Southampton-based Golden Arrow Marine claims to be recognised as being one of the country’s top Perkins Sabre dealerships. It says that it provides owners with an unrivalled service that embraces every aspect of owning and enjoying an engine, from supplying and installing, to commissioning and maintaining. So much so that the company is supplying Perkins Sabre engines for an ever increasing range of craft that includes leisure cruisers and sailing yachts, fishing boats and workboats.
Much of the success is being attributed to the company's focus on service and support. Golden Arrow field engineers are available to carry out onboard routine maintenance and repairs anywhere in the country, while the company's workshop facilities at Saxon Wharf in the UK are equipped to undertake major engine overhauls, and include a dynamometer that enables Golden Arrow to undertake full-load engine testing. Golden Arrow also has engineers based at Salterns Marina – its parent company – in Poole.
These facilities have led to Golden Arrow becoming a sought-after supplier for Perkins Sabre 'specials'; meeting customers' demands for non-standard configurations, extra power take-offs, different transmissions or unusual customisation. They have also resulted in the company being a popular supplier of Perkins Sabre engines where repowering involves structural alterations to be carried out. These are frequently undertaken by sister company, Salterns Boatyard.
“Today, it is not just a matter of selling a boat owner the right engine, they are looking for a company that can supply, and then provide ongoing support for the right overall power solution,” said Golden Arrow's Martin Bizzell. He continued: “Parts availability is important, but so is knowing that the factory-trained person you are talking to has more knowledge and experience than you will ever need to call upon.”
