12 February 2021
The highly anticipated Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS), to be held from May 20–23 within the vibrant Marine Village on Queensland’s Gold Coast, is shaping up to be a bumper year.
Following the launch of exhibitor bookings in mid-December, prominent brands that have applied for prime positions on water include Maritimo, Horizon, Princess Yachts, Integrity, Whitehaven, Eyachts, Azimut, Sunseeker, Hampton, Fairline, Palm Beach, Grand Banks, Fleming, Beneteau, Lagoon and Iliad.
Trailerable boats, watersports and inflatable craft will also have a strong presence throughout the Marine Village, with exhibitors such as Quintrex, Yamaha, Jeanneau, JSW Powersports, Sea Doo, Stacer, AB, Northside Marine, Sailfish Catamarans, Voyager Catamarans, Aurora, Mercury, Zodiac, Honda and Mastercraft already on board.
The latest gear and gadgets will also be on display in the Pavilions, with notable brands such as Garmin, Fusion, Navionics, Raymarine, Seabreeze, Dometic, JL Audio, C-Map, Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, VETUS-Maxwell, International Paint, Awlgrip and HELLA quick to secure space.
SCIBS sales and partnerships manager Dominic O’Brien said exhibitor bookings have been extremely strong and are on par with the most recent 2019 show, which was well lauded and highly successful.
“Exhibitor bookings are tracking over 60 percent, which historically indicates the show is expected to sell out well in advance,” O’Brien said.
“Hundreds of boats will be displayed on water, from superyachts and sailing boats to motor yachts, mono and multihulls, guaranteed to promote every segment of the boating lifestyle.”
SCIBS general manager Johan Hasser said Mulpha Sanctuary Cove’s ongoing commitment to the event is buoyed by this industry confidence.
“The strong exhibitor response is a testament to the success of our smaller-scale Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival in November, as well as the industry’s enthusiasm for the enhanced larger layout of this year’s show,” Hasser said.
He continued, “We commend the industry for their unwavering resilience despite the many roadblocks they’ve faced over the past 12 months, and we are grateful that our exhibitors continue to support our efforts to provide a premium platform for marine brands to showcase their products in one spectacular location.”
“We witnessed some incredible industry sales come out of the Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival and we’re confident that exhibitors will continue to ride the wave at this year’s Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. We’re looking forward to coming together as an industry and celebrating 32 years of championing the boating lifestyle.”
A first for a recreational boating marina in the Southern Hemisphere, Sanctuary Cove will also unveil new undercover berths in time for this year’s show, as part of the final stage of the precinct’s $12-million marina redevelopment.
The berths will accommodate vessels up to 30 metres and are completely weatherproof, adding 150 linear metres of premium display space to the show’s enhanced layout, which also incorporates the five-star InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.
SCIBS’ latest VIP experience in the Lagoon Lounge will be the hot ticket at this year’s show as an exclusive enclave will be set up, offering premium catering and a first-class vantage point, while the Captain’s Lounge will provide a private and luxurious space overlooking the new marina for captains of vessels over 28 metres to enjoy the organiser’s hospitality.
Premier luxury motor yacht builder Maritimo is excited to once again return to SCIBS and provide visitors with an exclusive preview of some of their newest models.
“As a part of our world-class on-water display, we will be showcasing the world premiere of our new M55 Flybridge and S55 Sedan motor yachts,” said Maritimo lead designer Tom Barry-Cotter.
“In addition to the latest range of motor yachts, we have more exciting new model development unveilings, and both yachting and powerboating displays from the world champion Maritimo Racing division.”
At this year’s show, JSW Powersports will unveil the high-end luxury wake boat, the Malibu M220, for the first time in Australia.
“Year on year, the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show continues to grow and expand, offering additional incentives for both consumers and exhibitors, resulting in a world-class boat show,” said JSW Powersports marketing manager Oliver Bennett.
“We’re also looking forward to showcasing the 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300, which we consider to be the ultimate top-of-the-line racing watercraft, as well as the latest Sea Fox 328 Commander centre console, which combines both family leisure and sport fishing.”
Northside Marine will be back at SCIBS, where it will proudly host the Asia–Pacific launch of the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 10.5 Walk Around, along with a larger range of Jeanneau product than ever exhibited before.
“We are the busiest we have ever been for a January period and attribute this to our great experience at the Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival, as well as overseas travel funds being reinvested into the marine industry,” said Northside Marine sales manager Bill Hull.
“We are excited once again to experience the prestige and great atmosphere of the show.”
Conference postponed, awards proceed