20th Auckland On the Water Boat Show starts on Sept 27
by Isla McKechnie 19 Sep 2018 00:15 NZST
18 September 2018

Maritimo - Auckland On the Water Boat Show - September 2018 © Photo supplied
The 20th edition of New Zealand’s biggest on-water boat show opens its doors on Thursday on next week.
The Auckland On Water Boat Show’s twentieth edition runs from 27-30 September and this year will have more large vessels than ever before as the market gears up for the 2020-2021 America’s Cup.
Next week the twentieth edition of New Zealand’s largest on-water boat show kicks off and organisers say they’re expecting more large and luxury vessels than ever before.
“Every corner of the marine industry has been affected by the approach of the 36th America’s Cup and the boat show is no different,” says organiser Stacey Cook.
“As excitement builds, we’re seeing renewed interest in boating and our exhibitors are responding by bringing some of the largest yachts ever seen at a New Zealand boat show.”
It’s also the last year the show will be held in the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre for the foreseeable future. The show finishes on Sunday 30th September, and on Tuesday 2nd October the centre will be turned over to Emirates Team New Zealand as they begin to create their headquarters for their Cup campaign.
From next year the show will shift slightly to spread around the Viaduct Harbour, creating a buzzing atmosphere in the heart of Auckland’s marine precinct.
Largest launches seen at a New Zealand boat show
An influx of large, luxury launches never before seen in New Zealand have been making their way to the country over the last few weeks. Combined with the New Zealand-built boats which will be on display, they represent the greatest metreage of luxury vessels the show has ever hosted.
Manufactured in New Zealand, Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders’ 18 metre mid-pilothouse Elite, Antiquity is the company’s 50th new build and 20th Elite project. This New Zealand-made custom build is a stunning example of craftsmanship; custom-built to meet her discerning owners’ needs exactly.
Palm Beach Motor Yacht’s PB55 will be appearing for the first time in New Zealand. The classically-styled vessel exhibits a timeless elegance with hand-crafted Burmese teak and smooth stainless steel hardware combining to form sleek exterior lines.
With its innovative aft cabin, the new Maritimo X60 is a world first in its class. This reimagined motor yacht gives owners a new level of customisation. With options designed to cater to a range of needs, it is offered in three distinct configurations: a beach club cabana, an expansive tender garage or an additional queen stateroom.
Napier-based Dickey Boats will present its 45ft Semifly for the first time at a show in New Zealand. The glamorous Kiwi-built boat has been described as an aluminium boat-building triumph and is a proven bluewater sportfisher blending home-like comfort and space with superb fuel economy, even at pace.
Sleeping seven, the 58 Fly Absolute Yacht, presented by New Zealand’s oldest boat brokerage Yachtfinders Global, has grace, elegance and optimised space in abundance. The liveability of the space onboard, which can host up to 14 people for day cruising, is enhanced thanks to sliding doors, wide and rectangular beds and obstacle-free floors.
New innovations at the show
The world’s largest outboards will be on display at the show. Seven Marine’s monster 627 outboards have been doubled up on an Intrepid vessel to show visitors the whopping 1254 horsepower - and noise - they’re capable of outputting.
The show will also host the launch of new electric amphibious technology, Tectrax. The Kiwi-designed system has zero impact on deck space and was created to work with recreational, commercial and rescue applications. It can be installed on trailable boats under 2500kg, through to 4000kg and is a kitset which can work with almost any boat manufacturing company.
New Zealand company Oceanmax will showcase a new product at the show. Lightspeed is a clear silicone coating that keeps underwater lights free of both hard and soft marine growth. The first foul-release product specifically for underwater lights, Lightspeed harnesses the science of Propspeed, Oceanmax’s industry-leading coating system that protects underwater metals from the same problem.
Albany-based Enertec Marine partnered with the University of Auckland to develop a Li-Ion storage battery for the marine industry. Over two years, they developed the Juice Li-Ion battery; with integrated bi-directional active cell balancing, battery management system (BMS) and battery monitoring. The innovative product has been designed to easily retrofit into existing vessels without the need to change or upgrade the vessel’s charging system.
Tickets
Early bird tickets are available now from iTICKET and, when purchasers fill out an online survey, they’ll go in the draw to win from a pool of 21 prizes including one of the best anchors in the world, Boating NZ subscriptions, a Coastguard membership, goodies from Electronic Navigation Ltd, two inflatable kayaks and many more. www.auckland-boatshow.com