More than a decade ago, two former SAS paramedics decided to bask in New Zealand's America's Cup glory in 2000, and start a business that supplied medical equipment and training to super-yacht owners.
The company, Yacht Lifeline, expanded its reach into Europe in about 2005, where one of the founders ended up living.
Client numbers also grew from one client in 2000, to 400-450 last year.
In July last year, Yacht Lifeline merged with one of its competitors, MedAire, a subsidiary of International SOS, a company that employs more than 10,000 people in more than 70 countries.
A New Zealand spokesperson for MedAire, Steven Bates, says the merger has allowed Yacht Lifeline staff to cater for clients not only on the water, but the air too.
The core business is a good medical kit including defibrillators, at $8000 to $12,000 upwards for a vessel 50-metres plus.
He says the merger means their client base is twice as big as it was as Yacht Lifeline.
