The ultimate in trailer boating, new Whittley concept model on display at Melbourne Boat Show
by Alan Whittley 16 Oct 10:30 NZDT
New Whittley concept model © Alan Whittley
Whittley Marine Group, Australia's largest national trailer boat group, is set to display the new Whittley model design concept at the 2025 Melbourne Boat Show this month at the Docklands precinct.
The Melbourne Boat Show will be the first time the Australian boating public will have the opportunity to see this new model as it approaches completion and is set for an official launch later this year.
Brock Cohen, Whittley Boating Centre Dealership General Manager, had this to say about the exclusive display of the new model concept boat.
"For the first time, consumers are invited to come and see the new model concept, before the new models launch later in the year. When completed, this will be the largest Whittley model ever produced, and the most advanced trailer boat designed and built in Australia. The new model's development sees the Whittley Family invest over three point five million dollars, the largest investment in Australian trailer boat history and shows a strong commitment to building Australia's finest trailer boats. The new model is bolder, smarter and more future ready than anything produced before it."
Whittley Marine Group, Managing Director, Neville Whittley, will also be attending the show, providing interested parties a rare opportunity to meet a member of the Whittley Family and discuss the advancements of the new model concept. Bringing a big on water boat feel and luxury, to the maxi trailer boat that offers you more boating options.
Operating within the Whittley Marine Group's manufacturing facility in Melbourne, the Whittley Design Studio and R&D facilities are responsible for all new product development and feature some of the country's leading boat designers and engineers. The Group's team works tirelessly to gather local market feedback, to design boats that are unique to the Australian boating lifestyle, which then go into production. The Group prides itself on designing, building and selling Australia's most popular fibreglass trailer boats and is considered a true industry innovator. That's why Whittley makes sense for Australian boating families, the boat designed and built by us, for us!
The interior of the new model concept, for the first time, will feature a high-quality spring mattress for a permanent front cabin bed, a luxury previously unseen in a trailer boat. Providing unseen levels of luxury and a homey feel when out boating. Accompanying the new bed arrangements are two side windows, enabling extra light to enter the front cabin and providing visibility through to the outside. The toilet and shower area is also larger in size than the previous model, and a larger galley area is provided in the boat's cooking area.
Mr. Cohen continued to say, "From its lithium battery electrical system, potentially removing the need for generators, to the new models' large rear area due to its outboard-only design, it's going to be an exciting time as the new model's details are revealed. These advancements in the boat's design elevate the consumer's on- board experience by harnessing cutting-edge technology and design to create an unparalleled boating experience every time you set out on the water, thereby setting a new standard in the industry for design and the way a maxi trailer boat can be enjoyed out on the water."
The new concept enables the removal of traditional walk-around side decks from a boat model, resulting in more usable space inside the saloon and cockpit area. Consumers will be able to access the front deck via the mid-cabin saloon area of the boat, a feature previously only seen in much larger boats. In practice, the new concept seamlessly blends the rear cockpit and saloon areas with the foredeck, enabling the ideals of space to coexist while connecting these two key areas of the boat.
Through the innovation that the Whittley Mid Saloon walk-through design concept brings. Inside the saloon and mid cockpit area of the new Whittley Boat model is a series of easily accessible steps that enable direct access up and through the windscreen opening. Providing a uniquely designed companionway on the port side of the boat. The new design concept has been developed over four years by the Whittley design studio team, with components being sourced globally and engineering input from around the world. The new design combines the rear cockpit saloon area with free and easy passage to the front bow area; this isn't seen in a trailer boat anywhere in the world." Mr. Cohen said.
The new model concept has been designed around either a single or twin Honda Outboard engine configuration, which enables a larger sliding rear mega lounge to maximise usable swim platform space. The rear entertaining area also features the option for an electric BBQ grill, complementing the standard sliding rear lockable cabin door, another first for a Whittley Boat.
The new model has an overall length of 10 meters, is under the maximum towing width of 2.5 meters for Australian roads, and can be towed by vehicles with a 4.5- tonne tow capacity rating. The 'tow anywhere, anytime' philosophy, to explore Australia's beautiful waterways with a suitable tow vehicle, remains core to the DNA of the new model's design brief.
Mr. Cohen added that. "With the introduction of larger towing capacity vehicles, this has enabled the Whittley Design Team to increase the physical size and weight of its maxi trailer boat model designs. The new model is considerably larger in physical size than the model it replaces, and now means you can have a much larger maxi trailer cruiser from Whittley, for that larger in water feel, with the benefits of trailer boat ownership still. The new model also has larger fuel and water tanks, extending the range of this maxi trailer sports cruiser, opening up even more possibilities on the water."
Mr. Cohen finished by saying that. "I encourage anyone interested in seeing the next generation of Whittley designs, and the largest maxi trailer cruiser designed and made in Australia, to visit the Whittley Boating Centre Melbourne stand at this year's Melbourne Boat Show. Over the four days of the show, you will have the opportunity to look at the new models exclusively prior to its launch later in the year. We have already pre-sold the first five production slots for the new Whittley model, which the factory will build in Melbourne. I encourage any interested parties in this new model to make contact, to secure your build slot."
The Whittley Boating Centre Melbourne is located at stand numbers: 20/21 & 22, at the 2025 Melbourne Boat Show at Docklands, where the latest model concept from Whittley Boats will be on display accompanied by other fibreglass and aluminium models in the Whittley range and Honda Marine engine's for repower business. For more information on the new model concept as it approaches its official launch, please get in touch with your local Whittley Boating Centre location around Australia or visit this year's Melbourne Boat Show.