A sea change for Marahau Marine has paid off, with the company taking out a national sales performance award.
The store, which fits out boats and sells and services outboard motors, has been awarded Yamaha’s Repower Dealer of the Year award for 2024, despite working with the brand for less than a year.
In a national first, Yamaha approached them and asked if they could align with their brand alongside Honda, which has been Marahau Marine’s main supplier since the business began in 2016.
Owners Ross and Christine Dixon agreed, and Ross says their business increased by a third overnight.
Christine says they were in a unique position, dealing with two well-respected Japanese brands.
“It’s pretty cool for a little old business basically at the end of the road.”
Although they sell new and second-hand outboard motors, Ross says that service and back-up is their core business.
The couple know that people’s boats are their pride and joy, “whether it’s worth five grand or $500,000,” Ross says, and they work hard to ensure that their customers become repeat ones.
Yamaha’s national marine manager Scott Henderson says that the company punches far above its weight.
The award is not just about sales quantity, but also after-sales service and customer care.
He says that Ross is an expert, with excellent technicians on his team.
“They have far exceeded our expectations,” he says.
“We always knew that they were capable, but we didn’t expect this support out of the business in such a short amount of time.
“This is a pretty special part of the country, and we’re just grateful to have representation here,” he says.
