Sydney Boat Show 2016

[BruceK]

Sydney Boat Show 2016
We went last Sunday. It seemed moored boats displayed were mostly larger and more upmarket, with a few exceptions. Here`s what interested me.
De Fever exhibited a new 55LR(LOA 63ft) with single keel cooled JD 300hp, $1.8M AUD. Lovely boat, but no nicer than Sunchasers 48. You know it`s quality when you descend a spiral staircase to the sleeping cabins. Great ER, all opened up and well lit for inspection.
Alaska displayed a 49, trawler style, stunning finish, great solidity, a classy boat, but in reality a planing hull with twin 480 hp Cummins. Wish they made one with half the power and an SD hull. $1.2M
Integrity displayed a 32, 44, and 49. All without FB, and with single engines. Finish and design looks very good. I omitted to note pricing, but certainly under 1M even for the 49. I prefer seating both sides of the main cabin rather than dinette and galley taking all one side each. However, main cabin and the cockpit connect well, providing more seating for socializing. No ready ER access was provided but they tend to be tight in ER height. I`m still puzzled why there are so many low hour late model Integrity boats listed for resale.
Maritimo and Riviera were well represented, very similar boat ranges (both begun by Bill Barry Cotter who still runs Maritimo). We looked at Riviera, the 3600 SY(no FB), twin Volvo IPS, felt cramped, the 445SUV (no FB) twin 425 engines, $935K felt good, a nice boat, using the same hull as the popular Riv 43. The boats are gradually losing their "plastic fantastic" feel, but remain big volume boats. I prefer to avoid the Volvo IPS if possible. These boats are built to good standards, they are the standard.
Beneteau had a surprisingly roomy Trawler 30 on display instead of the 34 and 42 of past years, but as with the larger Beneteaus, as I (82kg)walked around it, the boat correspondingly rose and fell.
No GBs as such displayed this year, but there was a Palm Beach, a 50 I think, not inspected.
This is the last year the moored boats, and the trailer boats and marine products, will be displayed a dysfunctional ferry ride apart. Next year it will all be together at a rebuilt Exhibition Centre. At the second venue, we found Rex at the Sarca Anchor Right display, he and his wife were busy and reported good enquiry level and sales.
The displays of smaller trailered type boats were numerous, I`m thinking economic uncertainty is affecting larger boat sales and driving sales of smaller boats. An increasing number of the larger boats were being offered by syndication in addition to outright sale, but salami by the slice is not great value. Marinas are reporting that people seem not to have money to spend on their boats. But some big boats on display had "SOLD" stickers, so it`s not all doom and gloom in the boat sales.

 

[Peter B]

"Im thinking economic uncertainty is affecting larger boat sales and driving sales of smaller boats".

Dead right there Bruce. As I expected, the guy who looked at mine last Sunday took it no further. It looks like Lotus is clinging to me so much I might just have to move heaven and earth to retire and still keep her.

I share your feelings re the Alaska 49. I absolutely love that boat, and not having a flybridge is great. More room for solar. But yes, those two big hungry engines. On the other hand, I guess if you can afford the money for one, the fuel might not be that much of a negative.

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-sale/dealer/new/OAG-AD-7678384/2016-ALASKA-49-SEDAN?cr=2&psq=%28%28Make%3DAlaska%26%28%28%28SiloType%3DDealer%20used%20boats%7CSiloType%3DDealer%20new%20boats%29%7CSiloType%3DPrivate%20used%20boats%29%7CSiloType%3DDemo%20and%20near%20new%20boats%29%29%26Service%3DBoatsales%29&pso=0&pss=Premium

 

[Hickers]

Two engines hungry?? 2.31 litres per nautical mile at just over 8 knots!!


Hickers
Clipper 45
No Fixed Address

 

[Donsan]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the "economic uncertainty" issue in Australia? Sorry, our news here seems to be United States centric.....you know the Hilarious and Grumpy shows.

 

[BruceK]

Donsan, Aussies do follow world events. Here is my imperfect take on our economy. It dodged the bullet in 2008, mostly due to massive Chinese demand for iron ore and coal, and maybe ramped up Govt spending. Chinese demand and mineral prices are down now, and we hardly manufacture anything here. The economy is running ok, growing at 3%, but resists attempts to spark it up. We reduce inter bank interest rates, which should affect house loan rates, to fire demand and spending and lower our $, but people save the extra $ or pay off the bank faster but don`t spend, and our dollar holds or rises against yours (from where it was, ie 75/76c). The interest rate change even gets ignored to a degree, Banks even raised some deposit rates. It`s now 1.5%, yours is .5%, every time Yellen goes to raise yours it seems your economy coughs, so our situation is not bad by comparison, but we are thoroughly spoilt having had 25 "Goldilocks" years without a recession. Feeling is if we get one now, we are ill prepared to handle it. So it`s more an apprehension than anything else, but that can be enough to cause uncertainty, and cause people to pull up the drawbridge/circle the wagons, just in case.

 

[Tidahapah]

Bruce, I don't know about the Chinese demand for iron ore and coal being down. The prices are down but they are still breaking export records in all the iron ore and coal ports around Australia. Biggest problem is that we are getting very little of that export dollar back in the country.

 

[BruceK]

Thanks Benn. I thought volumes were still down as well as prices, didn`t realize we were at record export volumes. Wish we could get more $ from them, into Australia.

 

[Peter B]

Two engines hungry?? 2.31 litres per nautical mile at just over 8 knots!!

Hickers
Clipper 45
No Fixed Address

I was referring to the two 480hp Cummins 6.7L engines, which at the 20kn cruising speed would suck up a fair amount, but the comment others have made, that faster speed equals less time to get somewhere does make the higher consumption a bit easier to accept I guess - that and my comment about if you can afford a $900,000+ boat, the fuel is probably not the main concern.
I don't see many folk who own a boat like the Alaska doing 8kn for long, unless fuel getting low with still a long leg to complete.

 

[sunchaser]

Thanks Benn. I thought volumes were still down as well as prices, didn`t realize we were at record export volumes. Wish we could get more $ from them, into Australia.

Commodity prices largely swing based upon inventory levels and capacity shortages. The difference between over or under supply is a near knife edge balance. Strong demand and flat to low commodity prices do not necessarily equate to high prices for the supplier, i.e. Australian iron ore and coal companies.

The high Aussie dollar of a few years ago lead to both the suppliers and government chasing the golden goose, then bang. And the cycle begins anew. Supplier pullbacks and fewer profits to tax. All good reasons to say to hell with it and borrow for that new boat.

 

[Donsan]

The economy is running ok, growing at 3%, but resists attempts to spark it up. We reduce inter bank interest rates, which should affect house loan rates, to fire demand and spending and lower our $, but people save the extra $ or pay off the bank faster but don`t spend, and our dollar holds or rises against yours (from where it was, ie 75/76c). The interest rate change even gets ignored to a degree, Banks even raised some deposit rates. It`s now 1.5%, yours is .5%, every time Yellen goes to raise yours it seems your economy coughs, so our situation is not bad by comparison, but we are thoroughly spoilt having had 25 "Goldilocks" years without a recession. Feeling is if we get one now, we are ill prepared to handle it. So it`s more an apprehension than anything else, but that can be enough to cause uncertainty, and cause people to pull up the drawbridge/circle the wagons, just in case.

Most countries would be thrilled with a 3% growth rate. The US has been struggling to get to that level and we are around 2.5% and have been under 3% for the longest time. With so many baby boomers, it will be hard to obtain 3% until we get a much younger population about 20-30 years from now.

Saving money instead of spending??? What a novel concept. That never occurred to Americans!

Hope Australia can avoid a major recession. Undoubtedly it will occur sometime but I am impressed you avoided the Great Recession.

 

[BruceK]

Donsan, because of our budget deficit(nothing like yours!) is we need some spending and tax reform,but with neither main party holding a clear majority we are kind of paralyzed in terms of achieving reform. Australians subscribe to the idea "she`ll be right mate", hope it proves true. And yes, it amazed us how we sailed through the GFC. One problem of low interest rates for housing enabling greater borrowing, combined with a lack of housing stock, is that house prices are high, approaching bubble territory. Ok if you already own one, but if you don`t....

 

[BruceK]

The high Aussie dollar of a few years ago lead to both the suppliers and government chasing the golden goose, then bang. And the cycle begins anew. Supplier pullbacks and fewer profits to tax. All good reasons to say to hell with it and borrow for that new boat.

Indeed. And 3% interest on deposits with inflation just under 2%, is another encouragement to spend on a new boat.