Life is full of incredible moments when you make them happen, and for me interviewing Abeer AlShaali – Deputy Managing Director of Gulf Craft Inc and Captain Patricia Caswell – General Manager of Gulf Craft Services onboard the very boat that Mohammed Hussein Alshaali Chairman of Gulf Craft) calls his own was one of those. I know you are going to listen to this one at least twice.

You see interviewing Abeer is a delight. She is one of the most articulate and interesting people I have ever met and is it any wonder their business Gulf Craft Inc has been expanding whilst some other boat builders have been retracting. Is this because they are in a part of the world that is continuing to grow or is it because they are meeting the market worldwide on what the market are asking for? I would suggest it’s both.

Captain Patricia Caswell has had a distinguished career in the yachting sector. Currently serving as General Manager of Gulf Craft Services, she previously held the role of Quality Control Manager. With extensive hands-on experience as a yacht captain, Patricia ensures the highest standards in yacht building, overseeing processes from design to delivery. Notably, she played a pivotal role in the successful sea trials of the Majesty 175, the world’s largest composite production yacht.

She was recently elected as Vice Chair of the Leisure Marine Association (LMA) for 2025.

If you are not aware of Gulf Craft Inc as a boat brand let me help you out a bit here.

Gulf Craft are an Emirati brand built in the UAE. (I know that kind of doubles up - but sometimes we need a deeper understanding in regions we don’t know well if we haven’t been there)

They produce 5 brands:

Majesty Yachts – for those of you that have chartered “One World” in Sydney she is one of these

Nomad Yachts – for those of you that have chartered “BlueStone” in Sydney she is a Nomad 101 and in fact she is featured on the Gulf Craft Website in of course the iconic position right in front of the beautiful Sydney Opera House.

Oryx – these are fast and fabulous Sports Cruisers designed for fishing or just having fun

Silver Craft – Fishing and Day boats

And Finally

Silver Cat – their name gives them away of course as their Catamaran range (of the motor variety)

So, as you can see, they’re covering quite a range of client types and budgets. This in itself is a clever strategy as most of us know in the boating industry - most boat owners will start small and grow big as time in their life and their bank account progresses.

Their dominance at Dubai Boat Show with 18 boats on display showed not only their versatility but also their support of the industry in this region.

In this podcast we delve into what they have done in their company to attract more women and what they do especially for them to make them feel supported. Surely though, the most obvious move they have made is engage two strong women at the very helm of the business.  You see once the team look up to that, and the world sees the success they achieve – that’s when changes happen, that’s when others can see what they can do and are encouraged to aim high (this is the difference with women, some of us need that). That’s when other companies think about  following the lead too. So, thank you to Gulf Craft Inc for being one of those showing the way for women in our industry. I know some think we don’t need to dwell on this still,  but the reality is, we still need to shine a light, we still need to be there to encourage, support and celebrate the progress.

About Gulfcraft:

Gulf Craft envisages success not as the reward for our innovation, but as a motivation to set out on a path of difference, with dedication and commitment, while creating world-class masterpieces that truly belong to the waters of the world. From manufacturing fishing boats to megayachts, and standing amongst the top superyacht builders around the world, the company nurtures and preserves each brand’s distinctive identity. 

Since the company’s inception in 1982, Gulf Craft has grown to become one of the top seven shipyards in the world. From being a builder of small fishing boats in modest premises, a genuine passion for the sea led Gulf Craft to establish its credentials as a leader of innovation and technology in the yachting industry.

With five brands in the product portfolio, ranging from 32 to 175 feet, Gulf Craft manufactures yachts and boats that appeal to a wide audience such as touring passenger's vessels, Silvercraft family day boats, Oryx Sport Cruisers, Nomad Adventure Yachts, and the flagship Majesty Yachts. Utilizing advanced technology, powerful engineering, timeless design, and world-class craftsmanship, Gulf Craft is today recognized as one of the world’s premier yacht manufacturers.

https://www.gulfcraftinc.com/

About the Leisure Marine Association