Hans Schleidt has been appointed to the new post of manager of the engine product management group at Marine Power Europe.

Schleidt, who first joined the company's Dutch office team in 1982 and later became service manager for the Benelux countries, will be responsible for product management of Mercury and Mariner outboards, Mercury MerCruiser petrol sterndrives and inboards, plus MotorGuide electric motors.

Based at Marine Power Europe's headquarters in Belgium, he will also assist trade customers with sales training and the development of communication materials.

Damian Vaile has joined LA Marine, the shipping and marine team at law firm Lester Aldridge.

Formerly with the yachting law department of Hill Dickinson, Vaile brings a wealth of experience in marine insurance law to the team.

His clients include marine insurers and underwriters, principally to the yacht and pleasure craft market, for whom he advises on all manner of marine related claims including personal injury and fatality, policy coverage, recoveries, collision liability, product liability and fraud.

Vaile is based in LA's London office but will work closely with the rest of the LA Marine team in the firm's Southampton office. He joins LA Marine as an associate.

His appointment at LA Marine comes after a career break during which he participated in and completed the Global Challenge round the world yacht race.

Robert Hill was appointed managing director of McMurdo on February 1. He joins the company from Lewmar, where he was sales & marketing director, and will report directly to the Chemring Group CEO, Dr David Price.

He brings with him an extensive background in the marine market and has experience in the application of electronic systems to both the commercial and leisure markets.

Hill is also very active within the management groups of the marine equipment trade associations and is chairman of the Marine Sector Advisory Group to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Hill will also take on the organisation responsibility for ICS Electronics Ltd.

Trevor Jackson has been appointed marine business development manager at Spectro, a laboratory group that is a leader in the analysis of lubricants, fuels, hydraulic fluids, filters, and debris.

Jackson will manage marine business across Spectro's three wet-chemistry laboratories in Odiham, Hampshire, (UK), Basel, Switzerland and Cedar Knolls, NJ (USA). He will be based at the company's headquarters in Hampshire, UK.

He has over 24 years of international experience of technical, engineering and commercial operations in marine, offshore and land-based industries. He was most recently a senior principal surveyor and manager with Lloyd's Register, where he was head of its lubricant quality scan (LQS) and fuel oil bunker analysis and advisory services (FOBAS), responsible for the department's strategic business plan and budget for international operations.

Neil Paramor and Pauline Nolan have been made directors of Force 4 Chandlery.

The appointments were made on January 1, 2006.

Simon Payne (41) has joined Musto with responsibility for worldwide marketing.

After 12 years with 3M, latterly as European brand and business manager of the $18bn company, Payne joined Kimberly Clark and became European segment leader before taking time out during 2005 to campaign a hydrofoilenabled International Moth, becoming European and National Champion and achieving 2nd place in the World Championship in Melbourne.

Matt Bass has joined Lombard Marine Finance as senior marine manager with responsibility for sales and new business development.

Bass has worked at Lombard since 1996 and joins the marine finance team in Chandler's Ford from a London-based position, where he was responsible for new business development in the corporate team, focusing on £25m+ businesses.

His new role will see him working on new business strategies and increasing business within the marine finance team.

Bass owns Donzi 22ZX and is a member of Ellingham Gavin Beat and Judy Jones have joined BW Yorkshire's Environment and Heritage team at Fearns Wharf in Leeds.

Gavin Beat started his new role as waste management surveyor at the beginning of December and is responsible for providing waste management and environmental management guidance as well as liaising with the Environment Agency and other organisations on pollution prevention.

For the past four years he worked as an environment officer for the Environment Agency so has experience with dealing with pollution incidents, inspecting waste sites and pollution prevention.

Beat has always had an interest in the outdoors and the environment and enjoys running and football. He has also completed three London Waterski and Wakeboard club, where he is a keen slalom skier.

He is also currently learning to sail, taking the Yachtmaster theory exams in March 2006.

Jo Versey is the new office manager for Laurent Giles Naval Architects.

The 28-year-old has previously worked in the head office of a major retail chain and also has experience with a regional television company.

Her role at Laurent Giles is far-reaching but it will include attending major international boat shows and meeting top players in the industry.

marathons and cycled along the 127 mile towpath from Leeds to Liverpool in two days.

Judy Jones made a New Year start as heritage adviser, having left her previous post at Kirklees Council where she worked as conservation officer for the past four years.

Prior to this she ran her own design company, which focused specifically on restoration of historic buildings.

Jones' new role will involve day to day advice and operational help on repairs to Yorkshire Waterways' 340 listed structures, such as Bingley Five Rise at Bradford, and Stanley Ferry, Wakefield, as well as training staff.

Jones is an athletics coach at Holmfirth Harriers in her spare time and has three teenage children, all of whom are enthusiastic runners.