PRIMED FOR THE CROWDS
No one is looking forward to the Sanctuary Cove Festival more than Cove-based boat dealer Dean Leigh-Smith
TOMORROW is a good time of year to be boat broker Dean Leigh-Smith. The co-owner of LeighSmith Yachts, which is among the biggest marine dealerships at Sanctuary Cove village, is excited about marking the start of the boating season with a 10,000-strong crowd who will come direct to his sales door.
The second instalment of the free all-day Sanctuary Cove Festival – a showcase of luxury boats, cars and live music – runs from 10am to 6pm and virtually guarantees a crowd.
To that end, Mr Leigh-Smith – whose late grandfather started the family boating business 50-plus years ago – will have a range of boats on display.
He aimed to have the dealership’s three Sanctuary Cove marina pontoons full with about eight vessels including a 65-foot Endurance which is worth up to $4 million new but was “exceptionally priced” at $2.4 million, he said.
Two Alaska sedans, one 43 foot (worth $900,000) and one at 49 foot (worth $1.2m), will also be on display and available for inspection but those models have already sold.
But his wares are not just limited to those who can afford the Sanctuary Cove lifestyle.
While his cheapest new luxury vessel sits at about $800,000, his boat listings range from $15,000 tenders to $20m, plus yachts based in France.
“The festival is a wonderful call to action and it coincides with the launching of the boating season when the boating season is really kicking off,” Mr Leigh-Smith said.
“We always applaud and welcome any event Sanctuary Cove does. We’ve been here a couple of years now, we’re their biggest marine dealership on site. Anything that brings people to the village is a wonderful thing.
“Sanctuary Cove is the place the girls and guys come to play, it’s got the restaurants, shopping and so forth ... we get clientele from Brisbane and even the Sunshine Coast.”
Outside of the festival, Mr LeighSmith has a good feeling about the coming season from a market perspective.
“I think it’s going to be probably one of our best yet given the economy seems reasonably stable,” he said.
“From what I hear is there are a lot more luxury cars being sold, a lot of big homes being built, property pricing is going up.
“There is a good feel for the market so far – I’m quietly confident we’ll have a good 2017.”