Climb the riggings, hit the decks. It’s time for the annual Boat Show

Climb the riggings, hit the decks. It’s time for the annual Boat Show.

Sydneysiders will soon see boats pulling into the Harbour for the 2009 Sydney International Boat Show which starts this month, 30 July. Organised by the Boating Industry Association of New South Wales, the event will be packed with new vessels and products, historic boats and entertainment. The five day show is not just for experienced boaties, the events and guest speaker presentations cater to the whole family and will be valuable for those who are keen to learn more about boating.

Special event: Boat Building Competition
Ever wondered how to build a boat? For a quick and fun lesson, visit the boat building competition in Darling Harbour where the teams will battle it out to construct a boat. The teams will have two hours to create their boats which will be put to the test when they set sail around Cockle Bay and Darling Harbour.  The competition draws many shipwrights and provides for an entertaining afternoon as the teams will discover if their vessels sink or make it back to dry land safely.

The Boat Building Competition is staged by the Shipwrights and Boatbuilders Association of NSW (SBA) and the Boating Industry Association of NSW Ltd (BIA), organisers of the Sydney International Boat Show. The lesson will start at 10am and the race will start at 2.30pm on Saturday, 1 August near the IMAX in Darling Harbour.

The 42nd Boatshow not only promises to have exciting and interesting events, the show will also display innovative products.

New product: Sealegs

A rigid, inflatable boat (RIB) with a unique feature is driving strongly into the Australian market. Sealegs is a range of ‘amphibious’ craft that has motorised wheels for on-land use; and makes for a powerful speed boat when in the water.

Driven by a 90-150 horsepower motor, Sealegs is an ideal ski boat or recreational craft capable of speeds up to 37 knots (60km/hour). The hull is constructed of a durable Hypalon material which is resistant to a range of extreme conditions. When the boat comes to shore, the three motorised ‘legs’ or wheels are lowered to drive over land and beaches, minimising the hassle of storing the boat from storage to water. With excellent terrestrial capabilities, the Sealegs craft can climb slopes to a 1:4 grade or negotiate 1:3 downhill descent travelling up to 10km/hour.

Check out the first Sealegs to arrive in Australia at Hall 5, Stand 105A.

Date:    Thursday 30 July – Monday 3 August
Venue:  Darling Harbour, Sydney
Times:  Open every day 10am-8pm (halls) and 10am-6pm (marina)
Cost:    $18 (Adults), $42 (Family ticket admitting two adults and up to three children aged 6-17 years), $16 (Senior cardholders), $12 (Aged Pensioner cardholders) and $10 (Child aged 6-17 years). Children 5 years and younger are admitted free.  Three-day VIP pass is $39 which allows entry to any three days of the show (one person per day).
Website:        www.sydneyboatshow.com.au