Making your dream boat a reality........

Bill Upfold is a qualified boat builder having served his apprenticeship with John Lidgard Yachts & Co Ltd. in 1977-1981.

During that time Bill became experienced in custom designed yachts. In 1984, after the completion of his apprenticeship, he established his own business trading as Elite Marine Boatbuilders Ltd. and started producing his own designs. It was not long before Elite Marine Boatbuilders Ltd. with it’s highly skilled and qualified team had established themselves a reputation for building custom one-off high quality motor yachts and has now become a leader in the New Zealand market.

In 1996 the business had grown to allow the boatbuilding to be contracted out to selected boat yards that were capable of producing the same level of quality as Elite Marine. This enabled Bill to concentrate on designing. All of Bills designs are marketed under the Elite brand name.

Bill Upfold`s background in boat building gives him the unique ability to liaise with the boat yards on a rational basis and achieve an end result that all parties involved can be justly proud. Elite Marine Design work closely with some of the most respected boat building companies in New Zealand that have the reputation for producing custom built crafts to the highest possible standards in either timber or glass composites.

Turn your dream boat into a reality.

Elite Marine Design pride themselves on the ability to take an individuals requirements and dreams and put together not only an aesthetically pleasing and functional vessel, but one that is fuel efficient with unsurpassed sea keeping abilities.

Consultation is a regular part of Elite Marine and important to Bill as all care is taken before any changes or modification is made. Wherever possible Bill tries to incorporate the client's ideas and wishes to give the vessels their owner's personal touch. Bill still has regular contact with most of his pervious clients, many of who are now coming back for their 2nd & 3rd boats.

Elite Marine Design has for many years now, been one of the busiest design offices in New Zealand and has earned itself the enviable reputation for producing some of the most admired high profile custom powerboats New Zealand has ever seen.

Elite Marine Design is a member of the Boating Industries Association of New Zealand and the Naval Architectural Society of NZ and he has been a member of council for both of these organizations in previous years.

Bill also manufactures his own range of Game fishing chairs they can be found at his game fishing chair web site. www.gamefishingchairs.com

Married with two daughters Bill and his family are all keen on boating and use their 47' Elite powerboat "Emperor" whenever time permits for fishing, diving and general cruising around the New Zealand coast and regularly meet up with other Elite owners on the water.