News from the largest water sports show this week - MarineBusinessWorld Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 14 Dec 2023 15:00 PST
Hall 17 at boot Düsseldorf © boot Düsseldorf
The countdown to the world's largest water sports show is on. boot Düsseldorf 2024 is ready for take-off and will kick off on an area of 220,000 square metres in 16 exhibition halls.
Director Petros Michelidakis is delighted: "boot 2024 will be a show of superlatives. We have spectacular world premieres of motorboats and sailing yachts on board. A total of almost 1,100 boats will be moored in Düsseldorf. Superboat Hall 5 is unique in the world and has been on a hugely successful course since boot 2020. Everything that makes a name for itself in luxury tenders is here. Our home port for luxury yachts in Hall 6 is also shining in all its glory. And the offer in sailing halls 15 and 16 with the international market leaders in the sailing industry is perfect."
The other boating halls 1, 3, 4, 7a and 9 are also filled to the brim with boats, yachts and tenders, reports Michelidakis. More than 1,500 exhibitors will transform the North Rhine-Westphalian state capital into the world metropolis of water sports from 20 to 28 January 2024. A firework display of innovations, ideas and action will light at the stands, stages and hands-on activities over the nine days of the fair.
Alongside this, the European Boating Industry, in collaboration with boot Düsseldorf, has announced the upcoming Breakfast Meeting 2024, set to be a crucial event, reuniting industry leaders and stakeholders. The theme for 2024 is on the new generation of leaders and new investment with its impact of a changing strategic direction for the industry. The opening keynote will be given by Giovanna Vitelli, Chair of the Azimut|Benetti Group. Scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2024, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, the event will take place at the Congress Centre Düsseldorf, CCD Süd, Room 3, during the boot Düsseldorf 2024.
Under the theme "New Generation of Leaders and New Investment - A Changing Strategic Direction for the Industry" the Breakfast Meeting will provide a platform for the new generation of leaders to address the challenges, opportunities, and innovations within the boating and yachting sector. It will provide unique insight into how they look at the direction of the industry and plan to shape it.
From Australia, d'Albora, Australia's largest premium marina and hospitality network's owner, MA Financial Group has recently settled on the purchase of two new marinas. The acquisitions have increased the Group's total marina portfolio to twelve locations across the eastern seaboard, solidifying its position as the largest marina group in the southern hemisphere. The inclusion of Port Macquarie and Batemans Bay Marinas in NSW add a further combined 223 berthing opportunities across their already extensive marina network, with over 3,000 berthing solutions across wet berths, dry storage and swing moorings, catering for vessels up to 50m in length.
Aside from increasing berthing and coverage, these two new regional acquisitions will see further marine services added to the network including boatyards, waterfront dining, and fuel services for d'Albora members and the public, while travelling along the Australian East Coast.
From Asia, Sanlorenzo S.p.A. announces that it has signed on 7 December a binding share purchase agreement to acquire 95% of share capital of Simpson Marine Limited from Mike Simpson, with a payment of USD 10 million, plus an earn-out up to USD 7 million calculated on the net profit for the 2023 fiscal year, both paid with Sanlorenzo's cash on hand. Prior to the Sanlorenzo take over, Simpson Marine Limited will make a distribution from retained earnings in favour of Mike Simpson.
Simpson Marine Group, representing Sanlorenzo in Asia since 2015, has been operating for forty years as a major yacht sales and service company throughout the APAC region, and it will allow Sanlorenzo to establish a direct presence in the strategic APAC region, maintaining and further developing the service offering leveraging on the experience and expertise cumulated over decades by Simpson Marine.
News of stabilisation improvements come from GINECO and Maritimo. The new Maritimo M60 has been fitted with a Quick Gyro Stabilizer x30. Maritimo chose a Quick Gyro for its small compact size unit, 780 mm by 780 mm in size and offers 30333 N-m of torque.
Looking to the future, in 2023 Australian Sailing launched their inaugural Youth Squad, which is a program of training and learning via coaching and webinars that prepares youth sailors for international competition in a squad environment. The Youth Squad supports the work being done by Clubs and Classes to develop their talented young sailors and helps more effective talent identification for the Performance Pathway. The Youth Squad is not a part of the Australian Sailing High Performance program but does play a crucial role in developing club sailors as they look to become what is known as "categorised" athletes.
The intent of the Youth Squad is to allow more sailors (in larger squads) to access quality coaching and work together towards competing internationally. It also provides Australian Sailing a greater opportunity to provide supplementary coaching support, both in the lead-up to and at Class Youth World Championships.
Safety developments are always worth mentioning. Marine Rescue Broken Bay has enhanced its operational capabilities following the completion of crew and training rooms and a dedicated administration area at its Bayview facility. The internal fit-out of the spaces at the unit base was made possible through a generous grant of $42,551 from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia SOLAS Trust. SOLAS Trust Chair, David Kellett AM said the grant was awarded to Marine Rescue Broken Bay as part of the Trust's long-term commitment to support Marine Rescue NSW's mission of saving lives on the water.
And Marine Rescue Shellharbour's sole vessel, Shellharbour 30, is rescue ready for the summer season on the Illawarra Coast after undergoing a major refurbishment. Marine Rescue NSW Senior Manager Fleet Kelvin Parkin said Marine Rescue NSW State Headquarters invested in two new 300 horsepower Suzuki engines for Shellharbour 30 while the unit's fundraising efforts allowed for a number of other improvements to the vessel. "They've replaced the fenders (foam filled sides), the fender covers, they've done all the livery on the vessel, she's looking really nice," he said.
Stay Motivated,
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com