2019 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show ends with a sales bonanza

Over the four days of the event, more than 47,200 people looked over more than 180 boats sitting on the water and more than 420 on land throughout the venue.

More than 330 different exhibitors showing everything from boats to boating technologies and accessories were present.

The number of trailer boats on show this year had also expanded, with even more space allocated to the brands with boats on display.

One industry insider told boatsales.com.au that the recent federal election result appeared to have buoyed the spirits of boat owners keen to upgrade.

“The political situation in Australia is showing that we’re going to have some stability for the next four or five years,” he said. “Now that buyers know this, things are finally looking up.”

Another said the show was starting to get back to the size of the events held in the lead-up to the 2008-09 global financial crisis, an event that devastated the industry and is still being felt today.

The show was a big one for Gold Coast yacht maker Riviera, which premiered its Platinum Edition badge for the 4800 Series II, the 5400 and the 6000 Sport Yacht boats, as well as an enclosed flybridge version of its 54.

The highlight of its show was the annual Riviera Festival of Boating, an annual owners’ event held this year in conjunction with its 12-boat on water line-up at the Sanctuary Cove show.

According to Riviera, the event – with a focus on both educating owners and providing a social attracted more than 700 attendees, including first-timers.

“We are extremely happy to welcome lots of new owners into the Riv family,” Riviera brand and communications director Stephen Milne said.

“There was a great response to our new product and a positive sentiment among visitors.”

Over at Maritimo, the Gold Coats yacht maker had locked in orders for its all-new Maritimo X50 sports yacht even before the gates to the show had opened.

Maritimo chief executive Garth Corbitt said the total number of sales generated by the show would not be known for several weeks as the deals were negotiated and finalised, and buyers held sea trials.

“With many millions of dollars of deals finalised and more pending, our forward order pipeline is extremely healthy,” Corbitt said.

“Needless to say we are very happy with the response with sales of both our flybridge motor yachts and the newly released X50 being strong," he said.

Princess Yachts dealer principal Greg Haines, who has attended every Sanctuary Cove show since it started in 1988, said this year’s was the best he could remember.

“We have plenty of sea trials lined up for next week and things are looking very positive,” Haines said.

A spokesperson for Brisbane-based boat-maker The Haines Group, which is also the exclusive distributor of Suzuki Marine outboard engines in Australia, told event organisers that Sanctuary Cove had been “great”.

“We’ve sold boats with many, many leads to follow up,” the spokesman said. “It’s been a great show.”

This year’s show is expected to generate at least $150 million in new-boat sales for the industry.