Early days on the tools to 45 sales – Justin ‘Spence’ Thorpe marks 20 years with Maritimo

This is a story as great as both Maritimo itself, and the man’s sense of humour and joie de vivre. These days he’s part owner of Maritimo dealer BMS in the delightful Sanctuary Cove, and in charge of a dedicated team of Maritimo specialists. However, it is also abundantly clear that the passion that drove Justin Thorpe (really only known these days as just ‘Spence’) to leave Adelaide and head to the Gold Coast over 20 years ago, to start actually building some of the very first Maritimo’s, is not simply still alive, it has thrived. And how…

Spence finished high school in 1998, and completed his Shipwright’s Apprenticeship in Adelaide, and immediately thereafter took off for Queensland. He commenced with Maritimo in November of 2004 working on the second boat to come down the production line. After seven years in production and being involved in just about every part of the build process during that time, 2011 saw the start of a new chapter, when Spence seized an opportunity to move over to Maritimo Sales. Since that time 45 new Maritimo Luxury Motor Yachts have been sold by Spence, adding to the happy and ever growing Maritimo clan and equating to a significant average of close to four new luxury yacht sales per year. Of course this speaks to the quality of the craft themselves, but just as crucially to the dedication shown by Spence, who literally always goes not just one extra nautical mile for his clients, but one hundred of them.

“When I arrived on the Gold Coast I had to start work immediately. I looked in the paper and found an advertisement that said, ‘Boat builder for hire.’ I rang up and Phil Fraser answered the call. I started the next day, and I remember thinking I had never seen such a beautiful boat. I knew straight away that this was going to be a really cool place to work, and I guess I never left,” commented Spence.

“Phil was asking me what I wanted to do, and just as importantly, could do. We got on really well over the journey. Anyway, I said to him that I could build him the whole boat. My apprenticeship with Tom Wagner had been very hands on, and as a small team, we had to do literally, everything there was. I started in Fit Out Two, where the boat really takes shape and looks like a proper craft.”

“After that I went to the waterfront to do all the quality control, and ensure the vessel was shipshape before handover. After all that I was in warranty for three years. The travel was the killer. Moving around the Pacific had equated to 100 nights away, two years in a row. I was prepared to leave and head to Sydney. It was the Warranty Manager at the time who said not to copy in Ormonde Britton (the Founder of BMS) with my resignation, saying jovially, ‘He’ll offer you a job.’ Ormonde called me a day later, and here we are now. He’s been a great mate, a mentor and coach and this now is a really proud moment.”

After Britton, Spence is the second longest lasting Maritimo salesperson, Spence added swiftly, “I hope to have another 20 years in me!”

“Knowing the boats so intimately, and having met many of the clients in the warranty phase was of great benefit to getting my ‘new’ career going in the early days. Today I certainly know the product, and we are always involved in the R&D stages with our clients, but I am not at the factory as much anymore.”

“I still love the handovers, whether new or pre-loved, and the owners are always so, so appreciative. They have put a lot of thought into their dreams, and they are looking forward to making it all happen for them and their extended family and friends. Maritimos are practical boats, delivering beautiful moments,” stated Spence.

“Eventually, we are looking to grow BMS from just our one location in Sanctuary Cove, and that is the centre of my focus now. Our sales team has always been built around having experienced boaties on board, and it is what we are looking for with new hires, as this will very much complement our trusted and experienced sales team members, which includes Matt Simpson and Matt Johnson. Matt J was previously a Skipper of a Game Boat and brings an absolute fountain of knowledge we all draw on, and Matt S is out on the water every chance he has.”

For most owners the process of the specification and build is just as enjoyable as the time on the water, and Spence is totally aware of this proud stage in the owners’ lives. Naturally, a lot of this forms part of the crucial Maritimo feedback process from the family to the factory, which is a cornerstone of Bill Barry-Cotter’s product development process.

Having seen the very first Maritimos and the latest, Spence is clear about one of his all-time favourites – the new M75 and S75. “The M75 is the best-looking luxury motor yacht on the water. Clients recently just took one back to New Zealand on its own hull, with a new M60 also accompanying them. Two days out and they copped an awful, awful storm. The M75 owner said to me that, ‘although none of them bloody slept all night because the storm unfortunately arrived in the dark, he was very impressed with the way the Maritimo’s handled the 3-5m seas and 40-knot winds.”

“The 75s just do feel like land, and they are absolutely silent… cruising at 10 knots in the right weather you could cook a roast, make cocktails, and imagine you’re on an island,” stated Spence.