Twisted Marine acquires Devon brokerage
Sportsboat and RIB manufacturer Twisted Marine has acquired Network Yacht Brokers Dartmouth, strengthening its marine division and creating a complete concierge service at the heart of Noss Marina's £100m development.
Twisted Marine offers custom boat building and refits / upgrades, alongside maintenance and repairs, engineering, GRP and shipwright services from its bases in Salcombe and Brighton.
Founder Charles Fawcett spent two decades growing Twisted Automotive into a worldwide brand and renowned automotive engineering business, before purchasing a marine engineering business in Salcombe in 2021 with Jake Cronk, which was rebranded Twisted Marine. In August 2022, Twisted Marine acquired Brighton-based marine engineering business, West Marine Services Limited, followed by Scorpion Ribs in 2024.
This latest move in the company’s purchase of Network Yacht Brokers enhances its brokerage capabilities – the company can now offer a complete end-to-end experience for boat owners, from initial purchase through ownership and management, to potential resale.
Cronk said:
“The addition of Network Yacht Brokers Dartmouth to the Twisted family is a natural progression in our growth strategy. Network Yacht Brokers is the longest standing brokerage business at Noss Marina and was an obvious acquisition choice.
“This will springboard the Twisted brokerage portfolio while also offering a Southwest local outlet for Scorpion and Northstar sales.”
Network Yacht Brokers Dartmouth is part of the Network Yacht Brokers family of over 20 independent brokerage businesses. It services Dartmouth, the River Dart, Salcombe Harbour, Torbay, Teignmouth and the River Exe, as well as parts of the Somerset and North Devon coast, from its base at Noss Marina at Kingswear near Dartmouth.
Local marinas include Dart Marina Yacht Harbour, Darthaven Marina, and Noss on Dart Marina on the River Dart, and Brixham and Torquay marinas in Torbay.
Noss on Dart, owned by Premier Marinas, has seen significant regeneration, including 232 berths, a full-service boatyard with a 75-tonne travel hoist, a dry stack for over 100 boats and facilities including an onsite café. Phase two of its regeneration project, to be completed by 2026, include a 69-bed boutique hotel and spa, alongside 41 luxury apartments.
Cronk explained:
“Noss is set to become a destination resort on the River Dart with Twisted positioning itself as a premier marine brokerage and concierge service at its heart. Twisted will be the only one-stop-shop on the marina. From boat purchase and sales, to aftercare and maintenance, we have you covered.
“We’ll be offering OEM and main dealer engineering service to Volvo Penta, Yanmar, Honda, and Mercury customers in Dartmouth and Torbay.
“Dartmouth’s rich maritime heritage and strategic location makes it the perfect complement to our existing operations, allowing us to better serve our customers with the exceptional standards they’ve come to expect from the Twisted brand.”