NEW- LOOK BOAT SHOW

This year’s Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, at Greenlane’s ASB Showgrounds in Auckland, promises to be bigger than ever, with a fresh, new layout.

The show – May 17-20 – features nearly 1200m2 of new display space. Anglers are in for a special treat with opportunities to learn new techniques, grab advice from experts and upgrade their tackle.

The new Top Catch Master Class seminars and demonstrations feature a wider range of topics presented by the country’s top experts.

And then there is the $200,000-plus Surtees/yamaha Grand Prize. “It’s really exciting people,” says show general manager, Dave Gibbs. “There are reports of people banding together to visit the show, so we’re giving them a hand.”

Organisers are offering the country’s boaties and fishers a special ‘Buy 8 tickets and get 10’ deal. It’s only available on-line at www.boatshow. co.nz and expires on May 10. The tickets must be bought together with just one address for courier delivery.

Tickets are $18 each and incur a $4 courier fee. So the cost of the 10 tickets is $148 delivered, compared to $200 if bought at the show.

All 10 tickets automatically go into the draw for the Viking Kayaks’ Profish Reload package, worth more than $8,000. The package – complete with a Viking Tackle Pod™, Viking Kid Pod™, Raymarine Dragonfly 4 PRO MFD, rescueme Electronic Distress Flare, rescueme PLB1 personal locator beacon and Hutchwilco multi-fit safety vest – also comes with a Bixpy electric motor. Ticket holders also enter the draw for the Grand Prize package.

The show is open from 10am to 6pm daily, with a late ight Friday, May 18, until 9pm. Adult tickets are $18 each (or 10 for the price of 8) on line, with a courier charge of $4 per order; or $20 at the gate. Children 16 and under are free.