Here's my "crappy list" of things to watch out for when buying a production boat - particularly an express cruiser.

I will come back to this and add things to the list and include some photos, too. If you can think of anything on your boat to add, let me know and I will type it in here. These are characteristics common on many production boats - considered "throw-away boats" in the USA.

Now let's face it. These boats have to be pumped out quickly and in good numbers off smooth-operating production lines to justify manuafcturing costs. The boat builders are operating in competitive markets and need to keep their workforce going year in, year out. There is therefore very little if any regard as to how the boat is going to be maintained and serviced. That's not 'our concern once it leaves our factory,' they'd argue. But my line of thought is that you have marine mechanics, electricians, upholsterers, plumbers and other tradespeople working on your vessel. They are a form of marketing and what do they tell their friends at the pub over a beer about different brands of boat after a hard days work at the dock?

Here's a starters list of things to look out for and be wary of:

• Fuses located in difficult or near-impossible-to-access places: like hidden underneath a mountain of wiring up under the helm station, where you find yourself lying down on the deck in a contortionist act to test and or replace them!
• Cheapskate quality bimini, covers and clears: that will need to be replaced within a couple of years. You know when you can see the sun shining through them they ain't real crash-hot! Also be careful of using chemical cleaning agents on clears: they can actually do more damage than good! And zips...zips!!! Zippers do NOT belong on boats! A constant source of annoyance and guzzlers of vasoline, they are best replaced with any type of button or clip you can use as a more-reliable alternative.
• Lack of side decks: a big one on many express boats. You generally only have access forward through an opening hatch in the wind shield or forward deck hatches. But these can be cumbersome and somewhat more dangerous under certain conditions such as rolling seas or with wet decks.
• Fresh water pumps fixed on top of fresh water tanks and right up underneath decks where it is difficult or near-impossible to service the filter or the pump with any ease.
• Shower sump pumps bolted to bulkheads and again up and under decks in places where you simply can't access the filter without breaking it off or breaking something else!
• Stereo systems: with a myriad of wiring buried loosely in head liner and behind cupboards, ducting systems and bulkheads. None of it contained in wiring looms and all of it an absolute nightmare to replace. Then there's the speakers wired into radar arches etc. Have fun with that, guys!
• Cramped engine rooms: are perfect for midgets, but not necessarily the rest of us average folk. Production boats use every spare inch of space, which is great when you are trying to fit every conceivable appliance and gizmo known to mankind in the boat and market the advantages to buyers! But not so good for 'the chosen one' who has to venture down into "the pit" to help keep the boat running for your enjoyment.
• Wiring...wiring and more wiring. Honestly, is it just done to annoy the hell out of us boat-owners? It's never labeled, there are no wiring looms for anything and it's always a big bill if you cannot or will not do the work yourself. Man, just try tracking back 30 foot or more of electrical wiring throughout a boat and see how many expletives you utter before task-end.
• Windscreen wipers: are great when they work. But try replacing one on an express cruiser when its seized motor is mounted up under the deck, behind a cabinet, in the head compartment. Ask someone you really hate to do the job for you. 
• Lots and lots and lots and lots more vinyl. Those flashy new seats look fantastic! But in places like California or Queensland in Australia you seriously need to work hard and have good quality covers to protect them from the harsh UV rays of the sun. Once they start to deteriorate, it's an uphill grind to keep them in good condition.
• Plastic deck hatches. You gotta love plastic. Where would we be be without it? You could not imagine companies that make them running into financial difficulties. I mean, for such a small area of plastic they charge into the hundreds or even a thousand or more dollars! And that's before you pay someone to install it properly. They let good light in below deck, but once again the sun wears them down over time. They crack, they are difficult to reseal reliably, the seals wear out, the hinges, latches and gaskets need constant lubrication. You realise you didn't pay enough attention to what seems such a straight-forward, out-of-sight-out-of-mind item until a problem arises!
• Bow rails, deck cleats and other docking equipment bolted behind, underneath and up-and-under deck-to-hull joins etc. Great fun...for someone who knows what the hell they are doing! Agitating, mind-boggling, annoying, infuriating for anyone else trying to replace, repair etc.

OK, the market dictates what is produced in terms of all styles of boat. And the numbers of production boats indicate they have been a massive success for boat builders for the last decade or two. But has much changed in terms of attitude as to how they are constructed? It's a fine line to try and balance when you are in the business of building boats for a profit.

As a boat owner, you have these and many more issues to tackle that you weigh up against all the fantastic times you have out on the water and the wonderful experiences you enjoy. And all these little (or slightly big) imperfections have to be taken into consideration as part and parcel of being a boat owner.

New Look, New Name Melbourne Summer Boat Show

The Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV) is in preparations to kick off the 2012 Australian boat show circuit with the launch of the new look – new name Melbourne Summer Boat Show (MSBS) at Docklands, Melbourne.

Previously known as the Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Festival – MSBS will continue to be held at Melbourne’s premier waterside location, Docklands between 3-5 February, 2012.

The Melbourne Summer Boat Show is Melbourne’s only on-water event featuring a colourful display of yachts, power vessels, trailerable boats, personal water craft (PWC’s) and more.

Also on offer both on and off the water is a myriad of family oriented activities, demonstrations and come and try sessions.

“The Melbourne Summer Boat Show is a great day out for the family, as well as being a wonderful showcase of all Melbourne has to offer in regard to watercraft and watersports,” said BIAV General Manager, Clyde Batty.

“With the Show celebrating its 16^th year of operation, the public can enjoy a wide range of events such as waterskiing & Wake boarding, PWC demonstrations, Dragon Boat races, the Yamaha Supertank Fishing Show and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and Westpac helicopter rescue demos.”

Also on display at MSBS is Ralphy V, Tradeaboat’s Mariner Pacer 760 project boat, valued at $70,000 which visitors can go into the draw to win.

The Alma Doepel, an Australian built and operated three masted topsail schooner with over a 100 year history will also be open to the public at Shed 2, Victoria Harbour – allowing MSBS visitors to come and observe the restoration of this vessel.

In promoting the boating lifestyle as a family friendly activity, a variety of “Come & Try” sessions will be held on the water throughout the weekend. One of the great advantages to this show is that many show activities are free to the public with only a small charge to access the boats on the marina.

With a variety of boats, activities, ski & wakeboard displays and accessories, fishing and scuba gear there is something for everyone at the 2012 Melbourne Summer Boat Show.

 

Service Lacking at Trident Marine Insurance.

I am a big believer in sharing my boating experiences on boatplace.com.au - be they positive or otherwise. That is afterall, the aim of this website; for boaties to share their knowledge and their experiences.

My annual marine insurance renewal came around, reliably as it does and I decided to shop around. The premium had increased yet again (do they ever go down?). With the spate of natural disasters recently both within Australia and abroad, little wonder the insurance companies want to recoup some of their losses.

This year I listed and telephoned one dozen companies, including all the big insurers and also the specialist boat insurance businesses. After obtaining quotes and comparing the various marine insurance policies available, I settled on Trident Marine Insurance. Their quotation was good, the policy seemed great and importantly the service over the telephone seemed really good. Or at least on the surface.

Nearly two weeks after I had agreed upon accepting the policy, I was still waiting on the paperwork to arrive in the mail. Concerned - as my existing boat insurance cover was due to expire shortly, I telephoned once again. During the previous call, I recorded the name of the person I had spoken with. So I knew who to ask for this time. Polite as she was, the lady assured me she would e-mail me the policy and cover note immediately. Fantastic.

Nearly two days passed, no e-mail arrived. So I relented and called my insurance broker and requested that he organise something immediately. Which he promptly did and we settled on a policy that afternoon. The boat insurance that I finally paid for through my broker was substantially more expensive and did not offer the policy particulars that matched Trident Marine Insurance's policy offering. But their service was so astoundingly bad, that in the end I just wanted to ensure my boat was covered!!!

How hard is it to e-mail an insurance policy and invoice to someone? Has it become rocket science to stick a policy in the mail and post it via snail mail? Do we need to offer a degree to do this as well these days? Unfortunately it has left a bad taste in my mouth for Trident and done nothing to improve my already-lowered levels of trust in Australia's service industry. Which ought to be called the 'lack-of-service industry.' Or simply, as we say in Australia, 'the sh**house service industry.'

Absolutely woeful.

Sanctuary Show Brings Quality Buyers

International exhibitors have claimed the quality of prospective buyers at the 23^rd Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show was the best they have seen in 10 years.

Mulpha Executive General Manager Alison Quinn said the strong support for this year’s Show “has buoyed us as we plan forward for next year’s Show leading to the quarter century celebration in 2013.

“The feedback from exhibitors underpins this Show as a ‘must attend’ event for the marine industry.”

Grand Banks Singapore dealer James Purves, who has been coming to the Show for a decade, was impressed by the quality of the visitors.

At close of business, confirmed sales included two multi-million dollar Princess motor yachts – a 72 sold to a Sydney buyer and a 52 to a Gold Coast buyer. The total value of the sale was around $A7 million.

Mark Richards who manufactures Palm Beach Motor Yachts reported the sale of two of the just-released 52s to current Palm Beach buyers who have upgraded to the new model.

Further positive comments from the 384 exhibitors included Riviera’s Stephen Milne who said: “We have had a fantastic show, we sold 10 boats which have a retail value of some $A15 million ranging in size from a number of 43 Flybridges, a 5000 Sports Yacht, two 5800 Sport Yachts and three of the brand-new 53 Flybridge model,” released in a world launch at Sanctuary Cove.

Mr Milne added he had three full days of sea trials next week and he was confident the company would exceed last year’s sales. He added sales were made to buyers in Sydney, Adelaide, South Africa, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.

“We are exceedingly happy about this year’s Show and we are cracking the champagne.”

Brett Flanagan reported the sale of two 350 Integrity Pilothouse boats – one to a walk-in couple who paid for the boat on the spot.

“We have never really sold a boat at a show before this Show, and we have six or seven sea trials booked for next week,” he said.

Ensign Ship Brokers also reported a walk-in sale on the first day of the Show with a firm order for a Beneteau Oceanis 40.

According to Clipper Motoryachts Australian Managing Director Brett Thurley, the past eight weeks have been the strongest for the company in new boat sales since taking over Australian distribution two years ago.

“We have commitments on three boats at the Show already and the strong ongoing interest will give us a lot of work to do in the weeks after the Show.”

Flying Fish Hovercraft sold three hovercraft at the Show. “I have to say the quality of the enquiries is exceptional,” said the company’s Emma Pullen.

“The big news for us is that a visitor to the Show from New Zealand is considering the purchase of 10 craft for an events business and has departed the Show for an immediate demonstration at our own events business in Caboolture – that would be a very significant sale for us in expanding the HoverCross brand internationally,” she said.

Julie Balzano from Enterprise Florida in the US managed a delegation of Florida companies exhibiting at the Show for the first time. “The overall consensus has been very positive,” she commented.

One of the five manufacturers was Florida company, Armstrong Nautical Products. Vice President Russ Sedlack said there were a lot of discerning customers at the Show.

“We don’t normally sell off the stand but people insisted they buy our product off the stand,” said Mr Sedlack. The centre pole telescopic boarding ladders and ladders for RIBs proved popular. He answered inquiries from international visitors from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Japan and China.

Nautical Structures President Robert Bolline exhibited at Sanctuary Cove for the first time with the Florida delegation.

“We are very optimistic to build business here and we have found the boat builders to be very open-minded and open to discuss business.”

American company Westport Shipyard was at the Show in the Superyacht Australia pavilion. The company came to Sanctuary Cove for the first time as it has clients in Australia owning a 34m and 40m vessel. The company builds composite motoryachts and claims to be the largest yacht builder in North America.

“It is the first time at the Show…. We also do Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Singapore, Cannes and Monaco. We consider this a very good venue for international audiences,” said Vice President Philip Purcell.

By 4pm on Sunday, visitor numbers were tallied at 36,504 – a 6.5% drop from 2010 which compares favourably with other international shows this year.

Exhibitor Outer Reef Yachts President and CEO Jeff Druek said the company did 25 to 28 shows a year.

“We had many positive leads. Every Show has been the same – the volume of visitors is down but the quality is superior.”

“The strength of the Australian dollar has driven interest. We find we are very well received. Sanctuary Cove to us is a ‘go to’ venue,” said Mr Druek.

Australian companies also enjoyed sales. Seawind’s sales and marketing manager Brett Vaughan said the company made a number of sales of its new Seawind 1000XL2.

“Interest in the larger Seawinds – the 1160 and flagship 1250 and the Corsair C37 that debuted at this Show is also strong and we anticipate sales in the days after the Show,” he said.

Traditionally Maritimo does not reveal sales figures from shows. However Maritimo’s Director of Marketing Luke Durman acknowledged strong interest in Maritimo’s M48 Series II, A55 Aegean and C53 Sports Cabriolet models.

Sanctuary Cove’s event also saw the relaunch of the iconic Mustang brand.

“The Mustang 32 sold well as expected,” said Mr Durman. The Show also saw the unveiling of a Mustang 50, which proved to be a real surprise package to the Mustang brand loyalists.

Australasian Marine Imports also had a successful show, with the sale of a Hampton 680 Endurance and an Alaskan 57 Pilothouse along with an Alaska 46 Flybridge which are built in China.

Club Marine is a sponsor of Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Media partners include BoatPoint.com.au, Channel Seven, 4KQ, Trade a Boat and 92.5 Gold FM. Maritime Safety Queensland is a government supporter. Hawker Pacific and Barz Optics are supporters.

The $A2 billion Sanctuary Cove, located on the northern Gold Coast, is Australia’s leading and most successful master-planned community. Sanctuary Cove was acquired by current owners Mulpha Sanctuary Cove (Developments) Pty Limited in 2002. MSCD, an arm of Mulpha Australia Limited, which is a subsidiary of Malaysian listed Mulpha International BHD, has invested significantly in Sanctuary Cove over recent years, resulting in a major transformation designed to ensure the pre-eminent community remains at the forefront of master-planned living in Australia.

Dates for forthcoming Sanctuary Cove International Boat Shows are: May 24-27, 2012; May 23-26, 2013; May 22-25, May 2014.

 

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Kate Duryea, PR & Media Consultant

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show

Direct line (07) 55 77 6549

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Here are five boats that are small, trailerable, practical and value-packed.

1. Beneteau Antares 6: my favorite and the most beautiful boat I've seen under 25 feet long.
2. Jenneau Merry Fisher 6: a little bit square, but has similar features to the Beneteau.
3. Bella Oceania 21C: the nicest-looking trailer boat to come out of China.
4. Arvor Weekender: great seakeeping abilities with the niceties needed to keep the missues happy and make cruising more enjoyable.
5. Rodman 747: another import more common in the UK. More square in design but with qualities similar to the Arvor.

These little boats pack a lot of features in and have some specific benefits, namely:

• Walk-around decks: allowing easy access forward to bow for the anchor, docking cleats, fenders and mooring lines;
• Fully-enclosed cabins: add to the appearance and appeal of the vessels, but also eliminate the need for expensive and often untimely maintenance or replacement of bimini covers and storm covers.
• Trailerable: so they can be taken anywhere. This is great considering the growth in the 4WD industry and suits people's lifestyle choices.
• Practical but also stylish: in line with modern boat design, with clean lines and have some modern conveniences thrown in to make the overall boat package appealing to the avid fisherman, boating wife and full family.
• Small and compact: ideal if you are downsizing or looking for something packed in terms of inventory yet economical to run.

The Beneteau Antares 6 is my absolute favorite. Unfortunately they are no longer making them in the 6. This little ripper was offered with either an outboard motor or 110HP turbo diesel Volvo.  This is a really classy little boat with great looks. It reminds me of a miniature Riviera Sports Yacht...hey, did I just say that? I wonder if Riviera would take a look at it - hint, hint! But I love it. It has an enclosed head, vee berth forward for sleeping space, generous sunroof in the fully-enclosed cabin, opening side windows, refrigerator, sink, enough storage space and room generally. The good news is that the Beneteau Antares 8 is available and what a beaut boat!

When I first saw the Arvor 20 years ago, I said to myself "If only they made a larger boat if a longer cabin big enough for a dinette and small galley space." Someone in heaven heard me and whoa! The Arvor Weekender is born! It is a beautiful-looking boat; as all boats ought to be! But it brings a bit-better finishing and longer inventory targeted towards those who want to sleep aboard. A popular boat for fisherman, it now gives you more reasons to stay out on the water longer. And price-wise? About $115,000 new, which for Australian pricing and a 150hp inboard diesel donk and shaft-drive, is pretty damn good.

Rodman? Who has ever heard of Rodman? I would assumed you're talking about the nutty US basketballer Dennis Rodman! But alas, there is a well-known brand in the UK which makes some real sturdy-looking boats in both big and small sizes and with a range of engine options for cruising or serious fishing. The Rodman 747 is a 24-footer with high gunwales and foredeck similar to an Arvor, but has more traditional square lines. Check it out on Google, because boaties love it and recommend it. A shame it seems they have not yet reached our market.

Beneteau's Antares 6

 

The Jenneau Merry Fisher is also a nice little toy to take out fishing.

Above: The Bella 21C...yes, made in China!

Below: The Rodman 747

Below: the Arvor Weekender. It has to be a winner!

And yes, there's others. I recently found another one called Sea Goddess. But I can't find anything about them on the net! More on that later.

Problems with Mercruiser engine gear shift.

I started having trouble shifting in and out of gear with my Mercruiser 4.3 litre V6 engine and Alpha One stern drive. This was not a problem on the open water when uderway, but became a real nuisance when I was berthing the boat in a marina. Primarily because once in gear, I could not get the engine into neutral whilst the engine was running. There are a number of issues that can cause problems shifting gears and here are three potential causes of the problem.

1. The gear shift cable. With continued use and ageing, the shift cable will deteriorate and begin to break down. The inner cable begins to fragment and then cannot move freely. There can also be problems if the cables are not lubricated. They need to be greased by your marine mechanic and checked to ensure they move freely.
2. Gear shift bellows. These can leak and cause water intrusion which will also lead to problems shifting gears.
3. Shift Interuppter Switch. Sometimes referred to as a micro switch or shift change switch. This device cuts the engine in a split second to allow the gear change without damaging your engine. These can deteriorate or break, making it difficult to neautralise the boat's engine.

My engine would go back into neautral when the ignition was turned off. This eliminated the shift cable, as it would still be stiff when the engine was turned off and if it were the problem. The gear shift bellows had recently been replaced, which eliminated them as being the cause. In the end, my marine mechanic isolated the shift interrupter switch as the root cause of the problem. A small roller had broken free rendering the switch unable to neautralise the stern drive.

Symptoms of a leaking stern drive on a boat.

The first sign my stern drive was leaking was the appearance of a milky substance in the small fill tank for the gear lube that sits on the top of the engine. At first it was a small amount at the bottom of the fill tank, mixed with the Mercruiser gear lube. But it was obvious. There were no other symptoms at this time, so I elected to monitor the issue and have it addressed during the next boating season's service.

A leak on a boat - even a small leak, can lead to a very big expensive repair bill. Although I was lucky this instance, I don't believe I was wise in waiting as long as I did. For what happened next illustrates that the condition of the stern drive gradually deteriorates at an accelerating rate as the leak becomes worse.

In the next couple of months and with continued use of the boat, I began to notice a more-than-normal amount of water building up in the bilge. As my boat has full bimini and rear sloping covers, minimal rain water can get into the bilge, especially as the drainage from the engine compartment is very good. My concern over the suspected leak increased, but I was not alarmed and continued using the boat.

Having drained and cleaned the bilge a few times, I began to monitor the engine bay after each use for signs of the leak. Immediately after I used the boat, I would venture into the confines of the engine bay and listen and watch for obvious signs of water intrusion into the hull. The drip-drip-dripping sound was evident although not immediately visible. I had to almost crawl under the engines to figure out which one was leaking and from where. 

When I did actually see the leak, I could see it was from the bottom of the main seal around the stern drive.  This is the very confirmation upon which I should have acted and that you need to know to act! The next symptom was a knocking sound which initially was not overly loud. However, with continued use of the boat the knocking sound intensifies. This is most likely the sound of your gimbal bearing under stress and working whilst full of sea water! There is also a strained 'growl' when the stern drive is steered hard to port or starboard.

At this stage I stopped using the boat and quite wisely, too. Further use could have caused immense damage that would have put me on hard stand for quite some time! I pulled the boat for its annual service and found that the u-joint bellows and drive seals had to be replaced. The gimbal bearing also needed replacement. There was no damage done to the gimbal housing or outdrive unit and I was lucky that this was the case.

These seals come in a kit and like most boat parts, seems excessively expensive. However, this kind of maintenance is not normally required annually, so you need to be aware of when the seals were last replaced. It's cheaper and easier to have them replaced prior to suffering a leak and risking damaging your engines. Peace of mind to have them done and keeping your stern drives happy for prolonged use of your baby!

 

What will provide the US (and the rest of the world) with the next Industrial Revolution? And will the boating industry survive it all?

I think this is an interesting question. The way I see it, humans as an evolutionary creature have stagnated somewhat. Being a Gen X'er, I listen to all the stories the Baby Boomers tell about how good the 60's and 70's were. Indeed, I wasn't around to witness what I believe to be the pinnacle of human achievement - man's first steps on the Moon. Since then money has become the new God (yes, I've watched the Zeitgeist Addendum a few times!). Other than continually improving on technology we already had back then - like the fledgling internet, we haven't achieved much more.

There is still poverty and human suffering. There is still war. There is still the requirement for the economic slave - the wage slave, to get up and go to work. To go and work and create the money to repay the debts, issued by banking organisations for money that never actually existed. Okay, I've lost you? You better go to YouTube and watch Zeitgeist Addeundum right now. But one point is that the western world and particularly the United States, has never been in more debt. The USA is lending so much money from China to buy Chinese products that it simply cannot repay those loans. Undoubtedly China know it. It's a case of 'in for a penny, in for a pound' now. There's no turning back because that snowball is too big to stop. 

To get out of the hole that has been dug at an ever-increasing speed, the US and indeed the rest of the world needs a new industrial revolution. The USA needs it to get out of debt and repay its loans - and feed and house its own populace (many of whom have in recent years lost their homes). To some extent we are working on it. But not fast enough. However, the climate change argument is bringing with it change. Mind you, we're still using obsolete technology; petrol engines, upon which most boats still rely. But cars are becoming more economical, emit fewer emmissions and we are slowly but surely manufacturing more efficient home appliances and the uptake of biodegradable materials is increasing. We're trying to recycle and trying hard to clean up.

But the problem is that our bond to fossil fuels is hard to break. As with almost everything, the dominance of a few wealthy individuals and politically powerful corporations means that we are stuck using obsolete technology, despite the fact inventions such as the Orbital Engine were created to move us forward. Put it simply, the next Industrial Revolution is being held back to suit the never-ending and boundaryless greed of the few who benefit from continued use of fossil fuels.

Think about it for a moment. For electric cars to be produced en masse, it would require re-engineering of production plants worldwide and on an unprecented scale. Think about all the idle productive capacity in places like Detroit and Ohio right now. Workers would have to be re-skilled - particularly those employed in the industries servicing fossil fuel mining and production. And car manufacturing. The batteries powering the vehicles would have to be improved continually and at a rapid rate to enable our economies to operate at the level they do now. So R&D efforts worldwide would also have to triple or quadruple.

Now I'd argue that all of this should have happened a lot earlier. That it should have been done by now and a lot faster, too. Not that the oil companies would agree with me - or that they ever will. When you're making billions of dollars a day, who gives a damn about what happens to the rest of the world, right? 'Hey, they can burn! Just keep them burning our oil!' So we're still filling our boats with petrol (and a few of us with diesel) and most of us are up to our eyeballs in debt. And that is the legacy that will be passed onto future generations.

What will become of our boats? Sailors need not worry as much about this. But anyone who knows boats knows that they are very, very different to cars! It only takes your first encounter berthing your baby to arrive at the last-minute realization they don't have brakes! But seriously, the resistance of water against a hull is enormous in terms of pressure. We really ask a lot of marine engines when we get that hull on the plane or push that displacement hull through the water. An engine pushing something relatively small on wheels is completely different to propelling a one-tonne or fifty tonne vessel through water. Spare a thought for those 1,000-foot-long 100,000 tonne container ships bringing in all those goods from China! (Imagine those batteries!!!)

Sure the first genuinely electric cars and boats would be slow. Slower than what we have now. But think back to the first Ford motor car and think of how far we have come in such a short space of time. And think of how much faster technology will improve because we already have the basis to improve on it - computing power, knowledge and awareness, none of which existed when the first Industrial Revolution took flight.

So electric is just one option. We've got hybrid and we're doing solar power, looking into hydro and all sorts of other technology. But it's not happening at a 'Revolution' speed and time is money - certainly in America, where you can count the debt growing in the millions of dollars per second that you read this article. The point is that it is Amercia that needs the Revoltion most. And the rest of the world needs America to find and create that Revolution. The sad thing is that it will most likely be China who kickstarts the next Industrial Revolution. It will be China, mass producing electric and other sorts of cars, boats and appliances and selling them to an America that has no cash and no future. All for the sake of keeping a few Texans and a few more Arabs very happy. Zeitgeist it is.

Oh, I forgot! It can't be done right? Funny that. We developed technology that blast us through the stratosphere and put human beings on alien landscape we call the moon. That was July 20, 1969. And what have we done since?

Sanctuary Cove Show Reflects Economic Upswing

The 2010 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show staged later this month has seen an increase in exhibitor numbers with keen anticipation by the marine sector of a successful business event.
The 22^nd annual Show is staged at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast from Thursday, May 20 to Sunday, May 23.

Recognised as a leading marine event in the Asia Pacific region, the Show has drawn 414 exhibitors, close to 100 marine product launches and slightly up on the 2009 figure of 406.

“We are delighted to receive international attention with international exhibitors or buyers coming from United States, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Turkey and Italy to name a few countries,” said Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show general manager Barry Jenkins.

“In April I attended the China International Boat Show as part of our year-long international marketing and received the strongest level of inquiry in around a decade of marketing the Show in China,” said Mr Jenkins.

There are 98 world and Australian marine product releases at this stage with close to 200 boats on water at the marina, 7000sqm of pavilion space fully booked and a further 7590sqm of hardstand display space.

“We believe the marine industry is approaching the show with a positive outlook with many manufacturers planning new releases to capture buyers during the Show,” said Mr Jenkins. “Pavilion and hard stand exhibition areas received particularly strong bookings.”

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show traditionally attracts around 50,000 visitors to the four-day event. Displays across the site are valued at millions of dollars. A survey of the 2008 Show found the event generated more than $A310 million to the Gold Coast economy.

As in past years, there is an International Business Lounge to assist international buyers. This year, initiatives include Australia’s first sea trial area at a boat show and a dedicated Prestige Brokerage and Charter display.

A wide array of boats and marine products are displayed with multi million dollar vessels from international brands such as Princess, Sunseeker, Fairline, Fleming Yachts and power vessels from leading Australian companies such as Maritimo, Riviera and Assegai Marine.

There are world launches of sail boats, trailerable vessels, smaller power boats and a range of marine accessories and marine business services.

“Ticket sales have been strong for the Australian Marine Industry Breakfast facilitated by Gold Coast City Marina,” said Mr Jenkins. This ticketed public event features Thom Dammrich from the US, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and president of the International Council for Marine Industries (ICOMIA) as guest speaker. The breakfast is held on Friday, May 21.

In other news, Chris Murray will start his appointment as Sanctuary Cove General Manager Events and Marina a week out from the event. Mr Murray, who has formerly held roles with the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Clipsal Australia Pty Ltd and PDL Electrical Solutions, will take the opportunity to see first-hand the operation of the event.

A long time boat owner, Mr Murray raced sailing dinghies in his teens then owned a range of pleasure and fishing boats. He has competed in marlin and offshore sportsfishing tournaments, navigational log events and has delivered yachts to various ports.

Ticket sales for the Show are available online. Online tickets offer a small discount to gate ticket entry. One-day online general admission costs $A22 with concession online tickets at $A19. Children aged 14 years and under are free. For a full range of gate, two-day and four-day admission tickets, view the website on www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au

During the Show, there is no public parking on site however streamlined transport options include Park ‘n’ Ride, water taxi and ferry transfer, helicopter transfer and limousine and taxi drop off.

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is recognised internationally with membership of the prestigious International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO)

The 2010 Show’s major sponsor is Club Marine. Media partners include Channel 7, Radio 4KQ, Trade A Boat, BoatPoint.com.au and Gold 92.5FM. Sponsors include Hawker Pacific, the Queensland Government, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove. Boat Show staff are dressed by Line 7. Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is a member of the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO), the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX) and Marine Queensland.

The $A2 billion Sanctuary Cove, located on the northern Gold Coast, is Australia’s leading and most successful master-planned community. Sanctuary Cove, which was first launched in 1986 by developer Mike Gore, was acquired by current owners Mulpha Sanctuary Cove (Developments) Pty Limited in 2002. MSCD is an arm of Mulpha Australia Limited, which is a subsidiary of Mulpha International BHD, a Malaysian listed company.

FOR MEDIA INFORMATION:

Kate Duryea, PR & Media Consultant Barry Jenkins, General Manager

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show

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Note to Media: Details on new product launches, entertainment and images are available on request. Interviews are available on request. Please contact Kate Duryea to arrange.

Boat Review for Savage Bluefin (older, late 1960's to early 1970's model)

I consider our family's Savage Bluefin to be a bullet-proof little boat. Built in the late 1960's or early 1970's (and up until about 1980), this popular fibreglass monohull boat is reliable and was built to withstand the test of time. She's somewhere 35-40 years old surely, but the hull is still sound and provides a comfortable ride in varying sea conditions. When she's waxed and polished there's still some shine in the gelcoat and her styling (although dated) still makes her a beautiful boat that attracts looks.

We have had our Savage Bluefin for 22 years now. In that time we have replaced the twin Chrysler 85 horse power outboard engines with a new Mercury Saltwater Series 140 horsepower outboard engine. The transom has been replaced in recent years, but it had a very long life. Same with the aft decks which started to go a bit soft. And these are probably the two big-ticket items to look out for in the older Savage models.

The Savage Bluefin is a practical boat. At 21 feet long it is not too big to trailer about and not too small to handle the chop out on the bays. Our boat has the cabin, but no hardtop as seen on some models - particularly the boats that have the inboard engine and stern drive configuration. These older Savage boats at least have reasonable sidedecks - unlike many newer boats which have dispensed with them. The gunwhales are about waist-height on me (I'm 5 feet 11 inches tall) and this is great for fishing and climbing into and out of the boat.

The hull has a nice shape considering its vintage. It has moderate deadrise for a relatively shallow draught and rocks and rolls a little, but the chines certainly temper the rolling motion to a more comfortable sway. We've been in some choppy seas with this boat, both at anchor whilst fishing and underway at various speeds. Amazingly, I find it to be a dry boat that is very seaworthy and balanced very well.  The hull rides well and the slight bow flair helps deflect spray outward and away from the cabin windows.

The cabin a a good size, suits the appearance of the boat and still allows for plenty of space out back for the helm and fishing room. There is a vee-berth up forward under the boat's foredeck, which can be accessed by lying on your back and opening the forward hatch. You can sleep two people snugly in there. I like the Savage logo on the cushions - a nice finishing touch. The hull here is insulated by a decent layer of carpet which on many Savage Bluefin boats will probably show its age. Removing the centre cushion reveals a manual flush toilet and macerator pump.

Entering the cabin and to port there is a plumbed plastic sink with fawcet fed from a stainless steel fresh water tank also on the port side underneath the cabinetry. There's plenty of storage space with cupboards underneath. To starboard there's a handy plastic bench top ideal for spreading maps and charts or leaving personal effects. Underneath this is more storage space for lifejackets, tool boxes, tackle boxes and flares etc. All very simple, but effective and practical with little that can go wrong.

The cabin bulkhead provides wall-mounted interior cabin lighting to port and starboard, along with cup-holder storage. The cabinetry is a well-made varnished timber finished off with a darkened glaze which really suits the boat. Whilst you don't have head-height room in the cabin, there is room to move and plenty of room available to modernise the boat with conveniences such as a small refrigerator, a small television and DVD player for overnight stays. It's fine for overnight trips, which are always fun. Sliding side windows in the cabin and a screw-top vent in the foward hatch allow ventilation.

The helm station to starboard looks out over the boat's cabin roof, which has hand-crafted timber handles assisting anyone moving forward along the sidedecks and a centrally-mounted mast anchor light. The dash-mounted gauges are the original analogue ones that came with the boat and are angled so that you can read them easily whilst standing or sitting. The helm seating is provided by single leather-bound pedestal seats on either side of the cabin doors (which are those really nice old-fashioned varnished timber-slat doors!). Everything is within easy reach and access for servicing. The flat dash has room for as much fishing and technology gadgets as you want to splash out on, but too much will impair your sight forward.

When the throttle is opened, you might find it easier to get the best view forward by standing up as the bow pulls up. The Savage Bluefin hull has a smooth comfortable ride. The Saltwater Series Mercruiser motor cruises along at about 3,000 rpm. Fuel economy would vary little from newer boats of a similar size. The original stainless steel tank which was mounted centrally below the deck on our boat has been replaced with two smaller (removable) deck-mounted plastic tanks and we haven't measured fuel consumption with the newer Mercruiser engine. The Savage Bluefin is very solidly glassed and the weight might affect the figures, but I doubt she's heavy enough to drain much more fuel than the average modern boat.

Our boat does not have power steering, which certainly would be a nice addition. The old hydraulic steering is tight by today's standards and makes for a little bit more of a challenge when manouvering in tight spots - like boat ramps and marinas! We find trailering and launching the boat easy, although any decent trailer setup allows this these days. There's adequate brightworks - a good bowrail forward and side-mount rails at the stern for climbing onto the sidedecks or holding yourself steady when fishing. There's a cleat either side aft and fairleads forward with a stainless bollard central on the fordeck. The stainless steel was obviosuly a very good grade and 40 years on there's no sign of corrosion stains.

The 1970's Savage Bluefin was and still is a popular boat with a good reputation for being a sturdy little day fishing boat. Depending on condition they sell anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 with a trailer. Many would need attention to some apsect, but they are worth paying the money for if well maintained. The boats with hardtops are a good buy if you can get one. I'm not sure about the performance of the inboard models, but I'd always prefer a simple outboard setup on a boat this size anyway. They are a classic Australian boat and worth paying that little bit extra for if you can pick one up.