My name is Phil Salthouse and my passion is boats and boating. 

It is also my hobby and my work.  I have grown up “messing about in boats” and spent the last 25 years building, repairing, and altering them for a range of local and international clients.

I have enjoyed the challenge of finding solutions to all the individual and unique boating problems that have come across my path during that time. Having worked on all sorts of boats from wooden dinghies to giant composite sailing catamarans, performance cruising yachts to high tech carbon race yachts, speedboats to large power-cats, I believe that I have the experience to help you solve your marine problem.

I have also made lots of contacts, over the years, with people who are experts in different trades associated with the marine industry and that, along with the skills that I have gained over a lifetime of building and repairing boats, places me in a unique position of being able to offer good, practical, independent advice for all those marine related problems that keep on appearing on board boats. I enjoy the challenge of finding solutions to these problems and I hope I can be of help to you. 

With the family business, Salthouse Boatbuilders Ltd, I completed my boatbuilding apprenticeship and went on to run some of the biggest projects the yard has built. We also completed numerous refits on all sorts of boats, along with regular maintenance work of local boats that are hauled out on the slipways.  All of this work has given me an extensive knowledge of the marine industry, not only from doing the work, but also where to go and who to contact for parts etc.

In the early nineties I took over the day to day running of Salthouse Boatbuilders from my father John Salthouse. We continued to build high quality custom yachts and powerboats for a diverse range of clients from all over the world.  In 2004 -2005 I handed the reins to my brother Greg and took a well needed break returning after 6 months to help out.

From a very young age I cruised the coastal waters of the North Island of New Zealand with my family in a variety of boats, yachts and powerboats mainly built by the family business.  I progressed to dinghy racing, starting off as crew for various well known yachtsmen, then going on to building and sailing my own boats with success locally, nationally, and internationally.  This led to a change back to keel boats where I was fortunate to race against the likes of Brad Butterworth, Chris Dickson, and Tom Dodson. I went on to represent New Zealand in the 1985 One Ton and Admirals Cups, sailing with world renowned Roy Dickson on the Davidson 40 "Canterbury Export". On my return to New Zealand I built and raced a Young 88 one design yacht winning the national championships. In later years I built another of these yachts and, with Dean Barker as tactician, we again won the nationals.

I have now sold my interests in Salthouse Boatbuilders and run a project management and marine consultancy business, www.aquamagic.co.nz , from my home in Auckland, New Zealand along with this website. 

I am married to Sandy and together we have four children, who are our crew when we escape to cruise in our Laurie Davidson designed yacht.