In the early 1970’s our family built a small brigantine and in 1976 my father and I set sail from New Zealand to Florida via Australia, South East Asia, Southern Africa, South America and the Caribbean over an 8-year period.  I then found work in Australia as a scaffolder and rigger for a couple of years before ending up back in New Zealand working on a longline fishing vessel and then on a 52 ft wooden sloop to gain some commercial sea time so I could start sitting my commercial maritime qualifications. During my maritime career I was fortunate enough to work on a wide variety of vessels including charter vessels, ferries, super yachts, offshore support vessels, dredgers and tall ships, whilst gaining a few more maritime qualifications and getting to undertake a few deliveries around the South Pacific, North West Pacific, South East Asia and the Indian Ocean.

I have been with SeaBoats since 2010 and have built up strong relationships with the Offshore Supply industry and tug operators, along with undertaking vessel valuations and selling a few yachts for good measure.

I am born on the 3rd of August 1967. My mother was a clerk in the accounting department of Transport company. My father worked in the local shipyard during that time was quite big with about 10 000 workers employed. My uncle was a motor man on ocean-going vessels.  Meanwhile he worked on a line between Japan and Australia for 2 years about 40 years ago.May be this is the reason that when I was 13 I started to dream to sail on the ships and see the world.I read o lot of books about the sea and sailing and love the sea.

During that time I joined the local yacht club and started to participate in the national regattas.  When I finished basic school  I continued to study Navigation in Maritime High School for 4 years. During that time maritime education was very good.  At 1986 I  passed  very seriously exams  and  joined  Marine Academy "N.I.Vapsarov".

Where I continued to study Navigation and other marine science.1991 I finish the Academy and started to work as a navigational officer.  I sailed a lot for the first 10 years I had about 8 years at sea and became a Captain when I was 32.I was the youngest Captain in the Company that I worked. At 2000 I decided to become a pilot.  I applied for 3 years without success.It was very very difficult .  The pilots community  was very hard for outsiders. Usually the son  inherit the father.  Since 2005 I am a pilot here in Varna pilots station.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome our old friend Franklin Taylor to the SeaBoats Team. Franklin says: For the past 40+ years I have been involved in many aspects of the international marine industry. My introduction to the marine industry started as a cadet on square rigged ships where, from 1974 – ’77, I learned the arts of the traditional seaman sailing in the North Sea and the Mediterranean.  From 1980 to 1996, I was involved in the international superyacht community captaining numerous ocean going sailing and motor yachts travelling over 300.000 nautical miles cruising in the Eastern and South Pacific, the Australian Great Barrier Reef, Indian Ocean, Arabian and Red Sea, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic and North Seas. During that time I also represented the owners in the construction of the 38m sailing yacht Aquel II and the 38m Christiansen motor yacht Fifty One. I retired from the sea at the end of 1996 when I went to work with Geoff selling both power and sailing yachts in Auckland New Zealand. After 2 years working at the brokerage I receive the opportunity to project manage the build of a 50 m superyacht “Aria” at the Sensation Yachts ship yard in Auckland. That project evolved into New Zealand Yacht Projects Ltd., my company, specializing in superyacht construction project management, project assessment and client representation.  For 10 years I managed six 50 m super yacht projects at the Sensation yard. In 2007 I received my accreditation as a marine surveyor from the International Institute of Marine Surveying in England and since then I have been conducting marine surveys on sail and power yachts under 500 gross tons. As a new member of the SeaBoats Brokerage team I will draw on my years of experience as a yacht captain, a construction project manager and a marine surveyor to assist in your search for the right vessel.

Meet Clive Bennett based in Auckland and marketing a wide cross section of leisure craft throughout the SeaBoats Global network. Clive’s background includes International shipping and forwarding, and Marketing Director for Alloy Yachts .He is also associated with the NZ Marine Industry in both the Yacht Refit and Work Boat sectors.Regarding past mentors he is proud to have worked with Sir Peter Blake whom he assisted in many of his successful yachting campaigns. Sailing experience includes ocean races to Port Villa, Noumea and Tonga plus four winners in the Coastal Classic and the superyacht Cup in both NZ and Europe.

It is with much pleasure that we welcome Giuseppe Filippone to our sales team.  Giuseppe is a Naval Architect who lives in Italy and we have enjoyed a professional relationship on a few levels prior to his joining the team as a Broker.  Giuseppe will continue with his design work whilst brokering for SeaBoats. In his own words: "After completing my studies (Mechanical Engineering and a Yacht design course at Westlawn) I have been working abroad for most of my life. My experience as a designer and project manager is very diversified and includes a variety of vessels ranging from small wooden dinghies, fast GRP sportfishing boats, commercial ferries and workboats of various kinds. While running an independent design office I have often worked in cooperation with other designers in several countries and have a good experience with many shipyards, shipbuilding regions and a few flag states. After many years of hard work in Japan I recently moved back to my native Sicily (where the weather is much better than almost anywhere else)." Giuseppe is a great addition to the team and his broad experience will benefit many of our European clients.

We would like you to meet Princess Lontoc our researcher and data-base developer. SeaBoats has taken the family thing a step further this time, as Princess is sister-in-law to Genevieve Lontoc, our Listings Manager and Admin Team Leader. Princess has been with us since last year and has been tirelessly and cheerfully increasing our data-base, thereby increasing our effectiveness, whilst completing her training as a teacher. Like Genevieve, Princess is based in the Philippines. Princess' husband, Christian, is a merchant seaman, so her maritime links are strong.

It is with great pleasure that SeaBoats announces that UK Broker' Richard Pierrepont has joined our sales team.  Richard has been a long standing associate and it is a natural progression that we have now taken over the operation of Richard's brokerage' Solent Yacht Brokers in Cowes, UK. Here is a little about Richard in his own words:  Formed Marine Engineering Company in Cowes, Isle of Wight, home of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the centre of competitive yacht and powerboat racing in the UK in 1979. Main dealers for most of the Marine Engine Companies together with Marine Electronics for The Isle of Wight. Served on Yarmouth lifeboat. For leisure has both raced powerboats and yachts. The former professionally and the latter for leisure. Crossed Atlantic in 1997. Rotarian for 20 years and keen fly fisherman. Formed Solent Yacht Brokers 2011 with partner Stuart who has just retired due to ill health. Recently has sold Marine Engineering business to concentrate on brokerage.

It is with much pleasure that I welcome a new team member base in Venezuela.  We have known Reynaldo Gil for a few years and we have worked on a few projects together and have always been impressed with his professionalism and he is a great addition to our team as a broker.  Reynaldo is a Naval Engineer with 33 years graduated mostly working building tugs, barges, crew-boats in steel and aluminium, also was manufacturing FRP boats for the leisure market. for 12 years.  For the last 9 years he has been running his own shipping company, and has been involved with some Consulting and Brokerage. We are confident that he can help us greatly in his part of the world.

Hanni is our latest addition to our sales team.  Hanni hails from North Borneo and now calls Langkawi, an idyllic island in Northern region of Peninsular Malaysia as her home where sailing, her lifelong passion is most prominent in Malaysia.  Hanni has been actively involved in the yacht racing scene and has been managing and coordinating regattas around South East Asia over the the past 10 years.  Hanni has also ventured into servicing yachts on the island providing services that include rigging, sails repair, canvas repair, yachts registration, chandlery and yacht brokerage until current day.  Now Hanni has joined the SeaBoats sales team bringing a wealth of knowledge and an excellent understanding of the sea and boats that sail on it.

HANNI IS ON EXTENDED LEAVE, SAILING AROUND THE WORLD, HER LIFE LONG AMBITION. UNTIL SHE RETURNS, PLEASE CONTACT PRINCESS LONTOC AT PRINCESS.LONTOC@SEABOATS.NET

I come from a Family of Seafarers, my Great Grandfather, Grandfather, Dad, Uncles and Brothers were all seafarers. Born in India, I joined a Shipping Company in Singapore at the age of 17. I stayed with the Company from Cadet to Master, turned out I was their first Cadet to Master. I studied in Sydney for my Master Class I and migrated soon after to Australia. 

In Australia I was fortunate to get a job on arrival in a Shipping Agency. Six months later I got a job with Australia’s largest Shipbroker at the time. After a few years I started my own Shipbroking Company and was instrumental in assisting my client, a large grain trader, with his business. We chartered on average about 70 ships annually, operated by our team until the Client moved his business overseas. 

I have since chartered and operated many vessels including a 3-year contract with the Port of Nauru to manage the port there. On returning to Australia, I have continued my brokering and chartering operations on a part-time basis until I was offered a position to join Seaboats. I look forward to helping and assisting our clients in any way possible.

Peter Cookson is one of two Directors leading the way for SeaBoats. Peter's background is in large ships, first as a Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy and then a shipbroker for the world's largest shipbrokers, Clarksons. Peter brings decades of experience with a broad knowledge of commercial vessels of all types and a strong background and network in shipbrokering at the large end of the scale. Peter manages a team of professionals here to assist in the Sale and Purchase of of vessels of all types in most locations.

We would like you to meet Princess Lontoc our researcher and data-base developer. SeaBoats has taken the family thing a step further this time, as Princess is sister-in-law to Genevieve Lontoc, our Listings Manager and Admin Team Leader. Princess has been with us since last year and has been tirelessly and cheerfully increasing our data-base, thereby increasing our effectiveness, whilst completing her training as a teacher. Like Genevieve, Princess is based in the Philippines. Princess' husband, Christian, is a merchant seaman, so her maritime links are strong.

Peter Cookson is one of two Directors leading the way for SeaBoats. Peter's background is in large ships, first as a Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy and then a shipbroker for the world's largest shipbrokers, Clarksons. Peter brings decades of experience with a broad knowledge of commercial vessels of all types and a strong background and network in shipbrokering at the large end of the scale. Peter manages a team of professionals here to assist in the Sale and Purchase of of vessels of all types in most locations.

It is time to introduce a face to the name many of you will see on a regular basis. Cassandra Martinez has recently moved to New Zealand from the US with her two daughters and is now in our HQ. Cassi is also the daughter of one of our Directors, Geoff Fraser and grew up around boats. Sailing as a tiny tot and also had a strong equestrian bent with competitions at an early age. As a tiny tot on the family yacht she was known as a bit of a "helm hog" and has over recent years been drawn back to the marine world. She now participates on a Dragon Boating team, keeping that competative spirit alive. Cassi now runs our HQ office, getting involved in all aspects of our admin and management team.

Meet Geoff Fraser, one of the two Directors that lead SeaBoats to the forefront of Marine Brokerages. 

Geoff’s background was first in yacht-racing (winning a world championship in 1977 and 3rd in a couple more), spending ten years as a professional sportsman and the owner of Kiwi Racing before developing New Zealand's most successful yacht and ship brokerages.  Geoff is also a past President of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association and currently sits on the Ship & Workboats guiding Committee.

Geoff shares his time between Australia and New Zealand as well as the other parts of world that demand our attention to work with clients, the SeaBoats Sales and Admin Teams.

Genevieve is the Manager of our admin team in the Philippines and she is the one in-charge with the inventory of the whole company. She is the reason that the rest of us have time to carry out our tasks as brokers.  She ensures that all our vessels are correctly and skilfully loaded onto the various websites as directed. Her dedicated attention to detail is passed on to her team in a manner typical of the SeaBoats approach as a whole. Genevieve is pictured here in a SeaBoats relaxation facility after a long night of loading urgent listings.

Chase is a remarkable Labrador who has taken on the role of Director of Staff Wellbeing at SeaBoats. With his friendly and affectionate nature, Chase has quickly become a beloved member of the staff. His primary responsibility is to boost employee morale and create a positive work environment. Whether it's greeting employees at the entrance with a wagging tail or joining them for a walk during lunch breaks, Chase's presence brings joy and relaxation to the workplace.

Julie Ann (Jhoy) Derayal is a graduate with a course in Hospitality and Tourism Service and with additional one year course in Information Technology. She formerly worked as a photo editor and lay-out designer and was promoted as a secretary and front desk officer in her work in the hotel . She had an experience in book keeping. She assisted inquiries like booking for accommodation, social function, cars/motors, chartering boats/jets, helicopter tours, island hopping and other sea/land activities. These job experiences give her sense of responsibility to do her job well and beyond her duty.  SeaBoats is now the beneficiary of Jhoy's exceptional work ethic. 

Pamela is our newest member at SeaBoats. While she is new to the maritime industry, she is an incredibly hard worker and her focus and dedication to her growth in the ship-brokerage sector is second to none. She is very adaptable, and her bubbly personality has been a joy to work with as we help her to continue to grow and understand the maritime industries She said “I believe that my eagerness for lifelong learning made my heart thrive for more.”  SeaBoats is pleased to have her onboard and to be a part of her future growth. 

Honey Grace Perocho is our newest researcher and joined us in 2016.  Honey is a Graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and also does the early morning show on the local radio station in her home town of Coron in Palawan.  Honey was formerly a tour guide in the beautiful touristic town of Coron and has a strong affinity to the sea.  Honey is a valuable member of our team that is building our databases of industry participants so that we can reach all the right people.

Maria is a Filipina Globetrotter for 8 years. Maria is fueled by her passion for understanding Maritime Businesses since she loves being at the Sea. As an Architecture Student, she’s also keen to understand about naval architecture and ship structure and considers herself a "forever student," eager to learn new things. An outgoing person, a curious lass and being a critical thinker makes her an asset in the company."