Welcome to the August edition of Marine Matters from Coleman Marine Insurance, a Gallagher company.

This month we meet long-term client, friend of Coleman Marine and leading marine industry figure Spencer Brown and also Lucy Weemes, Account Handler in the Coleman Marine Trade and Cargo team.

If you would like to find out more information about our business and its services, please contact us on 01202 497410 or visit our website for more information by clicking here

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Spencer Brown, Sales Director, Sunseeker Poole Ltd

Spencer Brown is the Sales Director at Sunseeker Poole Ltd where he has worked for 11 years, after a ten-year period in the Balearics with the brand.

As Sales Director he manages the company’s UK sales offices and supports a number of sub dealerships in Europe, as part of the Sunseeker London Group.

Tell us a little about yourself, your background and what you like to get up to in your spare time

I live with my partner Jen, who I met whilst working together at Sunseeker. I have three sons – Brandon, 26, who works for Sunseeker in Port Adriano, Majorca; Sammy who is 24 and a Personal Trainer and lives in Majorca too, and Ethan, 19, who lives at home with Jen and myself and is shortly due to start at Kingston University to study drama and creative writing.

I grew up in Poole with a father in the forces and joined the Royal Navy after school as a Seaman Officer, travelling the world extensively for ten years. Wherever I went in the world I would always see Sunseeker products, looking amazing, and it was a constant reminder of home for me. It seemed like a very natural progression, that after I left the Royal Navy, that I would work for Poole-based Sunseeker.

Jen and I own a 28ft boat which we use locally in the harbour. We enjoy the boat a great deal and have lots of boating friends. We use Poole as a boating base and take many trips out to a wide range of destinations. Undoubtedly, one of our particular favourites is The Hut on the Isle of Wight – it’s the closest thing, anywhere in the UK, to a Mediterranean beach club! We always have huge amounts of fun when visiting and I often take clients there to offer them a taste of what the boating life-style is all about – good times, fantastic food, and great company – and perhaps the odd drink! The location and experience mirrors what clients do in the Mediterranean but on a much smaller scale and closer to home. The food there is fantastic, particularly the lobster.

Studland Bay is also a popular choice for us and we regularly moor up for a visit to the Pig on the Beach.

How has working life been during Covid and how has your routine changed?

It’s been really interesting. I’m a big advocate of the fact that business needs challenge and change, and we have seen so many changes over the last 18 months. We’ve become business chameleons, changed our colours and have adapted to overcome the challenges presented to us. It was particularly challenging at the beginning, with so many obstacles to overcome, get around and conquer. I’ve worked all the way through the pandemic and managed a team of staff, some of whom were furloughed, others that worked through. Our clientele haven’t stopped wanting to receive information about the product, in fact the desire for Sunseeker products has grown exponentially throughout this period, increasing growth in new and used sales, and bolstering pricing.

Prior to lockdown my average week would see me travelling two to three times a week away from the office, frequently to Spain, France, Italy or Croatia. Once the pandemic started, the ability to travel was obviously halted and that caused a huge swing over to other media including video presentations, online viewings and consultations. The way we do business has changed a lot and we are a lot more dependent on IT and visual technology. It’s been positive, however, and we’ve gained a much quicker, more stream-lined business flow, which is a lot more cost effective too.

Moving forwards the way of working will very much be a mixture of the new and old ways of doing business.  Both sides of the business, i.e Sunseeker staff and our clients understand that restrictions and rules change very frequently and therefore flexibility is key.

What other changes has the business seen?

The perception of ownership of a leisure marine product has changed for the better during the pandemic too. People see boating not only as a means of escape but also a place to spend quality time with loved ones, which has enhanced the appeal of buying and helped create the current strong market. Sales are stronger than ever in the brokerage and new sales markets and this has resulted in a shortage of available stock in both these areas. We’ve noticed lots of new Sunseeker clients, new blood and new prospects arriving in the marketplace. Boating has blossomed as a leisure-time activity.

I do believe that one of the benefits of this Covid period has been the gift of appreciation of time. Whether it be that clients have more time to look and consider the yachts, or more time to spend enjoying and justifying these high-ticket items, time has definitely been the key and the catalyst to this level of activity.

A lot of people talk about the negativity of the pandemic but it has allowed many people to evolve their businesses, improve family life and their mental health, putting many in a better place.

The pandemic also saw the creation of the Sunseeker Showcase which has been a huge success and very well-received by our clients. Right at the beginning of lockdown we were quick and agile as a business in responding to what was going on and recognised that without formal boat shows taking place for the foreseeable future that there was a need to create a unique experience for our clients. Set in the beating heart of Sunseeker, on West Quay Road in Poole, it is a permanent Sunseeker On-Show, a year-round boat show display featuring five models on the hard, with at least five others, moored on adjacent pontoons.

Adjacent, the Sunseeker Showcase gives clients exclusive access to an entire VIP suite for the duration of their visit. The client suite includes Robert’s Bar; named as a tribute to Sunseeker founder Robert Braithwaite, fabulously stocked with fine wines and an array of spirits. The Showcase also features a Design Studio housing all of the exquisite Sunseeker fabrics, woods and finishings, and a Cinema Room to view relevant information, videos, or to hold events in the future. Clients can meet with dedicated interior design staff to specify every detail of their boat in comfort – and we can even provide a full lunch service with our commercial galley on-site!

Supply chains have suffered during this time and when you consider the amount of parts and components in a Sunseeker you realise it is a very complex beast, with parts from all four corners of the globe, and therefore delays in the supply chain have resulted in delays in production.

There has been lots of innovation in the last 18 months. The interiors of the Sunseeker range have taken a leap ahead with regards to design details, features and textures used. We have also been able to review some technological advances and use of materials. The creativity within our design team has been very much heightened too during this period, with the launch of the Sunseeker Famous Five – five new models being launched at once – who else could manage that?

Looking forward we have the prospect of the Southampton Boat Show and other international shows taking place in September, which will focus client minds on the next boating season and what will be available for that period. The Southampton Boat Show layout has changed considerably this year and for the first time all of the Sunseekers yachts will be afloat, rather than on land. After last year’s show was cancelled at the 11^th hour, we are thoroughly looking forward to it finally taking place again and being able to offer the full scope of Sunseeker yachts below 90ft.

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Name: Lucy Weemes

Role: Account Handler in the Marine Trade and Cargo team, Coleman Marine Insurance.

How long have you been in the business?

Seven years – I joined Coleman when I was 18, just after my A-level exams.

What’s your marine career background?

I’ve learned everything from my work at Coleman as I didn’t have any prior experience. I worked my way up from ‘filing fairy’ to an Account Handler with a stint in claims inbetween.

What’s the best thing about your job?

My colleagues. Whatever stupid question I have, one of them always has the right answer.

Use 3 words to describe yourself

Stubborn, feisty, sporty.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A forensic scientist

Who do you most admire?

England national netball player Serena Guthrie, the greatest centre player on the planet.

Tell us something about yourself that we don’t know

I love to sew. I design and make clothes for myself and my partner – everyone keeps telling me to apply for the Great British Sewing Bee but I couldn’t deal with the pressure!