Image Boats

Image Boats is a South Island alloy boat specialist that builds bespoke aluminium vessels tailored to New Zealand and Australian conditions. Founded in 2000 by Managing Director and sheet metal engineer Dean Wilkes, the business has grown from a one-man operation in his Invercargill backyard into a major player in the alloy boat industry, with nearly 150 custom builds completed.

Drawing inspiration from the rugged beauty of the South Island and the Kiwi passion for adventure, Image Boats focuses on robust, seaworthy hulls with proven performance in demanding waters such as Foveaux Strait. Each hull design carries a six-year warranty, underscoring the company’s emphasis on reliability, ride quality and long-term value. The range covers trailerable and larger aluminium boats from around 5.8 metres through to 12 metres, including hard top and open top configurations for recreation, serious fishing, extended cruising and commercial applications.

Every boat is fully custom built rather than assembled on a standard production line. The team works closely with each owner to personalise layouts, fit-out, equipment and finishes so the boat genuinely reflects how they want to use it – whether as a dedicated fishing platform, a comfortable family weekender or an offshore-capable cruiser. Interiors are a particular point of pride, blending practicality with an inviting, upmarket feel so that cabins function as "floating holiday homes" with comfort and safety at the forefront.

Image Boats provides an integrated, in-house service covering design, fabrication and finishing, complemented by trusted specialist partners for electrical, upholstery and plumbing work. The company also builds custom boat trailers, offers boating supplies and equipment through its retail arm, and provides servicing by an experienced marine technician to keep vessels performing at their best. Owners can choose from a wide range of premium propulsion and electronics brands to suit their requirements.

Dean and Stacey Wilkes have more than three decades of hands-on boatbuilding and on-water experience behind the brand, and boating is deeply woven into their family life. Traditions such as the annual South Island Christmas tour in the latest demonstrator boat showcase the versatility of Image craft and reinforce a genuine user’s perspective in every design decision. From the first conversation through to handover, Image Boats stays closely involved with customers, maintaining open communication and treating each project as a long-term partnership.

Today, Image Boats is recognised for combining rugged Kiwi build quality with thoughtful customisation and attentive service, delivering durable alloy boats that enable owners to embark, explore and enjoy with confidence.