Veteran yachtsman branches out

Famed Sydney yachtsman Syd Fischer may be in his ninth decade but the grizzled old builder shows no signs of slowing down -- so he has just bought one of Sydney’s largest boat maintenance yards, Sydney City Marine.

Fischer's record as a racing yachtsman is unsurpassed in Australia. He has competed in more than 40 Sydney-Hobart races and, with British tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton, he holds the record for the most individual America's Cup challenges, having chased the elusive Auld Mug five times.

He has been Australian Yachtsman of the Year twice and Ocean Racer of the Year on three occasions.

After a lifetime as a builder and developer, this week he finalised the purchase of the state-of-the-art marine maintenance yard, Sydney City Marine, under the Anzac Bridge on the fringe of the Sydney CBD.

The comparatively-new facility has the space and the technology to handle everything from recreational runabouts and small harbour yachts to huge super yachts and even large commercial vessels.

Fischer says the facility is the best in the country and that he understands that all boat owners want good, efficient and personalised service: "With our long and successful history in boat building and maintenance, my team and I see this as an ideal opportunity to give competitive and competent service to all boat owners," Fischer says.

Sydney City Marine has a lift capacity of 600 tonnes and an enormous hardstand area and big undercover areas. It is built on what once a major container depot before Sydney's container shipping moved from the harbour to a new facility in Botany Bay.

Repairs can be carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The facility’s environmental controls are world class with two purpose-built paint sheds with sophisticated extraction filters to ensure no spray is lost into the air. The entire site is also sealed to prevent any seepage of toxic chemicals into the ground. All water used in cleaning is channelled to an on-site treatment plant. A 300,000 litre rainwater tank ensures the facility is self-sufficient.