Auckland's Viaduct: vital and viable

By ROBIN BAILEY

Two of the people most closely involved with the staging of the Boating New Zealand On-the-Water Boat Show last weekend, and most of the exhibitors, agree on one thing. The Viaduct Harbour must remain the place where this country's marine industry can promote itself at the doorway to the City of Sails.

Boating Industries Association executive director Peter Busfield, along with Scott Milne, the Auckland city councillor who chairs the recreation and events committee, worked quickly together once the decision was made to move the show dates back two weeks when a clash with the tail end of the America's Cup regatta looked likely.

It proved to be the right decision, in part because more space was made available for the off-the-water components of the show, including engines, chandlery and electronics.

Busfield says his team is elated with the actual and projected sales generated by the event, which featured boats in the $300,000 to $2 million-plus bracket on view. First indications are that the figure will top $20 million. Another important factor was the standard of exhibits, which was right up with top international shows.

Milne says the city was concerned the decision to delay the show could have resulted in a shambles. Instead, the Viaduct was pumping with ordinary Kiwis promenading with the obscenely wealthy. It was a superb effort by the marine industry and, coming only a week after the Dragon Boat Festival, it proves beyond doubt a healthy, dynamic and varied life is a reality in the Viaduct following the departure of that Cup, says Milne.

He adds a plea echoed by Busfield and others. The future of the Viaduct Harbour must be assured. The success of the show gives strength to the argument of those who are working hard to ensure a good chunk of Syndicate Row remains in public hands. Only if this happens can we be sure sufficient land and water is retained to stage future marine shows, festivals and events like the Volvo Ocean Race.

Happy exhibitors are what boat shows are all about, and the comments of a trio of industry leaders indicate the Viaduct Harbour is the place to be to do business.

Grant Senior, Formula Boats: "An excellent show. We'll be here next year with twice as much space. The venue is great, and having quality boats all around means buyers can see what's available in their price range. It's the only place to display boats at our end of the market."

Kim McDell, McDell Marine: "The show has been surprisingly good. We didn't expect a huge amount of interest, but we have come away with some excellent prospects, both from international visitors and a few local people. This is the first time the New Zealand-built versions of the British Oyster range have been shown here. We have built 11 of them so far, but they have all gone offshore immediately. It's great to be able to show them to the local market."

On-the-Water show regular Eric Knight, from Logan Classic Boats in Whangarei, stood out among the modern gin-palaces, and deliberately so. He makes modern-material versions of the Arch Logan-designed 1912 launch Coquette.

"This show is my only promotional effort each year," he says. "Looking around, I can safely say the Logan 33 is never going to date, unlike a lot of the other stuff here. We have consistently worked to bring down the price of the boat by including more moulded interior components. We are now looking at a sail-away version at $120,000, so the future is looking good."

That's the sort of talk that assures the future of the On-the-Water Boat Show. The right place, the right timing coming at the end of summer and - now the America's Cup has gone and there's more space - the right venue.