Stars of the (cancelled) 2021 Sydney Festival of Boating

But there are other victims of the pandemic, and for us, it’s the cancellation of the 2021 Sydney Festival of Boating, which would have opened today.

The event’s organisers, the Boating Industry Association, had bounced back from the cancellation of last year’s 2020 Sydney International Boat Show with a new  COVID-19 friendly event called the 2021 Sydney Festival of Boating.

However, it too has fallen victim to the pandemic.

So, for another year running, Sydneysiders can’t head down to Darling Harbour to experience the newest and best that Australian boating has to offer.

It would have been a spectacular show, too, with plenty on offer for everyone from tinnie fishers to multimillionaires seeking a bit of luxury out on the water.

What, then, have we missed? Let’s run through the debuts that we knew were coming.

R Marine Sydney expected to have two recent arrivals in Gold Coast-based luxury motor yacht maker Riviera's Sports Motor Yacht range making their first appearance in Sydney; the Riviera 50 Sports Motor Yacht and the Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht.

Both have entrainment-focussed mezzanine levels above a cockpit optimised for everything from fishing to water sports and diving.

Other models that would have been on display include the Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht Series II Platinum Edition and the flagship Riviera 6000 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition.

The Horizon FD87 Skyline missed its Australian debut at the 2021 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, with its importer, Alexander Marine Australia, instead aiming to wow local boaties with a Sydney debut.

This boat is innovative in several ways, but most distinctly it has an almost plumb bow that maximises the interior space offered by the design’s high freeboard, and a superyacht-style wave-piercing bulb at the front of the keel that helps with fuel economy and speed, as well as seakeeping.

The “skyline” in this boat’s name means it comes equipped with an enclosed flybridge and includes a “touch-and-go” helipad that allows guests and the owner to meet the boat wherever it happens to be anchored.

The boat that would have made it to Sydney has already been sold to a Gold Coast-based buyer.

Sundance Marine had planned to turn up at the 2021 Sydney Festival of Boating with a couple of Australian debuts – the Prestige 420S and the Prestige 520F.

The Prestige 420 S is the newest model in the compact cruiser sedan line, and also the cheapest.

Stretching just over 13.0 metres, it features a large sunroof in the coupe-styled hardtop, an aft master stateroom with full ensuite, double bow stateroom, and twin inboard Cummins performance rated to either 380hp or 425hp.

The Prestige 520F is a mid-range model in the closely related flybridge-equipped boat range.

The open flybridge extends over the lower cockpit, creating a large upstairs entertainment space. It's so large given the Prestige 520F's 16-metre length that the French brand, owned by Beneteau, describes it as an "XXL" flybridge.

US Great Lakes-based sports cruiser maker Regal had lined up a show-stopper for Sydney, the all-new Regal 36 XO via Sydney-based distributor Premier Marine.

The boat features a walk-through windscreen providing unrestricted access to the lounge space on the bow, a huge saloon space that uses the full beam, and family-friendly downstairs accommodations including a full bathroom with a shower.

As well as the Regal 36 XO, Premier Marine also planned to have the superyacht-arched Regal 22 FasDeck and Regal LS6 weekenders on show.

A lure for fishing enthusiasts would have been the US-made Century 2301 and 2600 centre consoles, with Premier Marine also planning on having the Italian-made Oromarine 78 and S9 Coupe, and Zar Formenti 53 and ZFO luxury RIBs around for those who prefer faster, more pampering boating experiences.

It had also lined up a motor launch to show; the elegant Chris Craft Launch 30.

Arvor planned to have the Arvor 675 Weekender on show in Sydney, the first of the more family-friendly versions of the French brand’s keel-up redesign of the series.

The first boat, which arrived in Australia earlier this week, comes with a fully equipped galley with sink, stove and fridge, and sleeping space onboard for two people, complete with an enclosed head.

A dinette that can convert to an extra single berth is located inside the wheelhouse, while the cockpit features an aft lounge with extra seating on the starboard side. The bow has a sun lounge large enough for two people.

The Arvor 675 Weekender was going to go on show alongside the Arvor 705 Sportsfish and 805 Sportsfish.

Sydney-based dealership Boat Monster, meanwhile, was gearing up to have the 11.3-metre Invincible 37 Catamaran ready in time to wow Sydney showgoers.

The fibreglass 37 Catamaran is a twin-step, dual-hulled centre console fishing platform featuring quad engines producing up to 1800hp of performance – top-spec fit-out is quad Mercury Racing 450Rs.

Invincible is a new brand to Australia, and the Invincible 37 Catamaran sits in the middle of the five-model twin-hull range.

Meanwhile, Short Marine was to have its Cantieri Capelli Tempest 44 RIB-based centre console dayboat ready in time for a Sydney show debut.

This 13.1-metre craft is certified for up to 1275hp of outboard engine performance – that's triple Yamaha 425 XTO Offshore levels of power.

A great platform for a weekend getaway, and with space on board for up to 18 people, the Cantieri Capelli Tempest 44 also has downstairs accommodations for a couple, as well as a dinette and an enclosed head with a separate shower for overnighting in comfort.

A number of Beneteau models would have been on display via Sydney-based Chapman Marine Group including the French brand's new powered cruising flagship, the Beneteau Antares 11 Fly.

The biggest Antares is a no-fuss family cruiser featuring twin outboard engines, while onboard it boasts a full-beam master suite with three berths and a convertible deck-level saloon that can accommodate up to another seven people.

The flybridge deck includes a separate helm and plenty of entertainment space.

Chapman Marine Group also planned to have the Beneteau Gran Turismo 32 OB on show, as well as other various Antares and Flyer models.

Meanwhile, high-end luxury motor yacht brokerage Eyachts was going to bring the Brabus Shadow 900 XC to Sydney for the first time.

This twin Mercury Racing 450R-powered boat, built over an Axopar 37 XC, has won an international design award for its distinctive looks.

Notably, it's an all-weather boat with an enclosed wheelhouse and below-deck accommodations, but at the same time is made for people who enjoy the outdoors with cosseting cockpit and foredeck spaces.

Eyachts also planned to have the Axopar 28 and Axopar 37 on display, and the Axopar 22, the Finnish brand's only boat that you can just hook up behind a car and tow.

The Axopar 22 has multiple configuration options for the cockpit, so it will be interesting to see what Eyachts believes is the best choice for the Australian market.

We also believe that something special may have gone on show from New Zealand military and rescue boat specialist Naiad. We’d heard whispers of an all-new 6.7-metre recreational vessel based on one of its bluewater rigid hull inflatable boat designs featuring 250hp V8 power and full suspension seats for high-speed comfort.

Flagstaff Marine had lined up a foiling sailboat to show in Sydney. The Figaro Beneteau 3 is a pure racer – it was going to be the representative Olympics Games boat up until the sport was dropped from the schedule.

The Figaro Beneteau 3 was designed as a one-class foiling monohull racer, although the foils are very different to what we've seen so far. They're optimised to reduce sideways drift and have more righting moment – the ability of the boat to sit upright with pressure on the sails.

Flagstaff also planned to have the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 and 46.1 cruising yachts on display.

Meanwhile, VicSail had planned to bring the Swan 48, a new, almost 15-metre racing-honed yacht from Nautor's Swan that is still small enough to be sailed by a couple, to Sydney.

Cooloola, the boat that was lined up for the Sydney gig, is fitted with a draft keel that makes it lighter than a standard boat, as well as a carbon fibre mast and V-boom.

Electronics group Navico was to have a presence at the 2021 Sydney Festival of Boating featuring an interactive display so that users can try before they buy.

The display would have had Navico’s recently launched high-end Simrad NSSevo3S chartplotter and fishfinder on display, as well as the new Lowrance ActiveTarget live sonar system that is so precise it can show fish moving around in realtime.

It also had the Lowrance Elite Fishing System range of mid-range fishfinders and chartplotters lined up.