As Australia opens up the industry prepares - MarineBusinessWorld Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 28 Oct 2021 22:00 UTC
Bothers Sam and Ryan Short at the Mosman HQ © Short Marine
With news that overseas flights will commence shortly from Australian airports, on the ground the marine industry is gearing up ahead of summer and the new year with boat shows due to resume throughout 2022. Already marketing plans are taking shape and in one instance a new partnership has been formed.
Short Marine - run by third generation members of the famous marine industry name, brothers Ryan and Sam - has really grown from their base at The Spit in Mosman on Sydney's renowned harbour. The industry, boats, and fishing are well and truly in their blood, and it shows with repeat customers, and massive weekly flow of vessels through their service division. Now the company has formed a partnership with Game and Leisure Boats. Dealer Principal, Graham McCloy, is continuing on at the Runaway Bay location, which will no doubt be fantastic news for the large and loyal customer base they have built up over the years. All of the Game and Leisure Boats team is also continuing on with their current roles inside the organisation, ensuring it really is business as usual.
With the future of the environment soon to be under debate in Glasgow it is timely for the Marina Industry Association to run an Oil Spill Response Course. An oil spill in a marina or boatyard requires fast and efficient action to mitigate the risk along with effective planning for such an event. This course can ensure marinas and boatyards have those involved in the response adequately trained and prepared for their roles. The course is structured as an hour self-study portion and two hours live online Zoom session with the presenter, Martin Silk, Group Risk Manager for d'Albora Marinas.
The next live online session is on 10 November 2021. It includes how to gain knowledge in responding to spills of oils and chemicals, how to be actively involved in the setting up and maintenance of spill response equipment and the proper storage, use and disposal of liquids at specified sites, being aware of the W.H.S and environmental aspects of spills and conversant with their responsibilities under the S.O.P's, and how to identify common issues with other local marinas and develop improvement strategies.
A range of new products have been released this week. Raymarine announces Cyclone™, the newest range of open-array radars, conceived and crafted to give mariners the confidence to tackle the harshest conditions, gain distinct advantages in the hunt for fish, and safely navigate busy waterways. All-new Cyclone radars are available in 3-, 4- and 6-foot arrays and two high-power output options for each size. Each model features innovative detection technologies, including Cyclone Bird Mode, that elevates Cyclone into a class all its own.
Meanwhile Garmin® International announced the GMR Fantom™ 18x and GMR Fantom 24x solid state dome radars, offering 50 watts of output power for long range and better target detection on the water, even at high speeds. Equipped with Garmin's signature MotionScope™ technology, the new high-powered Fantom 18x/24x radomes can detect and highlight moving targets in different colours, providing mariners with valuable vessel position information, track weather and more.
And staying with 'big boat' items Vesper Marine announced the activation of Hailer and Fog-Horn capability on all existing Cortex M1 hubs when upgraded to software version 1.7. The free update also includes enhancements to VHF control and sensor flexibility. The key new feature of the software update is the addition of a Loudspeaker Mode, which enables Horn and Hailer control of a 30W loudspeaker connected to the Cortex Hub. It makes use of hardware that was included in all Cortex Hubs from the first day of manufacturing. Horn and Hailer can be operated from the new Loudspeaker menu option on Cortex Handsets and the Cortex Onboard app on smartphones. In an emergency, a boater can alert surrounding vessels without necessarily being at the helm by either using their smartphone or the portable H1P Cortex Handset.
Two new boats became available in Australia this week. The brand new trailerable Arvor 625 Sportsfish is a perfect size. Designed to maximise every bit of deck space, and with a well-equipped fully enclosed cabin, early starts or overnighters are easy. Add the class-leading power options up to 150hp, a range of optional equipment packs, and great times on the water are guaranteed. The first of the 625 Sportsfish models are expected in Australia in February 2022.
From Axopar, the new 45. Axopar redeveloped the new Axopar 37 "Revolution" in 2020 with over 380 design updates and changes from the earlier 37 model. This new range has now become one of the biggest selling 37 footers in the world with over 500 units built per year. Now with thousands of Axopars cruising in over 50 countries around the world and over 200 here down under, Axopar are truly tested for all climates and conditions. With this knowledge, it is now time to offer the new Axopar 45 flagship that has the same Axopar DNA as its smaller sister ships and will be a true driver's boat.
And news from our region includes ePropulsion, who announced this week it has expanded its management staff to include the hire of new marketing director and head of Hong Kong office, Rita Li. Chang Zhao has expanded her role from CMO and is now responsible for all marketing, sales and service for the company. In addition to expanding the marketing and executive management team the ePropulsion service staff has doubled to better serve their customers around the world.
From Germany we learn that boot Düsseldorf is back in full force. For the upcoming fair - 22 to 30 January 2022 - Messe Düsseldorf is expecting over 1,500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries. In 17 exhibition halls there will be everything the heart of the water sports enthusiast desires on 220,000 square meters of exhibition space. "The exhibitors at boot are fully on course for Düsseldorf," says a delighted Wolfram Diener, CEO Messe Düsseldorf, and reports a unique response from the industry.
This covers not only sailing and motor boats, but also in the luxury yacht segment as well as among suppliers of diving equipment and in trend sports, the global players will once again come ashore in Düsseldorf. "The international boat shows of the past few weeks have once again given the industry a powerful tailwind, the mood both at the fairs and at sailing events such as the Travemünder and Kieler Woche was bombastic. Athletes and the industry are simply happy to be able to meet in person again. With the 3G rule in force, nothing stands in the way of a successful boot Düsseldorf," explains Diener.
So, buckle up, lean back and feel the spray as we speed into summer and the new year with a feeling of optimism and the hope that we never see another two years that has transformed the world.
Stay safe,
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com