About Sykes Racing (Australia)

Jeff Sykes started his career as an elite sculler in the 1960s, and he continues to compete on the masters scene both on the water and on the ergo.

Jeff's boat-design and building business started in 1966 when he designed and built his own single scull, a boat in which he won the Australian sculling title that year (pictured right).

Jeff Sykes and Assc. (aka Sykes Racing) became Australia's largest boatbuilder in the 1980s and 1990s, and today produces more boats of all classes (singles through eights) than all other Australian builders combined. (There are about a half-dozen Australian boatbuilders at the end of 2008.)

Jeff Sykes retired after the 2000 Olympic Games, after which Jeff Lawrence became the managing director with Stuart Wilson continuing to manage the production side.

By then, about 75% of all Australian elite medals were coming in Sykes boats, and crews from Canada and the US had won elite medals in Sykes hulls.

About Sykes Racing North America

For those unfamiliar, it's probably best to start by saying that all Sykes boats are made in our factory in Geelong, Australia (see 'About Sykes Racing' above). The North American operation handles all delivery, billing, and post-sales services for Sykes. North American customers do not need to contact the factory in Geelong. And when we speak of the North American operation, we're pretty much talking about Tom Gallagher (on the left in the picture, right).

Tom became the North American agent for Sykes in 2002. A rower, coach, and boat man of 10 years at the time, Tom was disappointed with the quality of the craftsmanship of the boats his club had compared to those he had raced in Australia in the 1990s. When inquiring about getting Sykes for his club, he was confronted with challenges from his club's board that were very reasonable: what about product support? That began a conversation between Tom and Jeff Lawrence (who took over as managing director when Jeff Sykes sold Jeff Sykes & Assc. Pty. Ltd. in 2001) that resulted in Tom becoming the North American agent for Sykes.

Recognising that the history of running overseas sales operations is spotty at best for all boatbuilders, Tom and Jeff identified several key points of emphasis in the venture to establish a strong presence in the US and Canada: timely delivery at competitive prices, a supply of parts in North America, availability of repairs and support services in North America.

In 2008, Sykes Racing North America incorporated as Sykes Racing NA Inc. and moved its office to Delaware. The repair and warehousing facility incorporated as the Boat Works at Shackamaxon, Inc. in Philadelphia.