In 1988, hair and shoulder-pads were big, interest rates were high and the stock market was low. Overseas, the Soviet Union was falling apart but the Berlin Wall was still standing strong. And one of New Zealand’s pioneering professional sailors set up a company which in 2018 celebrated 30 years in business.
Kiwi Yachting, established by Richard ‘Molly’ Macalister, has weathered varying economic fortunes, expanded and diversified, and seen the America’s Cup come and go and come again. Now jointly-owned by Macalister and international sailor Dean Barker, the company has stayed afloat when many in the industry have been swamped or gone under entirely.
Today it is a leading distributor of yachting hardware and deck equipment, including brands such as Lewmar, Navtec, Sparcraft and Profurl, as well as 420, Optimist…
