Sanctuary Cove 21st Boat Show sunshine

by Rob Kothe on 24 May 2009 Sunday Morning sunshine is expected to bring good crowds for the final day of the 21st Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.

After the second highest Friday visitor tally, the combined crowd numbers for the first two days of the Show were 24,890.

The visitor tally on Friday was 13,041 the second highest Friday on record. The Saturday visitor tally was 11,849.

The weather has dominated this 21st annual event. From the gale force wind and rain on Wednesday, the opening deferral on Thursday, sunshine on Friday, a sunny and windy morning, followed by midday squalls and then mostly sunshine this Sunday morning.

While some marina exhibitors are less than happy, others are having a great show in spit of the weather.

Brent Vaughan from Australia’s largest production yacht builder Seawind Catamaran’s commented ’Today the crowds are good, not quite as good as Friday so far, but its still shaping as an excellent show for us.

‘Yesterday we were doing another seminar on Charter Boat investment on our A Marina stand, when the worst of the wind and rain struck. I rather felt our Heavy Weather Sailing subject would have been more appropriate.’

The Show has close to 600 boats and watercraft with 224 boats on water and a further 365 boats and water craft on hardstand and pavilion displays.

Of the 406 exhibitors, there were 107 on water, a further 186 in pavilions and 113 with hardstand displays through the waterfront Marine Village. On-water displays stretch 2.838km if placed stem to stern.

Today, activities at the Show include outside broadcasts by Classic Hits Radio 4KQ and 92.5 Gold FM.

The Creek to Coast stand is open daily between 11am and 2pm. Host Scott Hillier and presenter Dean Miller are on site to answer fishing and boating questions, swap stories and sign autographs. Sally Jenyns is on site daily for cooking demonstrations.

Club Marine is exhibiting at the show with Chef Bart Beek’s cooking demonstrations every hour between 10am and 4pm. Lively street entertainment includes Fiesta Tropicale, Hot Jazz and Swing, Emerging Cocktail, Lifesavers and The Pirate Captain.

Valued sponsors for the 2009 event include Club Marine and Maritime Safety Queensland and supporter Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove. Media partners are Channel 7, Classic Hits 4KQ, Gold Coast Bulletin and 92.5 Gold FM.

The International Business Lounge is located within the Queensland Government Centre with support by the Queensland Government, Gold Coast City Council, Austrade, AIMEX and Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.