Showtime on the Gold Coast!

We’re on the cusp of the biggest boating weekend in the history of the Gold Coast. The 27th Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) opens concurrently with the fourth annual Gold Coast International Marine Expo (GCIME), the adjoining Riviera Festival of Boating, nearby open yard events at Australia’s biggest boat manufacturer Telwater (makers of Quintex, Stacer and Savage), the Boatworks, Boutique Boats on Sovereign Islands, and more.

Between the big double-billed main events — the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show and Expo (both supported by boatsales.com.au and BoatPoint.com.au) — the various side shows and open-door policy in the Gold Coast’s Marine Precinct, boating enthusiasts and their families have a smorgasbord of boating gigs from which to pick and choose.

In fact, there’s just so much on offer starting this Thursday (May 21) that you might have to make a long weekend boating feast of it. Besides the new-boat launches, model debuts, rafts of affordable trailerboats, imported and local cruisers, yachts and luxury private liners, there’s the ancillary gear, smart electronics, cool gear and gadgets, superyacht stuff, charters, clothing, shoes and so on.

The celebration of everything boating, nautical and nice centres on upmarket Sanctuary Cove, ranges up river to the working marine precinct in Coomera, but also extends across to Marina Mirage from whence helicopters lift off and more luxury boats and events are launching about the waterways, like the High Tea on the High Seas, Women on Water and beauty spas going down.

It’s a big task covering them all and hopefully the future brings greater integration of all these wonderful boating events. Meantime, we thought we’d share 20 compelling reasons why you should don your Sunday best, set sail and train the bow on the Gold Coast this weekend.

>> Sanctuary Cove schmoozing: More than just an annual boat show, Sanctuary Cove has that air of sophistication that extends from the luxury waterfront homes to the village with its fashion shops, upmarket cars, bars and eateries. The upmarket atmosphere creates the perfect launch platform for the latest luxury cruisers, catamarans, yachts and marine wares on show. The international flavour of the event is underscored by the big American brands that have long called SCIBS home. See everything from Sea Ray to Sea Fox, Boston Whaler to Midnight Express, Arvor to Chaparral, et al. There's a bit of rebound at SCIBS this year with more than 500 boats on show.

>> Maritimo is launching a new M48. Among the must-see new boats on show is this new 48 footer that helps fill the shoes of the best-selling model of the same length that accounted for more than 100 sales. There’s a price saving over the excellent new M50 that was launched at 2013 SCIBS, we're told, but not much less space. Learn more about the M61, too. Watch this space.

>> The other must-see new Maritimo is the M65 that we tested earlier this year and which is making its Australian boat-show debut. This big long-range Maritimo motoryacht is a stunner and the boat exemplifies where Maritmo is going these days. Look  for boat-building doyen Bil Barry-Cotter on the marina display. He’s always up for a chat.

>> Based at Sanctuary Cove, Horizon Motor Yachts embraces the glamour of the Queensland luxury boating lifestyle. A favourite five-star motoryacht and serious go-north passagemaker, Horizon is rolling out a new PC52 powercat, a V72 motoryacht, plus an E88 with its own waterslide, among others this year. One of the fixtures of SCIBS.

>> Another regular, Palm Beach Motor Yachts takes luxury to hitherto new levels of fine taste and boatbuilding expertise. The popular Palm Beach 45 and 55 will be on show with their stunning picnic-boat-like lines and rich handcrafted Burmese teak interiors. A lot more in store now that it's part of Grand Banks and run by our own Mark Richards.

>> Passagemakers are par for the course in Queensland and you’ll find plenty of home-away-from-home cruisers tempting you away from your terrestrial abode at SCIBS and GCIME. Look for new releases from Clipper, Alaska, the steel Bering miniship, news on a new Elandra 47, the unsinkable Fleming Yachts, Grand Banks, Integrity, Outer Reef, Voyager, and plenty more.

>> New outboard engines are huge and you won’t have to look far to find them. Check out the new four-strokes from Yamaha such as the F115A, F130A and F200, the clever new portables from Suzuki with battery-less fuel injection and small-engine trim systems, the new SOHC FourStrokes from 70-150hp from Mercury, and look for its new 300hp and 400hp Verado and race outboard ‘Bad Boys’. If it’s wow you want in an outboard, the Evinrude ETEC G2 has superhero-inspired design in a platform of ground-breaking new two-stroke technology.

>> The Expo, dubbed Australia’s only working boat show, has an altogether different vibe and feeling from that of SCIBs. Here you can get up close and personal with hundreds of boats on the hardstand, and in the water, as well as all the associated support industries and services. The Expo creates a terrific window into our boatbuilding industry as well as a hands-on opportunity to check out the affordable side of boating and actually sit in a boat before you buy it.

>> Trailerboats are big news at both boat shows and when things are booming Sanctuary Cove has traditionally had a big spread of all the leading US brands. There are more trailerboats on show than last year and still some key releases at SCIBS, with marques like Chaparral and Sea Ray, Sea Fox and more, but the 2015 Expo is claiming "the largest display of trailer boats at any single location in Queensland". Organisers say that among the 400-strong trailerboat display are Bayliner, Baysport, BRIG, Crestliner, Cabriolet, Formosa, Four Winns, Karnic, Haines Hunter, Havana, Horizon, Nautique, Oceania, Quintrex, Savage, Sealegs, Sirocco, Sports Cruiser, Stacer, Yellowfin, Scout, Tournament and Wellcraft to name just some.

>> Australia’s favourite boat brand Quintrex will showcase all of its 2015 range exclusively at the Expo, most of them for the first time at a show anywhere in the world, and Expo is their biggest boat show display ever! Parent company Telwater is staging factory tours, too. If you haven’t booked, no worries, just look across Waterway Drive at the sheds and marvel at the scale of our favourite tinny maker.

>> GCIME is all about family fun and the attractions are many and engaging. You can experience everything from an historic tugboat to replica pirate ship, jet-powered-craft to high diving, free try-sailing lessons to bumper boats in a pool, fishing shows to Flyboard demos, dragon boats to cooking classes and then hit the food stalls. For the $10 adult entry and free admission for children under 15 you won’t find a more affordable and engaging family event with a boating theme anywhere.

>> The Riviera Festival is an integral part of the GCIME from May 21 to 24. The fifth annual Festival is open to everyone but Riviera and Belize owners from around the world get the VIP treatment. The event includes more than 70 free and informative educational seminars and practical workshops, social events across four fantastic days, cocktail parties and free parking for Riv’ owners. Preregistration for the events at www.FestivalofBoating.com.

>> Riviera puts on a public face during Expo and offers behind-the-scenes tours to everyone, so you can gain an insight into how Australia’s most-awarded boatbuilder creates its hand-built boats from 36-77 feet. Take the fully narrated factory tours via The Riviera Express train, see the $14 million red-carpet on-water and undercover showcase of the latest Riviera and Belize models, and take time out for a bite and a beer at the Riviera waterfront ‘yacht club’, restaurant and bar.

>> Keep your ear to the ground at Riviera for the new announcements. According to a media release sent our way, Riviera will announce three new yacht models plus an entirely new yacht design at Expo. Riviera chairman and owner Rodney Longhurst confirmed the new-generation models would feature the latest in marine innovation and luxury lifestyle concepts across the Riviera Flybridge and SUV collections. "We will also be announcing an entirely new style and design of Riviera that will create a new model collection within our diverse range," he said.

>> Queensland is catamaran central and with good reason. The coastal reaching conditions, often skinny waterways and tropical climate all make sail and power catamarans really good boating sense up this way. There will be representatives of Fountaine Pajot, NEEL Trimarans and Privilege Catamarans among many others at the show talking up the virtues of two hulls over one.

>> New Cat launches are a feature of both QLD shows. The Cumberland 47 LR by Fountaine Pajot is a new powercat alongside the Horizon PC52 making its launch. If you reckon three hulls are better than two then check out the Corsair Pulse 600 lightweight racing and camper tri making its debut on the Mulithull Central display at SCIBs. Priced below $50K, too! The Super 60s at Multihull Solutions HQ at The Boatworks up the road will feature some of the world’s latest and greatest power and sail multihulls from 55 to 65 feet. The TAG 60, Catana 59, Fountaine Pajot Sanya 57, Tennant 60 Powercat (pre-owned) are amid the display.

>> Besides the aforesaid outboard engines, all the big marine inboard and diesel engine makers will have their latest heavy metal, drives and docking devices on show. Common-rail diesel engines are go, petrol engines are getting smarter and cleaner still, and you can talk IPS and Zeus pod drives too. Then there are the joysticks, the Yacht Controllers and the latest in stabilisers to consider. Seakeeper will have a new company DC-powered unit on show for boats from 9-12m in length!

>>Then come the jet skis, PWCS (new models from Yamaha) and, at SCIBS, a new Sealver range of Wave Boats from France. Simply connect your jet ski to the boat and you have a source of power and a far more communal craft. In-water demos will be held at SCIBS. See separate news story on our sites.

>> Boatowners will be like handymen in Bunnings when they see all the parts and accessories for sale. From inline charcoal filters for your toilet to deck fittings, yachting gear, soft furnishings, tenders and toys, the Gold Coast is home to more stockists, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers than anywhere else in Australia. Make a list of those parts you need for your boat and chances are you’ll find the right people to talk to at Expo and/or SCIBs.

 >> By now you’ve seen a lot of fibreglass and aluminium. Time for lunch. Back to Sanctuary Cove to treat yourself to something special for the afternoon. It’s hard to go past Georges Paragon Seafood Restaurant to dig in and discuss your ideas across the dining table. The Kanoni, with fish of the day accompanying half a bug and king prawn in a creamy buttery sauce, is hard to beat. You can really settle in here. Did someone say another bottle? Splash out.

>> Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show and the Gold Coast Expo are great celebrations of what Queensland does best. Soak up the atmosphere, talk boating, maybe buy a new rig and see where our favourite recreational industry is heading. We’ve been through the GFC and out the other side, but from this year’s exhibitor lists it looks like pleasure boating is gaining momentum again. Maybe next year, the two shows will become even closer and the idea of showcasing the Gold Coast’s boating lifestyle will gather even more momentum. See you up there and look for our live reports on our social-media channels of Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on Sanctuary Cove Boat Show go to: http://www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au/

For more information on Gold Coast Marine Expo go to: http://gcmarineexpo.com.au