HAPPY 25th SCIBS! 76 events at Riv Festival, Clipper Lobster launch
by Jeni Bone, editor on 21 May 2013
As I type this, things are heating up (even the weather, albeit slightly) on Queensland's Gold Coast, as preparations reach fever pitch for the 25th Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.
The show opens to the public Thursday, with the traditionally strong trade day, so everybody involved is looking to the skies (grey, yet not yet threatening) and wishing for fair weather.
At the same venue, the idyllic waterside marina village, residential enclave and resort of Sanctuary Cove, ASMEX is well underway, with a host of varied speakers from all segments of the superyacht, export, tourism, finance and trade industries. Tonight, AIMEX/Superyacht Australia will be awarding the induistry's highest accolades in the 2013 Club Marine Australian Industry Export Awards and Superyacht Awards.
2013 marks the fifth year of the prestigious awards event and the 15th anniversary of AIMEX. For 2013, the judging panel includes five key industry identities: Barry Jenkins, Dugald Anthony: Austrade Trade Adviser, Ian Murray: Executive Director of the Export Council of Australia, John Savage and Ken Evans.
We will have all the winners first thing tomorrow, and highlights of ASMEX so far, so come back and read all about it!
Also this week, along with the latest, greatest and most innovative preparing to exhibit at SCIBS and some of the highlights you can expect at the Riviera Festival of Boating, there's plenty of other news from around the country and the world, including the washup from the recent Hutchwilco Auckland Boat Show, lots of new products and marina news from here and abroad.
Clipper Motor Yachts is counting down til the arrival and launch of the marque's classic Hudson Bay Lobster-style boats, which are due for public reveal in November. Initially comprising a 28ft, 34ft and 39ft models, they will combine traditional exterior profile, European styling and contemporary décor to deliver a versatile family boat with all the options - including a world first design feature: an overhead rain shower head with hot and cold mixer under the sedan roof!
A massive congratulations to Mackay Marina Village and Shipyard, named Marina of the Year for the second time by the Marine Industries Association in the category 'Commercial Marinas over 140 Berths'. Mackay might seem like a sleepy hollow to people not au fait with its significance in the realm of global yacht racing, and leisure cruising.
But it's a magnet for visiting yachties from around the world, particularly with the inaugural Oyster Round the world Rally in 2013, to celebrate Oyster’s 40th Anniversary. Read all about this gem of North Queensland, with more to come in upcoming editions.
So, it's off to the show we go - SCIBS that is. Must be my 10th by now, and while a decade is nothing to brag about compared to real veterans of the circuit (Bob Wonders has been to more Miamis that he can count!), it's a milestone none the less. If you're there as an exhibitor, or visiting the show and have your own news, please stop by our stand in the massive MarineBusiness-World.com pavilion. We are looking forward to catching up.
Having seen SCIBS in all weather - including a gale that blew off the roof - I can assure you it's pleasant rain, hail or shine. But let's rub the rabbit's foot, pat the cat, light votives to Neptune, for shine.
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