Yamaha Motor Australia recently presented Rob Pennicott of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys with the inaugural Commercial Platinum Partner Award, in recognition of a partnership with shared brand values across the two organisations.
Yamaha Motor Australia recently presented Rob Pennicott of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys with the inaugural Commercial Platinum Partner Award, in recognition of a partnership with shared brand values across the two organisations.
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys is a multi-award-winning tourism operator based in Hobart, Tasmania, which operates a number of ecotourism cruises throughout South-East Tasmania and a soon to be launched operation in Victoria.
Yamaha Marine and Pennicott Wilderness Journeys have been working together since 2013 to outfit a fleet of fourteen, and growing, custom-built vessels, which can carry up to 43 passengers each.
The business has been exclusively operating Yamaha outboards since this time, running 11 triple rigged 250 horsepower V6 outboards, one quad rig and a couple of single rigged vessels.
Rob was presented with this award at the recent Yamaha Outboard Dealer Conference in Melbourne, where he held the audience captive with his rags to riches story. The business started out with just Rob and a single 12 seater aluminium boat, which has now grown into a multi-million dollar tourism operation employing over 100 staff.
Rob said, “Changing over to Yamaha has made a massive savings to our bottom line, both in fuel consumption and reliability. To our bottom line it has made a difference of over $1 million per year.
“We change our outboards over at just over 3000 hours. Six years ago, when we were operating with another outboard brand, we were having to change our engines over at 1300 hours. We used to have a graveyard of outboards, where now we have really good resale with Yamaha.”
A key to Rob’s business success has been his ability to develop genuine long-term personal and professional relationships with the many key partners that his business deals with.
Rob stated, “Successful partnerships are so important. The relationship we have formed with Yamaha has been faultless and I look forward to working with Yamaha for many years to come.”