Qualifications and Achievements

• First Prize, Best Furniture Piece.  2008. The “Go-Dining” table won by popular vote.
• Fine Furniture Making, Centre for Fine Woodworking, Nelson.  2007. Full time, 10 month course.
• Small Business Management, Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.  2006. Via correspondence.
• Marine Engine Operators License (MEOL).  2004. Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Southampton, UK.
• STCW 95 Advanced Firefighting, Advanced Sea Survival and Advanced First Aid.  2003. Yachtmaster International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
• Accredited Engineering Course (AEC).  2001. Yachtmaster International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
• Divemaster.  2000. PADI, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
• Shipwright / Boat Builder Apprenticeship / Trade Certificate.  1993 – 1997. Sydney, Australia.  Full time.

Work Experience

• Bosun / Ships Carpenter, M.Y. Archimedes.  Apr ’09 – Jun ’10. This was a fixed term contract on board 268 ft Feadship “Archimedes”.  Aside from managing the deck crew, I was responsible for the ongoing maintenance of all interior and exterior woodwork and joinery on board.  The offer to remain on board on a permanent basis was extended by the Captain, however, my wife and I decided to stay with our initial agreement, one reason being we are expecting our first child in November – the super yacht industry and small children do not marry well!
• Interior Forman, S.Y. Necker Belle.  Jul ’08 – Feb ’09. I was approached on behalf of Virgin Group to form and manage a team of furniture makers and joiners.  Our contract was to replace the crew accommodation areas of Sir Richard Branson’s catamaran.  I also designed, built and installed all the wall framing throughout the guests areas and selected all the timber for the project.
• Assistant Tutor, Centre for Fine Woodworking, Nelson.  Jan ’07 – Jun ’08. I assisted the head tutor during classes, acted as workshop technician and also taught a 10 day, full time small boat building course.  My role also involved assisting and guiding students with their projects.
• Small Business Start-Up.  Nov ’07. NW Designs is my own business that I formed upon completion of the 10 month fine furniture making course at the Centre for Fine Woodworking in Nelson.
• Boatbuilder, Dickie Boats, Napier.  Feb – Apr ’07. My role was primarily assisting a former super yacht Engineer in the design and build of his first boat following the establishment of his own boat building / design business.
• Trainee Manager, Hawkes Bay Farmers Transport.  Apr – Nov ’06.
• Volunteer, Cross Cultural Solutions, Ayacucho, Peru.  Aug – Nov ’05. Unpaid and full time position working with children and teenagers in an orphanage and in the local prison.  This was an amazing and challenging experience working within environments severely lacking in resources.
• Exterior Property Manager, Private Estate, Palm Beach, Florida, USA.  Jun ’03 – Jul ’05. While working on board the sailing yacht Hyperion, the owner offered myself and my partner live-in management positions at his new 74,00 sq. ft. estate.  I was involved in the closing stages of construction, the move-in period and beyond.  My role as Exterior Property Manager involved but was not limited to care of his classic speed boats, management and maintenance of the many systems in the house, 24 hr caretaking and management of the various contracting teams.  We left upon completion of a two year USA working visa/contract.
• Second Engineer, S.Y. Hyperion.  Sep ’01 – Jun ’03. This role on board the 155 ft Royal Huisman sloop included maintenance and repair of all systems on board, a working knowledge of an advanced computer control system and accurate record keeping.  I also solely managed a six week engineering refit involving a major service on the MTU engines and auxiliaries.
• Mate, S.Y. Oasis.  Jun – Oct ’01. 71 ft Southern Ocean Shipyard ketch.
• Bosun, S.Y. Liberty.  Sep ’99 – May ’01. 175 ft Perini Navi ketch.