Premier boat shows reopen Down Under

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Riviera 645 SUV

If Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show takes place from May 20-23, it will be the first major southern hemisphere event since the Covid pandemic forced postponement or cancellation of such displays worldwide. As SCIBS is already the leading import-export showcase Down Under, yards and owners alike are celebrating a return to something like normalcy.

Sydney is only holding a more cautious Festival of Boating July 29-August 1, based on its usual Convention Centre-Cockle Bay formula, before a full-on Sydney International Boat Show returns in 2022.

Other Australian Boating Industry Association venues, such as Brisbane Boat Show, have also been put back to 2022, but the relatively small Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show in Auckland is taking place from May 13-16.

Riviera 645 SUV

Australia and New Zealand have remained fairly free of community-transmitted Covid, although there are quite a few cases among restricted international arrivals kept in quarantine. A ‘travel bubble’ between New Zealand and Australia was introduced late April for the first time, too late for the America’s Cup in March, but Australians can also visit other States if there are no outbreaks.

International arrivals including from Asia need to quarantine in designated hotels for two weeks. This may see some amendments now that vaccination programs are under way, but Australia itself has not vaccinated most of its own population and looks unlikely to do so anytime soon, so this too may affect lifting of regulations. Another ‘travel bubble’ with Singapore is being discussed.

Maritimo M55 Flybridge

Sanctuary Cove, a famous resort on the Gold Coast, is limited to about 50,000 visitors, but they are high quality. Star-rated restaurants in the vicinity report that the Magic Millions Horse Racing Carnival and Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show are two events when there is a huge run on sales of Penfolds Grange, a cabernet shiraz wine that can sell for A$1,000-plus a bottle. Boat owners frequently commute to the ambient boat show site by helicopter. These services are kept busy.

Australia’s two principal production yards, Maritimo and Riviera, are both located just across the Coomera River from the SCIBS site and are its anchor exhibitors, Maritimo more so after Riviera supported a rival same-dates boat show in recent years, but it has now returned to the fold.

Maritimo is introducing a new long-range M55 Flybridge Motor Yacht, which Design Director Tom Barry-Cotter says “fuses the latest advances in motor yacht technology and design with all the legacy features of iconic M-Series models past”. His highly-accomplished dad, Bill, celebrates his 61st year in the industry in 2021, having established three major brands in his career – Mariner Cruisers, Riviera and then Maritimo in 2003.

Maritimo S55 Sedan

“The new M55’s variable deadrise hull with deep keel, sharp bow entry and flattened progression aft is focussed on offshore cruising performance, comfort and stability,” Tom says.

“As with all M-Series models, the foundations of the M55’s design and engineering are centred on direct drive shaft technology, which Maritimo has developed, whilst many others switched between drive system fads of the era. We are now world leaders in providing this performance, powered by standard twin Volvo Pentas, with options to upgrade in the Volvo Penta range or to use Scanias.”

The latest Maritimo Sedan S55 is also featured, along with a wide range of other models including the acclaimed X-Series. The S55’s expanded cockpit hardtop can intriguingly be used as extra deck space “in line with our reputation for breaking out of the status quo”.

Dufour 470

Riviera meanwhile presently has a range of 22 Sports Motor Yachts, SUVs, Flybridge and Sport Yachts models from 39-72ft.

“The show will provide boating enthusiasts with a unique opportunity to step aboard the exceptional new Riviera 645 SUV, the outstanding flagship of the sporty and adventurous six-model SUV collection of motor yachts,” says a spokesman.

“The 645 SUV will be accompanied at this year’s boat show by her sisterships the 445, 505 and 575 SUVs, as well as the luxurious and long-range 72, 64 and 50 Sports Motor Yachts, the stylish and sophisticated 6000, 5400 and 4800 Sport Yacht Platinum Editions, and the blue-water heritage 57 Enclosed Flybridge.

Fountaine Pajot MY5

“A number of exclusive social events form part of our ninth Riviera Festival of Boating, held during SCIBS, including the Riviera owners’ ladies’ lunch, and a night at the Riviera Owners Party aboard The YOT Club, a floating superyacht entertainment hub that will be the social heart of this year’s display.”

Multihulls, both sail and power, have leapt into prominence in the last decade, so it is no surprise that Sunshine Coast-based Multihull Solutions, which also has sales outlets in Singapore and Phuket, is in a similarly premier position.

They are showcasing the new MY5 power catamaran by Fountaine Pajot and that famous brand’s Elba 45 sailing cat. The impressive and recently-released ILIAD 50 power catamaran will also be on display and sister company The Yacht Sales is hosting the Asia-Pacific premiere of the Dufour 470 sailing yacht.

Iliad 50

Asia-Pacific’s largest builder, Taiwan-based Horizon, will officially unveil the Horizon FD87 at this year’s show. The model, one of the most popular to date, is a special edition Cor D Rover design, says Horizon Yachts Australia’s director Mark Western. Helipad on the roof, heated jacuzzi on the bow.

Palm Beach Motor Yachts, which merged with and seriously upgraded Grand Banks models, is showing the GT60, “set to become the new flagship of our modern sports line-up”, and the GB60, “the most fuel-efficient model in is class, capable of speeds in the mid-30s and a cruising range of around 2,000nm at 10 knots,” says PBMY director Joel Butler.

Horizon FD87

Other renowned yards taking part include Sunseeker, Azimut, Princess, Integrity, Whitehaven, Ocean Alexander, Fleming, Lagoon, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Leopard and Prestige. Sanctuary Cove is Australia’s first fully-integrated residential resort and marina, plus two championship golf courses. It offered palatial home sales without Foreign Investment Board Approval being needed.

Frank Sinatra and Whitney Houston performed at the opening in the late 1980s. Nowadays it is owned by Malaysia’s Mulpha, a property and resort conglomerate with an extensive Australian portfolio.