Welcome to TB Maritime, based in Lymington, Hampshire, the UK and established in 2017.
With our extensive knowledge of small craft, high speed boat operations we are a consultancy established to offer professional, leisure and yachting sector users of fast boats advice on the best style, hull and, where appropriate, make of vessel for their coming projects.
We also assist the sellers of high quality fast boats with a route to market with a pipeline of suitable clients often already enquiring for a similar vessel to the one that they wish to sell.
Tom Bettle of TB Maritime began his career with a brief spell in the British Merchant Navy as a young deck officer.
Today he still holds a number of current tickets relevant to navigation and ship operations.
He also is a commercially endorsed skipper of small, fast craft with extensive experience of boat operations at all speeds and in all weather.
After coming ashore, Tom followed a career in IT sales until a visit to Southampton Boat Show 2002 saw him chase his passion for boats where, standing in the cockpit of a luxury Italian cruiser he asked there and then for a job...
To prove his worth, he offered to work free of charge through the show and with a number of closed deals at the end of the show he began working as a Jeanneau power boat and Azimut yachts sales person enjoying a strong career which included being part of the team winning Jeanneau's coveted Power Boat Dealer of the Year award in 2007.
With the global financial crises of 2008, Tom made a rapid turn to brokerage sales and after completing the standard training course from ABYA (The Association of Brokers & Yacht Agents) he and his team were soon selling well over 100 brokerage boats from their centre in Poole each year.
In early 2016, whilst sponsoring a charity event in Palma for the superyacht sector, Tom was introduced to the Rafnar range of high speed boats and immediately recognised that their unique hull offered something special for fast boat operators.
Eventually in 2017, Tom had the opportunity to sea trial the Reykjavik lifeboat and immediately became the UK agent for the brand.
The coming months saw a rapid rise in brand awareness globally and in 2019 Tom established Rafnar UK Limited as the licensed UK builder for this now iconic brand.
Later that same year, Tom was one of the founding members of the Rafnar Maritime Group, established to improve marketing, communications and sales of this very special boat.
Recognising that whilst the Rafnar hull is indeed extremely special for the right circumstances there are a number of other hull forms and designs that suit different roles and so in November 2022, Tom resigned as the Managing Director and share holder of Rafnar UK Limited to allow him to advise clients on various craft for the roles that they may be needed for.
In addition, Tom feels strongly about future technology and is working with a number of suppliers, academia and vessel producers on helping to develop better construction methods and sustainability within composite construction and reduced carbon powertrains and even carbon zero solutions.
Be you buyer or seller, call or drop Tom a line for an informal first chat regarding your current or future projects.
Confidentiality assured. NDA on request.
Tel: +44(0)7724 504565
Email: tombettle@tbmaritime.com