1000 engines, 62 years, and a future full of momentum for Golden Arrow Marine.

DiPerk Power Solutions has appointed Golden Arrow Marine as the authorised Perkins marine dealer for southern and central UK, expanding support for both new-build and re-power projects across the full Perkins marine engine portfolio.

“Officially it [our connection with Perkins] all dates back to the 1930s,” says Paul Dean, director of business development defence and marine and head of engineering for Golden Arrow Marine. “It began when a gentleman called Phil Coburn operated sightseeing speedboats along the East Sussex coast and he approached Perkins engines to repower these boats.”

That arrangement was the start of Golden Arrow Marine in Newhaven, originally created to support those vessels and service Perkins marine engines locally. The business expanded and relocated in the early 2000s, initially to Saxon Wharf before moving into their current facilities at Shamrock Quay. Over the following decade other respected marine engineering businesses joined the group, shaping Golden Arrow Marine as it operates today.
 

Why Perkins?

For customers, engine choice is about more than ratings, it’s about reliability, durability and support. With a focus on looking ahead, Golden Arrow Marine need little introduction in the marine sector in the UK, they know Perkins, they know the engines, they are technically informed, and they bring decades of experience working with Perkins engines, but its more than that.

“It’s simple,” says Paul. “The new Perkins marine propulsion engines are an exciting addition to the Golden Arrow Marine portfolio, particularly due to their direct drop-in replacement capability, configuration versatility and compliance with current emissions standards.”

Golden Arrow Marine is stocked and ready to meet the needs of private boat owners in the leisure sector as well as being embedded into the UK marine trade supply chain for OEMs and commercial boat operators. Their customers can rely on them for full range of Perkins marine engines, both propulsion and auxiliary, for new installations and repower projects, in addition to service and technical support, including the supply genuine Perkins parts.
 

Availability matters. Uptime is critical.

“When customers need parts, they [generally] need them quick,” says Paul. “Getting genuine parts at the click of a button is all part of the service and Golden Arrow Marine has enhanced our website to make it easier for customers to source Perkins marine parts quickly and efficiently online.” As with all Perkins distributors and dealers, Perkins products are supported by Perkins in-house technical expertise and service capabilities and in the case of Golden Arrow Marine this is across the midlands and south in the UK.
 

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, the new agreement significantly strengthens Perkins sector presence. “Perkins dedicated propulsion engine range from 86 hp to 249 hp, alongside auxiliary engines from 12.3 kW to 218 kW gives designers, boatbuilders and operators in our network exceptional flexibility across new-build and re-power projects,” says Paul who goes onto to talk about their preliminary Perkins project which will start this year. 

Salterns Marina launch boat in Poole Harbour, a multipurpose vessel that is a key part of the marina operations, from transporting berth holders to their swing moorings throughout the summer season and serving as a general-purpose workboat for the Bosun team year-round, is soon to have its Perkins engine overhauled and serviced. This project provides a practical, real-world example of Perkins engines operating in a demanding marina environment and aligns well with a focus on re-power and servicing solutions. 
 

Investment in sales and marketing

The M245C from the Perkins marine propulsion range is going on the road with Golden Arrow Marine in 2026. Find them at Scottish Skipper in Aberdeen in May – one of the UK’s premier commercial marine exhibitions, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and buyers. In June, it’s Seawork, Europe’s largest on-water commercial marine and workboats exhibition. Here DiPerk Power Solutions, Golden Arrow Marine, and a technical sales team from Perkins marine engines will all be on hand throughout the exhibition.

“Bringing the engines closer to our customers is key,” says Paul. “We look forward to bringing Perkins demonstration engines to the South Coast in our showrooms, with trained technical staff available to discuss customer requirements in detail.”
 

What’s next?

“We are actively seeking a suitable re-power project now the agreement is official,” says Paul, “with the intention of documenting and publishing a full case study through the marine press.”

Learn more about Golden Arrow Marine and about Diperk: UK and Ireland Distributor