Smooth sailing at SCIBS

Sailing yachts were represented by Hanse, Jeanneau, HH, Leopard and Lagoon at this year’s Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, all of them earning plenty of attention during the four-day event.

Written by Jeni Bone

30 May 2023

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Taking their place among the plethora of motor yachts, sailing craft were outnumbered but nevertheless, major magnets for sailing aficionados who flocked to SCIBS 2023.

David Flynn, Australasian Sales Manager for Leopard Catamarans said he was ecstatic with the turn-out, the response, leads and the weather.

“We had four days of beautiful autumn weather, which certainly brought out the crowds. Among our three lovely Leopards on display was the exceptional 45 sailing cat, which received a lot of interest from sailing enthusiasts. Buyers were there, it wasn’t just people appreciating the quality of the build!

“Leopard has a great following with sailors. We have three orders settling after the show, and plenty of other boats on order, and we’re hopeful of some sales from SCIBS.”

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On show on the marina from Windcraft was the award-winning, big volume, luxury family cruiser, the Hanse 460, proving to be the German brand’s most popular model ever with more than 250 orders.

Making its Australian boat show debut, the 460 is Hanse’s first yacht designed by the French yacht designers Berret-Racoupeau, and combines a striking new look with maximum innovation while retaining the core DNA of Hanse yachts – fast cruising, easy sailing and exceptional build quality.

Globally, the response has been overwhelming, with more than 250 units sold in the first year of production and the title of 2022 European Yacht of the Year.

Windcraft Yachts has seen a similar market response selling 15 of the new model in the first 12 months and strong demand for more expected as the first models arrive into the country.

Windcraft Yachts Managing Director, Anthony Bishop said he and his team were thrilled with the response to the Hanse 460 at SCIBS.

“The boat on show was a client’s yacht and the first 460 into Australia. We have 12 more on their way, so the first available for delivery is in March 2024, then two more in the following months. Order time is usually one year on a Hanse, but there is so much demand for this model, production time is slightly longer.”

Making its Australian debut at SCIBS 2023, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380, designed by Marc Lombard, is inspired by race boats with all the creature comforts for comfortable cruising. Lee Condell, Performance Boating Sales Director, said there was fantastic interest in the new model.

“It was the only monohull in the 30 to 45-foot bracket, so people were very keen to inspect it. We had a queue along the marina on Saturday. They were impressed with the walkaround decks, which are quite novel on a vessel this size.”

As Lee reported, this model has been sold into every state in Australia, sight unseen. “We have 380s being delivered to every state, three here and another four on the way.

“Priced from $473,000, the Sun Odyssey offers a lot more boat in a monohull which people are seeing as good value. We feel it will attract people back to monohull sailing with more volume in cabins and more usable deck space.”

The Lagoon 46 cruising cat was exhibited by TMG Yachts. At 13.99-metres and with a 7.96-metre beam, the Lagoon 46 is a high-performance and seaworthy catamaran, designed for short-handed, comfortable sailing with its elegant lines, unrivalled brightness and generous, interconnected spaces.

Designed for relaxing, bluewater sailing with its large modular sunbeds and quality equipment, the Lagoon 46 boasts a comprehensive galley interconnected with the cockpit that makes entertaining friends and family a breeze.

As Rowan McMahon from TMG explained, “Our Lagoon 46 only just made it in time and we’re very glad it did!

“For this size boat, the volume and price point are second to none, and the quality of finish impressed everybody. The Lagoon fit and finishes are a deciding factor in people choosing the brand.

“The Lagoon brand attracted a lot of people from all over Australia – quite a few from WA,” he continued. “We sold a Lagoon 42 and a Lagoon 46, and attracted a lot of strong interest in the new 51. We have a deposit on a 51, pending inspecting the boat at the factory in France. For us, it was a great show!”

The HH50-SC carbon fibre catamaran made its debut at SCIBS 2023.

Brent Vaughan, Director Multihull Central said they were “totally overwhelmed with interest in the HH50”.

“We saw approximately 200 appointments during the show resulting in four orders being placed across the HH range,” he said. “SCIBS was the Australian launch of HH being the first time at a boat show, and confirms the brand’s future in this market. We have been representing HH for just over 12 months and now their major dealer internationally.

“Before the show we had 10 boats ordered for Australian and New Zealand customers, but that order list is growing quickly and it shows that our market recognises the value of very quality finishes and high performance. We are looking forward to showcasing the hi-tech HH44 at next year’s boat shows in Australia.

The new HH50 catamaran ‘Synergy’ was on display during SCIBS. Built entirely from epoxy resin-infused carbon fibre, it was designed as a highly efficient performance cruising catamaran for ocean sailing.

Named 2021 ‘Boat of the Year’ by Cruising World Magazine USA, the HH50 design features generous living spaces with a large indoor/outdoor dining arrangement, large U-shaped galley, and luxurious cabins with vast amounts of headroom and natural light.

The sailing ability of this catamaran is incredible, with a Marstrom carbon rig paired with a carbon one-piece longeron and forward beam, coupled with 3Di North Sails for maximum performance. Pre-preg carbon C-shaped daggerboards help provide lift and pointing ability, enabling the boat to sail in all conditions efficiently.

The HH50 comes in two versions: the Sports Cruiser (SC) as in the case of Synergy, which is all carbon with daggerboards, for those wanting uncompromised performance; and the Ocean Cruiser (OC) version which offers a more affordable package built with a combination of e-glass and carbon, mini keels and an alloy rig.

Both models are available with the company’s innovative hybrid electric/diesel ‘EcoDrive’ using a large solar and lithium package to provide hours of electric powered motoring.

The 34th edition of the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show was the springboard for the launch of more than 100 new products. Throughout the Marine Village and in the Pavilion, exhibitors displayed tenders, PWC, nav equipment, electronics, gear, gadgets, shoes and apparel, maps, destinations and B2B services. The dates for SCIBS 2024 are 23 to 26 May.

 

leopardcatamarans.com
multihullcentral.com
tmgyachts.com
yachtbroker.com.au

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