Boat Show exhibitors report increased sales as attendance tops 36,000

Paul Mann, who won the show’s magnificent Extreme/Yamaha gate prize package at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2012 Mike Rose

Glenn Shaw ringing the winner - Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2012 © Mike Rose

By the time show closed on Sunday, May 20, a large number of exhibitors were reporting significantly increased levels of sales, with several saying the level of both sales and genuine inquiries was the highest in at least four years.

Those keen to buy a new boat at the show seemed to favour both GRP and aluminium models. There was also strong interest in marine accessories and equipment with one fishing retailer noting that sales at the show had exceeded his wildest dreams.

Attendance at the popular show was also approximately five per cent higher than in 2011, meaning more than 36,000 Kiwis visited the four-day show.

'We worked very hard to attract both dedicated buyers and family groups to this year’s Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show,' says general manager Dave Gibbs, 'and it looks like we succeeded.'

'Our family-friendly areas such as the Club Marine Discover Boating Centre, the Youthtown Aqua Fun Zone and the new Dinghy Central display offered the chance for people of all ages to experience a wide range of boating activities.

'Many of them will now be very enthusiastic about a marine lifestyle and could well be the boat owners of the future.'

Several show goers also went home in a really great frame of mind after winning one of the many prizes on offer during the popular show.

The luckiest was undoubtedly Paul Mann, a 51-year-old warehouse manager from Manurewa, who won the show’s magnificent Extreme/Yamaha gate prize package.

Extreme 570 Game King - prize at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2012 © Mike Rose

With a retail value of over $70,000, Paul Mann’s new boat consists of a multiple award-winning Extreme 570 Game King and trailer and a sophisticated new Yamaha 115hp four-stroke outboard. Also on board are a Raymarine e7 electronics package, a Fusion marine entertainment system, a Hutchwilco safety pack, a Muir windlass and quite a lot more.

The 'early bird' prize, for those who bought their show tickets on line before May 9, was won by Piet van der Merwe from Orewa. He is now the proud owner of a brand new $3000 Viking Profish 440 Evolution IV fishing kayak package.

Other prizes winners include: Kieran Fitzgerald, Adam Herlihy, Ian Sullivan Louisa Zeelie, Colin Shepherd, Pete Maris, Tom Riddell and Phil Abrams who each won a $2000 Viking 2+1 family kayak; ansd Steve Merritt who won the $6000 Island Escape luxury 5-day cruise for two in the Bay of Islands.

The 2013 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show will be held at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane Auckland on May 16-19, 2013.