Delphia Yachts on the rise in Australia and NZ

by Media Services on 29 Jun 2007 Bob Vinks and Geoff Pearson have a vision - to show there is a new force on the Australian and new Zealand Yachting market and that in the future, Delphia Yachts will be become one of the key European brands across Australia and New Zealand.

Bob says that it’s inevitable that Delphia Yachts with their European style, great value for money and high quality of standard inclusions will make the boats very popular with a large number of the yachting public. Bob and Geoff have over 60 years combined experience in the marine industry to back up this prediction.

In 1991, Bob Vinks and Geoff Pearson founded the very successful business, Sydney Yachting Centre, and were the manufacturers and sellers of the Australian Northshore Yachts brand.

2006 saw both Bob and Geoff move out of the manufacturing business when they sold their interests in Northshore.

They wanted to specialise in selling and distributing an international brand, and in keeping with their vision, they signed up to distribute and sell Delphia Yachts the same year.

‘We were given an opportunity to get involved with Delphia yachts as the NSW agent, but we believed in Delphia yachts so much, we decided to step up to the next level, we bought Dephia Yachts (Australia) and are now the importers for Australia and New Zealand instead.’

Taking over the Delphia brand was not a decision that Vinks and his colleague Pearson took lightly. They remain 100% committed and focused on building yachts in Australia and are proud of the performance, style and quality of the build of their locally produced Sports 8 yachts. But they also realised it is imperative that they have a European yacht as well to offer the Australian consumer, and Delphia Yachts presented itself as the perfect opportunity to fit into the portfolio of Sydney Yachting Centre.

‘Geoff and I were excited to travel to Poland this year to meet with the directors and owners of Delphia Yachts. We knew the brand, and what it could offer the Australian yachting consumer, but to see the yachts being made first hand impressed us greatly – the style, the quality of fittings, and the attention to detail was second to none. Although Delphia Yachts are priced competitively in the marketplace, no compromise has been made in the quality of the construction of the boats’ Bob said.

‘All their methods of manufacture were a lot stronger than many other imported boats we are familiar with. All the bulkheads are fibreglassed into the hull and the quality of the materials was top form.’

Vinks was particularly impressed by the Delphia factory that has heat and humidity control with over 650 trained staff and strict quality control audits. The facility is currently building over 3500 boats per year which include the American J Yachts for the European market and powerboats for the Brunswick Corporation including the Avor range.

He commented on the quality of inclusions in Delphia’s standard package.

‘The boats come standard with an excellent range of quality fittings including Selden masts, booms and rigging. All the deck hardware is Lewmar. The steering is Whitlock steering: solid drag link steering as opposed to the cheaper cable steering.’

‘All the furling systems are from Selden- it’s the Furlex Genoa system. Selden also offers, for not a lot more, an in mast furling mainsail. It’s only about $2000 extra. And we can customise in boom furling should they wish.’

There are Ray Marine instruments, a Smev stove and oven, Corian bench tops, Jabsco electric flushing toilets and all the wiring throughout the boat is tin coated copper marine cable. Volvo diesel engines are standard.

‘The hulls are a combination of hand laying and vacuum forming. Its vinylester and polyester resin and isothalic gel coat. The build is guaranteed against osmosis for 5 years. And the yacht actually has a 2 year warranty.’

Vinks reports that all the interior joinery is precision made: ‘we don’t have any plastic add in units that some other manufacturers are using- they look like glove boxes fitted into the boat’. He says that the external teak on the Delphia Yachts is properly recessed into the deck ‘not just plonked on top.’

A number of people associated with the yachts have commented on the quality of the deck and hull mouldings, with one person saying that he had been ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the standard of the finish. Vinks adds that the colour of the hull is not a stark white, but more of a pearl finish, which makes it easy on the eye.

Although Delphia Yachts (Australia) has only been importing the brand for a relatively short time there has already been a strong response. ‘People recognise value for money’ noted Vinks. Delphia had a strong showing at the recent Sanctuary Cove Boat Show with Vinks reporting a number of confirmed sales and trade ins via Sydney Yachting Centre’s brokerage.

‘Sanctuary Cove was quite overwhelming…People are recognising the quality of build, the service that they know from our history and also the good value. People have noticed that a lot of other boats are cutting corners and we can show to them that we’re not, and that the construction is very sound.’

‘A unique feature of this range of yachts is that each of the Delphia 28,29, 33 and 37 are available in three different keel configuration – swing keel, shallow draft and deep keel options. The standard option for the standard Australian yacht is the deep keel option. The Delphia 40 also has three keel options, shoal, standard and deep. This shows Delphia Yachts desire to help buyers get what they want.’

Vinks and Pearson will be at Sydney Boat Show, 2-7 August, to launch the Delphia 33. Like her sisters the 29 and the 37, the 33 has the option of a swing keel and drop mast facility which makes them particularly attractive to cruisers. With the keel retracted the yachts have a minimal draft of .6m for the 29 footer, and up to about .8m for the 37.

‘The swing keel mechanism is winched up in the cockpit. The whole idea is to be able to handle it single handed.’

‘The boats also have an option for a bow thruster. The furling main, genoa and the bow thruster make it very simple for the more mature sailors to be able to handle the boat short handed if strength is an issue.’

‘These boats are not flat out racing machines: we don’t pretend them to be. But they do have a very good turn of speed and can make great club cruiser racers. We already have four new Delphia Yachts racing at Middle Harbour Yacht Club in Sydney.'

Vinks commented that the three cabin version was a good option for families, or people that liked to cruise in company, with strong interest from charter companies in the four cabin versions. It seems that Delphia has hit on a winning formula for the Australian and New Zealand markets: a comfortable, family friendly cruiser racer with a great range of standard inclusions at a price that appeals to the hip pocket.

Contact details:
Delphia Yachts (Australia) Pty Ltd
At Middle Harbour Yacht Club
The Spit, Mosman
NSW 2088
Australia
Phone : 02 99692144
Fax : 02 9969 4191

http://www.delphiayachts.com.au
Email: info@delphiayachts.com.au