18 May was a big night for the team at Sparcraft Masts at Boating South Africa’s 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 awards dinner. This prestigious evening recognises the achievers in the Boat Building Industry.
The most prestigious award of the evening very definitely was the 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, which was won by Sparcraft Masts’ Production Manager 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿, who has been building boat masts for 40 years and is a true industry and legend in his field.
After school, Steven completed an apprenticeship in Carpentry with WN. He then joined Bellamy Masts in 1985, working with other industry legends like Keith Bellamy, Tich Mitchell and Nigel Clack. Steven first worked on mast fabrication, later working with Tich on rigging.
Steven stayed on when Bellamy Masts was sold and became Xenith International and later amalgamated with Sparcraft. Sparcraft got bought out by Southern Spars in around 2007 and Steven took over effectively as Factory Manager, responsible for all mast fabrication and fit out. This was a role Steven held until Southern Spars closed at the end of 2017. He then joined Sparcraft Masts as Factory/Production Manager, where he runs the production side of the business.
Steven will turn 59 later this year and is hoping to retire at 60, after an entire career dedicated to mast building.
Steven has 37 years of mast building experience and has devoted his entire working life to building boat masts – an incredible achievement. It would be impossible to even start to count how many masts he has overseen the build of, both carbon and aluminium.
He has worked alongside industry legends his whole career but Steven himself has never been recognised for his contribution – until now.
It goes without saying that there is no one in the boatbuilding industry in South Africa who could match Steven’s knowledge of building masts. There is nothing he does not know about building masts.
Steven has been committed and loyal to the companies and people he has worked with his entire career and has committed himself to perfecting the art of mast building and constantly improving production in all ways possible.
Steven’s customer service ethic is impeccable – if there is anything that a customer or co-worker needs sorting out, Steven will sort it. His co-workers have always out the ultimate trust in his abilities. His attention to detail is impeccable.
When Steven retires, which he intends to do at the end of 2023, it will be a sad loss for boat building and mast building in South Africa. His knowledge and skill is irreplaceable.
It was an emotional night for the whole team at Sparcraft Masts – no one deserved the award more!
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