Auckland On the Water Boat Show reports attendance up by 10% so far
by Isla McKechnie 29 Sep 2018 23:26 NZST
29 September 2018
Doyle Sails Stratis Sail Art - Auckland On the Water Boat Show 2018 © Doyle Sails
The twentieth Auckland On Water Boat Show is more than halfway through and reporting over a ten per cent increase on visitor numbers compared to 2017.
“We suspected we’d see strong visitor numbers this year,” says organiser Stacey Cook.
“That was based on a few factors, including increasing interest in boating with the approach of the America’s Cup, a number of new innovations, trailer boat and RIB releases at the show, and a record number of large luxury vessels on display.”
The Palm Beach Motor Yacht’s PB55 is one of those large luxury vessels and is the first Palm Beach model ever seen in New Zealand.
“It’s a great show so far,” says Palm Beach’s David Rowell. “People enjoy the classic style of the Palm Beach and we’ve had great days with good enquiries.
“It’s a show where you can source not only a boat,” continues Cook.”But everything you need to go into the boat, service it, and enjoy it, and our audience tells us that one-stop aspect of the show is very helpful to them. What we’re pleased to hear from our exhibitors this year is that the show visitors have been an engaged, ready-to-buy audience.”
The same has proved true for suppliers. “It’s been a very positive show overall,” says consul- tant Andy Pilcher, of Doyle Sails. “It’s a great, worthwhile show to invest in and we’ve had great leads and strong networking.”
“We’re seeing an adjustment in the crowd; there’s a broader spectrum of boat owners coming through - from smaller vessels, to vintage launches and sailing yachts. That’s a positive for us as it allows us to spread and strengthen our market,” says Propspeed’s Chris Gibbs.
The Auckland On Water Boat Show is run by the NZ Marine Industry and is designed to help companies grow, while promoting the best of innovative boating. For companies exhibiting, it means a chance to get in front of new audiences and grow their businesses, and for show goers, it's a place to see the latest in boating and the best of Kiwi innovation.
Set in the heart of the City of Sails, New Zealand’s biggest on-water boat show showcases more than 200 domestic and international marine businesses, including dozens of vessel manufacturers and boat brokers. Perfectly timed to lead into the summer boating season, Auckland On Water Boat Show is the only boating expo in New Zealand where visitors can experience such a wide range of vessels on and off the water.
Revealed for the first time at the show, Kiwi company Tectrax has created a revolutionary hub-mounted electric drive system. The system makes single-handed launch and retrieval simple, fast and easy and has been designed to be fitted to new boats, or retrofitted to existing boats as it takes up no deck space. Tectrax’s technology is such a new step in the global industry, it was patented in 2015 and has been under tight wraps until its launch this morning.
“A really well run show, with good, enthusiastic people through the gates,” says Napier- based Dickey Boats which brought two vessels to the show - Semifly 32ft and 45ft vessels.
Auckland-based company 36 Degrees Brokers has introduced the Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 featuring taut lines, a new stepped hull, and stylish deck plan. The 36 team says it has experienced strong interest in the new design at its first appearance in New Zealand.
Sealegs’ new release 8.5m Alloy Cabin combines the comfort of an enclosed cabin, the in- ternal space provided by the all-alloy hull and the latest in Sealegs Amphibious technology to create an unbeatable amphibious experience. The new EPS system ensures ideal steering performance on both water and land, an upgraded 35hp inboard engine provides better traction in difficult terrain and a 250hp outboard will have you comfortably cruising at 26 knots,
and provide a top speed of 39 knots.
The show is in its 20th year and is New Zealand’s largest on-water boat show. It’s also the last year the show will be held in the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre for the foreseeable future. The show finishes on Sunday 30th September, and on Tuesday 2nd October the centre will be turned over to Emirates Team New Zealand as they begin to create their headquarters for their Cup campaign.
From next year the show will shift slightly to spread around the Viaduct Harbour, creating a buzzing atmosphere in the heart of Auckland’s marine precinct.
Website: auckland-boatshow.com