Gold Coast boat industry predicting bumper sales this year

THE Coast boat industry is expecting a massive year. That is despite a subdued retail environment. But that’s not stopping people spending up on luxury boats not to mention tinnies and rubber inflatable boats too.

An artist’s impression of the new Maritimo X60, which the Gold Coast boat builder will debut at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May.

THE Gold Coast’s buoyant housing market is feeding surging prospects for local boat builders and dealers.

Manufacturers including Maritimo and Riviera are expanding production and filling their order books while dealers including Stefan Boating World and Nitro Marine are tipping a strong year ahead.

Maritimo founder Bill Barry-Cotter said his luxury boat business, which will triple its footprint at its Coomera base this year, had a strong January.

“The last quarter of last year was exceptionally good and this year is shaping up even better,” he said.

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“What it relates to is the property market – especially on the Gold Coast – if they (property sellers and professionals) are doing well they will spend money on a boat.”

Mr Barry-Cotter said confidence in the NZ market had been dented by the election of a Labour government, however it was a different story in the US.

Maritimo founder Bill Barry-Cotter. Photo: Regi Varghese

“That market is on fire,” he said. “Overall, I reckon we will be 15 per cent up on the previous year.”

He cited the sale of a Maritimo M51 long-range luxury motor yacht (ironically to a NZ buyer) as evidence of a strong market.

“That was bought for $1.4 million and will be delivered in February next year.”

Production at Maritimo hit 30 luxury yachts last year and the goal is to hit 40 in the 10 months to December.

Maritimo plans to unveil a new long-range luxury sport yacht line called the X Series. The first, the $2.2 million X60, will have its world premiere at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May.

Artist impression of the new Maritimo X60.

Hairdressing tycoon Steve “Stefan” Ackerie, who opened a $20 million marine sales centre called Stefan Boating World at Gold Coast Marine Precinct at Coomera in 2013, said the sector was in good health.

“We had an auction recently where we sold 90 boats,” he said.

“We’ve got another one in three weeks and I expect we’ll do the same.”

Mr Ackerie said he did not believe the retail sector was “struggling”, but only that it was more “competitive”.

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“I think that is because people are smart, they are more savvy and do more research about what is being sold and for how much.”

His dealership, which sells everything from $500 rubber inflatable boats (RIBs) to $550,000 luxury ones, was seeing solid activity across all sectors. “Spare parts is going well, we will sell 250 Yamaha motors this year compared to 200 last year,” he said.

“We’re ordering 300 RIBs soon as well.”

Nitro Marine sales manager Shaun Hose, who heads the sales team at the 37-year-old Arundel dealership, said he expected sales to move ahead of last year.

“We’ve been having a cracker for the past few months,” he said. “We’ve under new ownership and sales are through the roof.”

He said they had sold fibreglass boats recently for between $140,000 and $160,000.