The Marina Shop

Marine Insurance

The Marina Shop’s primary business is marine insurance. We offer Blue Water (2 person), Coastal, Public Liability Insurance (“3rd Party”) and Travel Medical Insurance. Quotes are free. We insure vessels all over the world through well know and respected A rated insurers with a history of settling claims quickly and fairly.

The Crew

Bill Garlick (FSP226445)

Bill and his family moved to the Bay of Islands in 2008 and soon abandoned plans to head overseas when the merits of the local lifestyle appeared irresistible. In 2012 his family trust bought The Marina Shop off David and Melita Mair.

Bill has a life time interest in boats including river and sea kayaking, fishing Cook Strait and the outer Marlborough sounds and now cruising and a 36ft Townson named Sonnet. Bill has applied skills gained in the finance industry to The Marina Shop where he specialises in management, goverance and compliance issues.

Kerry Payne 

After spending many years cruising Europe, the Mediterranean, exploring the Cape Verde Islands and Canaries, Kerry and her husband voyaged across the Atlantic to the Carribean and spent 5 years there living aboard their 10m Steel Cutter ‘Kamouraska’.

More recently in 2017 the pair took their current boat, a 12m John Reynolds design cruising yacht to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia returning to Opua after the season in the Islands. 

She has called New Zealand home since 2001. Now settled in Opua in the Beautiful Bay of Islands Kerry enjoys sailing the local waters. Involved in Womens’ sailing in the Bay of Islands and sharing her love of sailing with other female sailors is one of her passions.

History

The Marina Shop opened in Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand, in 1998. David Mair setup the business to pre-sell the 200 plus berths in the then planned Opua Marina – hence the company's name. As the marina development came to fruition David began selling marine insurance and when the business began to grow quickly he was joined by his wife Melita.

The success of the business reflected David and Melita’s commitment to their clients, the decision to work with only highly rated marine insurers and their lifetime interest in boats. Before starting The Marina Shop they spent 12 years operating a game fishing business at Musket Cove Resort, Fiji and their long range live-aboard game fishing launch MV Zeus in Tonga. Together they completed blue water passages to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and French Polynesia as well as spending some time in the Mediterranean.

In 2010 The Marina Shop moved into new premises in the centre of the marina and in 2012 the business was sold to the Fernside Trust which holds investments for the “Garlick family”.

In September 2019 the offices in the Opua Marina were closed and those now involved in the Marina Shop work from their homes.

Key Facts

  • We are specialist marine insurance brokers. We are neither agents for nor do we represent the Insurers
  • The Marina Shop has been involved in marine insurance since 1998
  • Insurances available include: Blue Water (usually, minimum 2 onboard), Coastal, Public Liability (3rd Party) and Travel Medical Insurances
  • Our insurers are A rated
  • We are a small team with extensive experience in sail and motor yachts