SAIL OF THE CENTURY
THIS 122-FOOT superyacht boasting a sauna and 100-inch TV is the star of the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, starting today – and all you need is a cool $15 million. The Horizon Yacht Australia vessel is the show’s largest and will line up beside 600 craft including fishing boats and tinnies such as this Quintrex 630 Frontier shown off by show boss Johan Hasser.
GOLD Coast’s Horizon Yacht Australia will field the biggest vessel at Sanctuary Cove’s boat show from today – a 122-foot superyacht boasting a sauna and 100-inch TV.
The yacht, with a price tag exceeding $15 million, is far from the average punter’s reach but will be accompanied at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) by 600 craft of all shapes and sizes.
A line-up worth more than $200 million will be on display from more than 320 exhibitors.
About 50,000 people are expected to visit The Marine Village at Sanctuary Cove during the four-day event opening this morning at the lifestyle resort. SCIBS will also feature a fleet of luxury cars and the latest helicopters.
Horizon’s managing director Mark Western has his fingers crossed for a sale at what he has dubbed the best boat show in the country.
“If we don’t manage to get a couple of deals throughout the show, it’ll be in the next two or three months,” he said.
“We’ve got the 122-footer in the show this year (the RP115). It’s got a steam room, a sauna, a 10-man spa ... you name it, it’s got it. It’s got a 100-inch TV in there.
“It’s got 5200HP and holds 22,000 litres of diesel. It’d pretty much take you anywhere.”
Mr Western said it took 18 months to build and would likely attract some secretive clientele.
“You would think they would be the super-famous or the mega-wealthy. A lot of them have boats bigger than their houses,” he laughed.
“We have one hard-working (buyer), runs his own business, has a team of 1000 men. He’s just a down-to-earth guy and it’s not a bad toy for him.
“I’ve got a number of pretty serious clients looking at bigger boats.”
SCIBS general manager Johan Hasser said the event was unique as “the only boat show in the world that actually stages a show in a village”.
“It’s an event powerhouse when it comes to benefiting the local community,” he said.
“Each year we inject over $150 million into the Gold Coast economy.
“We’ve got everything from stand-up paddle boards, to tinnies, fishing boats, all the way up to the luxury motor yachts – from three feet to 122 feet.”
While Mr Hasser was overseeing mega vessels at the show, he was keen to hit the water in something a bit more modest in coming days.
“After this, I can go out fishing, once the dust has settled,” he grinned.
Queensland Marine Centre general manager Brad Roberts said the Coomera business had attended the show each year since the mid-1990s.
He was expecting to offload some of his 40-odd boats to interstate buyers.
“Some years we have a great year and we might sell 15 to 20 boats,” he said.
Mr Roberts was hopeful the “economic climate with the recent federal election” would work in his favour.