The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft, je
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/50909
Total Marine Service's fleet, from front to back: the Kaitoa, Kaipara and Kaipai manoeuvring the floating restaurant in the Viaduct Harbour Pouring concrete at the base of the new boat ramp at the Outboard Boating Club enquired as the workers pretended to be oblivious to all the excitement. Meanwhile, the resident fish, including Sheryl's pets, floated belly up as the local Greek lunch bar operator ran around with a net. Fish burgers were on special for the next week. One of the toughest jobs Brent recalls was recovering the 23 tonne keel from the America's Cup boat Oracle, the second keel to be lost. The first, in shallow water off Rakino Island, was easily recovered. This one was in 38m of water, hit the bottom at 90 miles an hour and sank into the mud. After recovering the yacht, Brent took this job on under a no cure - no pay contract and the meter began ticking. Fortunately about a foot of the fin was sticking up and they knew the GPS track of the Oracle before she fell over. By towing a diver up and down the track he was able to spot the fin, drop off the sled and attach a line and float to the stump. Next they blew away 2m of mud to get to the bulb and the bottom plate of the fin. This was removed and a lifting plate attached so the bulb could be lifted up on a jury-rigged horizontal boom lashed to the deck of the barge. There was no way the crane would lift this weight on the boom. Once the weight reached the surface it was lashed to the barge and the slow trip back to town began. When the keel finally landed on the wharf, Brent gave out a great sigh of relief, kissed it and said, "Pay day, boys!" Around 1996, Brent saw the writing on the wall when his major pontoon supplier got a bit cute in a business sense and encouraged another operator to do marina construction under contract. In doing so he was not completely honest in creating a level playing field. To straighten up the play, Brent and TMS established Total Floating Systems, turning out a newly designed pontoon system which included the ability to encapsulate the holding pile within the pontoon and marina structure. Five years later they have now manufactured some 1450 pontoons with two production plants in full swing. 16 NZ WORKBOAT REVIEW 2012 The first big breakthrough came when TMS and TFS were awarded the contract to design and build the 205- berth Whangamata Marina. This was completed on time and on budget with a fully turnkey operation handed over to her owners. The Tutukaka Marina extension followed and then the marina at the Whangarei Basin. Clients became confident that these two totally New Zealand-owned companies could not only build capable, world-class marinas and jetties, but also do repairs and upgrades. The key to this client confidence was the ability to talk directly with the boss and if they could not get the desired result, they could drive down the road and throw rocks through his window to attract his attention. You better believe it. If and when this radical event ever happened you would have Brent's total attention. Such is the Kiwi way this company does business. While support and loyalty is often seen as a rare ethic in the growing corporate world of business and finance, it remains a strong attribute of the waterfront community. Today the piling company has grown from a modest one man, one barge operation to a company with four piling barges, four tugs, nine cranes and an assortment of hammers, employing 26 staff and operating anywhere in New Zealand. Behind this noted, hardworking tough bastard of the waterfront is June, his only boss, partner and wife of 36 years. She still does all the bookwork, ensuring the company remains financially stable and the bills are paid on time, while somehow managing to keep "Shipman" out of jail and focused on the task in hand. And what about the future? "I am not too sure," says Brent. "My sons and staff are kicking me off the tugs and barges to a man cave in a factory loft, so I am not sure I like this bit." Well Shippy, without fear of argument I would say enjoy the peace and quiet when you can and continue to make a noise when you have to. Give the young ones heaps and work them so hard they haven't got time to get into mischief. Above all, be yourself, mate, as this waterfront would be lost without you and your team. Best wishes for the next 25 years. ■