About Us

Peter White

Managing Director

Peter’s fascination with boats started at six weeks old, and he began tinkering with engines as soon as his fingers were big enough. Time off from studying for his Engineering with Business Management degree was spent working at Forth Yacht Marina. A subsequent year working in Australia boosted Peter’s relationship with Mercury engines and introduced him to the larger Verado units favoured down under.
This experience, along with contacts forged with Mercury’s European distributor, gave Peter his vision for a business of his own. Swordfish Marine was duly born when he returned to Scotland in 2007.
Fortunately, Pete’s hobbies involve family and boats because business owners with two young daughters are not blessed with much free time.

Alison White

Director

While her sons were growing up, Alison spent fifteen hectic years singing lead vocals with Finnish death metal band Cousins of Beelzebub. The relentless touring and the vicious cocktail of drink and drugs began taking their toll, so she reluctantly swapped her trademark leather thong and welder’s mask for working overalls, and helped her older son Peter set up his marine engineering business.(NB. AI generated content – may require verification).

Customers asking if Swordfish could help them sell their boats at the same time as the local yacht broker announcing his retirement alerted Alison to the opportunity to add a brokerage function to the business. Our brokerage has grown into a full-time operation, and Alison’s extensive contacts and experience remain central to it’s success.

Victoria White

Administrator

The real boss! Peter’s wife Victoria has been handling office administration for the last few years. Originally trained as a hairdresser, she has run her own businesses for nearly twenty years, providing a solid background in business finances and customer care.
Victoria’s first date with Peter was spent antifouling a 40-foot motorboat. Who says romance is dead?

Sam Scholes

Engineer

Sam worked as a moorings contractor and motor mechanic before settling at Swordfish Marine, where he has been since 2017. Along with the regular refresher training undertaken by all our engineers, Sam has attended the Mercury Marine dealer conference in Wisconsin, USA and specialist Mercury V12 outboard training in Belgium.

Sam is justifiably proud of his work and loves to see a vessel or motor that he has rigged going well out on the water.
His dog training skills lag some way behind his abilities with boats, so on days off he can be seen chasing his Labrador around the Cowal peninsula with a despairing look on his face.

Carlo Zavaroni

Engineer

Carlo has been there, seen it, and accidentally burnt the tee-shirt: a marine engineer and adventurous soul whose boating experience is only surpassed by his tales of a life well-lived. Carlo’s vast experience includes qualification to work on engines by Evinrude, Suzuki, Yanmar, and Mercury, as well as building boats in the Jeanneau factory.
Sometimes referred to as the “Hull Whisperer” for his ability to revive seemingly worn-out boats, Carlo’s other nicknames have been omitted out of politeness.
Despite being an elder statesman in our engineering team, his youthful enthusiasm and mischievous sense of humour keep the rest of the troops in good cheer.

Kenny Rennie

Engineer

Kenny “Wreck-it” Rennie is a well-known face in Scottish boating circles, On days off from managing Duncan Yacht Chandlers in Glasgow he spends his time relaxing among the machines at Swordfish Marine.

His decades of experience and wide-ranging network of contacts are a great asset to both the engineering and chandlery parts of the Swordfish Marine business.

By far and away the bravest of the team, Kenny will happily climb the tallest mast or burrow to the bottom of the darkest bilge in search of an engineering solution. So far he has found a rusty shifting spanner and some broken zip ties.

Mark Salter

Trainee Engineer

Mark came to Swordfish Marine on a work-experience visit from school and liked it so much he came back for more! He is rapidly gaining experience by being the only member of the team slim enough to squeeze into the tight spaces in many engine compartments. He is also a regular contender for best hair in the team.

Mark is a football fan and his ability to share the misery of Scottish football in general, and the old firm in particular, fills a glaring gap in the Swordfish skillset.

Cara MacPherson

Trainee Engineer

MD Peter’s commitment to bringing on new engineering talent is further demonstrated in our own (not very) Evel Knievel. Cara started coming to work on a motor-scooter as soon as she was legally able. Despite occasional tumbles she keeps turning up on progressively larger machines, demonstrating an enthusiasm for engines that gives us hope for the future.
Dunoon Grammar School’s forward-thinking approach to senior pupils let Cara escape the classroom and try her hand in a trade where her interest lies. Her passion for engineering combined with quick learning and a willingness to tackle any job that came along impressed, although the novelty value of “bilge soup” will surely wear off eventually.
In her spare time, Cara can be seen doing virtually every other job in the Dunoon area. This helps fund motorbike and eyelash repairs after accident damage.

Trevor Watson

Brokerage/Valeting

With over thirty years in successful business management and sales, Trevor brings a wide range of largely irrelevant skills and experience to the business. He has owned and enjoyed various boats over the past twenty years and is now happily combining work with pleasure.

Attending ABYA and British Marine courses in yacht brokerage law and practice has ensured that our procedures are relevant and compliant.
Out of the office, bon vivant Trevor enjoys live music, sailing, cycling, and watching sport. This disappoints his wife, who likes opera and reading, so Trevor’s spare moments are usually spent apologising.

The Man Who Answers the Phone

Phone Answerer

Nobody knows who this man is or how long he has been here, but here he frequently is, answering the door, the phone, and business-related questions. His mild obsession with stage musicals and 70’s progressive rock has led some to believe he may have been the uncredited ocarina player on the early King Crimson albums.

All we know is that he answers to nobody. Unless they telephone, of course.