There are positive signs for New Zealand’s marine industry if public interest shown at the country’s largest boat show is anything to go by.
The New Zealand Boat Show is currently being held at the Epsom Showgrounds in Auckland.
Large crowds have flocked to the show and two boat builders told 1News today that they are very pleased with the retail response.
Whakatāne based Surtees Boats employs 63 staff, including seven apprentices.
General Manager Cliff Schick says the company’s sold nine boats since the Boat Show opened.
“We’re up to number nine (sales) on day three,” he says. “So we’ve got today and tomorrow to go so we’re hoping to get a bit closer to twenty sales.”
Whangārei based Offshore Boats NZ is also pleasantly surprised by the response.
The company is now in its fourth year and employs 15 staff.
Company founder Jonathan Barlow says his boats range in price from $150,000 to $700,000 and many of his customers are humble, hard working people.
“I think people like cool stuff and if it ticks the box and people like it, they generally buy it,” Barlow says.
“Yes there’s been a downturn in a different market in the boating industry but if you build the right product people will buy it.”
The latest data from the NZ Marine Industry Association reveals around two million Kiwis participated in boating activity in the last 12 months.
The association says that makes boating the country’s largest leisure activity with 40% of the population participating.
The Boat Show is open for its final day tomorrow.
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