2021 Perth Boat Show bounces back in style

This year’s show was very different to others, with most of the boats on display already sold. However, exhibitors were kept busy taking orders for new boats, with many not likely to be delivered until mid-next year.

Many exhibitors at this year’s event had pre-booked production spots with manufacturers in anticipation of the show-led demand and on the back of an already strong start to the 2021 boating season.

The event did not run last year in the face of the rising COVID-19 pandemic for the first time since 1971, and there was definitely a different feel at this year’s show.

The theme of the 2021 Perth Boat Show was to promote boating as a way of enjoying holidays in Western Australia as interstate – and even intrastate – travel restrictions result in the rise of the 'staycationer'.

Pushing the theme was an emphasis on boating education with information on everything from getting a skipper’s ticket and how to read the weather and tide report, to towing safety and storing your boat.

Show organiser, Premier Events’ Peter Woods, said it was an outstanding show considering the amount of uncertainty of whether or not it would go ahead in the lead-up.

“We had good crowd numbers and more importantly, for the exhibitors, a lot of them went there to make a purchase. The fishing section was extremely busy and boat sales were at a record level," Woods said.

“Talking to some of the dealers, there were quite a few there buying their first boat, which is great for the industry.”

The Boating Industry Association of Western Australia also used the show to launch its Go Boating Club, an initiative that it hopes will help new, and not so new, boaties make contact with other like-minded people.

BIAWA president Sheryl Swarbrick said the idea of the club was to help people enjoy their boats once they had made their purchase.

“Becoming a new boat owner can be quite daunting,” Swarbrick said. “The club will enable people who, for example, may want to go to Rottnest Island but don’t feel confident about making the journey on their own to go online and ask if anyone else is going to the island and if they can join them in a convoy.

“It will also be a great forum for asking advice and sharing experiences as well as enabling the BIAWA to organise events and provide information,” she said.

Swarbrick said the BIAWA had also been working with the WA’s tourism and infrastructure departments to help promote more regional areas as boating destinations and provide more moorings and facilities in these areas.

She said more public swing moorings in the Swan River were a likely outcome of this initiative.

An on-water display was a notable absentee this year due to construction work adjacent to the show’s venue at Elizabeth Quay, but there were still enough big boats around to provide plenty of wow factor at the show.

Barbagallo Marine stole the show with an impressive display of its new TechnoRIB Pirelli RIBs with its top-of-the-range Pirelli Pzero 42 packing 900hp of Mercury punch one of the stars of the show.

While the Italian-built Pirelli Pzero 42 had plenty keen to get a glimpse of boating at the top end, a tinnie tucked in a corner of the show was attracting just as much attention. 

However, it wasn’t just the boat drawing eyes. Also attracting attention was its unique trailer that was modified to carry a roof-top tent.

The reputation of New Zealand-built boats for their expertise in design and ability to handle the toughest conditions has seen their popularity in Australia grow significantly in recent years. 

Perth boaties were introduced to Senator, another New Zealand brand, at the show. After checking out the RH650 and RH580 that were on display, we are looking forward to a chance to test both in the next few weeks.

The 2021 Perth Boat Show closed on Sunday.