A fresh tack for Whitsunday Rent-A-Yacht

by Toni Lucke on 20 Apr 2010 One of the businesses hardest hit by the Whitsundays' recent Cyclone Ului is setting a scorching pace in cleaning up an estimated $2 million in damages to its property and premises.

Whitsunday Rent-A-Yacht (WRAY) – the Whitsundays' longest operating bareboat charter company – took the main brunt of the storm at Shute Harbour.

WRAY general manager, Alex Hawson said she has been delighted with the way her 30-strong team has picked itself up, dusted itself off, and got on with the job of showcasing the Whitsunday Islands to the world.

'We're busily restocking the fleet – and set to take delivery of some $1.8 million worth of new craft within the coming three months,' she said.

Already creating excitement is the upcoming arrival, in June, of the first of the company's new vessels, a $600,000 Beneteau Lagoon 400 catamaran – among only a handful of its kind in Australia. Hawson said the catamaran would make its debut at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on the Gold Coast from May 20-23.

In the slips receiving painstaking makeovers are a further four vessels which WRAY expects to see relaunched by mid-June.

'We are in negotiations to acquire other new vessels from within Australia and overseas and aggressively marketing fresh new holiday packages to entice people back to WRAY and the Whitsundays,' Hawson said.

'The cyclone has also presented an opportunity to spring clean administrative and technical systems – so we're back in business and in many ways, brighter than ever!'

Established in 1979, Whitsunday Rent-A-Yacht is one of Australia's longest operating yacht rental companies. Based at Shute Harbour, gateway to the Whitsundays, it boasts a private jetty, modern facilities, and friendly, personalised service.