Melbourne International Boat Show - Very disappointing from a multihull viewpoint.

[Mick C]

Hi all

Just back from the Melbourne International Boat Show and thought I would report my findings. Catamarans...a total of 3. The Lagoon, and two Seawinds. One Tri... a Corsair ...I checked out the finish as I think from memory this was the brand discussed in the Seawind moving to Vietnam thread...very nice finish...so if it is a vietnam boat...well done the vietnamese I say.

Of the on shore tents I stopped at a few...here's some highlights for me.

Good old marine safety were there and good on them...always helpful with good advise.

Torqeedo were there, had a great chat to Claude...looking forward to seeing the Cruise4.0 on a cat or two soon...they are being used right now on various boats but I have not seen the actual boats yet.

Savwinch...a local manufacturer of Anchor winches...nice machinery and nice features. Good to see locals.

SmartBoat...a security and monitoring boat solution. Use your iphone/android phone or pad to check up on the state of batteries or bilge or pictures from the boat etc. Nice system and relatively cheap to install. However you are signed up to a daily/monthly/yearly cost to use it. I will keep looking for one that is a once off buy with similar features.

Lastly but definately not least was SOLAR - Marine Solar Specialists. The products are really cool and I was actually sold on the ideas there. If you get there check out the "door-mat" at the front of the desk. The panels themselves are really thin flexible panels with cells arranged on a very thin "plastic-like" backing. They can be glued or clipped or zipped on to the boat. Yes, zipped. The panels can have a zip sewn on to the edge and then zipped on to the bimini canvas...really cool. All in all I really liked this product. The 100watt (@ about 22.5% efficient) and the 125watt (@ about 17% efficient) panels were about $1000 each. Finally some cool gizmos like solar lit cleats were there as well.

So, very disappointed at the lack of multihulls, very poor turn-up...come on multi hull sellers...where are you?

Lots of monos and stinkboats by the way!


Mick in Melbourne.

[downunder]

Really should be called the Melbourne Boat Show. Hardly international but them most of the boats are.

Thanks for report

[Mick C]

Or the Melbourne Monoboat show...

[Mr B]

Is it a freebie, Or do they charge an arm and a leg to get in.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Is it a freebie, Or do they charge an arm and a leg to get in.

You have to be kidding - that's why they call it International.

One of reasons No of boats at Santuary Cove is going down is they have put up prices to display dramatically in recent years.

Charge to display and charge to enter.

Cheers.

[Mr B]

Thanks,

[Multihull]

You have to go to Lorient (France) in April. Approx 50 multihulls on display :-)
le salon international du multicoque - Lorient 2012

Unfortunately for you an expensive trip.

[Mick C]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Is it a freebie, Or do they charge an arm and a leg to get in.

free on the land...only $12 on to the wharfs.

[dirkdig]

Last years sanctuary cove was down about 35% of boats on display,very disappointing based on previous years.

[smartboat]

Hi Mick,

I'm glad you liked our product!

I actually agree with you, a unit without ongoing costs would be the ultimate, but given that it needs to use someone elses network to communicate (we don't own any cell towers ) there is always going to be an ongoing cost.

We've worked hard to keep it too a minimum and handle all the data charges, contracts etc. But alas it cannot be zero.

If you'd preferr I'm happy to supply the unit configured for the network of your choice and you can supply your own sim. This would reduce the ongoing costs that we charge but would incur costs from your chosen provider.

Cheers!

[sctpc]

Hi Mick I guess you did not look at it last year!! Twice the size, International No but a good day out.

OH soz Mick I dobbed Re: smart boat.
And I did not like the quality of the corsair my 23 year old boat is smoother, try cleaning that silicon join in a year OMG no way.

[Mick C]

Originally Posted by sctpc

Hi Mick I guess you did not look at it last year!! Twice the size, International No but a good day out.

OH soz Mick I dobbed Re: smart boat.
And I did not like the quality of the corsair my 23 year old boat is smoother, try cleaning that silicon join in a year OMG no way.

Yes I was there last year. The seawinds were there, the lagoon and an fp can't remember the models. I think there were 5 cats if I remember right, one big one in the corner and 4 stern first into the pier. Am I missing a year or something?
Re smartboat..I like their product like I said and with a generic Sim it would be pretty sweet deal. No way putting them or the product down, GREAT to see an Aussie company competing. Well done to them.
Regards
Mick

[ausaviator]

Last year at Melbourne they had a Lagoon 38 & 40, the Seawind 1150 and 1250 (or whatever the lengths are) and Gordon's FP Orana 44 plus an FP trawler. I posted a number of photos at the time.

I don't believe that there are any Fountaine Pajots in Melbourne that are remotely new so they would have to bring one down especially which is what happened with Gordons from NSW. If buyers aren't buying them, then there is no boats for the show and they probably don't want a boat that is several years old and owners with older boats generally have no affiliation with the dealers. Catch 22.

With some of the recent weather I'm not surprised that none made the voyage down. Last year the Lagoons were from Brighton and Mornington and the Seawinds similar.

[Coops]

Originally Posted by downunder

One of reasons No of boats at Santuary Cove is going down is they have put up prices to display dramatically in recent years.
Cheers.

Rumours abound about it not being on this year. Most exhibitors and visitors very unimpressed and cannot see the value.

Coops.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

Last year at Melbourne they had a Lagoon 38 & 40, the Seawind 1150 and 1250 (or whatever the lengths are) and Gordon's FP Orana 44 plus an FP trawler. I posted a number of photos at the time.

I don't believe that there are any Fountaine Pajots in Melbourne that are remotely new so they would have to bring one down especially which is what happened with Gordons from NSW. If buyers aren't buying them, then there is no boats for the show and they probably don't want a boat that is several years old and owners with older boats generally have no affiliation with the dealers. Catch 22.

With some of the recent weather I'm not surprised that none made the voyage down. Last year the Lagoons were from Brighton and Mornington and the Seawinds similar.

The 1160 on display this year actually sailed down from Mooloolaba for the show - sort of. It is a 2008 boat that lived in Mooloolaba and was purchased by the new owners on Christmas eve. They left Mooloolaba Monday Last week, allowing theselves 10 days for the trip. It will now live in Melbourne. The trip from actually took 5 days and 20 hours sailing all the way except inside port Phillip bay, thats about an 1100 mile trip and the boat only has the self tacker - no overlapping genoa. They did have the kite up a few times. Needless to say the new owners are fairly happy with the performance.