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Sam Bell

Director

Phone:

+64 029 020 11989

+1 207 610 0506 (WhatsApp)

Email:

kysengineer@gmail.com

Motueka, Tasman

About Me

After spending 25 years working on Superyachts I felt it was time to focus on my family, and a rotation job was too much time away from home. Property management has been an easy step towards this goal. I have three school-age boys who are all a joy to be with.

My career gave me some amazing projects with many refits based in New Zealand, Singapore and England, as well as the build of the Maltese Falcon in Turkey (during which I met my wife Jess).

Running Kaleva Yacht services in Vanuatu with Jess was a career highlight; we assisted over 180 yachts to visit a sometimes challenging country, we provided ground logistics, itineraries and provisioning for some of the top yachts in the world. We also assisted in writing and implementing the superyacht charter laws for the Vanuatu government.

Then in 2015 Cyclone Pam, a category 5 cyclone, hit Vanuatu. It smashed our closest islands, where many of our staff were from, we stepped up and started Wita Aid. Through a generous donation, we set up a barge with the capacity of desalinating 55,000l of fresh water every day. We spent 18 months delivering water and aid to the Shepherd islands, donating 4.9 million litres to over 4000 people.

We utilised visiting superyachts as the watermakers were being custom-built for us. This involved helicopters, specialised teams and huge logistics all done through our office. The YouTube video of the Dragonfly mission one was an incredible view into the early days of this work. Later, we were told the barge was a world first, taking desalination on a small scale to people who needed it and directly filling and repairing local tanks. We are so proud of this project, which supported many villages on multiple islands and really made a difference.

I love the challenge of working remotely and providing long-lasting memories with guests.

My hobbies include scuba diving (as a Divemaster for over 20 years) and fishing. My latest passion is serving as a qualified firefighter with the Motueka Fire Brigade. This role demands high-level teamwork and the ability to manage complex, high-pressure situations - skills that I enjoy and also directly translate to the safety and emergency preparedness I provide for the estates I manage.

Portfolio

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

The following projects represent the scale and technical calibre of my maritime and estate management experience on the world stage.

Property Project Management, South Island, New Zealand.

Managed the end-to-end acquisition and setup of a property for an offshore client. Currently serving as Director, I oversee all aspects of the estate’s operations and infrastructure, acting as the primary local representative and decision-maker for the owner.

The Writers Cabin, Maine, United States.

Full rebuild of the writer's cabin onsite. Keeping this piece of history alive has been a real project. It was once where Janwillem van de Wetering wrote his books!

Maine Property, United States.

Oversight of a 25-acre private estate, including property reconstruction and trail development. We currently manage this as an on-going short-term rental, demonstrating a full-lifecycle approach to asset value and guest experience.

WITA Aid Disaster Response - Water Project, Vanuatu

Working with my wife Jess we envisioned, created and implemented this groundbreaking aid project providing emergency water supplies to the Shepherd Islands after cyclone Pam devastated the country.

Kaleva Yacht Services, Vanuatu.

We owned and operated a superyacht company for 9 years. Providing full services including specialised support, mechanical and electrical engineering, vessel provisioning, local knowledge, logistics, base support, as well as charter services for superyachts and cruising vessels.

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Marlborough Sounds - Remote Estate Management

Oversaw a high-spec, boat-and-helicopter-access-only property requiring full off-grid autonomy. My role focused on complex property engineering, including the maintenance and optimization of solar power arrays, water treatment systems, and self-sufficient utilities.

SY Maltese Falcon Build

Served as a Build Engineer from concept to delivery for this world-renowned yacht. This tenure involved overseeing the integration and commissioning of complex maritime systems, setting a career-long benchmark for "impeccable" engineering and project management standards.

SY Mariette of 1915

I started as Engineer aboard this beautiful classic yacht, during this time Mareitte won the Concours d'Elegance at the 150th Jubilee of The Americas Cup.

Five years later, I was asked to captain her for a year before heading to SY Maltese Falcon for the same owner.

NB: Beyond the projects highlighted here, my career includes engineering and command roles on several of the world’s most prestigious superyachts. Out of respect for owner privacy and strict non-disclosure agreements, these vessels are not listed publicly on this page.

A comprehensive maritime CV is available upon request for a more detailed look at my professional history.