Melbourne Boat Show 2015 | Complete Guide

The 2015 Melbourne Boat Show had all but sold out all five halls of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, according to the BIAV Melbourne organisers.

2015 MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW EXHIBITORS LIST

Scroll down to see the highlights or jump straight to each manufacturer.

AUSSIE BOAT SALES

Aussie Boat Sales will display 17 boats at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, with an emphasis on several new models from sporty American marque Chaparral boats. Heading the line-up is the 24ft10in 250 SunCoast, the first (and this stage, only) outboard-powered model Chaparral has built in 25 years. Sharing top billing will be Chaparral’s Vortex jetboat range. Also at the Aussie Boat Sales stand will be fishing boats from Robalo Boats (above) and new alloy brand Morningstar, plus a static display for Australian luxury boatbuilder Elandra.

BAR CRUSHER

Bar Crusher will have almost a full complement of models on display this year, from the impressive Bar Crusher 780HT through to the just-released Bar Crusher 490WR and 490C (above).

These two aluminium fishing boats are aimed squarely at entry-level boat buyers and those looking to step-up from pressed-aluminium tinnies. So, the Bar Crusher 490 hull series brings Bar Crusher’s renowned quality and performance within reach of more people with its mid-$30K price tag.

More info: Bar Crusher at the Melbourne Boat Show.

BOATS & MORE

Boats & More are excited to be displaying a great range of fishing boats, wake boats and bow riders at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show on Stands D9 and D6. There will be a range of Haines Hunter boats on display including the new release Haines Hunter 565R. Once again there will be a 565 Offshore on display at an unbelievable price. There will also be a 520R and 495 Profish on display.

On the aluminium side of things there will be a huge range of Clark boats on display including the Predator, Kakadu SC, Bay Hunter, Estuary Pursuit, Rebel CC and Dominator models. On Stand D6, just opposite their main stand, will be a range of Anglapro boats including the Sniper, Getaway, Outlaw and Trixsta models.

There will be four MB Wake Boats on display, including the F21 Tomcat, F22 Tomcat, B52 21 and the new release B52 23.

The new release Larson FX1750DC will be on display and is sure to impress. There will be a range of Larson Bowriders on display including the LSR2000, LX195S and the LX 180 SE.

BRP EVINRUDE / CRANBOURNE BOATING CENTRE

Although BRP doesn’t have a stand of its own, expect a good amount of the new Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboards motors on display including a 200HO hanging off our Haines V19R project boat (above).

Check out the wicked Tournament Bluewater Hardtop, a long-awaited 6.25m family cruiser-cum-fishing weapon. We also hear that CBC’s range of Formosa Tomahawk and Classic alloy boats will be discounted for the show. Get in fast, Formosa sell well and are often in short supply.

CARIBBEAN BOATS

Caribbean Boats this this year is represented by Melbourne dealer St Kilda Boat Sales. This boat dealership will present two of the popular Victorian-made boats at this year’s show. They include the 6.3m Caribbean Reef Runner Mk II half cabin and the newest in the fleet, the 7m 2300 Outboard.

The Reef Runner Mk II was first introduced to the public at last year’s Melbourne show and features a new cabin bulkhead with lockable door, seating redesign and more.

CRAWFORD MARINE

Morwell-based boat dealer Crawford Marine will use its Melbourne Boat Show presence to specifically highlight the Savage fibreglass range of boats (as opposed to aluminium), which is its speciality. Centre stage on its display will be the walkaround Savage 655 Hard Top, making its premiere at the Melbourne show.

DUNBIER GROUP

“If it floats we can build a trailer for it!” So if you didn’t know what Dunbier/Mackay trailers do, you do now.

With more than 95 years of trailer know-how, it’s fair to say they’ve seen it all, meaning if you have a difficult-shaped hull or question, this is a good time to talk to the experts that can design and fabricate a trailer for, well, anything that floats.

EDENCRAFT BOATS

Rumour has it that Edencraft Boats will showcase an all carbon-fibre Edencraft 233 Formula. We hear this boat will debut with a pair of 300hp Suzuki outboards. Also on show will be a customer’s 600, also with twin Suzuki outboard motors. An all-carbonfibre Edencraft 233 has the chance to be a total show stopper.

More info: Carbon Fibre Edencraft 233 Formula at the Melbourne Boat Show.

EVOLUTION BOATS

Paul and the team from Evolution Boats will be presenting Paul’s own Evolution 652 Hardtop running a pair of E-TEC G2 outboards, as well an Evolution 600, 552 and 500. People that have dealt with Paul at shows appreciate how good it is to talk to the person that designs and makes the boats when looking to buy. If you can’t find him at the stand, try the Boat Show prize area where a 500 is being fitted out by Evolution’s team of apprentices.

FUSION AUDIO

Fusion has one of the smallest stands at the show, but you could literally hear them from anywhere. In the past they may have been told off for demonstrating their marine stereos (!!) but the wattage on display at the stand is truly remarkable. This year marks the release of the new Fusion 650 and 750 series head units and the all-new Signature Series marine speakers.

GEELONG BOATING CENTRE

There’s truly something for everyone amid Geelong Boating Centre’s display this year, from tough tinnies to locally-made offshore weapons and even a few big, burly Kiwis to take you over the horizon.

Queensland plate builder Formosa Marine is launching its new-look Sea-Rod range at the Melbourne Boat Show. Also on display will be the versatile fibreglass range from Ocean Master Boats and White Pointer Boats will again make a splash with these Kiwi-built swell-crushers. Keep an eye out for the White Pointer 750 Sports Cruiser, plus a 620 Sports Hardtop.

GME ELECTRONICS

Among the highlights at the new-look GME marine electronics stand will be a suite of new gear and gadgets that take in everything from communications to on-water entertainment. Star of the Boat Show this year is the compact new GME GX700 VHF marine radio that offers clever installation options where space is limited.

Also keep an eye out for the G-DEK stereo, comprising a remote head unit and a multimedia hub that can use virtually any source you might care to store your media on. And it’ll keep your phone safe and dry, too.

HAINES HUNTER

Launching at the this year’s Melbourne Boat Show is a new high-end BMT package from Haines Hunter boats, Mercury Marine and Easytow trailers, designed to help people get out on the water.

“It can be difficult and time consuming to research and buy your boat, motor and trailer separately – especially if you are new to boating – so we’ve created this partnership to give people an easy solution which they can really trust,” said Haines Hunter’s Tim Davies.

There are a number of dealers participating in the program, including: BayMarine (Melbourne), Boats & More (Shepparton), Sports Marine (Adelaide), Matthew Willett Marine (Sydney) and Leisure Coast Marine (Wollongong).

More info: Haines Hunter packages at the Melbournre Boat Show.

HOBIE CAT

While all the key models in the Hobie range have had some form of update in the past 12 months, there are a couple of all-new products likely to catch the eye of the keen kayak fisherman at the Melbourne Boat Show.

The new Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 17T makes its Melbourne debut. This 5.2m rotomoulded polyethylene tandem fishing kayak is powered by Hobie’s MirageDrive pedal system, and provides an affordable and straightforward means of inland waterway and coastal fishing.

Also featuring among an array of Hobie products (including the iconic Hobie Cat racer) will be the completely redesigned Mirage Adventure Island single-person sailing trimaran kayak, again just for fun or fishing.

INVERLOCH MARINE

There’s little chance of missing Inverloch Marine’s Extreme Boats display at the show. The Victorian boatyard is presenting six vessels from Kiwi builder Extreme Boats, providing show visitors a chance to see these plate alloy beauties up close. These premium vessels are finished to a standard rarely seen on either side of the Tasman, testament to the brand’s recent awards at the Hutchwilco Boat Show, winning ‘Best Aluminium Fishing Boat 6-7m’ and ‘Best Aluminium Fishing Boat Under 6m’.

JEANNEAU

Now for something completely different: a keelboat display from Cheltenham’s 38 South Boat Sales. Believed to be the first bluewater sailing cruiser ever shown inside the event, on show will be the 37ft 2in Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 379 from the French luxury boats yard.

She won’t be hard to miss either as this mid-size cruiser will have her rig and sails up, only half a metre shy of the 18m Exhibition Centre ceiling. Jeanneau powerboats are also exhibited, headed by the Merry Fisher 695 Marlin and 695 Marlin, plus a Cap Camarat 5.1 CC.

JV MARINE WORLD

JV Marine World generally has one of the biggest display areas at the Melbourne Boat Show and this year is no different, with more than 50 new boat packages heading a diversified exhibit.

For show patrons, the dealership says it has specials across the entire range of Quintrex aluminium boats, Haines Signature fibreglass boats, Yellowfin plate offshore boats, Four Winns luxury bowriders and cruisers, Revival fibreglass runabouts and cuddy fishing boats, Kawasaki PWCs, Suzuki four-stroke outboards, E-TEC outboards and Dunbier trailers.

For the funsters, JV World has the new Kawasaki jetski range of supercharged PWCs on show: the Kawasaki Ultra 310LX, Ultra 310X and Ultra 310R and all rated at 310hp.

The team from JV World says: “There is no better time to grab a serious bargain than at the Melbourne Boat Show!”

MASTERCRAFT MELBOURNE

MasterCraft Melbourne will exhibit 10 wake and skiboats from MasterCraft, including one in the entry concourse.

Headlining the display is the new MasterCraft NXT 22 in an Australian show premiere. The 22-footer is from the new MasterCraft NXT series, designed as affordable entry-level towboats for the buyer who finds the marque’s premium boats just out of financial reach, but still needs the quality Mastercraft provide.

MELBOURNE BOAT BROKERS

The Victorian-built Skicraft Century RV will take pride of place at the Melbourne Boat Brokers (MBB) stand this year, alongside a range of other Skicraft models, plus skiboats from XFI and Roswell.

In fact, every Skicraft boat at the Melbournre Boat Show MBB stand will be fitted with a Roswell audio system and the team will also showcase the new range of Roswell racks and towers for towsports.

MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE

While the well-known dealership based in the outer Melbourne suburb of Hallam, Melbourne Marine Centre will have 22 boats on its sizeable stand, most interest will focus on its newest brand Bayliner boats (above).

Melbourne Marine Centre recently became the Melbourne distributor (taking over from Avante Marine Boronia) for the giant US pleasureboat builder and will have six Bayliner boats on show. Melbourne Marine Centre adds that its boat portfolio targets the family and dedicated anglers and will also display some of Stacer’s popular alloy boats and respected offshore fibreglass fishers from South Australia’s Northbank, plus Mercury outboards and Dunbier trailers.

MELBOURNE SEA-DOO

PWC junkies will be in for a bonus at the Melbourne Sea-Doo display, the Essendon Fields-based dealership offering special deals on all 2014 run-out stock.

If that’s not enough, there will be 11 jetskis on show led by the top-of-the-range 260hp Sea-Doo GTX LTD iS 260. But that’s not all this luxury jetski boasts, including eye-watering performance from the 1.5lt supercharged 1503 HO Rotax 4-TEC engine, and more.

MERCURY MARINE

The big Mercury Marine display is headed by two star attractions, both brand-new outboards from the three-category supercharged Verado range, the 350hp FourStroke and Mercury Racing’s 400R which impressed us at thier Miami Boat Show launch.

The Mercury Verado 350 and 400R outboards expand the high-performance Verado portfolio to 13 engines.

Of course, it won’t be just the big guns from the Mercury stable at the show, the company displaying MotorGuide electric trolling motors, outboards from small 2.5hp TwoStrokes, MerCruiser and Mercury Diesel petrol and diesel inboard and sterndrive engines up to 430hp, as well as jet drives and specialist racing engines producing up to 1650hp.

MONTE CARLO YACHTS

A touch of Euro chic comes to the Melbourne Boat Show in the guise of the luxury 45ft Monte Carlo MC4S sports coupe.

Presented by Sandringham’s Sundance Marine, the beautiful Italian designed Monte Carlo MC4S, hull no.2, is making its Australian premiere in a coup for show organiser.

MY MARINE

Dromana’s MY Marine stages the Australian premiere of the Stabicraft 1600 Carbon series (above) from New Zealand.

The Stabicraft 1600 Fisher and Frontier feature at the MY Marine stand, the dealership also representing two other respected NZ marques in Surtees and Rae Line, as well as Honda outboard motors.

More info: Stabicraft 1600 Fisher Carbon at the Melbourne Boat Show.

NAUTEK MARINE

Most of you will know Nautek Marine as major partner to our much-loved N19Rrr (Haines Hunter V19R project boat). At this year’s show they will be representing the brands they see and support as industry best: Garmin, Raymarine, Fusion, Furuno and more, as well as offering installation options.

NAVICO

Navico will be representing Lowrance, B&G and Simrad from stand B13. This year we have already seen some major releases from Navico, not least the all new Simrad Halo radar, a system launched only last month in its motherland, New Zealand.

Halo radar is revolutionary in its ability to accurately define close-field and long-range targets (20ft to72nm from the 6ft array) with extreme precision. Full demonstrations will be available and orders can be taken on the new 3, 4 and 6-foot arrays. Also released and on display at the show is the HDS Gen3 Lowrance range.

PHILLIP ISLAND MARINE

Talk Phillip Island Marine, and you’re talking Arvor. The Melbourne Boat Show will feature the first Victorian appearance of the all-new Arvor 690D/730D shaftdrive diesel-powered boats. Also on the stand will be the latest outboard-powered Arvor 755 Sportsfish (shown), plus Stacer tinnies and accessories.

PORT PHILLIP BOATING CENTRE

Point Cook’s Haines Hunter specialist Port Phillip Boating Centre will have something new for Haines Hunter fans in the form of the new 565 Offshore launched earlier this year.

Among the dozen other Haines Hunter boats on show, from the Haines Hunter 495 through to the 760R, will be the Trade-a-Boat Boat of the Year category winner, the Haines Hunter 675 Offshore.

REGAL MARINE & MALIBU

Regal Marine is the most successful Malibu agent in Australia and probably the pacific. The Malibu Wakesetter 22 LSV will be making an appearance alongside most of the range including the epic Wakesetter 23 VLX.

The more affordable but still tech heavy Axis wakeboats range will be represented with the new Axis T22. Look for their always well laid out and staffed stand and if you have any technical riding questions, we hear some of the Malibu pro riders will be about and available to help.

SEALEGS

Peter Sergeant at Blairgowrie Marina Services is better known as “Sealegs Sarge”, handling the unique range of Sealegs amphibious watercraft. Pete has had five years’ experience providing sales, after-sales, servicing and warranty work.

Sealegs has five models available and featuring at the Melbourne Bow Show will be the largest, the 7.7 Cabin, joined by a 7.1 RIB and a 6.1 D-Tube.

SIROCCO MARINE MELBOURNE

Apart from Sirocco Marine Melbourne introducing itself to the public for the first time at the Melbourne Boat Show, the new inflatable boat dealership stages the world launch of the Brig Navigator 520.

The 5.2m Brig Navigator 520 (shown) is the new entry-level RIB to the four-model Navigator centre console range. Most of the Ukrainian-built Brig inflatables range, including Eagle and Falcon variants, will be on-show at Melbourne, plus a choice of Sirocco Tenders.

SKIFORCE

Skiforce has every form of watersports covered and within the massive show display this year, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Even if your preferred form of watersports is kicking back in the sun with an icy beverage, the Sylvan Pontoon range will have something to suit.

Don’t miss the stunning Nautique G23 (shown), alongside a G21, 230, 210, the multifaceted Sport 200 and for the skiers, a 200 Ski.

STREAKER BOATS

Long-time Melbourne Boat Show regulars Leon and Paul Savage’s Streaker Boats present its award-winning fleet plus a large display of Quintrex aluminium alloy boats and a collection of the latest fibreglass models from Cruise Craft.

In a boat show debut Streaker also displays the new-release 20-foot-plus Quintrex 610 Trident Hard Top. Outboards are also highlighted at the Streaker stand, headed by the recently released Yamaha F130 engine and Mercury’s new 135hp four-stroke outboard.

THE MARINE SHOP

Melton’s boat specialist, The Marine Shop (TMS), will have up to 15 boats on show, primarily from its Savage aluminium range. In particular, the Savage 575 Bluewater will make its Melbourne Boat Show debut, along with the Scorpion range of family runabouts and fishing craft released late last year.

A Mercury dealer, The Marine Shop will also present the brand’s range of outboards and inflatable RIBS, as well as a range of fishing equipment.

TRADE-A-BOAT

Yes, folks we’re ‘boat-showing’ too, and we are bringing two of our own, in our ever popular Haines V19R project boat and our current subscription prize, the Stabicraft 1650 Fisher giveaway boat.

Subscriptions will be for sale, as will goodie bags full of things you need, or didn’t realise you need ... yet. Don’t be afraid to drop by us to have a chat about all things floaty – see you there!

TRANSTYLE TRAILERS

Transtyle Trailers might be based in Melbourne but its reach is growing fast with trailers finding hulls right up the eastern coastline.

Why? Because its torsion-style suspension and light but strong design means easier towing and lighter loads, important factors when towing your pride and joy. We have tested an AT-1700 for nearly 6000km under our Jack’s Lap giveaway boat without incident.

Hoang and the team can help with trailers for multihull boats, PWCs and almost anything that hooks to the back of your tow vehicle.

VOLVO PENTA

Following the release at the 2015 Miami Boat Show, Volvo Penta’s next-generation 200-C and 240-C 4.3lt V6S will feature in an Australian show premiere on the Whittley Marine Group stand.

WHITTLEY MARINE GROUP

In a world launch, Whittley will present the S.U.R.F Cruiser 247 concept heading its 15 boat exhibit. The builder is claiming the S.U.R.F. is the first liveaboard towboat, the 24-footer powered by either a Volvo Penta V6 or V8, both with the new Volvo Forward Drive leg with front-facing Duoprop.

Also on-show for the first time is the Fishfinder 2100, based on the popular CR 2080 cruiser this new model is, as the name suggests, aimed at dedicated anglers.

YAMAHA

The all-new Yamaha VXR WaveRunner range hits the stands at Melbourne alongside the new Yamaha F130A outboard, Yamaha F115B and, a favourite of ours, the F200G outboards.

The VXR PWC is the pinnacle of Yamaha’s WaveRunner range and stands to set hearts pumping with massive performance from its 1.8lt engine, with a claimed 50mph arriving in under 1.8 seconds. The new VXR also features Yamaha’s impressive RiDE duel throttle control system with left hand brake and reverse. 

Also on the stand will be the new Yamaha F130A outboard, a development of the Yamaha F115B outboard and one we were impressed by when testing behind a range of boats locally.

Joining the F130 and F115 sisters will be the popular Yamaha F200G, a motor we ran for more than a year on our Haines V19R project boat as well as most of the accessory range.