SS CLIVE SEEKS NEW SKIPPER
PALMER YACHT A BOAT SHOW STAR
IT’S plain sailing for the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show after a rival show scuttled a date clash.
The annual showcase, now in its 29th year, kicks off tomorrow and is back to having its own four days in May.
For the past two years the rival Gold Coast Marine Expo, backed by boat builder Riviera and held at Gold Coast City Marina, piggybacked on the same dates.
It created friction in the industry particularly for smaller players who were forced to choose between events.
This year the Coomerabased expo moved to March.
As a result, local boating identity Brett Thurley is planning his biggest display worth $10 million across 14 berths at the Sanctuary Cove show.
Mr Thurley, an ex-committee member for the rival expo, quit more than a year ago admitting he didn’t feel comfortable with the conflict.
“It’s nice not to have any niggle and Sanctuary Cove is in clear air to market hard,” he said.
IT’S NICE NOT TO HAVE ANY NIGGLE AND SANCTUARY COVE IS IN CLEAR AIR TO MARKET HARD. BRETT THURLEY
Mr Thurley, who owns Clipper Motor Yachts, said there was a big enough gap between the two events to benefit everyone.
“It’s worked well for both. I think Sanctuary Cove has overwhelming support.”
Sanctuary Cove has attracted about 300 exhibitors with $130m of on-water displays, $20m in trailer and leisure boats plus a $10m Supercar Street.
Coomera’s Stefan Boating World will have his biggest presence yet at the boat show.
He plans launching his new “timeshare” concept of boat ownership called Stefan Boat Share.
It will offer a range of more than 20 boats from $38,000 fishing tinnies to $650,000 luxury yachts.
Co-owners will take a share along with seven or eight other owners for a fraction of the cost and get 35 days’ usage a year.
But Stefan Boat Share handles all parking, maintenance and preparation.
“You will be able to call up and the boat will be ready to go in half an hour,” he said.