Here at O'Sullivan's Marine, we like nothing better than working with you to find the right solution for your boating needs. Each customer has unique requirements, not only on the type of boat, whether it be hand-laminated fibreglass boats, Linder aluminium boats, Whaly boats, or our ranges of RIBs and inflatables, but also down to the choice of engine and trailer and how the boat is fitted out; from VHF and marine electronics to seating, storage and essential safety equipment.

O’Sullivan’s Marine is one of the longest established marine businesses in Ireland and our dedicated staff have, not only a wealth of knowledge and experience, but we pride ourselves on our quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail. We work with our customers to find the best solution, and once we receive your order, our dedicated team will fit out your boat to the highest standards - not only that, but we offer a back-up service second to none!

It has certainly been a strange year for us all, but since returning from lockdown, we have been extremely busy getting boats ready for our customers, and are delighted to hand over the finished products.

An O'Sullivan's marine built OSM 575 Speedliner 

We love to hear feedback from our customers on their experience! This is what one of our customers had to say about their journey in search of their ideal boat:

Our Voyage into Boating

Essentially, we were looking for a safe low maintenance family boat for under €25k. As a family, we have been using kayaks and small boats for years but with the kids a little older now we wanted something that could seat 4-6 people and was suitable for short day trips and fishing.

A key requirement was a boat weight/length that would not require a double axel trailer or any additional licences. Furthermore, we wanted to keep the marina berthing costs to a reasonable level and hence that put us in the 4-6 metre range of boats.

An OSM 470 RIB fitted with Tohatsu outboard engine

We also spend a lot of our free time in the west of Ireland (Clifden) and plan to make several trips to the various lakes around Ireland and hence having a boat in the 4-6 metre range makes this a more manageable task. In terms of priorities, safety and space were key for our needs and while speed was important, we were prepared to sacrifice some speed for more space and improved safety.

In terms of research, we looked at a number of boat types from traditional fibreglass centre console boats to RIBs and lake boats. Given we wanted a boat that could be used on both lakes and on the sea that helped narrow the field. We really liked some of the fibreglass centre console boats we looked at and in particular, the space that was available even in a small boat. The one concern we had was the safety of the hull in particular for use on lakes and while there are double skinned and foam-filled hulls available these tended to be quite expensive.

A Gladiator 310 inflatable from O'Sullivan's Marine

Weighing up the pros and cons, it really came down to a choice between a RIB or Rotomould type boat (Whaly). The RIB is a really good all-rounder and a very flexible boat, which we really liked. There is plenty of choice in RIB’s however the one thing that we did not like which all RIB’s have in common is there is not much internal space. Our primary use is short day trips and fishing trips and hence the RIB just felt a little cramped for our needs. This is where the Whaly really wins out as it has tons of internal space for a small 5-metre boat. The other feature we really liked was the professional version of the Whaly with its foam-filled hull. The Whaly 500R meet both of our key needs of space and safety and with the provision of a 60HP engine, it was fast enough to suffice. For a family that wants a small safe boat with lots of space and relatively low running costs really the Whaly 500R is hard to beat.

A Whaly 370, Tohatsu outboard engine and trailer package from O'Sullivan's Marine

The next key decision for us was to buy new or second hand. There was plenty of choice in the second-hand market however, we felt a lot the boats were in medium to poor condition and unless you were very knowledgeable on boats and in particular engines you could end paying significant sums of money to make the boat right. As we were leaning towards the Whaly that was a relatively new boat, there really was not much choice second hand so this really pushed us in the direction of a new boat.

An OSM ECO 470 RIB

Given we are relatively new to boating we wanted to find a well-established supplier who we could trust and who we felt would help guide us in our choice. We researched a number of suppliers and noticed an article in AFLOAT.ie where OSM had provided a number of Whaly 500R’s to the Inland Fisheries. This piqued our interest and we contacted OSM with our initial inquiry. They were extremely helpful and professional and we immediately arranged a site visit to review the various packages they had available. The site visit was very beneficial and again Brian and his team were extremely helpful and by the end of the visit, we had decided on the package we wanted, a Whaly 500R with Tohatsu 60HP.

A Whaly 500R from O'Sullivan's Marine

We would like to thank the Brady family for their great feedback and their permission to share this with our other customers!

If you are looking to put together a boat package that is tailored to your unique specifications, contact us by email: [email protected] or phone: 066-7124524 and our team will be happy to work with you to make it happen!

We also welcome enquiries from marine trade companies. For boat package deal trade enquiries or, indeed, any trade enquiry for any marine equipment, please email [email protected]

O’Sullivan’s Marine has just received a new consignment of Whaly boats - including the eagerly anticipated Whaly 455 – the first to arrive in Ireland!

Like the Whaly 435 and 500, the Whaly 455 is available in the standard version (455) and a professional version (455R). Whaly boats are incredibly robust, double-walled boats, manufactured in one piece from high-grade rotomoulded Polyethylene. The professional versions have extra strength with an added PE foam layer on the inside and are the preferred choice for professional use as workboats or for rescue operations. The new model has a big inner space and like the Whaly 500 features a drop-down bow. 

"These high-quality stable boats are almost unsinkable and indestructible"

“Whaly boats are extremely popular with our customers, whether it is for recreational or professional use, these high quality, stable boats are almost unsinkable and indestructible. With the large range of optional extras, we can offer the expertise to build a boat package that is tailored to our customer’s unique requirements.”

The Whaly consignment arrives at O'Sullivan's Marine

Optional extras include: remote steering, console, windscreen, bench and cross seats, A-Frame, railings, tow bar, marine electronics plus a versatile wheelchair ramp system, developed exclusively by O’Sullivan’s Marine, for the drop-down bow.

As Afloat reported previously here, O'Sullivan's Marine based in Tralee in County Kerry delivered five Whaly 500R boats to Inland Fisheries in March 2019.

For more information visit www.osmarine.ie