BY KHAMA LINCOLN
Isles Media Freelance Reporter in Gizo
GIZO Marine Services Limited (GMSL) as the owner and founder John Hutton said, has been designing and building the best fibreglass boats in the Solomon Islands for the past 30 years.
John is an expat from New Zealand who arrived in the country in the late 80s and had worked with a company called the Reef Pacific. Reef Pacific used to build and repair boats as well as export frozen fish fillets to Australia but had existed only for a few years in Gizo.
After years with Reef Pacific, he returned overseas. In1991 he came back to the Solomon Islands with the dream of continuing with his passion, and started his company and continue with the craft until now.
The Boat Builder specialized in fibreglass and based in Gizo town, western Solomons, also spent eight years in Choiseul and two in Honiara.
Mr Hutton pointed out that he is passionate about constructing quality fibreglass boats with the keenness to work on improving and changing lifestyles.
Not only that, but he also mentioned interest to pass on the industrial skill to locals who want to become boat builders.
“We have 13 staff and some of them have been here for 20 years now,” He said.
He stressed that it takes a year to train a new employee and five years for a worker to fully understand the craft. “They know how to handle it.”
Like other businesses that are facing challenges due to the covid pandemic, Gizo Marine is also facing difficulties due to a shortage of shipping services to the western province.
Mr Hutton said the shortage of shipping service to the province has caused uncertainty that takes a big toll on his business.
“However, we do our best, he said. “We are the smallest boat builders in the country and we build the best boats.
“A lot of the boats we are building are tourism-oriented and for the tourism industry, when the virus came it ended a lot of orders, we were getting through the tourism industry. So that was a huge impact. Now money becoming tighter and people are buying less,” He pointed out.
“Might be not so much in Honiara, but out here in the provinces, we started to find it very difficult to compete in selling boats during that period, as it is still now.”
Nevertheless, to tackle the economical challenge posed by the pandemic, John and his boys has experimented with a smaller size boat of 4.4meters (15feet.6inches). He called it Mini Cuda, which he said is designed for the lagoons.
He said, the new Mini Cuda is the cheaper boat to buy and run, as it is meant for 15 to 30 hp, while a high standard of quality is maintained.
“Good time for us to delve into the new model, to make a new type of boat that is lighter and uses less hose power and therefore less fuel.” He said.
GMSL’s other models are the Barracuda and Super Cuda, Barracuda is the Company’s usual model, while Super Cuda is designed for sports fishing. Super Cuda is customized with Fish Finder, GPS, Center Console, Fishing Rod Holders, Hydraulic Steering and Built-in Ice Box.
“The difference is, I’m a boat builder, that’s my profession, what I’ve done my entire life.
“My boats are durable, quality and a show of craftmanship, more seaworthy, more comfortable, look better and stronger. No boat come back for repair, I haven’t had a boat come back for years.
We use the best materials, if anybody has a problem with one of my boats due to faulty workmanship, we will fix it at all costs.
“What makes my boat different is the way it is built, the materials that we use, the construction technique that we use. We use all the latest structural techniques from overseas.”
He explained, his boats are also engineered for the ocean environment and the local people, and are made with the state of art materials imported from his native country of New Zealand and also Australia.
“If you want a GPS, Radar, HF Radio, sound systems, stereo speakers, Hydraulic steering, any of that equipment we have it here on stock,” He explained, “Everything for a boating man, anything you can get it internationally, you can get it here from me.
“I said, we are the smallest manufacturer, but I have a lot of boats out there in the tourism industry, especially in the dive industry, sport fishing industry.”
“I have boats out there in Makira, Choiseul, Malaita, Isabel, and they are boats for local people who wanted the best.” He said.
“We engineered the boat for the rough seas here and we put in a lot of time and money for research and improvement. Safety is the most important thing, so we built the whole floor out of a lot of the materials that float. We never had one of our boats sunk.”
GMSL is also a manufacturer of the best fibreglass paddled canoe, as well as Tank and Esky.
John is also assisted by his son Joel Hutton. Joel’s job is to do checkups and service on the engine, such as issues with the throttle control, electronics, Speaker System and lights for custom boats. Joel returned to Gizo three years ago from Australia.
John Hutton fell in love with a local woman, married her and called Gizo home.
