About Boland Marine

Boland Marine is a family-run business founded in 2024 with a clear vision to offer marine services based on the experience gained from years in the marine industry. The founder has over 13 years of experience in the marine industry, holding a wide variety of roles.

Boating is often perceived as a sport reserved for the wealthy or inaccessible to those with no prior experience with boats. Boland Marine's vision is to break this stigma and provide a personal approach to starting boating for those with no experience, and professional services to even the most experienced boater who is looking to buy their next boat, modify and improve their current boat, or even looking to have a custom-designed boat specific to their individual needs.

The Founder of Boland Marine has held a variety of positions at some of the largest and best known boatbuilders in the world, from small companies which design and build luxury tenders with a small artisan team of skilled workers, through the production lines of one of the world’s leading luxury motor yacht brands, to the industrial environment of building and refitting some of the toughest and high performing military small craft with a long standing legacy and trusted by some of the best known military units in the world. Boland Marine is built on the experiences gained throughout the founder's career and a passion for anything related to boats. We are just as comfortable talking to someone wanting their own family yacht to be surveyed as much as we are navigating the commercial intricacies of corporate businesses, to designing partial or whole vessel solutions.

Our Commitments & Approach

Whether you are looking to have a vessel surveyed before buying, to reinsure or because it has sustained damage, or need some design work or a full vessel design to be carried out, Boland Marine is the right place to be. With extensive experience in the marine industry, Boland Marine is just as capable at providing a comprehensive vessel survey, a full build pack and technical folder for a brand-new vessel or support in other design work, from smaller fabrications to full design solutions.

Boland Marine's founder has turned his passion for the marine industry into a career and personally owns a motor cruiser and a sailing yacht. He has experience with small RIBS up to large commercial vessels, from doing design work to maintenance and even skippering a wide variety of boats. Boland Marine understands that surveys with a personal touch and face-to-face engagement are important for the client experience just as much as reliability and robustness are required for military vessels navigating the harshest environments. This all feeds into an exact understanding of customer requirements, even when they are not specifically mentioned, regardless of what work is being completed. Boland Marine works with some of the big-name companies in the marine industry, but has never forgotten the simple joy of being out on the water, knowing that there are no defects on the boat to worry about.

“Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
Ratty - The Wind in the Willows

The Boland Marine Team

Josh - Founder

Boland Marine was founded by Josh Boland after gaining experience in different sectors of the marine industry, from being the link between Production and Design at Sunseeker and the Hanse Group, designing and trialling boats at Pascoe International to managing a design team within BAE Systems Boats division, and holding Design Authority responsibility over legacy VT Halmatic and RTK vessels still in service as well as New Builds.

In his last role at BAE Systems before founding Boland Marine, Josh was the Design Authority on the Boats in Service Support Contract, a £112 million UK MoD contract covering the maintenance and support of more than 650 boats over 27 classes, ranging in size from five to 18 metres, operated by the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, British Army, Royal Marines and Ministry of Defence Police. This included the infamous “Arctic” and “Pacific” Rigid Inflatable Boats, which VT Halmatic became known for and especially the “Pacific 24 (or Pac24 for short) which is the workhorse of the Royal Navy and is found on all their ships. Josh has also worked on bids with values up to £500 million.

With a Master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Small Craft Engineering and registered as a Chartered Engineer with the UK Engineering Council, his skills and knowledge are a perfect blend of academic achievements and hands-on experience. His latest academic striving is to gain a Diploma in Marine Surveying from the International Institute of Marine Surveyors.

Having been on and around boats his entire life, he has always had a passion for anything boat-related, choosing to pursue this passion by studying Naval Architecture. Any opportunity to get on board anything that floats was pursued with an ambition, resulting in several years in the Royal Navy Reserves, during which time the highlight was acting as Officer of the Watch on board a Type 45 Destroyer at sea. He also spent some time on the US warship USS Gettysburg.

As well as working on other people’s boats, he also owns a 42-foot motor cruiser, which he has been completely refitting over the last seven years and a 28-foot sailing yacht, which has been in his family since he was young. Josh does all the work on these boats himself, from composite structural repairs to engine rebuilds, plumbing and a full rewiring of the motor yacht.

He has two published articles in the well-known “Practical Boat Owner” (PBO Summer issue 2016 and December 2016) on the work carried out on the sailing yacht to remove the keel, carry out underwater repairs, add a new keel bolt and reinforcement and reinstate the keel on the yacht.

With the range of experience, Josh is just as at home in a shipyard or boatbuilders workshop as he is surveying a boat or at his desk completing design tasks.

Dai - Wooden Boat Expert

Dai is Josh's brother and, similar to Josh, spent his childhood on and around boats. Having studied a variety of subjects, he has used his knowledge and passion for boats to become a qualified boat builder, having completed his boat-building apprenticeship in Germany.

With a passion for classical boats, Dai has proven himself on a range of refit projects, from smaller wooden boat repairs to new teak decks and even working on refits of an 8-metre vessel at a well-known yard in Germany.

Dai is the go-to person for aesthetic design, being able to produce beautiful and functional designs, based on years of experience sailing and maintaining a wide range of boats. He is also our resident expert on wooden boats and any boat-building-related queries that otherwise cannot be resolved.

When not covered in sawdust at work, Dai can be found sailing his traditional Folk Boat in the Baltic with his girlfriend and son.

Why choose Boland Marine?

Experienced & Knowledgeable:

With extensive hands-on experience across a wide range of vessel and marine systems, Boland Marine provides knowledgeable support for surveying, maintenance, and general boating needs.

Comprehensive Marine Services:

From professional marine surveys to ongoing advice and support, Boland Marine offers a broad range of services designed to support you at every stage.

Independent & Trusted Advice:

Clients value our honest, impartial guidance, whether assessing a vessel's condition, supporting a purchase, or advising on maintenance and repairs.

Clear Communication & Practical Guidance:

We pride ourselves on explaining findings and recommendations in a clear, straightforward way, helping customers make informed decisions without unnecessary technical jargon.

Safety & Reliability Focused:

All work is carried out with a strong emphasis on safety, seaworthiness, and best marine practice, giving owners confidence both on and off the water.

Professional, Personal Service:

Boland Marine offers a responsive and approachable service, taking the time to understand each client's needs and providing tailored support throughout.