Sydney International Boat Show hits the Big Four O

by Bob Wonders on 27 Jul 2007 It’s been 40-years in the making and the Sydney International Boat Show continues to go from strength to strength.

The 2007 edition of the largest and most important recreational boating exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, sponsored by Club Marine Insurance and NSW Maritime, is scheduled for six action-packed days, August 2 – 7 at its now traditional Darling Harbour home.

All six halls of the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre’s space have been sold out, with more than 350 exhibitors lining up to display their goods and services.

In fact, the boating industry has outgrown the facility and show organiser, the Boating Industry Association of NSW predicts exhibitor numbers would easily exceed 400 if the space was available.

While the packed halls of the centre showcase the finest in trailer boats, marine engines and electronics, fishing tackle and general boating accessories, the floating marina on the waters of adjoining Cockle Bay will again prove an irresistible attraction.

Luxury vessels, power and sail, many retailing at prices the equal of a Sydney waterfront mansion, will call the marina home over the six days of the spectacular exhibition.

Domenic Genua, marketing and event manager for the association, says the marina display will exceed last year’s record 305 vessels.

Think of a big name, a prominent brand of boat, and it will be at Darling Harbour.

All the heavyweights of the marine industry, locally built and imported, will be on display; The Riviera Group, Maritimo, Beneteau, Sunseeker, Sea Ray, Bavaria, Jeanneau, Mustang, Seawind, Sydney Yachts, Azimut, Grand Banks, Bayliner, Princess, Viking, Fairline, Hunter, Sunrunner, Ferretti, Hanse and Fjord will be among those vying for interest on the marina.

Within the vast halls, the leaders of the trailer boat field, Haines Hunter, Cruise Craft, Signature, Quintrex, Horizon, Stacer, Maxum, Sea-Doo, Regal, Chris Craft and Lewis will be among the headline acts.

Although the show is indeed all about boats, it is also a spectacle of entertainment and show organisers have pulled out all stops to ensure widespread interest around every corner.

The Saturday of the show will feature the popular Boat Building Competition, while daily fashion parades by sportswear icon Musto will draw ample interest.
Generally playing to standing room only audiences, the Yamaha Fishing Clinic has become a show special, with a strong line-up of angling experts conducting clinics aimed at the beginner as well as the expert throughout the show.

The clinics, chaired by television weatherman Mike Bailey, will feature some of the most knowledgeable anglers in the land, among them veteran Dick Lewers, radio star Bruce Schumacher, bass champion John Bethune, rod builder Ian Miller, land-based game fishing guru Phil Atkinson, author Tim Simpson and fishing personality Steve Starling.

Research undertaken by the industry association at previous shows has revealed that visitors expect to be ‘educated and entertained.’

'This is one of our key aims and we’ve been concentrating on making the 40th show a memorable one in terms of being a learning experience and an entertainment spectacular,' Domenic Genua explained.

'We have appointed dot com companies Sail-World and Powerboat-World to arrange an informative and entertaining array of boating workshops, with prominent guest speakers attending the Strictly Sail and Better Boating Workshop presentations.

'These workshops will run throughout the show, with sessions covering a broad array of recreational boating topics for power boaters and sailors,' he added.

With many industry leaders having described the Sydney International Boat Show as 'the must do show', visitors can count on seeing many new products for the first time.

Australia’s boat manufacturers, imported boat distributors, those involved with marine engines, marine electronics and a comprehensive array of boating accessories all tend to unveil their latest offerings at Darling Harbour.

Since it moved into the Darling Harbour complex in 1989, the show has grown annually to become the only recreational boat show south of the equator 'nudging' the 100,000 attendance figure.

It already holds the record for a Southern Hemisphere boat show attendance at more than 93,000 which, to put it into perspective is more than double the visitor numbers achieved by the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.

'The move into the Darling Harbour complex was certainly a positive one for the industry,' Genua said.

'Many believe it’s an ideal location for a boat show, while it boasts a convenient proximity to the city centre, offers ample parking and has the added attraction of shopping and dining at a range of boutiques, cafes and restaurants.'

The 2007 Sydney International Boat Show will be open daily at 10am; the exhibition Halls will remain open until 8pm, but operations on the 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 under six years admitted free.

For further information visit the show website, www.sydneyboatshow.com.au