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9:06 PM Tue 26 May 2009 GMT
 | | 'Friday sunshine - 2009 Sanctuary Cove Boat Show'
MarineBusinessNews.com
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Well, SCIBS, as we refer to the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, is over for another year.
For 2009 it has gone down into the Queensland boat show history as a memorable one for the wrong reason, that being the horrendous weather which struck the eastern seaboard right through late May.
It was severe enough to cost SCIBS 25 percent of its scheduled allocation of time; the four-day show became a three-day show when the dreadful conditions prevented the completion of the complicated move-in process.
So, why have I referred to it almost as a 50/50 show?
Chiefly because I received 50/50 answers whenever I inquired as to what effect the weather conditions delivered to the show visitors and exhibitors.
For every person who thought the rain and strong winds had delivered a disastrous effect, to the show, there was another who thought it caused minimal disruption.
One would think that losing an entire day would have had a marked effect on sales.
Not so, according to the majority of exhibitors I spoke with.
Sure, they would have preferred a four-day exhibition, but none seemed too upset and organisers reported strong feedback from a saftey viewpoint.
Although visitor attendance topped the 36,000 mark, I feel sure the weather kept many from attending.
I made a point of talking with some show visitors and received what could only be termed 'mixed responses'.
Dave Miller, a former Melbourne resident now happily living the Gold Coast life, told me that buying a boat was one of the reasons behind his move from 'Mexico'.
'I've been here three months, now and the plan is to have a boat by this year's summer,' he explained.
'About $150,000 to spend, but apart from searching out a powerboat I'm yet to make a decision.'
Hope Island's Richie Cameron was at show with wife Debbie and the kids, Caitlin and Joshua and although boating is a favourite past time they're not yet ready to take the plunge and buy.
'Maybe one day, when the mortgage is a bit lower,' he laughed.
Dave Miller took the park n' ride option to the show, while the Cameron family were given a lift to the Hope Island Marina and walked in from there.
'The park n' ride was ok, I guess, but I'd much rather have driven in had parking been available,' Dave added/
Several other visitors I spoke with knew friends who 'gave the show a miss' because of the no parking situation.
One fellow told me his neighbours near his Mermaid Beach home all labelled the 'trial' of boat show access as being in the too hard basket.
I was rather surprised when speaking with show visitors that no one had any specific complaint about the weather other than the usual 'grizzle'.
One fellow, who did not give his name, said had it been fine and sunny 'I would have been out fishing or down at the beach.'
I would have thought the inclement conditions alone would have deterred visitors, but not according to the majority I spoke with.
Coomera Waters resident Don Johnson (who did not star in Miami Vice, he was quick to point out) was another lucky enough to get a lift close enough to enable him to walk in.
'I would not have driven in even if parking was available, because I'm meeting up with some mates and we intend to down a few beers in between exhibits,' he said.
Pensioner Clarrie Gordon, from Runaway Bay, described himself as 'a keen old fisho.'
'I can't afford a boat, but I'm always on the lookout for some tackle, so that's what attracted me here today,' he said.
Clarrie was not the least concerned about the weather.
'I was here when the real bad stuff chopped the Gold Coast up in 1974,' he added.
Boat show manager Harry Davis felt all involved, organisers, exhibitors, shop keepers, restaurants and bars had coped very well with the conditions.
'The scheduled opening day did cause numerous problems for us and general manager Mark Jensen was given little option other than declaring the show a no go for day one,' he said.
'Otherwise, I think everybody took the proverbial bit between their teeth and made the most of things.
'Damn the weather and full speed ahead,' he added.
One of the most pleasing things I personally noticed during the three days was the almost complete lack of 'gloom and doom' talk.
There was a pronounced air of confidence throughout.
Of course, there are always those who take the negative view, but at SCIBS, 2009 they were in the minority.
Let's keep 'em there.
by Bob Wonders
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Sellicks Hill, SA
