New Zealand's Northland Boat Show 2009 - The tide has turned

by Event Media on 13 Nov 2009
'The best boat show in years' is how the crew managing the Northland Boat Show at www.marsdencove.co.nz!Marsden_Cove has described it.

Marsden Cove is located north from Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city and just inside the entrance of the picturesque Whangarei Harbour. Whangarei, New Zealand’s northern most city is approximately half an hour’s drive (20km) away. New Zealand, like the rest of the world, suffered hard economic times over the past year, so the organisers of the boat show were pleasantly surprised.

Michelle Kirkpatrick, Marsden Cove’s Sales Manager said some past exhibitors were slow to respond to Marsden Cove’s invitation and her crew naturally anticipated a smaller turnout this year. Generally the marine industry has experienced one of the most difficult periods in many years with most reporting poor sales and little in the way for forward orders. Most were not building their hopes up for the coming summer.

Thankfully however, it was as if someone had flicked the switch at the Northland Boat Show..

Sure, they weren’t trampled in the rush but there was a healthy level of activity.

For the cruising boat owner Marsden Cove is located halfway between Auckland and the famous Bay Of Islands.
Marsden Cove offers boat owners convenient all tide and weather access to and from the ocean via a picturesque deep water harbour. Close by is the beautiful 23 km long ocean beach of Bream Bay.

It is the perfect base for boat owners seeking to explore New Zealand’s most sought after northern cruising, diving and game fishing grounds. If you do not wish to venture far the vast sheltered waters of Whangarei Harbour offer plenty of opportunity for marine recreation. It's also the ideal venue for a boatshow.

By late morning Saturday, www.marsdencove.co.nz!Marsden_Cove was abuzz. Visitor or numbers were similar to recent shows (around 6 /7000 for the weekend) but spending was clearly up.

Boat builders and brokers reported stronger levels of enquiry than they have experienced for quite some time. A number said that this was possibly their best show in years. Quite a number of boats were sold and many had solid leads to follow up on. This was in stark contrast to last year when little was selling and visitors were looking but kept their cheque books well hidden.

Perhaps one of the most telling examples was SEALEGS which sold three craft over the weekend and reportedly had a further seven leads which looked very solid. Sealegs Sales Manager, Greg Ewen said it was their best show in the past year and surpassed even Sanctuary Cove and Mandurah in Western Australia. Sealegs product demonstrations were non-stop.

There were a number of equipment and fishing tackle retailers who reported sales at least treble their most recent boat shows in other provincial centres.

Also on display was NZ’s biggest and probably fastest offshore power boat, Doosan (formerly Sleepyhead) which is being skippered by Cary Gleeson under its new branding. It attracted a lot of interest, especially when the engines were fired up. Doosan will again compete in the National offshore Power Boat series which again will be part of 'Thunder on the Cove' at Marsden Cove on April 24, 2010.

Paul Shanahan, Hopper’s Marketing Manager said 'It was fantastic to have the support of our good friends from further afield who made the trek up the coast including Formula Cruisers, (Dean Salthouse) Next Generation Salthouse boats, R Marine (Riviera) Voyager Catamarans (Richard Wardenburg).'

There were no Whangarei built new boats available for display this year, largely due to the downturn and lack of available stock. However, the local marine industry was there in force with trailer boats. Ray Roberts from Riverside Marina and the Whangarei Marine Promotions Group commented that the show was a slick and well run event and a great venue to showcase for local marine craftsmanship.

www.marsdencove.co.nz!Marsden_Cove is a venue where you can always anticipate a few surprises and this time it came in the form of local 'drifter' Fanger Dan who slid his Nissan around the car park in a deft display of driving.

As you would expect from a land development company there was a subtle push for real estate sales.
This time www.marsdencove.co.nz!Marsden_Cove had a special offer on waterfront residential sections which included a free Sea Nymph 580 Regal trailer boat worth around $60,000 for any waterfront site sold. This offer will remain open until New Year.