Few figures in New Zealand’s marine industry have been as quietly influential—or as enduringly effective—as Kim McDell. Over five decades, he shaped not just the boats we sail, but how and where they’re built. His fingerprints are on everything from trailer yachts to iconic one-designs, championship-winning racers to export-grade luxury cruisers. Most notably, he was the driving force behind Oyster Yachts’ decade-long production partnership with New Zealand, placing Kiwi craftsmanship at the heart of one of the world’s most prestigious bluewater cruising brands.
McDell’s legacy stretches across an entire era of New Zealand boatbuilding—an era he helped define through a mix of technical vision, commercial nous, and sailing pedigree.
Foundation in performance
Kim McDell’s story begins, fittingly, on the water. He grew up in a household immersed in performance sailing. His older brother, Terry McDell, was a leading figure in the 18-foot skiff scene, part of a design and racing culture that included Bruce Farr and Don Lidgard. That heritage culminated in a career highlight in 1974, when Kim, Terry, and Peter Brook won the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship aboard Travelodge New Zealand. Designed by Farr and sailed on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour, the campaign is still regarded as one of the most dominant in the event’s history.
For Kim, that victory wasn’t an endpoint—it was a launchpad. He would return to the world stage in 1977, crewing aboard Gunboat Rangiriri to win the Half Ton Cup in Sydney. Alongside his day job, these achievements established him as not just a sailor, but a technical practitioner of fast boats, deep preparation, and smart design.
Entering the industry
Kim McDell formally entered the marine sector in 1973, not as a builder, but as a trained accountant with a strategic eye for opportunity. By 1975, he and business partner Peter Gribble, with support from Roger Scherer, purchased Sea Nymph Boats from founder Doug Bremner. The acquisition was a turning point—not just for McDell personally, but for New Zealand’s boatbuilding direction.
Under his guidance, Sea Nymph expanded beyond powerboats into trailer yachts, leveraging McDell’s relationship with Bruce Farr. The result was a line of successful and accessible sailboats: the Farr 6000, 5000, 7500, and 740 Sport. These boats found popularity across New Zealand and Australia, offering lightweight, easily trailered performance options for weekend sailors and serious cruisers alike.
When the 1979 20% boat tax was introduced in New Zealand, many manufacturers folded. McDell, anticipating the impact, had already started building export markets. Sea Nymph weathered the policy storm and emerged stronger—a rare case of foresight and financial resilience.
From trailer sailers to keelboats
In 1981, McDell turned to more ambitious projects. With Gribble and factory manager Bill Howlett, he developed the Farr 1020, a one-design 10-metre cruiser-racer that would become a New Zealand production classic. Built around a rigid internal grid system that allowed owner-fitout without compromising class compliance, the 1020 quickly earned a following.
McDell played a hands-on role in establishing the Farr 1020 Owners Association and in codifying its strict class rules. That consistency helped the fleet grow and stay competitive for decades. It also showed McDell’s ability to combine smart engineering with strong class governance—a pairing that would underpin his later success in large-scale contract manufacturing.
McDell Marine and global contracts
By the 1990s, Sea Nymph had evolved into McDell Marine, founded by Kim with long-time collaborators Howlett and Stephen Fisher. The company moved beyond domestic sailboats into performance racing yachts, launches, and high-volume builds. Key projects included the Platu 25, Farr MRX, Mumm 30, Farr 41MX, and the Reflections range of powerboats.
But the company’s defining era came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when McDell pivoted toward contract manufacturing for international clients. The logic was clear: it was more cost-effective to build premium foreign designs in New Zealand than to market Kiwi designs overseas. McDell Marine became a production partner of choice for brands that valued quality, consistency, and delivery reliability.
The first major breakthrough came with Toyota Japan, who commissioned over 250 Ponam 28s—fibreglass flybridge cruisers for the Japanese domestic market. But the most prestigious contract was with Oyster Marine.
Building Oyster Yachts in New Zealand
Oyster Yachts, based in the UK, is globally renowned for building bluewater cruisers that balance luxury, seaworthiness, and long-range capability. In the early 2000s, Oyster sought an offshore partner who could match their standards. After a rigorous evaluation, McDell Marine became the first and only international firm authorised to build Oyster yachts.
Under Kim McDell’s leadership, the Auckland-based factory built more than 60 Oysters, including the Oyster 49, 53, 54, and the LD43 powerboat. Every yacht was finished to Oyster’s stringent specifications and exported directly to clients in Europe, the US, and beyond.
Between 1998 and 2010, McDell Marine generated over $100 million in exports, earning a Trade New Zealand Export Commendation in 2001 for its performance on the Oyster programme. The contract was not just a business win—it was a validation of the New Zealand marine sector’s ability to meet and exceed international luxury standards.
A leader in New Zealand marine
Kim McDell went on to serve the industry, both as a director of Lusty and Blundell and as a board member for New Zealand Marine. He remains a supporter of class sailing and became actively involved in brokerage through McDell Yachting, which he operated alongside his brother Terry.
While Terry’s skiff success and later racing credits (including the 1987 Admiral’s Cup win) are part of the wider McDell family story, it is Kim’s strategic leadership, commercial discipline, and technical vision that placed New Zealand yards on the map for some of the most demanding clients in the world.
Quiet influencer
Kim McDell’s career reads like a blueprint for how a sailor-turned-businessman can shape an entire industry. From the grit of skiff racing to the gloss of Oyster yacht interiors, McDell has been a constant force in evolving what New Zealand boatbuilding can be.
He didn’t seek the limelight. He sought results—measured in hulls delivered, fleets formed, and clients retained. In doing so, Kim McDell has become one of the most quietly influential figures in New Zealand’s marine legacy. The boats may carry other names, but their quality, consistency, and enduring success carry his signature.
