Quintrex leads the fleet for driving new boaties to market

Setting the standard for boating since 1945, Quintrex reinvents the wheel for new boat buyers with a targeted strategy to assist in the purchasing process in response to the influx of new entrants to the industry © Quintrex

Key Facts:

• Australian new boatie boom - license holders have jumped by approximately 6.5% nationwide from 2018.
• The marine industry had a turnover of $8.835bn this year (up 11% on last year)
• There were more than 920,000 registered boats, countless non-powered watercraft
• There were approximately 18,500 new boats registered during the year
• From FY 2019 - 2020 of the new license holders in Queensland, 24% classified as female, up by 8% from 2018
• Aluminium built boats account for the vast majority of the market
• One of the biggest hurdles for new entrants is the complex buying process in selecting the correct boat, options, engine and trailer
• Founded in 1945, Quintrex is Australia's largest aluminium boat brand with a commitment to "Boating Made Easy"
• Innovations such as Quintrex's Boat Bundle initiative have been introduced in response to the market boom, assisting in the purchasing process

As the country sees an all-time spike in spending locally and the investment in local leisure products, the marine industry has seen record highs with unseen numbers of new entrants fleeting to the boating lifestyle.

Boating Industry Australia (BIA) records that in the last 12 months, the number of Australian boat license holders has climbed by more than 60,000 people, bringing statistics to a total of more than 2.5 million boaties.

The boating capital of Australia, Queensland, has seen the most drastic incline statistically - during both the 2019 and 2020 financial year, Boating Industry Australia (BIA) recorded a consistent increase of boat license holders by 3% respectively year on year. Today Queensland can lay claim to the largest number of boat license holders, with 956,000 people certified.

The rest of the country however has also been privy to the boating boom, with Western Australia seeing an increase of 31,000 captains to the market from 2018 to 2021, Victoria 24,000, South Australia 14,000, New South Wales 13,000, and Tasmania 4,000.

Of the newly qualified Queensland skippers during the 2019 and 2020 financial year combined, 24 per-cent (11,801) were female, a statistic that continues to be on the rise with the number of women license holders increasing by eight percent from 2018, as opposed to a five-percent increase for men.

"For decades we have been invested towards nurturing the market by promoting the succession of new entrants into boating, so recent statistics released by the BIA are really exciting as it shows that our actions as an industry are working," Sam Heyes, Quintrex General Manager said.

"Whilst we are a market leader in boating, we do not simply just make boats, we make the lifestyle and experiences behind each product, so part of our role is to encourage new entrants into the market by showcasing the Quintrex difference of Boating Made Easy."

BIA Director and Queensland Chair. Andrew Fielding, said boating had proven itself a standout choice of leisure through the pandemic, "Having a boat is a bit like having your own island. You choose where you go and when, and who goes with you, while enjoying the boating lifestyle on some of the best waterways in the world."

Quintrex, Australia's leading aluminium boat manufacturer, recently released a carefully structured Boat Bundle initiative, designed to simplify boat buying and allow for more a simplistic decision-making process for consumers when building their perfect vessel.

Identifying consideration as one of the biggest hurdles in the customer experience funnel, with many potential buyers dropping out due to confusion or lack of understanding when selecting what boat and option configuration would best suit their lifestyle, Quintrex says it sought out to achieve an easier to navigate experience for green boaters looking to buy their first boat.

"Following thorough market research derived from both Quintrex customer survey data and our network of Australia's best dealers, we were able to pinpoint an opportunity in the market to simplify boat buying, which resulted in the creation of a customer centric approach whereby offering five clean-cut boat packages that are built to serve a customer's lifestyle and budget needs," Madeline Bishop, Quintrex Marketing & Communications Manager said.

"With a history of Boating Made Easy, this step in our 76-years of production made sense to continue setting the standard as Australia's most sought-after boat brand and meet the needs of all consumers - both new and old."

Boasting a line-up of nearly 100 boats and a portfolio of more than 50 dealers scattered throughout the country, Quintrex proudly advertises its success in offering a vessel suited to every boating lifestyle together with accessibility right across Australia.

The Boat Bundles make their debut on five of Quintrex's most popular model ranges, alongside a plethora of design upgrades in conjunction with the 2021 model release, to continue enhancing the overall customer experience - on and off the water.

From the most affordable option that only features the essentials for clean-cut boating with the Cruiseabout, Fishabout, Hornet, Top Ender and Ocean Spirit, to the Pro version for a more lavish experience with premium fittings and fishiness, Quintrex makes fitting into anyone's budget easy.

76-years in the game and over 350 passionate employees under its belt, Quintrex also knows a thing about the typical aluminium boatie allowing the brand to build three bundles comprising a range of carefully selected options catered to the typical on-water lifestyles; namely the Comfort, Fishing and Captain's Bundles.

"Whilst striving to meet the needs of new boaties and simplify boat buying, our Boat Bundles have also been designed to further nurture the growth of the market to continue seeing the fruition of new entrants into boating and share the incredible lifestyle that we have to offer with more Australians," Madeline said.

"Quintrex proudly holds a strong percentage of market share with aluminium vessels accounting for the vast majority of trailerable boats and with its sight set on continued innovation, it's only up from here."

Quintrex is a proudly Australian built brand and owned by BRP; a global leader in the world of powersports.

To find out more about the Quintrex range and Boat Bundles visit www.quintrex.com.au or contact your local dealer today.

• www.msq.qld.gov.au/About-us/Maritime-statistics-and-reports-library
• www.bia.org.au/industry/industry-data