A FATHER and son business team braved BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den – and secured £50,000 investment for a boat maintenance device.

John and Sam Ford pitched for the cash in return for ten per cent equity in their business Seabung.

The pair developed their Seabung device which acts like a plug, to stop water coming into a boat when seacock valves needs to be changed.

This would normally mean the boat would have to be taken out of water, costing around £400 in the case of John’s 32ft long yacht, to replace a £20 valve.

But the rubber bung allows the job to be done quickly while it is the water.

John, a former British Airways engineer whose day job is a facilities manager for The Priory Group, looking after two schools and nine children’s homes, would like the Seabung to be listed as a necessary part of safety equipment that every boat had to have.

Despite grumpy dragon Duncan Bannatyne dismissing the device saying, “You’re mad – both of you,” Peter Jones and Piers Linney were impressed.

But it was Deborah Meaden and Kelly Hoppen who decided to invest in the business, together taking a 20 per cent stake for the £50,000.

Describing as teaming up with the two entrepreneurs as “brilliant,” John said: “They weren’t the ones I was expecting, but it turns out they are the ones that know about the marine industry.”

Deborah Meaden owns a boatyard while Kelly Hoppen designs yacht interiors.

The programme, which recently aired on BBC Two, was filmed in Manchester in May.

John wants to use the funding to get Type Approval from Lloyd’s Register, for the Seabung, which he is currently in the process of doing.

“It’s a bit like getting a British Standards certification, which would give it an extra seal of approval,” explained John, who anticipates this will assist in commercial sales.

John said it was his Bristol-based engineer son Sam’s idea to go on the programme. Eighteen months later the pair were filmed.

“The moment you walk through the doors of the lift that‘s it, it’s like an interview – there is no stopping or re-takes. After a few minutes you forget that the cameras are there – it’s all very genuine.”

Since filming, the business based in Rankine Road, Basingstoke, has really taken off, thanks to Seabung winning a DAME Award at the Marine Equipment Trade Show, held in Amsterdam in November.

“That was a big turning point for us. Winning a DAME is a bit like winning an Oscar,” explained John.

Now, the Seabung is sold in 14 countries with distributors in the countries such as the United States, Australia and France.