Conditions improve but no radical changes as yet - Australian MarineBusinessWorld.com newsletter
by Peter Rendle 23 Apr 14:00 PDT
Multihull Solutions has launched its Virtual Boat Show so clients can browse a huge range of new and pre-owned boats for sale from the comfort and safety of home. © Kate Elkington
New Covid-19 cases in Australia continue to decline and the curve has flattened and is straightening. However, the government will not make drastic changes to the lockdown rules and the process of returning to normality has a long way to go.
Businesses everywhere are finding innovative ways of promoting their products. For example, Multihull Solutions has launched an innovative Virtual Boat Show allowing buyers to comprehensively inspect a large range of new and pre-owned range of catamarans and trimarans on its website.
The concept was created in response to the restrictions boat buyers have experienced inspecting boats following the postponement or cancellation of major boat shows due to the pandemic. While the popular Multihull Solutions Out-of-Water Boat Show display on the Gold Coast has remained open, visitors have been limited to inspecting boats by appointment only and many clients have been unable to travel to see the boats in person. The new Multihull Solutions Virtual Boat Show features full interactive walk-through facilities of its power and sail catamarans allowing clients to still inspect boats of interest from the safety of their own homes.
Multihull Solutions have a large range to promote including the NEEL 47 trimaran. The NEEL 47 has won a major international marine award being voted "Multihull of the Year" in the 40 to 50 foot category. The trimaran was declared the winner following nominations by Multihulls World magazine judges and the organisers of the International Multihull Show as well as more than 10,000 public votes. Filling the gap between the shipyard's acclaimed NEEL 45 and NEEL 51, the new NEEL 47 has optimised ergonomics and a reconceptualised interior layout to enhance onboard liveability and offshore performance.
A new webinar for marina operators is available. The New South Wales Marine Pollution Regulation 2014 prohibits the discharge of untreated sewage from any vessels into any navigable waters, or onto the bank or bed of any navigable waters, unless the sewage is discharged or deposited into a waste collection facility. Many other regions may have similar regulations. Providing sewage pump-out facilities at marinas significantly reduces the harmful effects of directly discharging sewage from boats into the water, either from portable toilets or from holding tanks. But there are different types of pump-out facilities available in the market. What do marinas need to consider and look out for in the blackwater pump-out system?
Like much of the rest of the world, many of Raymarine's knowledgeable experts are working from home these days. They've conceived the interactive Raymarine Webinar Series as a new way to connect with customers and boating enthusiasts around the world, while providing valuable tips, help, advice and answers regarding marine electronics. Held live online each week, the Raymarine Webinar Series is hosted by Raymarine experts, pro ambassadors, and industry professionals who educate, inform, and provide valuable insights into navigation, boating, fishing and marine electronics. Each informative and entertaining webinar covers a distinct topic. Past webinars are archived and available for viewing on Raymarine's website and YouTube channel. Recent webinars include Fishing Tech for Modern Anglers; Get Ready for Spring Boating; and Meet the FLIR M300-Series Cameras.
In Queensland The Boat Works are offering reduced hard stand, refit sheds and in-water berth rates to assist boat owners through the Covid-19 pandemic. Charmaine Webb of The Boatworks advises that they are extending the 'half price off' the day rate offer on all their working hardstand, refit sheds and in-water service berths.
From Europe: news of how the build time of a superyacht can be reduced. C-Job Naval Architects has published new research which shows time-to-market of superyachts can be reduced by up to four-and-a-half months. The global independent ship design and engineering company believes it can achieve this via a new way of engineering superyachts through what they call the 'Dynamic Platform'. This allows owners to still fully customize their vessel, while reducing engineering time. The man behind this research is Stefan van der Harst, Junior Naval Architect at C-Job.
Despite the major impact Covid-19 has had on the UK, Cox Powertrain has announced today that assembly of its diesel outboard engine, the CXO300, will proceed as planned at its Shoreham-by-Sea headquarters, while the company's ramp-up production schedule will begin in Q3 when supply chains are hoped to be operating nearer pre-pandemic levels. The decision by the British diesel marine engineering specialist to proceed with assembly will ensure that its global distributors will take delivery of the first engines off the assembly lines, enabling them to run their all-important 2020 customer demonstration programmes as intended.
In Australia, global sailing hardware manufacturer, Ronstan, announce a new product. Modern high performance and foiling sailboats now experience much higher loads on their control systems. Ronstan's new 20mm HHL Lashing Block is the perfect solution for these applications and the obvious choice onboard Tom Slingby's world's fastest Moth. Designed by Ronstan's finest in Australia, the block offers a maximum line size of 6mm and is rated to 300kgs (1980lbs) Maximum Working Load and 900kgs (1980lbs) Breaking Load.
Stay safe,
Peter Rendle peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com