Founded in 2014, Guernsey and Jersey based Sun Yachts is celebrating 10 years in business this year.
As a full-service marine company, Sun Yachts has been selling, maintaining, and managing boats in the Channel Islands for over a decade.
The company was founded by Simon Hughes (pictured), a former yacht skipper with 21 years’ experience who grew up in Guernsey. In 2014, Simon returned to Guernsey and set up Sun Yachts to continue his passion for getting people out on the water.
Simon commented: “Guernsey and Jersey offer some of the world’s most beautiful cruising grounds, so it’s natural for people to want to get out there and explore. Today, there are so many options to enjoy being on the water from RIBs to race yachts, there is something to suit all levels of interest and experience.
“More recently, we have seen a rise in popularity of our RIB Share scheme, which allows people to enjoy the benefits of owning a RIB without the responsibility of full ownership.”
Originally established as a yacht sales and brokerage company, Sun Yachts currently represents a raft of well-known brands including Jeanneau, BRIG RIBs, Wellcraft, and IRON boats, electric outboards from Torqeedo and ThrustMe, and Tetradock floating docks for RIBs and power boats. Sun Yachts also runs a popular RIB Share scheme, which is a managed, turnkey initiative providing a simpler and cost-effective alternative to full boat ownership.
To meet the demands of its growing customer base, the business has six full and part time employees in Guernsey and Jersey, who work alongside a network of Channel Islands based sub-contractors.
In 2018, Sun Yachts expanded from its headquarters in St Peter Port to offer services in Jersey. Experienced businessman and a repeat customer of Sun Yachts, Andy Lewis, formed a partnership with Simon Hughes to grow the company in Jersey.
Andy said: “Simon was immediately likeable and his in-depth knowledge of sailing and motorboats makes him the go to person in the Channel Islands for marine customers.
“With my background in PR and advertising, combined with a love of being on the water, I was able to bring commercial strategy and support to Simon’s already thriving business; it’s a great partnership.”
