Paul Syme, managing director (left) with Lex Bacon, inventor of the Balex Automatic Boat Loader.
Paul Syme, managing director (left) with Lex Bacon, inventor of the Balex Automatic Boat Loader.
Tauranga marine company Balex Marine, which will launch its automatic boat loader next month at the Hutchwilco Boat Show in Auckland, is drawing solid industry support for its innovative solution to boat-ramp frustrations.
"No matter how experienced you are, loading your boat on to the trailer is stressful for new and experienced boaties alike," said Lex Bacon, the local realtor and long-time member of the Omokoroa Boat Club who came up with the concept.
"I would see people struggling to get out of the water, huge queues forming, and often boats getting completely stuck."
The Balex Automatic Boat Loader uses remote-controlled hydraulic rollers to guide and power a boat quickly and safely to and from the trailer.
With enough power to pull up to five tonnes of boat, the system operates quickly and smoothly in all weather conditions, said Mr Bacon.
"And because you're not relying on gravity to pull the boat into the water, launching on the beach or on shallow ramps is effortless," he said.
Recognising an untapped opportunity, Mr Bacon began to develop a solution to provide boat owners with hassle-free launch and retrieval of trailer boats.
He started experimenting in his garage - first with Lego pieces, then go-kart tyres - before coming up with the final model.
Balex says the product is a world first, incorporates proprietary technology and has an international patent pending.
Paul Syme, managing director (left) with Lex Bacon, inventor of the Balex Automatic Boat Loader.
Experienced businessman Paul Symes, who founded 4D Global Group, a steel detailing company, joined the business in 2013 as managing director after spotting Mr Bacon's novel product, and has focused on bringing it to market.
Mr Symes sees strong global potential, with more than 350,000 existing trailer boats and 5000 new registrations a year in New Zealand, 12.5 million registered trailer boats in North America and 900,000 in Australia.
Balex will also be exhibiting at the Auckland on Water Boat Show in September and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in the US this November.
"The product has been met with huge enthusiasm from the market and we are developing strong relationships with trailer and marine-retail businesses," said Mr Symes.
Industry players have welcomed the boat loader, Balex says.
Grant Dixon, editor of New Zealand Fishing News, also sees a lot of potential for the ABL.
"I'm very impressed with the Automatic Boat Loader. Anything that makes fishing easier and more accessible to more people would be wonderful for the industry."
New Zealand Marine Industry Association executive director Peter Busfield said: "It appears to be one of the products that you wonder why it wasn't invented 30 years ago.
"One of the challenges of boating is retrieving your boat back on to the trailer, particularly if it's got a bit rough," Mr Busfield said.
