Brendon Grant (left), Phillip Jarvis and Hugh Stewart prepare the new Yamaha outboard engine for the boat show. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey
Brendon Grant (left), Phillip Jarvis and Hugh Stewart prepare the new Yamaha outboard engine for the boat show. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey
KEY POINTS:
Big fish and small fry will rub shoulders over the next four days at New Zealand's biggest boat show.
Around 30,000 people are expected to attend the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show.
Some might part with close to $1 million to snare the boat of their dreams. Othersmight just pick up some bait.
Together they'll spend around $24 million on boats and boating accessories, making the show the most important event on the marine industry's calendar, organiser Dave Gibbs says.
"This is the showcase event of the year."
It's a far cry from the show's start more than 50 years ago when a collection of boating clubs decided to get together and have a bit of a show and tell in the Farmers carpark.
In a nice hangover from those days, the rights to the show are still owned by the Auckland Water Ski Club, which channels the profits back into the sport and the industry in general.
The show has been moved from its traditional Queen's Birthday weekend slot, when it has been held for the past 26 years.
On display will be fibreglass and aluminium craft, outboard motors in a vast range of makes and horsepowers, electronic navigation devices, fish finders, anchor winches and pretty much everything else you can think of relating to the marine industry.
Exhibitors, of which there are 230, have paid up to $28,000 to show off their wares at the mostly covered 30,000sq m site.
One major attraction is sure to be Yamaha's V8 outboard, the first engine of its type, which will be on display for just the second time in the world. The price tag is more than $45,000 for the 350hp outboard.
The most expensive boat on show is the $992,000 six-berth gin palace Sea Ray 44, which includes twin diesel engines, three DVD players and more drink holders than you can shake a Pimms and ginger ale at.
Parked close by is the entry-level Fryan 440 tinny, which can be towed away for a snip under $20,000.
"That's the great thing about the show," Mr Gibbs said, "there's something for everybody."
