WA Marine Industry celebrates excellence

by Lisa Coyle on 29 Jan 2008 The Western Australian Marine Industry have celebrated their achievements at the industry’s own 'night of nights' with winners of the West Australian Marine Industry and Boat of the Year Awards announced at a gala presentation held in Perth last week.

The West Australian Marine Industry and Boat of the Year Awards are organized annually on behalf of the Recreational Boating Industry by the Boating Industry Association of WA (BIAWA)

'The Awards not only provide a platform for boat builders and trade to gain industry and public recognition for quality workmanship and innovation, they also recognise the important contribution the marine industry makes towards the State’s economy,' BIAWA President, Maurits Hayim said.

'The Recreational Boating Industry in total generates a direct industry revenue of $872.5M in WA, including $62M in export sales.

'This year the calibre of work around the State showcased the commitment and dedication industry members have in providing quality and professional services to the public.

'The Awards celebrate achievements in the marine manufacturing industry and highlight Western Australian marine businesses that compete with the best of the best,' he said.

Minister for Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan said WA’s marine industry is building momentum at an exceptional pace and recognising new apprentices will help to grow the industry even further.

'The Awards this year have been expanded to recognise the State’s next generation of skilled marine employees,' Mr Logan said.

'I would like to congratulate the four apprentice and two young retailer award winners for their exceptional performance and wish them luck in their future positions.

'Finding skilled employees in the current climate is hard but Awards such as these help to build the profile of the marine industry and excite people to choose it as a viable career option.'

From a wide ranging series of evaluations for the Boat Awards (finalists faced the judges for review in sessions conducted during November and December at the Fremantle Sailing Club) the Awards also recognise Marinas, Innovation, Marine Apprentices and Outstanding Contribution to the industry and recreation boating in WA.

For boat judging, the judges faced their usual difficult task in scoring and comparing such a diverse range of boats, even with the generous range of categories.

Detailed judging sheets covered aspects such as ergonomics, safety, performance, presentation and overall impression. Allowance also had to be made for individual boating applications and value-for-money across the numerous styles of boat.

Boats were assessed in the 'application' categories of fishing and cruising, with splits for trailerable and non-trailerable and construction material (Aluminium and Fibreglass) and additional classes for custom built models.

The Marine Industry Awards play a pivotal role in promoting excellence in the marine and boat building industry in WA.

The 2008 Awards were made possible by major sponsors Club Marine and the Department of Industry and Resources.

Winners of the WA Marine Industry Awards are listed below.

Apprentice of the Year: Outboard Marine Mechanic (metropolitan) sponsored by Honda Marine
Peter Griffiths, Challenge Marine
Apprentice of the Year: Outboard Marine Mechanic (regional) sponsored by Honda Marine
Paull Baker from Bluewater Marine
Apprentice of the Year: Outboard Marine Mechanic- (Regional Runner-up)
Calab Freemantle from GB Marine
Apprentice of the Year: Judges Endeavor Award sponsored by Honda Marine Kale Beaumont from Dinghy World
Young Marine Retailer of the Year (Sales) sponsored by JPW
Ben Wheeler from Avante Marine
Young Marine Retailer of the Year (Service Department) sponsored by JPW
Tim Wright from Portside Marine

Boatman of the Year sponsored by JPW
Laurie Chivers
In 1957 Laurie Chivers took his competitive yachting passion towards a business career which as of this year now spans 50 years. Chivers Marine began business in somewhat humble fashion in the backyard of his parents home building timber dinghies and yacht spars.. In the 70’s Laurie (without the help of government incentives or grants) began to pioneer the export of his craft overseas, securing contracts in the Pacific and United Arab Enmirates but to name a few. Along the way Laurie has always delighted in taking on the responsibility of training and mentoring young people in shipwriting, marine fit out, marine mechanics, sheet metal work and fitting and turning so to ensure that the industry retains high levels of skilled tradesmen. Laurie has supported many organizations in Western Australia over the years such as when the BIAWA held a regular annual boating day at Point Walter where members would take their boats down and provide rides and fun for adults and children with disabilities.
He also donated a boat every year for 8 years to Appealathon for the Annual Auction which funds raised went to Princess Margaret Childrens Hospital and other Childrens charities for the ill or disabled. Most recently Laurie has donated a boat for the last several years to the Fremantle Dockers for their Annual Auction to raise funds to promote junior football in Western Austrailia.
His success is a sign of Laurie’s commitment to providing the boating public of Western Australia with the very best quality products but above all a level of honesty and integrity which can be aspired to by others and reflect on the industry as a whole. It is a sign of this commitment that many, many of his customers are repeat buyers. It is his understanding of the customer’s needs and expectations that has lead to younger buyers coming into his office to let him know that their father or grandfather had a boat built buy him also!
It is also evident that he has always been willing to give back to the community whenever possible and support the industry as a whole to grow and become one of our Nation’s best boat manufacturing areas

Boating Education & Training Award sponsored by Boatrader WA
Austal Ships
Austal Ships currently employs more than 1400 worers in Australia. Its commitment to the development of Australian skills includes the provision of systematic training and development programmes, in-house apprenticeships, graduate recruitment and development, secondment programmes with Defence and collaborative relationships with the academic sector, both at technological colleges such as Challenger TAFE and universities.
Austal puts strong impetus on training with 263 apprentices undergoing training as at October 2007, in addition to the ongoing certification of fabricators. Austal is committed to training a skilled workforce and recognises this as a basis for ongoing success.

WA Marine Innovation Award sponsored by BRP/Evinrude
Marina Protection Systems – Stainless Shaft Grounding Strap
Marina Protection Systems introduces a dynamic new product delivering perfect protection to shafts and props and greatly reduce running vibrations through removal of shaft anodes. Unlike traditional carbon brushes that can glaze over between the brush and the shaft over time, the Shaft Grounding Strap is in constant electrical contact with over ½ the circumference of the propeller shaft. Tested for over 500hrs the shaft strap is the most effective method of protecting shafts and propellers.

Marine Safety Award sponsored by FESA, Volenteer Marine Rescue Services
Pat Shinnik
For many years the commercial cray / rock lobster fishermen have had to deal with the issues relating to fishing gear (hooks and sinkers) being snagged on their ropes causing injuries to the deckhands were operating the winch.

Pat Shinnick set about to design and implement a 'fishing tag' that would be simple to attach to the pot ropes when fishing gear had been left by fisherman and alert the deckhands to the i