Like all good stories, it started with an idea, was pursued with a passion and has enjoyed successes and weathered disasters along the way. The Sports Marine story is no different, now 40 years older and we are only just getting started. Learn about the small family business that has grown into one of New Zealand’s longest-running and largest boat dealers.
In 1978, Ian Williamson, a 23-year-old with a passion for high-quality boats and watercraft, defied all advice and opened Sports Marine Ltd. His goal was to establish a reputation for luxury and success in the marine industry. However, the path to success for Sports Marine was not without its obstacles.
In 1979, when the government introduced a new sales tax of 20% on all new boats, Sports Marine refused to back down. Ian and his team remained committed to their vision. They continued to innovate and expand their offerings, importing the first Jet Ski to New Zealand in September of that year and purchasing the assets of Shark Cat boats in March 1980.
In October 1983, disaster struck when a fire burned over half of the main Sports Marine building, causing damage to boats and motors.
Persistence and perseverance paid off, and in September 1985 Sports Marine acquired Sea Ray distribution for New Zealand at the Chicago Boat Show. This opened up new opportunities for the company, and Sports Marine started to grow at a rapid pace.
By December 1986, Sports Marine had sold their first new boat over 30 feet, and in February 1987, they opened a retail store in Auckland. Their success continued to grow, with six new Sea Ray boats sold in one week from Auckland alone in April of that year.
The New Zealand market was starting to demand bigger boats and Sports Marine was there to help. Over the previous two years, Sports Marine had sold several boats 40ft plus. In July 1989, Sports Marine sold their first boat over 50 feet, cementing their position as a leading provider of high-quality boats and watercraft in New Zealand.
Sports Marine continued to innovate and expand, purchasing a marine business in Sydney, Australia in May 1991 and Sports Marine New South Wales was born. Sports Marine promoted their own Boat Show in the swimming pool of the Russley Hotel Christchurch in August 1991, which was a huge success, selling five boats, including another 50-foot boat in the swimming pool.
In July 1992, Sports Marine attended their first Sydney International Boat Show, promoting a special manufacturer-subsidized interest program, which resulted in the confirmation of 12 boats sold.
Nimbus Boats honoured Sports Marine with its most prestigious award of the year. Sports Marine was recognised as the Dealer of the Year for 2018.
The award is a testament to Sports Marine's exceptional commitment to providing top-quality products and services to its customers. As a Nimbus Boats dealer, Sports Marine demonstrated outstanding performance and dedication in promoting the brand in the New Zealand market.
Seeing a gap in the market and increasing demand from our customers for larger and more luxurious vessels, Sports Marine acquire the luxury brand Princess Yachts and become the sole distributor for New Zealand and Fiji.
Sports Marine landed their first COX 300 diesel outboard in New Zealand, and it is attracted a lot of attention.
Designed specifically for commercial and recreational use, the CXO300 is set to disrupt the marine market, offering a new and exciting option.
Sports Marine receive our first Saxdor 200 and 320 Series boats. Saxdor originates from a vision to create a boat fleet that has never existed before. Saxdor was founded in 2020. After attracting worldwide attention and delivering 500 boats in their first year, Sports Marine was proud to bring this new brand into our business.
Sports Marine welcomes Williams Jet Tenders to our portfolio of brands.
The 2023 Auckland on Water Boat Show was a resounding success. After a few cancelled shows due to Covid, Sports Marine boasted an impressive lineup of eleven boats, two tenders and one Bentley on the water.