Sydney International Boat Show 2007

The world-renowned Sydney International Boat Show is set to celebrate its 40th show when the doors open at Darling Harbour for the 2007 show, scheduled for August 2- 7.

Organiser, the Boating Industry Association of NSW placed the house full sign out some weeks ago, as more than 350 exhibitors committed to displaying their goods and services at the marine industry’s number one showcase.

Sponsored by Club Marine Insurance and NSW Maritime, this year’s show will feature all six halls of the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre packed to the proverbial rafters and a spectacular showing of luxury craft on the purpose-built Cockle Bay Marina.

In fact, Domenic Genua, marketing and event manager for the association, said the expected turnout will easily top last year’s 305 boat record.

In terms of attendance expected, visitor numbers could be anywhere approaching 90,000, ensuring that the Sydney International Boat Show remains the largest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. The Cockle Bay Marina is the largest facility ever assembled specifically for an Australian boat show.

Although the gala exhibition is, naturally, all about boats, Genua said entertainment was “the name of the game.”

“Research we have undertaken indicates that show visitors are looking for both education and entertainment and we’re going all out to ensure their demands are met,” he said. “We have appointed dot com companies Sail-World and Powerboat-World to coordinate a range of informative and entertaining boating workshops, which will feature a strong array of guest speakers ranging from yachting champions and Olympians to current offshore powerboat and Formula 1 competitors. The workshops will run throughout the show and will cover a wide range of recreational boating topics,” he added.

Other prime attractions will include the always popular and often humorous Boat Building Competition (staged on the Saturday of the show), daily fashion parades hosted by Musto and showing the latest nautically inspired sportswear, and a regular show favourite, the Yamaha Fishing Clinic. Such is its attraction for anglers, both beginners and the experienced, the clinic generally plays to standing room only audiences.

This year, the popular team will feature team captain Dick Lewers, radio star Bruce Schumacher, bass champion John Bethune, rod builder Ian Miller, land-based game fishing expert Phil Atkinson, author Tim Simpson and well-known angling commentator Steve Starling.

The sheer size of the show can be intimidating to some visitors; to effectively see the latest the Australian marine industry has to offer, one really needs a two-day visit.

Just meandering around the vast marine can take a day, while to check out the many millions of dollars worth of boats, engines, electronics, water ski gear, fishing tackle, clothing and associated equipment demands a full day.

As usual, many of the industry’s leading manufacturers use the Sydney International Boat Show to release new products to the public for the first time. Some have even scheduled world-releases for the show, with the award-winning Maritimo yard for one unveiling its powerful battlewagon, the Maritimo 550 for the first time anywhere.

The Riviera Group, too, hosting one of the largest displays on the marina, will be showing off a comprehensive array of craft, including the Riviera 4700 Sport Yacht, which in May was named Cruiser of the Year and Australian Boat of the Year.

Many of the craft honoured in the Boats of the Year awards will be on display at the show, including several Haines Signatures from industry legend John Haines.

For trailer boat fans, the show will be a “smorgasbord” of attractions; Haines Signature, Quintrex, Cruise Craft, Stacer, Lewis Ski Boats, Horizon Aluminium Boats, Bayliner, Cobalt, Seaswirl, Four Winns, Savage, Boston Whaler, Sea Ray and Maxum are just some of the famous names at the show.

Outboard engines will also be to the fore, with all the heavyweights, Mercury, Mariner, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda all showing off their latest models.

The fabulous marina is literally jam packed with interest; all the big names from the world of boats will be there, including the awesome 105’Azimut, largest boat at this year’s show and odds-on to set its buyer back several million dollars.

While it’s great for Australian to see the “home-grown” variety, such as Riviera, Maritimo, Sunrunner, Mustang and the like, the marina will also play host to the famous imports like Azimut, Grand Banks, Alaska, Sunseeker, Princess, Fairline, Chris-Craft, Viking, Tiara, Bertram, Luhrs, Carver and Salthouse.

The yachting fraternity will also be well catered for, with the latest and greatest on show from Beneteau, Sydney Yachts, Catalina, Bavaria, Hunter, Perry, Lightwave and Buizen to name but a few.

Whichever particular aspect of boating one takes interest in, the bottom line is that for those with any love of the sea or the great outdoors, visiting the Sydney International Boat Show is a ‘must do’ on the agenda.

For Sydneysiders it’s an easy task, with Darling Harbour so well situated. Industry leaders and visitors will flock in from the United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, France, Singapore, Italy, Thailand, Germany, China, Canada, Taiwan, Malaysia and all Australian states.

The show has been described by several local industry personalities as “the must do” show. In fact, Richard Chapman, managing director of Coursemaster Autopilots and president of the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX) has said that any marine industry company not exhibiting at Sydney was “not taking its involvement seriously.”

The Sydney International Boat Show will open each day 10am. Within the halls of the exhibition centre, the show will remain open each day until 8pm, but operations on the Cockle Bay Marina will cease at 6pm.

Admission charges are $18 (single adult), $42 (family ticket admitting two adults and up to three children aged 6-17 years), $16 (Seniors Card holders), $12 (Pensioners) and $10 (children aged 6-17 years). Children 5 and under admitted free.

For further information visit the show’s informative website, www.sydneyboatshow.com.au or
Recorded information line 1300 7 BOATS (26287) or
Telephone: (02) 9438 2077 during office hours