AENIB Awards 2015: Dinatec

Dinatec  receives this year´s award for the most outstanding professional trajectory. More than half of his life dedicated to nautical entrepreneurship, Toni Socias is considered one of the veterans of the sector. Currently his two sons run the business. To speak with Toni Socias about this award, we visit him at his shop next door to the Santa Catalina market in Palma.

This year Dinatec receives the award for the most outstanding professional trajectory. What does this award mean to you?

It was unexpected, in a way. But I´m very pleased  to have the trajectory of the company recognised, as we have been involved with nautical business for a long time. Dinatec has been in operation for 23 years, but personally I have been involved with the nautical sector for 40 years. The development has been brutal, the number of changes I have witnessed! Gone are the days when you bought a small boat and were given a mooring as a freebie. Now the waiting lists are huge.

How did it come about to start a company?

I was previously working in the company Socias- Rossello with my brother. At certain point I was ready to step out and start on my own. The first years of Dinatec were exciting, even happy in a way. We had a lot of work. We were quite all-round to start with, but with years we have specialised more towards the electronics, like sounders and radars, and their installation.

And your client profile - has it changed a lot over the years?

Yes. To start with we had mainly local clients. Now we are working also with bigger boats.

We are living in an era of changes in the sector. What effect do you think these changes will have on the sector and on companies like yours? 

I would like to make a point about the nautical qualifications. I don´t think it is appropriate that somebody with only PER can command a boat of 24 m. Lack of skills by the captain can cause problems. The rest seem like positive changes, although it remains to be seen how they will affect the sector.

The latest registration figures place the Balearic Islands as the market leader in Spain... 

Yes, but if you stop to analyse it, it is the biggest boats that increase most. The bracket below 8 meters continues the same as before. I think this is due to the exemption of matriculation tax on charter yachts.

In a few months we will have elections. In your opinion, what should the new administration do in order to support or boost the sector?

I almost prefer that they wouldn´t do anything and let us get on with it the work in peace. Us entrepreneurs we know how the sector works, in what situation we are in and more or less how to make progress. Now we have the problems of extensions of Port Molinar, Club de Mar and Port of Palma. They also want to do something in Moll Vell. But at the end of the day it seems like nothing goes ahead.

To change a subject - what services does Dinatec provide for their clients? 

Mainly installations, maintenance and sale of materials and products in our shop. 

How is Dinatec preparing for the coming seasons? 

With caution, but as always, we will adapt. Even during the boom years we progressed with calm as we could see that the situation could not carry on for long. Although I didn´t think the crisis would have hit as hard as it did.

Website of Dinatec.

AENIB Awards 2015: Dahlberg S.A

The award for the most longstanding member goes to a company which is in fact one of the oldest nautical companies on the island. Kjell Dahlberg arrived to Mallorca when the island was just starting to discover the possibilities of mass tourism, and founded in 1972 a company, which was possibly the first one dedicated to yacht repairs on the island. Currently Dahlberg S.A has various divisions and the third generation of Dahlbergs is about to join the company. The award gave us an opportunity to interview Kjell Dahlberg in his home and share some good memories with him. 

1.- This year Dahlberg SA receives the award for the most longstanding member of AENIB. What does this recognition mean to you?

It is fantastic, as I have been around for a long time. The company was among the first ones to start repair "things" on the boats. When I arrived on the island there was nobody who understood about these things. I gained my experience when I lived and worked in Sweden (I´m Swedish by birth), I have also a skipper´s certificate for deep sea fishing, I´m a naval technician.. and also a qualified professional diver.

2.- You arrived on the island in the sixties, if I´m not mistaken. Why did a Swedish youngster like yourself decide to settle down in Mallorca and to start a company?

About 56 years ago I was sailing on a yacht and arrived in Mallorca. We had very bad weather during the voyage, sailed into a storm outside Soller and had to return back to Palma for repairs. We spent an entire year repairing the boat, and by concluding the job I returned to Sweden, although I had already fallen in love with Mallorca... I could also see that there was nobody who understood much about boats... There were mechanics, but they worked mainly with cars and only occasionally repaired boat engines. Their work processes, knowledge and tools were based on the Spanish automotive industry of the sixties. They didn´t have knowledge of the modern equipment we had access to in Sweden at that time. I saw an opportunity to establish my own company, and that´s how I started.

I think I was the first one to open a business of this type on the island. In fact it was quite a challenge legally, as there was no activity in the register that could be applied. Those days it was very difficult for a foreigner to obtain a work permit, so I sought help from a lawyer, who told me that I could obtain a work permit if I registered myself as an artisan locksmith. I wasn´t too bothered, it was a question about obtaining a licence and getting started. Any inaccuracies could be ironed out afterwards.

My first clients were all foreigners; Americans, Germans and English. I spoke English and some German, so I had no communication problems. This was something they appreciated very much. When they came to Spain they didn´t find anybody who would understand them, but there was I and we could talk about the problems they had. I worked mainly with big sailing yachts coming from America, England and Germany. There were not so many motor boats as nowadays.

3.- Do you miss something from the olden days? 

There was more freedom and less controls. As my daughter pointed out to me once - if I wanted to start the same business today, I would not be able to. 

Those days things were repaired. Nowadays things don´t get repaired, they get changed, in the American style.

When I started, everything had to be repaired, among other things because spare parts simply didn´t exist in Spain. I had to devise something myself and try to use my contacts in Sweden and in England to get sent what I needed. This system worked pretty well.

4.- What would you have thought 55 years ago if somebody had told you where the company is today  and that a third generation of Dahlbergs would be involved in the business?

In all honesty I didn´t think much about the future. You had to do your bit every day and work hard. Little by little I became very well known among the yacht owners - without spending a cent in publicity! The clients were happy and that was the best marketing I could have. Today I can say that I´m very proud of both the past and the present of the company, and that as a family we have been able to get through the different periods of crisis, celebrating our 30th anniversary of Dahlberg S.A last year. The future is exciting with the third generation ready to step in, but it is not going to be easy.

5.- In your opinion, how has the nautical sector developed during these past 45 years?

The development is very satisfying , thanks to a strategic location of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the highly specialised companies that exist here, the natural environment and the exquisite services available in different sectors. Today the islands are a worldwide nautical reference. But there is still a lot to do, not so much at the business level, more so on the administrative side of things.

6.- On the Balearic Islands there are lots of family businesses dedicated to nautical sector. In yours three generations of the family are involved in the company. Why do you think so many families dedicate themselves to nautical businesses?

It is work for which the passion comes from within. We teach our children the love of the sea and the love and implication in our work, they grow up with this attitude. Besides, working in a nautical business is never boring, although often not easy. A lot of knowledge is essential.

7.- Currently, what services does Dahlberg S.A provide for their clients?

We supply, install and repair the brands that we represent. We also have a department of training in electronics and sanitation. We have three divisions at Dahlberg: Naval electronic equipment and telecommunications; Waste water systems, toilets and pumps; and Revision and sales of the life rafts of the brand Duarry.

8.- To conclude, how will Dahlberg face the future as a company? What challenges do you have ahead?

To start with, we need to continue acquiring skills and knowledge in all our specialties. Then to innovate, not only when it comes to the products we should have on offer, but also with the processes as a company and the needs of the market. And naturally we need to continue having excellent relationship with our collaborators and clients.

Website of  Dahlberg S.A. 

Interviews with our partners- Echo Marine Service

This veteran company offers the boats autonomy in the consumption of water through water purification from the sea by the process of inverse osmosis. More than two decades of hard work guarantee their professionalism.

(More soon, meanwhile you can read the interview in Spanish here)

Interviews with our partners – Delta Diesel

The experience of Delta Diesel is guaranteed by more than 20 years of existence. The company is specialized in  maintenance and repair of all boats with motor MAN, no matter if they are for recreational or professional purposes. We have had the pleasure to talk to them about the evolution of the nautical business in the last decades, as well as how the company has evolved until the present. 

(More soon, meanwhile you can read the interview in Spanish here)

Entrevistas XXXI Palma Boat Show - Asociados AENIB

Comercial Morey S.A.

Comercial Morey, empresa gestada en la década de los 60 por Juan Morey, está dirigida por su hijo Gregori Morey. En sus inicios se estableció en el centro de Palma, pero debido al crecimientos de las embarcaciones se trasladó al polígono de Marratxí, a unas instalaciones de 3.500 metros. 

Es una empresa asidua a la feria náutica, aunque su director reconoce que “no necesitamos el salón, hace 40 años que la gente nos conoce”, sin embargo, “es una especie de pistoletazo de salida de la temporada náutica y la gente tiene la consciencia de que se ha de poner las pilas y mirar barcas”, sopesa Morey, que resalta la ubicación del encuentro, en el Moll Vell. Entre sus objetivos comenta que busca “consolidar ventas y mostrar novedades” a los clientes. No obstante, considera que los competidores “están demasiado encima. Quien tiene los mismos metros cuadrados de exposición que tú está en idénticas condiciones. 

A veces vienen empresas que muestran todo lo que son en los expositores y, en cambio, hay otras que detrás de lo que exhiben hay historia, instalaciones, profesionalidad, mecánicos, servicios…”, reflexiona. Entre las anécdotas, a modo histórico, Gregori Morey rememora que ha habido compañías que “han venido a romper precios y han vendido, pero pasan 2 o 3 años y se van. Dieron el pego en la feria, donde parecía que se iban a comer el mundo, pero no ha habido continuidad”.

Servinautic Palma S.L.

30 años al servicio de los clientes avalan a Servinautic, constituida en el año 1983, ofrece suministro, instalación, mantenimiento y reparación de equipos de electrónica a bordo. Toni Julià, responsable del negocio, recuerda que hace unos años “dejamos de asistir al salón dada la poca afluencia y el poco mercado que había. No estábamos de acuerdo con los horarios y días establecidos”. 

Con el cambio de formato, el año anterior, se animó a regresar. “Nos gusta esta versión ya que algunas empresas locales no disponemos de un equipo comercial para atender en la tienda y en la feria. Con el jueves que cae en fiesta, por ejemplo este año perdemos únicamente 2 días de oficina que son fácilmente recuperables”, relata Julià, que acude con la idea de “representar las marcas que distribuimos y, lógicamente, darnos a conocer entre los nuevos clientes. El propietario de la empresa califica el formato pasado, de 11 días, como “una ruina y caótico”. 

29th Annual General Meeting and the VII Nautical Awards of AENIB

The Nautical Trade Association of the Balearic Islands (AENIB) celebrated the 29th Annual General Meeting and the VII Nautical Award Ceremony on the 20th of February. Over hundred people congregated for the event, including  nautical entrepreneurs, prominent personalities from the nautical world and politicians, among them the president of the Balearic government, José Ramón Bauzá and the minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Joaquín García. 

The presentations

Before the start of the Annual General Meeting, a round of presentations by various experts took place. A considerable number of associates followed the presentations, which dealt with a wide range of issues, from the latest changes in the ISO regulations to cooperation projects. The first presentation was given by Agustion Fiol from Lloyds, analyzing  the regulations for ISO 9001 and 14001. After that Rafael Olabarrieta from Generali Seguros explained the ins and outs of civil liability insurances for the nautical sector. The third presentation, by Miguel A. Rayo from Corporacio Jovent clarified the plans of cooperation between the Corporacio Jovent and AENIB to help people at risk for social exclusión. During the last presentation the general secretary of the Spanish Nautical Trade Association (ANEN), Carlos Sanlorenzo, gave an extensive summary of the actions carried out by the association during the past year and started projects and planned actions for the current year.

VII Nautical Awards of AENIB – Company with the most prominent professional trajectory: Comercial Morey

1.- Comercial Morey receives this year the award for the company with the most prominent profesional trajectory. What does this recognition mean to you?

We are overjoyed as it is a recognition of the Morey family´s lifelong dedication to the nautical business.

2.- What services does your company offer?

Our company sells boats, motors, nautical accessories and trailers, and at the same time offers various maintenance servicse for the boats that we sell: repairs, guardiannage, wintering, cleaning, painting etc. In other words we complement the boat sale with all the post sale maintenance services. We have been distributors of the SUZUKI outboards for over 30 years, which is one of our longest standing comercial dealerships.

3.- Your company is active since almost five decades. Could you talk about your professional trajectory? Both at a personal level (if you wish) and as a company.

The company was founded by my father Juan Morey Gil in the beginning of the seventies. The company was initially called "COANSA" (Comercial Autonáutica s.a) and was located in Palma along the road to Sóller. Already then the company dedicated itself mostly to motor boats, both inboard and outboard. After my brother Juan Mª Morey Estarellas joined the company, during what we could call the first "popularization" of yachting, the market developed immensely. Later on, in the middle of the eighties, the family tradition and my long time devotion to the sea and boats made it easy for me to join the company as well. From the start of the nineties the boat buyers increasingly started to demand post sale maintenance services, as well as dry storage during the winter, when they were not using their boats. That´s when the company made the biggest change so far and after nearly 30 years in the same location in Palma moved to new premises of 3.500 m2 in the industrial estate of Marratxi. This enabled us to respond to the demands of the "new yachting": more space to handle ever bigger boats, client parking and correct facilities to do the maintenance work that the boat owners were now demanding. Currently, our company hasn´t been able to avoid the consequences of the serious economic crisis that the sector is suffering from, but thanks to the professionalism and multi-tasking of all members of our staff, we are "weathering the storm" slowly, but surely.

Marina Estrella strengthens its capital with new investors

Marina Estrella, a leading yacht brokerage, distribution, charter and yacht maintenance company of the nautical sector in Spain has reinforced its shareholding structure with the entrance in the company of the French investment fund Hoche Partners and new shareholders.

The entrance of Hoche Partners and new Spanish shareholders supports the company strategy started two years ago of profound restructuring, reform, professionalization and modernization, led by the CEO Francisco Rivas. The French fund and the new Spanish shareholders become the principal shareholders of the company as they will jointly hold the majority of the capital, previously in the hands of the founding Estrella family.

Rivas, who in previous professional phases has been the CEO of Rodman, the president and founder of ANEN (the National Association of the Nautical Enterprises), and a management consultant and strategist for many important companies in various sectors, has been ratified in his position at the head of the company.

"The confidence placed in us by the new shareholders will drive us forward towards the new challenges in the new phase opening up for Marina Estrella", assures Francisco Rivas. "These challenges consist mainly of consolidating our leading position in the import of the yachts of our nine brands: Azimut Yachts, Atlantis, Magellano, Benetti, Hanse, Moody, Sacs and Minorchino, both in Spain and in Portugal, and in our activities of brokerage, charter and services. In addition to these we are making a stake in international development and management of marinas, with various projects in the phase of evaluation. We are very satisfied with the incorporation of the new shareholders, which means an injection of capital and strengthening of our strategic plan".

The Balearic nautical sector supports the GDS Unimarina of the Majorcan company Portbooker

The main representatives of the Balearic nautical sector have expressed their unanimous support for the Unimarina project, a GDS (Global Distribution System) of the ports and marinas jointly developed by Travelport and the Majorcan company Portbooker. According to the persons in charge, the platform "represents the future" in the management of the worldwide marine installations, by concentrating all online operations related to their services, and it confirms the leading role of the Balearic Islands in the field of technological innovation in the tourism sector.

The president of the Balearic Port Authority (APB), Alberto Pons, the director of the Ports of the Balearic Islands (Ports IB), David Gómez, the director of APB, Juan Carlos Plaza, and the president of the Association of the Marinas and Nautical Installations of the Balearic Islands (ANADE), Cristina Mari, had a meeting today with the executive members of the expert committee of Unimarina, the instigators of the project, who have come to Palma to finalize the details of the official presentation of this platform of global distribution of nautical services, which will take place during the next edition of the Palma Boat Show.

The president of the Balearic Port Authority, Alberto Pons, highlighted "the huge potential for technological development that exists on the islands of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, applied to the Balearic nautical sector" and expressed his conviction that "the new system for the marina reservations outlined by Unimarina will be the standard in the near future". For Pons, the fact that a Majorcan company is innovating in this area is extremely important, as the project "inevitably sets the pace within the nautical industry, as today everything is managed through internet".

The first informal get together of the members of the EU Group of AENIB

On the 27th of June a considerable number of EU members of AENIB and other interested nautical entrepreneurs had an informal meeting in the bar Varadero. Although the atmosphere was relaxed, it was a proper working meeting in which many important issues that affect the day to day running of the nautical companies came up. Some of the problems discussed were the of lack of space in STP, resulting in loss of business for many local refit and service companies, when they have to turn clients away. Another issue was the prohibitive charges imposed by the port Authority for the companies located on the premises, making their overheads so high they end up pricing themselves out of the market. And how to convince Astilleros to give Access to outside contractors to work on their premises was another question raised. A subcommitté was formed to serve as a link between STP, Astilleros and AENIB in an attempt to find a satisfactory solution for all parties.

In the meeting the recent Palma Boat Show was also discussed, and allthough the show´s come back was considered successful, those present emphasized the need to concentrate heavily on attracting not just visitors but those clients who will come with a serious intention to buy.

News from e3 Systems: The Consortium: 3 Experts – 1 Solution

An Agreement was signed between Aage Hempel Netherlands, Tijssen Elektro and e3 Systems at the end of May to form The Consortium. The Consortium is a collection of 3 expert technical companies, each with their own pedigree and skill sets, all of which are backed by a wealth of experience. 

These companies have joined together to offer a new build service for super yachts that uniquely lasts for the full life cycle of the yacht. It starts at the yacht’s Concept, progresses through Construction and continues until the yacht finally stops Cruising. 

The Consortium has an extensive geographic spread. Some companies have offices where yachts are built and others where yachts cruise. Thus the Consortium can provide their services at a lower cost due to their local presence through every stage of the yacht’s life. The three professional companies of the Consortium can move fast, be flexible and provide turn-key solutions. The Consortium is happy to provide a single simple solution or a sophisticated complex package for yachts of any size. 

Azimut 55S, the most innovative sports boat at the moment

*Press release by our associates Marina Estrella

"The most innovative yacht of the year" and "The best general and interior design of the year" in the World Yacht Trophies 2012.

Barcelona, 6th of May 2013. - Marina Estrella commercializes the most innovative and effective yacht on the market at the moment, the Azimut 55S. This new vessel has revolutionized the traditional concept of medium size boats for various reasons: new spatial design situating the three cabins in the middle of the boat, more rigid and light structure by using carbon fibre, introducing a pivoting bathing platform and triple motorization with the new IPS system.

The innovative, surprising and revolutionary caracter of the Azimut 55S was recognized by the sector in the form of the awards "The most innovative yacht of the year" and "The best general and interior design of the year" in the World Yacht Trophies 2012.

The design revolution starts in the machine room, which hosts the triple Volvo IPS-1 system: 3 motors of 435 CV with contra-rotating twin propellers orientated towards the bow, which provide the Azimut 55S with a top speed of over 36 knots, a truly sportive performance.

The election of this revolutionary system of Volvo Penta for the first time in Azimut and in this unusual configuration was fundamental for the project, as compared to the same power of just two motors, the triple installation reduces the volume, length, weight and consumption, and increases the performance, maneuverability and efficiency.

The total output power of 1305 CV is accompanied by a general reduction in weight, due to the utilization of glass fibre and carbon fibre composites in the large areas of the deck and hull, and above all the fabrication of the structural parts in pure carbon fibre. This innovation has reduced the weight of the structure by 37%. The use of carbon fibre composite has lead to a reduction of weight of the hull by 10%, compared to a hull of the same size made of the traditional glass fibre.

The design of the stern is completely new, original and innovative. The bathing platform seems, at the first glance, a normal teak platform that rises about a meter above the sea level. But by simply pressing a button it transforms: the garage door, which is fixed to the bathing platform in L-shape, opens and inclines towards the sea. As a result, the original platform submerges and disappears below the sea level, substituted in few second by a new platform (the internal part of the door, which is also clad in teak), which extends by almost two meters over the sea. To take out or to store a tender, you only need to incline the platform and position the tender on special rollers.

The sliding ceiling window, available both in glass fibre and in big glass panels, makes the boat a unique space with a continuous design, style, materials and colors which are identical both in the salon and in the cockpit. The big teak table can be lowered electrically at the level of the C-shaped sofa. With the help of some cushions the dining area can be transformed into a huge chill out and sun bathing area.

The main deck is designed in one single level. In the forward part, with the aim to gain more comfort and security, the absence of steps has allowed the designers to include a sofa orientated towards the bow, right in front of the windscreen. This ideal space for relaxation and sunbathing is unique in this category of boats, adding extra value to the product.

The crew cabin is situated right in the bow, with access through a hatch from the main deck. This provides the owner more privacy, as the crew doesn´t need to pass through the pilot house to get to his cabin. At the same time, this arrangement offers the crew more privacy, as the bow of the boat is generally less visited, specially at night in the port.

As a result of the change of location of the crew cabin, the VIP cabin, the guest cabin and the main cabin are situated in the middle of the boat, which by being the widest point of the boat provides more volume for these cabins, as well as more stability for the boat.

The light indoors reaches new levels through the horizontal hull windows which provide generous quantities of natural light in the VIP cabin as well as in the guest cabin, while the main cabin has the traditional six windows on each side of the hull, allowing an unprecedented amount of light in.

VI Award for the Longest Membership goes to Metalnox.

The VI Award for the Longest Membership goes this year to Metalnox, a company associated to AENB since 1993. The company, specialized in all that has with metal work to do is a good example of the capacity to adapt to change that our industrial fabric has and to take advantage of Investigation, Development and Innovation. The director of Metalnox, Ignacio Arias, gives us a review of the extensive trajectory of his company. 

What does the award mean to you? 

The truth is we have been a long time in the business so it is great to be recognized.

What can you tell us about the trajectory of the company and your own career? 

We are two lifelong associates, José Rua and myself. We started in ´85 or ´86 with a joint assets company attending the demand in the Calvià area and the nearby ports. Later, I think in 1992 we founded the Limited Liability Company (S.L) and from there on we have been developing the business. We extended to other activities that had to do with metal work in some urbanisations in the area, and the company kept growing, ultimately specially in the nautical sector. 

For a time, between ´92 and ´96, we were located in the Moll Vell in Palma. Particularly during those years we became well known in the nautical circles. In year 2000 and thereafter we have also participated in some trade fairs in Club de Mar. From then on we have collaborated in many national and international fairs, exhibiting our products (sometimes through third parties). 

VI AENB AWARD for the associate with “The Most Outstanding Professional Trajectory”: Náutica Rosselló

Náutica Rosselló is a family company founded in 1995 by Juan Rossello, who was also the secretary of AENB until last year, when he sadly passed away. The recepction of 26 trophies during these 18 years awarded by the brands in representation are a testimony of the excellent management of the company. For this reason Náutica Rosselló receives the award for “The Company with the Most Outstanding Professional Trajectory”, given by AENB at the Annual General Meeting this year. We interview Tina Campins, one of the people who has worked in the company since its foundation.

This year you have received the award for the most outstanding professional trajectory. What does this mean to you?

This prize honours the memory of our beloved founder Juan Rosselló, who sadly is not with us anymore, and awards the great work that he has done both within Náutica Rosselló and outside it during a long time. We receive this award in the name of Juan Rosselló.

Could you talk to us about the trajectory of the company? When and how was it started?

Juan Rosselló worked in the nautical sector for more tan 30 years. He was the director of the nautical sector of Socias y Rosselló. In ´94 he started to think about setting up his own business, and due to various circumstances and changes in that company, he decided to launch on his own and founded Náutica Rosselló in February 1995. Then the company had only 2 people on fixed contract and a mechanic on an hourly rate. We started without any direct distribution rights, just with some brands on secundary line. We had a workshop of 200 m2, when 100 would have been enough, and the telephone rang about twice a day (and that on good days!) But thanks to the hard work of Juan Rosselló the clients started coming in and getting to know us…We had two years of hard work and very meagre outcome, but from ´97 onwards we started to see the results of the hard work and the invested time. After observing our evolution over a period of time, the suppliers conceded us direct distribution rights of some of the best brands on the market, and thats how we started receiving some of the awards, like the one for the number 1 in sales in Spain of inflatables Bombard and Zodiac. From there on the company simply took off.

Meet our associates: Cormorant Carpentry.

CORMORANT CARPENTRY. Matthew Paton, managing director of the company, has acquired 30 years of experience working with wood. This British businessman stopped in Majorca for pleasure and fell in love with it. He created Cormorant and since then, he has dedicated himself to design and cover all kinds of wood in the interiors of boats. 

Could you talk me about the trajectory of your company? (The year it was founded and how did the idea come up). 

I think I started in 1995. I came to Mallorca on holidays for two weeks and I liked it so much that I decided to work as a carpenter here on the boats. The company has evolved through the years. First, it was me alone and now I have some people working with me. I am a yachts carpenter and I have been doing this type of job for approximately 30 years. When I came from England I was already a yacht carpenter. I completed the apprenticeship working for three years in a company and I also went to college to obtain certificates. 

How have you fared the past tourist season? 

Basically, the government has forced a lot of boats to leave Mallorca. In the first place, because of the matriculation tax. And in the second place, because they have put up expenses on marinas. Boats can go elsewhere because it is cheaper. The government's answer by putting the taxes up is not working because the taxes go up. People do not want to pay the taxes here so they will go to a country where the taxes are lower. This is what has happened. It has not gone very well. I have lost lots of clients. Some of them have gone to America, others to France, Italy, Malta, Croatia. The big problem here at this moment is the matriculation tax. 

Meet our associate: Essentials Yacht Provisioning.

ESSENTIALS YACHT PROVISIONING. For ten years this company has dedicated to provide food, drinks, wines, cleaning and utensils to yachts in Mallorca and Ibiza. AENB's communication service has contacted with the director of Essentials, Ruth Kirwan, to know a bit more about this company.

Could you talk me about the trajectory of the company?

I worked in the yacht sector as a cook/chef (I had a catering company) and when I finished I decided to supply the boats and use the contact that I had and provide a good service.

How have you evolved since the beginning?

Now we have a franchise of wines with Vins Sans Frontieres (VSF) in France and we have expanded. Now we provide food, drinks, wines, cleaning and utensils. Practically anything. We do not provide engineering or anything like that, or kitchen stuff. We do a complete provisioning service. If you are interested in going more deeply in what we offer, you can enter in our webpage. Before long, we will open a page in Facebook.

Meet our associates: Sea Teach S.L.

SEA TEACH. Silja Teege, the owner and director of this experienced company tells us about the difficulties the charter companies are going through in these moments. She also makes a global review of the trajectory of this company in Cala d'Or.

Could you talk me about the trajectory of the company?

We started being Sea Teach in the year 2000, the moment when we realized that in Cala d'Or there was not any charter company. The taste from yacht comes from my husband who has been with boats all his life and he was qualified before coming to Mallorca.

How have you fared the tourist season that has ended?

It has not been as good as it used to be. Less boats are sold and we notice it in the school because as there are less people that buy boats, less people want to learn boating. And related to the charter side we can tell that our British market has decreased. The German market has been very good and the Swiss market has been fantastic.

Meet our associate: Branagh Marine Composites

BRANAGH MARINE COMPOSITES. Emma Seguí Pickett, the office manager explains us that the company was founded by Mark Branagh, who has an experience of 20 years in the sector. BM Composites dedicates mainly to the repair and fabrication of custom carbon components.

Could you start talking about the trajectory of the company?

Branagh Marine Composites came up in 2005. It is mainly dedicated to the repair and fabrication of custom carbon components. The idea emerged from Mr. Branagh, the owner of the company who has always worked in this sector.

We have grown much during the last years, specially in the last two ones. We are doing very big projects. The present season has gone very well. The results have been very good and we are facing the next years by working hard.

Interviews with our members: Lifestyle Charter

LIFESTYLE CHARTERS. Tracey Furness is the owner of the business and has an experience of 15 years in the sector. She talks us about this young company dedicated mainly to charter, but without leaving aside the maintenance and refurbishing of boats. 

Could you talk me about the trajectory of the company? 

As Lifestyle Charters we've been working for three years. Before this company we had another one that worked for 12 years. That is, we've been in the sector for 15 years. Our company is now located in Portals. 

Where does this taste for yachting come from? 

We started our own boat 15 years ago. 

How have you fared the present tourist season? 

Of course it has gone better than previous years; but it has not leveled the seasons before 2007, which was before the crisis started. 

Interviews with our members: A1 Sailing Mallorca

A1 SAILING MALLORCA, S.L. The owner, Martin Whyte explains us the way they began his company in Mallorca from their natal England. It is a complex company that was founded in 2005 and offers a great variety of services and products. 

Can you talk me about the trajectory of the company? 

We started in 2005 with A1 yacht from England and started with a yacht in A1 sailing school. Then, after the sailing school we moved to boat cleaning, polishing, varnishing, linen service, maintenance, services and repair. After that, we bought the shop and now we have a chandlery business.