Sanctuary Cove Harvests The Good Times

On the back of record numbers of new residents, cashed-up retirees, seasonal jetsetters and great waterfront amenities, boating is booming in southern Queensland.

As if to prove as much, the 2007 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show held in late May boasted record attendance, record on-water display space, record new launches, record sales and sails, and plenty of beautiful sunshine for the hordes of prospective boat buyers.

Just a day after the doors closed, organisers were claiming the show created $150 million in sales from among the 53,156 visitors, up 7.04% on last year and setting a new record (though still some 20,000 shy of the Sydney International Boat Show).

"We are astounded at the number of boats we confirmed were actually sold at the event – and we'd expect numerous sales to develop in coming months as a direct result of the show," said Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show general manager, Barry Jenkins, adding that the show would eventually bring millions of dollars to Australian manufacturers.

There were representatives from 10 Taiwanese boat yards looking to source Australian products and components, and Malaysian companies seeking Australian expertise in the area of infrastructure, marinas and boat services.

There were also delegations from China and Korea - boat building is booming again in Asia, but more on this later - and VIPs from Norway, India, America, the UK, NZ, France, Thailand, Russia, South Africa, Italy and Poland. To which you can add 210 international and Australian accredited media to share, albeit vicariously, in the spoils.

Under their collective weight and that of the flash five-star flotilla tied to the marina, the gangways were teetering. As with any show, there were the curious and wistful, ebullient and youthful, and suspicious locals who never thought Queensland would come to this.

Evidently, plenty of prospective buyers were putting their hands in their pockets. Among the winners, Riviera confirmed contracts for 30 boats and total boat-show sales amounting to $34.4 million. The new Riviera 41 and 45 flybridge boats, the latter with three cabins and two heads, attracted the biggest crowds, but sales were forthcoming for a yet-to-be-released 44 Sport Yacht as well.

In respect of new craft, there were 26 world and 57 local new-boat releases. On the marina, 421 boats graced more than four kilometres of gangway, making this the biggest on-water display in the Asia Pacific region. A further 402 trailerboats and personal water craft were parked on the dry, along with oodles of electronics (another buzz with boaties) and accessories. Everyone wants underwater lights these days, the stainless steel barbecue is as common as the outdoor drinks fridge, and rubber duckies are everywhere.

Of course, boat shows are also parochial events and, in this regard, Sanctuary Cove will forever be the king of the cats. Locally-made, low-drag, fuel efficient and - above all - shallow draft, catamarans are the perfect conveyance for cruising along southern Queensland's shallow, shifting, sand, mud and mangrove channels. You see them everywhere and our most-awarded, Seawind from Wollongong, sold six collectively valued at $2.5 million.

Yet the worldly handle in Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show's title is well deserved, too. I crawled over new boats from Europe, America, Asia and NZ - one of which steamed across the Tasman on its own back - as well as those from our local boat-building precinct in the southern Queensland.

In respect of trends, it's clear that the well-heeled 55-plus market is driving a lot of new-boat demand, design and equipment. The leaning is to bigger, more accommodating, more comfortable craft with more amenities, docking devices, remotes and aft control stations, and walkaround decks and electric winches, to make berthing a breeze.

Only at Sanctuary Cove the biggest motoryachts were more likely to hail from China than Europe. And they tended to be the timeless, teak-planked and statelier kind for cruising to The Reef and back.

From Asia with love came a Cheoy Lee 75C, Dyna 50, Grand Banks from 47 to 64-footers, custom-built Hargraves 90, Horizon 65 and 73, Marlow 57, Nordhaven 55 (an around-the-world ship), Ocean Alexander 46 Veloce, Offshore 64, President 650 and Symbol… some badges are reappearing after a hiatus of many years. Owing nothing to them, the locally built aluminium Chesapeake Explorer 58 looked like a wonderful passage maker.

Cruising from Sydney, the Falcon 86 dubbed Catarina took some beating and, underscoring the worldwide demand for big boats, our own premium builder Warren had a stunning display saying: all sold out. That includes its new S120. The European marques making waves included the chic Italian Azimuts and, even more contemporary, the Atlantis to 55ft - Sophia Loren extra.

On the local front, Mustang has acquired the moulds from Kiwi boatbuilder Oliver Royale and unveiled its new flybridge M37, M41 and M43 cruisers; Sunrunner had a 48 with new interior layout; there were the classic Caribbean and Capricorn flybridge craft; the evergreen Fairway 36; Kingfishers 54 and 56 (aft cruiser) and so on. The new O'Brien 47 from Townsville is a serious liveaboard marlin charter boat. And Maritimo revealed its 52 Sky Lounge with extended flybridge for more entertaining space up top.

Locals Deep V had a new 310SE express game boat and, tellingly, a new 40-footer made in, you guessed it, China. The Moreton 40 and Alaskan cruisers also hail from Asia. The new NZ-built Salthouse 57 is a serious adventure fishing boat, but the coolest boats with flybridges were surely the home-grown Palm Beach 32 and 50. I stopped and melted over their lines.

In the big-ticket corner, Bertram, Hatteras and Viking had six-figure go-fast fishing boats, Cabo has new agents and boats to 48 feet, while Backcove had the thinking man's cruising/fishing boat.

Riding the strong Aussie dollar Down Under were all the big American marques, with an especially strong Sea Ray and Regal presence, new fishing boats from Contender, Grady White, Glacier Bay and Profish. There were Mainships from America, Doral sportscruisers from Canada, and a stunning Voyager 56SE motoryacht (stay tuned). An interesting one was the Nimbus range of cold climate cruisers from Sweden. Think Abba revival.

Agents for Princess, Riviera's R Marine Dealer network had six of the UK-built blueblood motoryachts to 21 metres in length on show. However, contemporary boatbuilders and compatriots Sunseeker flashed the largest and most valuable display ever staged at Sanctuary Cove. Headed by the new high-performance Predator 62 with electric roof and more, the UK Sunseeker exhibition was said to be worth a cool $25 million.

Unfortunately, the eagerly awaited San Lorenzo 72 missed the boat, but the $5.9 million luxury motoryacht will be at the Sydney International Boat Show in August. There was a second-handed Azimut 100 jumbo for sale and luxury five-star charter craft, one of which, the Emerald Lady, sported a helicopter, of course.

Back in the realms of affordability, Beneteau had some cute chuggers, plus its traditional Trawler and a go-fast Flyer (Monte Carlo range of sportscruisers to debut at the Sydney International Boat Show), but it was Bayliner that boasted two new cute cabin cruisers around $100,000 driveaway that would be great for the bay.

The Moreton 40 and Alaska cruisers hail from China, French Jeanneau had some big curvy cruisers catching the eye, while aesthetes again oozed over the Gold Coast-built dayboats from Pegiva and the US Chris Crafts that cruise in high style. Nearby was a Fairline Targa 52 from the UK and big plans are in store for this badge by its new agent Chapman Marine Group. See the Sydney boat show.

Traditionally, Sanctuary Cove's weakness is its yachts - yacht buyers should head to Sydney instead - as the local waterways aren't accommodating. However, more yachts than ever sailed here this year to join in the display. In the (cosmopolitan) sail basin, I noted a Bavaria 44 Vision Deck Saloon; Polish-made Delphia 29, 37 and 40; and oodles of cruising cats.

Elsewhere was Beneteau's new Oceanis series, a 40 and 46, an entry-level Cyclades cruiser, a top-shelf Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 41, and Lagoon 380 and 440 cats. Hanse is kicking goals with its e-series epoxy-built yachts with an "e" for exciting interior, and Jeanneau has a new "i" for injection-moulded deck range that cruises at a fast clip.

While next year's event will be the twentieth and something really special, this year's Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show - the first boat show in the travelling circuit - will be remembered for the number of new launches, the calibre of the craft, and the unveiling of the latest boating trends. A must-do every year.

FOOTNOTE: The 20th Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show will be staged from May 22 to May 25, 2008.

For more information, visit www.sanctuarycove.com.au