe by many. A skilled boat designer/builder for
more than 40-years (Mariner Cruisers, Riviera Marine, The Riviera
Group, Maritimo), Bill has enjoyed incredible success, with more
Boat of the Year awards to his credit than most people have had hot
dinners!
Away from the factories, Bill's idea of relaxation has been well
documented. An unprecedented seven Australian Class I offshore
powerboat championships and a superb third outright in the World
Offshore Championships competing against the best boats and crews
worldwide.
And he's not finished yet!
In between ensuring Maritimo buyers take delivery of a
beautifully-finished and outstanding vessel, Bill and his race team
are readying race boats for events on the 2009 calendar. There's
much more to come in the Bill Barry-Cotter story - a story not to
be missed.
Martin Lewis
Martin Lewis is best described as Maritimo's "key man". He's a man
who has spent virtually his entire life to date "messing about in
boats." Originally a Sydneysider, Martin grew up in the Eastern
Suburbs' Double Bay area and was building boats for himself before
reaching his teens.
He's been involved, in one way or another, with Bill Barry-Cotter
for more than 30-years. During his career, Martin, a long time
member of the Double Bay 18' Skiff Club, has worked for the
legendary Halvorsen group, operated his own company (Martin Lewis
Shipwrights) at Sydney's Royal Motor Yacht Club, where he had a
staff of 30, linked up with Bill as production manager at Riviera
Marine and later played major roles in assisting Mustang and Black
Watch cruisers.
In December, 2002, Martin decided he'd had enough and retired.
Retired? Not if Bill Barry-Cotter had anything to say in it. "I had
a telephone call from Bill in October and that was it," he
recalled. "In January, '03 I joined Maritimo and the rest, as they
say, is history."
Martin still lives south of the border, at Tweed Heads, in NSW.A
'mad' surfer (his eldest son was on the surfing Pro Tour) Martin
drives more than an hour each way to the Hope Island plant. "I just
have to be near the beach," he explains.
During his long and unfinished career in boat building, Martin has
trained numerous apprentices. His skill in this important area was
recognised by the East Sydney Technical College, which named him
the college's "Honorary Shipwright."
Luke Durman
Former Sydney-based advertising CEO and driving force behind
Maritimo's advertising campaigns, has come aboard the company on a
full time basis. Durman, has taken up residence at Broadbeach, in
the heart of the Gold Coast, and will operate from an office within
the Maritimo Hope Island facility.
During his advertising career, Durman has handled advertising for a
wide range of top end clients, among them Telstra, Hyundai, Volvo,
Sun Microsystems, Stamford Hotels and Dymocks. No stranger to
Maritimo, Durman has been overseeing the company's advertising
needs since industry legend Bill Barry-Cotter established the
company in 2002.
He has also been closely involved with Maritimo Offshore, the
company's offshore racing team and in 2006 teamed with throttleman
Ross Willaton, Maritimo's service manager, to win the Australian
Class I crown. Durman said he was looking forward to what he
described as a "brand new challenge."
"Perhaps it's a bit over the top describing it as brand new, seeing
I've been involved with the company for some time, but I'm really
looking forward to being on the front line, right in the thick of
the Maritimo action.
"Some of my clients may well have been entitled to 'blue chip'
status, but within the Australian boating industry they don't come
any more 'blue chip' than Maritimo," he added.
Peter Jenkins
Success has followed Peter Jenkins through every aspect of the
boating industry in which he has operated. Originally from
Melbourne, a long time resident of Sydney and now happily calling
the Gold Coast home, Peter rates as one of the industry's
best-known identities.
Widely known as 'PJ', many Sydney-based industry people still refer
to him as 'Mr Boats', the name of a marine retail outlet at
Collaroy, on Sydney's northern beaches, that he built into one of
the most successful in NSW during the 1970s and '80s.
An unabashed admirer and a long-term friend of Bill Barry-Cotter,
Peter, after stints as a marine broker and as national marketing
manager for Johnson and Evinrude outboards, spent more than
10-years as marketing manager for Riviera and The Riviera
Group.
He was directly responsible for seeing the Australian-built boats
being sold in 22 countries around the world. Peter has also served
the industry, and is a former Vice-president of the Boating
Industry Association of NSW.
He maintains regular contact with industry bodies, helping to
arrange smooth entry for Maritimo to major boat shows in Australia
and around the world.
Craig Jones
Craig has spent nearly all his working life to date as "a Bill
Barry-Cotter man." "Bill's been my mentor," he says. And the
admiration goes both ways. Bill has described Craig Jones as "the
best production manager I've ever had."
A former Sydneysider, Craig joined Mariner Cruisers as an
apprentice shipwright in 1978, and completed his shipwright
'ticket' at Sydney Technical College in 1984.He stayed with the
company when Bill sold Mariner, working as a Leading Hand on the
production of the famous Mariner 43 and the Hatteras 52.
No one was happier than Craig Jones when Bill Barry-Cotter
reacquired the company and in 1990, when all Sydney operations were
closed down, he made the move to the Gold Coast working as
production manager at Riviera Marine. When Riviera Marine became
The Riviera Group and moved into the purpose-built Coomera
facility, Craig played a major role in the establishment of the new
production lines.
When The Riviera Group was sold in 2002, Craig stayed on, but with
the eventual establishment of Maritimo, there was never a doubt he
would follow "the Bill Barry-Cotter trail."
"If Bill is not one of the best production boat builders in the
world, then I'm the world's worst judge," he says. "He knows more
about fibreglass boat manufacture than anyone alive."
Craig now controls a staff of about 80, in both fit out and 'glass
lay up, working primarily on the 52' and 60' Maritimo models. He
believes the new Coomera plant is "an absolute delight. But it
would have been nice to have a waterfront," he adds.
Phil Frazer
The only "foreigner" on the Maritimo management team, Auckland, New
Zealand-born Phil Frazer is a man who loves his job. With a staff
of 85, Phil is responsible for the production of the Maritimo 48, a
boat he describes as "perfect, in every way."
Phil operated his own company (Aussie Whalers) and after making the
decision to sell out joined the Barry-Cotter team at The Riviera
Group some seven-years ago, working primarily in the Research and
Development department. His offshore racing background came in
handy and he was involved with several aspects of the Maritimo
Offshore Race Team.
A qualified shipwright, Phil graduated from the Auckland Technical
College and spent much of his early career involved with luxury
boat fit outs. He moved to Australia (and the Gold Coast) in 1980,
linking up with Bill in 1999. A resident of Riverdowns, just eight
minutes by car from the Hope Island plant ("no traffic lights," he
explains, "if they put lights in I'll have to move."), Phil
believes he has a great working relationship with all at the
plant.
"I work with a terrific team on a terrific boat," he declares.
"The Maritimo 48 is a superb vessel and we're going to be pumping
out one a week. "I believe we're looking at a very bright future
and with Bill Barry-Cotter leading we'll be going all the way," he
adds.
Dave Northrop
United States marine industry veteran, Dave Northrop, has been
handed what may be perceived as a tough challenge. If
enthusiasm for the task ahead can be taken as a guide however, he's
already destined for success.
The challenge? Introducing Bill Barry-Cotter and his luxury
Maritimo cruisers to the volatile American market. Northrop has
been appointed President of the newly-formed Maritimo USA,
headquartered in Seattle, Washington. As mentioned, he is no
stranger to boating business with over 20 years as a successful
marine dealer in the mid-west of the USA along with a substantial
stint with the Genmar Corporation as Vice-President of Sales for
Wellcraft and as Vice-President with Tiara Yachts.
Northrop has already appointed 10 authorised Maritimo dealers, one
in Vancouver, Canada, and nine across eight US states, California,
Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Maryland and two
in Florida.
"Although I was happy at Tiara, when I was offered the prospect to
head up a Maritimo 'invasion' of the US, the opportunity to be
involved with Bill Barry-Cotter was one I could not possibly
reject."
Ross Willaton
Better known as "Rossco", Ross Willaton has been involved with Bill
Barry-Cotter for more than twenty years, initially at Riviera,
racing powerboats and now taking care of the vital customer service
and shipping operations at Maritimo.
The only genuine "local", (born in Brisbane and growing up on the
Gold Coast) Rossco worked with Riviera dealership Greg Swain Marine
for nearly thirty years. Although based at Hope Island, Rossco
could be anywhere at any time. "My primary role is ensuring that a
Maritimo owner is a happy owner" he says.
A resident of Willowvale, where he runs horses on an eight acre
block, Rossco joined Maritimo in January 2005. "I might be a new
boy, but I've known most of the team for quite a few years" he
explained.
After plenty of experience test driving Bill Barry-Cotter's various
offshore race boats, Rossco has also had success in competition,
winning the Australian Class 2 Championships for Bill in 2002 and
this year taking out the Class 1 title with Maritimo advertising
agent (also Bill's step son) Luke Durman.
A man who thoroughly enjoys his day-to-day role with the company,
Rossco sees a bright future. "I think the boat range we've produced
to date is outstanding and from my viewpoint the service problems
have been absolutely minimal" he says. "It's just further proof of
the talent of Bill Barry-Cotter and the team he has gathered around
him". When The Riviera Group moved into its new Coomera facility,
Kendal made the move the Gold Coast and following the sale of the
company stayed on until 2004. Twelve months later he rejoined Bill
at the Maritimo operation.