IT’S SHOW TIME
The Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is back bigger and better than ever with four days all to itself again after the retreat of a rival expo
“AN ESTIMATED 40,000 VISITORS ACROSS THE FOUR DAYS ARE EXPECTED AND LAST YEAR IT PUMPED $148M INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.”
Don’t mention the war. Or, more specifically, the boat show war. For 27 years, organisers of the prestigious and long-running Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) had its four days in May to themselves.
That was until two years ago, when the then-named Gold Coast International Marine Expo – led by some of the heaviest of hitters from boat-building giant Riviera and Coomera’s Gold Coast City Marina – shifted from a traditional October-November timeslot and piggybacked on the same four days as SCIBS.
They did it again last year. It’s fair to say it wasn’t smooth sailing.
The Expo crew argued they wanted to create a bumper marine festival for the city acting as a major drawcard and competing with Sydney’s boat show later in the year.
SCIBS organisers responded they were blindsided by an “unrealistic” approach by Expo to do a joint event months out from the SCIBS of 2015 when it was already too far advanced.
Acrimony flew, with many smaller manufacturers and exhibitors complaining it was too difficult to have displays at both shows and rueing the loss of two different times of year to spruik sales.
Both proceeded to run simultaneously – and totally independent of each other.
At the time, Gold Coast boat building identity Bill Barry-Cotter who founded Maritimo was firmly in the SCIBS camp and called the Expo move “ridiculous” and an “insane thing to do”.
But the choppy waters have calmed, with Expo bosses retreating from SCIBS’ May dates this year and moving forward two months to March. Bill has given it the nod of approval.
“For me it’s better for everyone and better for us. We can go in the other show if we want to,” he says, adding while they didn’t display at Expo this year they probably will in 2018.
“For all the little guys, they can’t afford to and don’t have the product to go in both when they are on together – and that really knocked a lot of the small guys around and really damaged both shows.
“Really what they have done with this thing here now is a positive move,” he says.
Calmer waters maybe, but for SCIBS general manager Johan Hasser it really is a case of don’t mention the war.
Asked last week if he was happy to have the four days in May back for SCIBS on its own, he just smiled – or maybe grimaced – and redirected his answer towards some of the big numbers associated with the event, which started Thursday and continues today and tomorrow.
And the numbers are impressive – 300-plus exhibitors, including Maritimo’s biggest-ever on-water display worth $25m – showcasing everything from the latest multi-million-dollar luxury cruisers to trailer boats, tinnies, jet skis and gadgets.
An estimated 40,000 visitors across the four days are expected and last year it pumped $148m into the local economy. Johan takes it as a vote of confidence some of the biggest names in the marine industry choose to launch their products and innovations at SCIBS.
“The host of world launches, industry innovations and visitor experiences are guaranteed to captivate and delight thousands of boating enthusiasts expected to descend on Sanctuary Cove for one of the leading boat shows in the Asia-Pacific.”
While boats at the top end, such as Maritimo’s new $2.05m S59 luxury sedan, feature seven-figure price tags, he says the range on show caters to every level of interest and budget.
Not to mention that, with the show snaking around the Sanctuary Cove village restaurant, bars and cafes, you can have a pretty good time while you’re out there.
Gold Coast City Marina CEO and Expo committee member Trenton Gay says he still genuinely believes the idea of simultaneous shows could have worked well for the city, but he admits the initial approach by Expo to SCIBS in 2015 “realistically could have been handled better”.
“It should have been that we finished our one in November and then said we’re not moving dates next year but the year after. If we had gone about it that way and said these are our thoughts instead of going straight in ... it could have been very good, but it is what is,” he says.
“That was the vision but history shows what happened. I’ve spoken to Sanctuary Cove, they thought we were trying to take things away from them but it never was about that,” Trenton says. “It was about building up the industry and making it the premier event in Australia and having it over multiple sites.”
Despite the choppy waters, City Marina has always been a big SCIBS supporter and this weekend’s show is no different.
“This year is the biggest stand we have ever had. We stepped it up, taking a space four times bigger than normal. We support them heavily.”
For Bill, despite his vocal criticism at the time of the Expo shift, he doubts any bad blood lingers and laughs before saying: “No, the senility is setting in for all of us, so it will be forgotten about.” It’s on with the show. Don’t miss out, there are still two more days to go.
Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show’s final two days for 2017 are today and tomorrow, 9am to 5pm. More information at sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au