History

In 1979 John Noakes, a well-known Sydney yachting identity, set up a rigging business and by 1984 Noakes Rigging had become Sydney's leading specialised rigging service.

In the same year a young Sean Langman was head rigger at Alspar but was keen to move into his own business. He eventually partnered with John Noakes and the pair worked together to build the business until John retired and sold his share.

From 1986 until 1994 Sean Langman developed specialist architectural rigging and won awards for the design of shade structures. While known as Australia's leading yacht rigging company Noakes also gained a reputation in the building industry for rigging unusual structures including hanging a Catalina flying boat from an atrium ceiling and building a bridge over the Nepean River without mobile cranage or roads.

In 1994 the operation shifted to its current state-of-the-art location at North Sydney, becoming Noakes Boat and Shipyard in 1995 and expanding to offer yacht refurbishment and powerboat refitting and servicing.

As the other businesses departed from the North Sydney facility, Noakes took up more of the hardstand area and built new sheds, and in 1999 Noakes took over the 160 tonne slipway.

As the boat and shipyard side of the company grew, Noakes moved away from architectural rigging, concentrating instead on providing quality service to the marine industry.

In March 2003 Noakes expanded further, purchasing the travel lift and hardstand next to the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club on Newcastle and buoyed by the success of this yard, Noakes took over the travel lift and hardstand at d'Albora Marina in Nelson Bay a year later.

Continuing the expansion and association with d'Albora Marinas, Noakes opened a newly upgraded slipway at The Spit Marina, Mosman in November 2005. This acquisition has enabled Noakes to cater to a broader segment of the market and offers an additional site within Sydney Harbour to better serve Noakes' Middle Harbour clients.

In the same year Noakes purchased the Woolwich Dock facility and continued its march interstate, purchasing the Kermandie marina and later the adjacent historic waterfront hotel. Noakes has invested heavily in its Tasmanian operation, installing a brand new floating marina at Kermandie, gateway to the magnificent cruising waterways of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, Huon River and Bruny Island.

Noakes also has a sister yard at Hamilton Island, Queensland, one of the stunning Whitsunday group of islands.

Noakes' consistency and quality of workmanship is carried across each of its six locations, ensuring peace of mind for cruising and racing sailors, powerboat owners and commercial operators right along the eastern seaboard of Australia.