MarineBusinessWorld.com Newsletter: Sydney International Boat Show makes its 51st appearance
by Peter Rendle, Sail-World.com 29 Jul 2018 15:00 PDT
Sydney International Boat Show © John Curnow
I doubt if any industry member in Australia does not know that the 51st Sydney International Boat Show begins next week and runs from the 2nd-6th August.
Having attended more than 30 Sydney Boat Shows over the past 35 years, I can attest to the massive changes that have taken place over those years as the industry matured and grew. One of the major aspects of the show is the diversity with the power, sailing, fishing and - more recently - the diving industries represented in spades.
This week we alert you to examples of that diversity with news that Whittley Marine, along with its three New South Wales dealers; Terrace Boating, Hunts Marine Sydney and Hunts Marine Batemans Bay, will have their biggest display, with six new Whittley models on sale and display at the show.
At the other end of the scale, Yachtspot, importers of the US J-Boats range, will be displaying two models from J/Boats 'Elegance' series. The 'Elegance' series boasts refined accommodation for family cruising, quality engineered equipment and inclusions, in a high-performance hull. The new J/112E is a 36ft cruiser/racer. Recent accolades include winning the 2018 European IRC Championships, Grand Prix du Crouesty in France, 151mile race in Italy, Best Performance Boat over 30ft and Boat of the Year - Best Crossover Boat, to name a few.
John Curnow, resident editor at Sail-World and PowerBoat-World, brings you his view of the Maritimo X60. John recollects seeing the X60 at its World Premiere at Sanctuary Cove, and subsequently being on board it on Sydney Harbour, both as very significant events. He reports that it had all the Maritimo hallmarks, like walk-around decks and full stand-up fridge, but it also had significant freeboard, narrower beam than her siblings, and a raised foredeck that sloped in exquisitely towards the angle of the prow, and subsequently gave you the impression of a set of pincers. Then there was that space out aft that only an inline, shaft and screw drivetrain could afford you.
The Sydney Show is shortly followed by the Brisbane Boat Show. Queensland's most comprehensive recreational marine show opens from the 24th-26th of August at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre South Bank and is attracting the world's most recognised and respected boating manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. Whether you love the inland waterways of Queensland or prefer the open waters off the coast, exhibitors at the Brisbane Boat Show promise everything for the boating enthusiast.
Australia has always been one of the world's innovators of marine equipment and a recent success story involves the founders of the Life Cell. It was pleasing to hear that not only is the recreational boating sector starting to recognise the importance of Life Cell, the commercial industry is also recognising its value. Law enforcement agencies are mounting Life Cells on their vessels and many boat builders are starting to include Life Cell as standard equipment on their new vessels.
We are also aware of the revival of US optimism and the US boating industry is responding accordingly. One company involved in manufacturing rigging and deck hardware, Colligo Marine, are starting to spread their wings and recently gained recognition in providing much of the equipment aboard 'Fugazi', a multihull participating in the Multihull Solutions Phuket Regatta in Thailand.
Aveagooden
Peter Rendle, Sail-World.com