Gold Coast coronavirus crisis: Boat Works superyacht boom, Coomera

AN accountant for this bustling Gold Coast operation says it’s the only business meeting he has left in the past two months without tears.

The Boat Works owner Tony Longhurst: “Our accountant said ‘Every business meeting in the last two months I nearly leave in tears’. He said we are completely against the odds.” Picture: Glenn Hampson

A CHOCKA new $100 million Gold Coast marina has gone from fearing it might have shut to almost putting up a ‘No vacancy’ sign as it defies the coronavirus downturn.

The Boat Works at Coomera was on the cusp of temporarily closing two months ago but decided to drop its rates for berths and sheds which was followed by a surge in traffic.

The Boat Works is pumping, a real bubble of activity despite coronavirus, after finishing its new Superyacht precinct and dropping berth prices 50 per cent. Owner Tony Longhurst at the site. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The pride and joy operation of Tony Longhurst, an ex-V8 star and son of Dreamworld founder John Longhurst, puts the surge down to berth discounts and boat owners using the pandemic to do budgeted maintenance work in preparation for extended stints on board with the world gripped by the virus.

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The business surge includes going from no superyachts two months ago to eight in recent weeks and averaging 50 boat extractions a week.

“We were making decisions as if we were closing down. But what happened is everyone who owned a boat had budgeted for work needing done and all of a sudden people were starting to think we can’t travel overseas, let’s get boat the organised and take a trip or let’s try and sell.”

The Boat Works owner Tony Longhurst says he thought two months ago they might have to halt operating but now is close to putting up the ‘No vacancy’ sign. Picture Glenn Hampson

The Boat Works has pumped $100 million into recent expansion including its superyacht marina with 10 sheds, 15 berths and 12 hard stands for floating palaces.

It also has the Gold Coast’s biggest boat lift, which can handle 300 tonne.

Mr Longhurst said he expected to take 12 months to get the amount of big boat movements and activity onsite now: “We’re at capacity, can’t fit another boat in.

“Our accountant said ‘Every business meeting in the last two months I nearly leave in tears’. He said we are completely against the odds.”

Longtime Longhurst accountant Ross Walker, a consultant at Pitcher Partners – when asked about the difference between his clients and Boat Works right now – said: “Night and day.”