07/2007 –

EXHIBITORS TO LAUNCH COUNTLESS NEW BOATS AT 2007 SHOW

In the five years following its introduction, the Absa National Boat Show has become the premier platform for the launch of the newest, most advanced boats, gear and watersports accessories, by South Africa’s foremost players in the boating game.

Given the tremendous growth in the leisure boating and watersports industry in general, characterised by increased boat, engine, accessories and waterfront property sales, this year’s show looks set to yield a bumper crop of product launches.

The show takes place from 17 to 19 August 2007 at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg and is expected to once again attract an audience of around 30 000 visitors. The visitor profile is a fascinating one with the audience’s interests running the gamut of all the activities you could possibly engage in above, below or alongside the water. Among others, this includes powerboating and watersports; sailing; sport and recreational fishing; scuba diving; quad biking; 4×4’ing and investing in prime waterfront property.

Small, medium, big and massive; slow, fast and super-fast; and all new, you’ll find boats of every shape size and description on show this year.

Expect to hear a lot of oohs and ahs when Boating World unveils the new Riviera M360 Sports Cruiser on its stand. This luxury sports cruiser of Australian origin, which measures 36’10’ in length, has multi-point fuel injection, fresh-water cooling for longer life, a full bowrail with wider, user friendly walk-around side decks, a high quality stainless steel windscreen frame with wipers and washers, and an ergonomically designed helm area for improved sit-down driving vision. Its price tag asks for a cool R3,5-million including VAT.

Derrick Levy of Boating World: “The Riviera M360 comes fitted with an airconditioner and generator, has a teak deck and platform and is the ultimate entertainment package. It is even fitted with a braai! The M360 is ideal for lakes like Hartebeespoort Dam or the Vaal Dam, yet is equally at home on the ocean. If the urge grabs you, you could very comfortably travel from Durban to Mozambique and enjoy awesome holidays aboard this one-of-a-kind cruiser.”

Glastron Boats is a 50-year old American brand that is imported and distributed in South Africa by Leisure Boats. Glastron boats have been owned by such well known figures as Elvis Presley, Lyndon Johnson and the British Royal Family, and helped silverscreen heroes James Bond and Batman to outrun the bad guys! According to Dave Singleton, owner of Leisure Boats, he’ll be unveiling a brand new Glastron powerboat on his 2007 stand.

Leisure Boats is also the force behind several other US-brands, including FISHER® Pontoons, ProCraft Bass boats and ProCraft Fish and Ski combo boats (by FISHER®), and Polar Saltwater boats. In addition to the plethora of boats it will display on its stand, the company will also exhibit a number of boating accessories, including character children’s life jackets and watertoys from Stearns, as well as stainless steel braais from Magma Products.

If the idea of a sunset cruise with 16 of your closest friends sounds like the best idea you’ve heard so far, then get thee to the Bluewater Marine expo stand. Here you’ll witness the launch of the Triton Extreme Party Barge. “This boat is totally unique,” says Bluewater Marine’s Kevin Jenzen, “it’s a 17-passenger party barge that has the performance characteristics of a wakeboarding boat, plus all the glitz and glamour of one too. It’s very colourful, with stripes and checkerboard patterns.”

Not content to launch just one boat, Bluewater will also reveal the new Ski Supreme V232 SKY Package performance wakeboarding boat. Supreme’s SKY Package features built-in, quick fill ballast tanks to enlarge wakes; a SKY tower performance bar to give the rider an excellent upward pull; custom gel coat graphics in a choice of 13 different colours; a four-speaker, high impact stereo system; and to manage this and keep the stereo and ballast pumping all day, a power management system fuelled by dual batteries.

It’s all about choice at the Absa National Boat Show and visitors can expect to be thoroughly spoilt for it this year, as retailers take advantage of the opportunity to show their products to an audience that is increasingly more willing to spend money on their boating passions.

Chairman of the Boating Industry Association, Greg Bennett says the current marine engine marketplace is characterised by steady growth and a massive technology race. Moreover, in the absence of official boat sales statistics for this country, its figures provide the best indication of growth in that sector too. The latest figures reveal industry-wide growth of 25% in outboard motor sales in the year to April 2007.

On the technology race, he adds: “This race is primarily being fuelled by the USA’s EPA emission standards for marine engines, which change every two years. As a result, we now have lower emission engines that perform at greater levels, while using less fuel. This is commendable, but in a country like South Africa with a fuel sulphur content of 500 parts per million – compared to the 40 parts per million limit of the USA – the Third World really meets the First when you fuel your hi-tech engine.”

He cautions buyers to be cognisant of this when buying hi-tech engines; to use only the highest quality fuel available and to introduce additional fuel filters where possible.

Bennett is also Product Director of the Marine Products Division of Yamaha Distributors SA, which has dominated the outboard market with more than 50% market share for over 26 years. Speaking in this capacity, he says the reason for Yamaha’s dominance of the local market is threefold: “Firstly, it’s the Yamaha philosophy of building products so reliable you could stake your life on them. Secondly it’s because we have the biggest dealer network. Lastly, its thanks to our wide product range of 95 different 2- and 4-stroke models.

“Our products literally cater for everyone from the marine working class, with our robust, pre-mix Africa-proof engines, right up to the 4-stroke, fuel-injected, computer controlled engines you’ll find on Knysna Lagoon, and absolutely every level in between. You’ll get a very good idea of the extent of this range, at our expo stand.”

If, while viewing these awesome displays, you should feel compelled to upgrade your boat or to leap in and join the boating fraternity, visit Absa Leisure Asset Finance’s expo stand. Absa is the new headline sponsor of the show, and has several innovative product and finance options for the boating industry.

One thing is certain the Absa National Boat Show 2007 is going to bigger, better and wetter, with more boats on show than ever before! Whatever the level of your interest or experience in powerboating, watersports or both, this is the one show that will give you a 360-degree view of what’s on offer.
More details: www.nationalboatshow.co.za

– PR –