A variety of news across the industry this week - MarineBusinessWorld Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 16 Apr 14:00 PDT
Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2026 © Sanctuary Cove Media
The Southern Hemisphere's largest marine event, Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) will make its highly anticipated return to the Gold Coast from May 21 - 24 with a star-studded line-up of exhibitors.
The event will spotlight world-class marine excellence with over 45,000 boating enthusiasts, industry leaders and luxury lifestyle seekers set to walk through the gates. Sanctuary Cove's newly-expanded 346-berth marina precinct will play host to hundreds of local and international exhibitors showcasing an impressive fleet of 800+ vessels and 2500+ marine products and accessories.
Grand Banks are all set for SCIBS, with a curated 70th Anniversary display. Explore a visual timeline of the brand's evolution, highlighting key moments in design, craftsmanship, and innovation over seven decades, covering heritage models to today's modern long-range cruising yachts. Guests are also invited to step aboard the Grand Banks 60, a model that perfectly embodies the brand's enduring principles, timeless design, exceptional efficiency, and effortless long-range capability.
Leigh-Smith Yachts will make history with the company's largest-ever display at SCIBS, taking place at D-Pier; they will proudly showcase a diverse collection of motor yachts worth an impressive $50 million. Managing Director Ryan Leigh-Smith highlighted the significance of this milestone for both the company and luxury yacht enthusiasts across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, the Ensign Yachts team are looking forward to showcasing the all-new J/Boats J/36 at Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne, 19 April. This is the first J/36 to be delivered to Australia and is sure to impress! Many have already registered for the viewing. There is limited space with this opportunity, so make sure you book in now to not miss out.
Africa's emergence as a serious player in the global yachting industry has been reinforced with the announcement of two high-profile speakers at the African Boating Conference (ABC). This takes place on 20-21 October in Cape Town, and has further strengthened its international standing with the confirmation of two influential industry figures: Erwin Bamps, CEO of Gulf Craft, and Paris Baloumis, Director of Strategic Alliances at Oceanco.
Following one of its most successful editions, the Yacht Racing Forum has unveiled the first elements of its 2026 programme. The event will take place on 19-20 November in Amsterdam, at the end and the day after Metstrade, with the traditional Sailors' Night on Thursday evening.
Clean Sailors, the organisation behind the innovative ReSail platform, announced an exciting new partnership with Circular Flow, a leader in neoprene reuse solutions. This collaboration expands ReSail's global offering, enabling sailors to responsibly dispose of not only sails, but also wetsuits and neoprene gear. With no formal recycling infrastructure currently available for complex sail textiles anywhere in the world, the platform provides a solution.
Many Boating Industry Association of Victoria members are crying out for good, reliable staff, including everything from apprentices to qualified and experienced workers. Last week's BIAV 'road show', which included visits by Eva Pasquet (new Boating Careers Coordinator) and Steve Walker, to Bar Crusher Boats, Race Marine, Chelsea Yamaha, Nautek Marine, JPM Shipwrights, and JV Marine, further emphasised this need and demonstrated the need for the Boating Careers program.
Community members from Cooma and surrounding towns are being encouraged to volunteer with Marine Rescue Alpine Lakes, following the opening of a purpose-built facility at Lake Eucumbene's Buckenderra Holiday Village last month. The new base, along with the addition of rescue vessel Alpine Lakes 20, significantly strengthens the unit's capability, enabling faster and more efficient responses to incidents on Lake Eucumbene.
More marine industry news at www.marinebusinessworld.com/Oceania from the largest boating news network.
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@worldmarine.media