Am Cup: Rayglass grow Protector sales team ahead of Cup
by Mike Rose 5 Jul 2018 11:57 NZST
5 July 2018
Protectors have been widely used by America's Cup teams since 2000 © Richard Gladwell
Increasing demand and the build-up to the America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021 has seen top New Zealand GRP boat manufacturer Rayglass Boats add Matt Flanagan and Stevie West to their highly respected sales team.
Both are highly experienced boaties and very familiar with Rayglass’s Legend powerboats and Protector RIBs.
“Matt is an experienced superyacht crewmember and qualified dive instructor, used to spending a lot of time with high profile guests,” explains Rayglass sales director Scott Little. “He is also a keen cray and game fisher and virtually grew up on board his family’s Rayglass Legend.
“Stevie spent five years with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (the club behind Emirates Team NZ), running events, liaising with members and spending a lot of time on board the club’s Rayglass Protector. She has owned boats most of her life and loves powerboating, sailing and fishing.”
Scott Little says the expanded sales team is currently dealing with increased interest in both their Legend GRP powerboat range, including the incredibly popular new 3500, and their internationally renowned Protector RIB range - the predominant RIB used at America's Cup level by teams.
“There is always a lot of demand for both Legends and Protectors during the build-up to the America’s Cup and during the event itself,” says Scott Little.
“The Protector range, in particular, has been an integral part of virtually every America’s Cup since 2000. There have often been 100 or more Protectors on the water during the regattas, as patrol and rescue boats, as support boats for the race syndicates and as tenders to the numerous superyachts.”
Based on the water’s edge in Auckland, Rayglass is one of New Zealand’s most successful marine businesses, both at home and internationally.
Employing over 60 people in three state of the art manufacturing facilities, the highly regarded company manufactures the multi-award-winning Legend series of GRP powerboats; the highly successful 3500 sportscruiser, the internationally renowned Protector range of patrol, work and pleasure RIBs and the innovative Pro-Jet, a combination RIB and PWC