62 years of RLR Yachting - Malta's oldest chandlery and yacht services business
RLR was founded in 1963 by two brothers, John and Paul Ripard, together with their business associate Bill Larvin. The Ripard brothers are legendary figures in the Malta sailing history books, representing Malta together at the 1960 Olympics in the Star class as well as helping to establish the Rolex Middle Sea Race and John being involved with four editions of the America's Cup as an international judge. Both John and Paul would go on to be a driving force in shaping the island’s maritime scene today.
The chandlery started out as a small shop packed to the rafters, that could supply everything a visiting sailor could need. Overtime the business evolved and expanded as international marine brands learned that RLR could be relied on to offer quality service and highly skilled technical expertise. The company became the first exclusive Maltese distributor of Volvo Penta in the early 1970s, and we are proud to still hold this position today.
Over the decades, RLR Yachting grew its technical remit beyond Volvo Penta to include Raymarine electronics, Marlow rigging, FLIR thermal cameras, and more. The chandlery clothing side of the business also grew to offer all of the leading marine apparel brands, including Musto, Zhik, Slam and Marinepool, as well as selected quality products that complement the sailing lifestyle, such as Tilley hats and ComfortSeat chairs. This diverse offering solidified RLR’s standing as the go‑to service provider—from modest dinghies to 200‑metre superyachts.
By the mid‑2000s, the business had transitioned into the hands of the next generation. In 2003 Darius Goodwin entered the family-run enterprise, joining as a sales specialist. He ascended to Managing Director by 2014, steering RLR into modern waters while maintaining its proud traditions. Paul Ripard’s son Christian and daughter Giselle helped to run the business for long periods between the early 1980s up to 2019, and when they moved on to other projects John Ripard’s grandson Thomas Ripard joined in 2020. Other family members have also played key roles at different times to keep driving RLR forward and maintain it’s high standing in the Maltese sailing community. Under Thomas’ guidance in the last five years the business has focussed on developing a comprehensive yacht services packaging, including specialist rigging services, yacht maintenance, yacht brokerage, deliveries and more.
In 2021 RLR opened the first fully dedicated superyacht crew uniform showroom in Malta. Located on the mezzanine floor at the Chandlery, the showroom is designed as a hub where visiting superyacht crews can come and try on samples for core uniform options that are in stock, or explore next-season teamwear with our Brand Manager. Crews can also opt for custom branding, which can be handled via the showroom team. We offer embroidery, digital printing, screen printing and flex heat printing on waterproof garments and ship orders around the world to wherever our clients may be.
Today, RLR Yachting remains anchored in a rich familial legacy and a deep commitment to Malta’s yachting excellence. We continue not only to supply and service marine technology but also to uphold the island’s seafaring spirit—rooted in family and sustained through decades of industry leadership.
There are currently four family members working in the chandlery or in the office, and collectively across our whole team we have more than 90 years of service, which we are very proud of in the age of short-term employment trends. Paul Ripard passed away in 2017 but his legacy to the sailing community in Malta is still fondly remembered by all at RLR.. Now 96 years old, Joh Sr is still on the water as often as he is able to, either on a boat or swimming at his favourite local spot near Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.
