Trailer boats of the 2022 Sydney International Boat Show

What was noticeable was the absence of a number of boating industry stalwarts, including Cruise Craft, Haines Hunter, Whitley and even Haines Signature. While a number of boat brands claimed Sydney debuts, there were few new model launches.

Nevertheless, there were still plenty of trailer boats to sink your teeth into.

The display upstairs in Hall 4 was dominated by a beautiful canary yellow hull and wave breaker that you could not miss, and belonging to the stunning Sea Devil 520, an Aussie icon, particularly for spear and line anglers.

The lines of the Sea Devil 520's hull exhibit a stunning curve, and while some wave breakers can look awkward, this one shines.

Unusually, the hull features a flooding keel, aiding stability at rest.

At the business end, the space in the cockpit is great for a boat of this size. Many owners simply leave the space open, with many hardcore anglers even forgoing seats in order to maximise space.

Storage is located at the bow in a cuddy cabin arrangement with pockets also down either side of the boat.

If your aim is to please the entire family, you'll need something that is both comfortable and sporty, especially if high adrenalin action is on your agenda.

The Malibu Wakesetter 21LX is a new model for 2022 and uses a unique pickle-fork bow to maximise space.

The Australian-made boat also shapes up to be an excellent platform for waterskiing, and with the addition of a Power Wedge and Surf Gate, a very capable wakeboarding and wakesurfing option.

Incredibly, up to 12 people can fit on this boat, with friends and family comfortably spread between a sun lounge at the transom, U-shaped seating in the cockpit and the expansive bow lounge.

The fit out of these boats impresses with adjustable seating, heaters for those cold winter days and incredible sound systems. Malibu's display boat packed with a host of extras was priced at $190,865.

Strikingly similar and very capable fishing boats are the Surtees and Barcrusher brands.

Both are plate alloy builds, but while Bar Crusher is Australian, Surtees is based in New Zealand.

The focus of both brands is really fishing, but certain models make good family options.

One that caught my eye was the Surtees 540 Workmate. I liked its almost simple focus on space in the cockpit but as I age, staying dry while heading out to the fishing grounds is more of a consideration.

To help with that, the Surtees 540 Workmate features a hardtop and angular windscreen.

The Bar Crusher 575C is slightly sportier to my eye and has an awesome hardtop that drops down to windscreen level so it can be stored in a normal household garage.

Add a set of clears, and you'll have all-around weather cover.

There was plenty to see if you like console boats. I am a little bit of a fishing fan and love the all-around usability of a centre console design, and even own one.

The Stessco Albacore looked epic, and it is good to see a large 5.6-metre alloy boat.

Here on the mid-north coast of NSW, boaters often launch off a beach with plenty of rocks in the southern corner, making an aluminium boat the only sensible choice.

The Albacore on show in Sydney had a neat console with an optional T-top. Predominantly fishing offshore, I would prefer a flat floor inside, so was not too fussy on the raised forward platform. It came in at under $60,000.

A new player on the market is the Queensland-made Sportsman brand. They had a new release on display, the Sportsman Reef 17 and I was super impressed by the fibreglass on this one - a sexy-looking boat bursting with room onboard.

It looked to have a slightly lower gunnel than a true offshore boat, but I have no doubt that it would be competent in any offshore conditions.

These guys have been making quite the impression lately among fishing fans in both their home state of Queensland, but also in other markets.

You cannot go to the boat show and not look at an industry veteran. Stacer is always one of the most well-represented boat brands in Sydney, and this year was no exception.

Stacer prides itself on affordable quality boats and their bowrider model, the Stacer Wildrider 539 is the perfect affordable family boat, capable of fishing, water sports or simply cruising.

Its design is a classic bowrider style with ample seating spread across the entire boat.

Technically, it is not a complicated design but has a sporty nature and well-spaced areas onboard.

While technically not boats, the personal watercraft contingent was covered with a huge Sea-Doo stand, new Kawasaki models and a few Yamaha Waverunners.

For me, the all-new battery-powered Taiga Orca carbon fibre ski stole the show.

Yes, it was only a display model, sans engine, from the Canadian brand that has also started building electric skimobiles, but the possibilities this craft opens up are exciting.

The range is about 45km, or about two hours of solid riding, which is half to two-thirds of the range of a conventional craft. We've not yet seen a live model, but if it makes even half the noise a conventional craft makes I am sure there would be many fans.

The overseas contingent of boats was best represented by Chapparal. The Chapparal 23 Surf is powered by a Mercruiser V8 engine and priced from $197,500.

That outlay gets you a boat that can entertain or excite with a wakeboarding tower and wake surf capability.

U-shaped seating, two helm seats and an enveloping bow provide all the space you would ever need, making it a perfect all-rounder with a luxury finish to go along with it.

Despite the missing brands, the 2022 Sydney International Boat Show still impressed.

The number of people getting into boating has grown exponentially over the last two years, and the life breathed into the entire industry can be seen in the variety of boats on display.

It was also good to see some of the lesser-known or new brands gaining a foothold in what is a very competitive industry. It was also great to see so much representation from Australian builders.

Our products are truly world-class.