Anchor Marine Background

Anchor Marine grew out of the beginnings of Ronstan Marine. Founders -Ron and Stan of Ronstan fame were building boats and making fittings for same in Advantage Road, Highett in 1959. They had an idea that they needed a retail shop to distribute their chandlery wares so they formed a new company called the Ronstan Marine Centre Limited. They opened the doors at 81 Beach Road, Sandringham in a building that had once been a local dairy.

In 1964 Ron and Stan wanted to concentrate on the fittings manufacture and sold the shop to three Melbourne sailing identities: Brian Barnes, Jack Eggleton and Graham Warner. The shop changed its name to Anchor Marine Pty Ltd with an aim to be general marine chandlers for Port Phillip Bay

Brian Barnes was well known for his skill as a dinghy sailor, Jack Eggleton was an ideas man and instigated, amongst other things, the original Victorian Yachtsman of the year award along with Jock Sturrock and Brian McFaden. Graham Warner was a well known ocean racer, a Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Victoria and International Offshore Rule (IOR) measurer.

The milestones of the business during this time were the introduction of the Pacer Dinghy to Australia, the Laser Sailing Dinghy -now an Olympic Class to Victoria and the promotion of level rating racing for keelboats and in particular the ¼ ton class.

On the retirement of Brian Barnes and Jack Eggleton the Warner family purchased their interests and in 1995 Chris Warner became Manager.

In 2000 the shop moved two doors up the road to 77 Beach Road where a modern single level open plan marine chandlery store could be enjoyed by all.

In 2012 Chris Warner retired due to illness and Andy Warner took over the helm.