Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2023 success
The highly successful Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2023 has again proved how much Kiwis love their boating and fishing, organisers say.
Despite concerns about the state of the economy and a fairly scary weather forecast, organisers say the public flocked to the show, with almost 32,000 paying visitors hitting the event.
Boat Show awards
Whangarei’s Offshore Boats took home the Altus Industrial Aluminium Boat of the Show Supreme Winner award for the second year in a row.
Offshore’s winning Offshore 850HT also won the Boat of the Show Special Fishing Boat Open and Best New Model while the company’s Offshore 700HT won the Boat of the Show All Purpose Family Boat up to 7 metres award.
Other worthy Altus Industrial Aluminium Boat of the Show award winners were:
- Launch – Beneteau Antares II
- Specialist Fishing Boat Up To 6 Metres – Senator 500
- Specialist Fishing Boat Up To 7 Metres – Extreme 646 Walk Around
- Specialist Fishing Boat Up To 8 Metres – Innovision Boats 757 Explorer Custom
- All Purpose Family Boat Up To 6 Metres – Dreadnort V4000 Tiller
- All Purpose Family Boat Up To 8 Metres – Machina 731
- All Purpose Family Boat Open – Purekraft 800HT
The Altus Industrial Aluminium Boat of the Show Most Innovative Boat award went to the Marco Boats 500 Sojourn and the Most Innovative Product award was won by the Balex Ultra Trailer.
Surtees founder inducted into Hall of Fame
Surtees Boats founder, Neil Surtees, was recognised for his contribution to innovation and clever thinking in fishing boat design by being inducted into the New Zealand Boat Show Hall of Fame. Neil is still a shareholder in Surtees, which now produces 300-400 boats a year, employs over 60 people, including 11 apprentices, and boasts a comprehensive dealer network in both New Zealand and Australia. It also now sells into the US and Europe.
Among Surtees’ many innovations was the introduction of welded seams (most aluminium boats at the time were riveted); adding a flooding keel; creating a drive on/drive off trailer catch, and the invention of fold-away side seats and clip-on rod holders.
Dates announced for 2024 New Zealand boat show
With planning already well underway for next year’s show, organisers have announced that the 2024 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, will be held at the Auckland Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland on May 16-19, 2024.
