Haines to focus on core business

The Haines Group has announced that it will no longer distribute Correct Craft's Nautique range of ski and wake board boats in Australia, after an eight year association, so it can concentrate on its own business.

Haines has handed Nautique, which has just signed a multi-year deal with the Moomba Masters ski week, back to the American company.

Over the years Haines success with its own range of boats -- Signature, Traveller and Seafarer -- has led to many overseas manufacturers approaching the company to distribute their products in Australia and New Zealand.

With a company ethos of "you get what you pay for", Haines has built an enviable reputation for quality and value and it believes in only distributing and associating with the best marine products on the market.

To this end, Haines has had close links with Suzuki Marine outboard, Walker Bay inflatables and Nautique tow boats.

But to focus more clearly on its core products, that have been its backbone for 50 years, Haines has decided to no longer handle Nautique in Australia. All current orders in the system will be honoured and completed but all sales, warranty, spare parts and sponsorship requests should now be sent directly to Correct Craft in the US.

Nautique dealers in Australia will liaise directly with Correct Craft to arrange new dealer agreements.

In other local boating news, the country's premier luxury boat builder, Maritimo, has appointed veteran marine consultant Steve Boerema to oversee its sales activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Boerema has spent more than 20 years in senior sales positions with major American marine manufacturers.

Maritimo marketing director Luke Durman will step aside from looking after those areas for the company so he can spend more time with his family and newborn son. He will now focus on Maritimo's expansion into Asia.

Boerema, who recently visited Australia to attend the Sydney Boat Show and tour Maritimo's facilities on Queensland's Gold Coast, will work out of his home base in Florida.

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