Is your boat a shiny pair of Italian loafers, or is it more of a Dunlop Volley? Like your favourite pair of shoes, your boat makes a statement. What does it say about you?

We put it to the boating enthusiasts of the Gold Coast to find out their honest opinions. Funny or witty, lighthearted or sarcastic, frank or judgmental – whatever your take is on the thoughts of three local boaties, Tom Carlisle, Jack Lester and Brent Churchill, may leave you having second thoughts about what next boat to buy.

Sailing Boat

Tom Carlisle has had years of experience on the Gold Coast waterways. Tom believes that sailing boats are generational; and owners are likely to encourage the next generation to hit the water in the same such way. “Owners vary from humble working class families to the wealthiest individuals on the planet, all sharing a common understanding and passion,” he says.

Jack Lester finds that sailors enjoy living aboard, provided they can brave some mad weather from time to time. “Generally, sailors are a good breed of folks with some incredibly diverse and fascinating backgrounds,” he says.

Pontoon Boat

Tom believes that pontoon boat owners can be segmented into two groups. “About half are sold to first time boat owners – middle aged, with an established family, a disposable income and a new house, which lends itself to a pontoon boat,” he states. “The other half are experienced boaties that have owned and sold lots of boats – typically having just sold their big boat because they were not getting enough use out of it.”

Boat savvy Brent Churchill finds that those owning a pontoon boat are normally after a more social experience, rather than being concerned with their image. “They are after all the extras without paying top dollar. Pontoon boat owners care for comfort over style,” says Churchill.

Tom agrees, “While they love the idea of the great outdoors, they also enjoy going home to sleep in the comfort of an air-conditioned bedroom and a pillow top Sealy King.”

Yacht

Jack sees yacht owners as the best people to seek for help or advice on the waterways. “A generally magnificent group of humans, divided by the monohull/multihull conundrum,” he says with an unashamed bias. “Salt of the earth folks.”

Tom finds yacht owners to fall into two types. “Yacht owners are either middle aged, self-employed and leveraged to the high hills, or pushing retirement and enjoying the fruits of their labour.”

Brent beats around the bush. “Yachts are rich people’s boats. They don’t care what boating enthusiasts think and are sick of sailing.”

Wake Boat

Jack finds wakeboard boaties are thrill seekers, enjoying what the lifestyle offers. “They generally cause little trouble of which I am aware.”

Tom believes wake boat owners, like jet ski owners, have earned themselves a special place on the social list for boaties. “Wake boats throw out huge wake, go figure?” He finds that no boaties delve quite as deeply into the lifestyle like wake boat owners do. “You rarely see a family wagon stickered up, or kids wearing flat caps at the skate park,” he notes. “Though for wakeboard boaties, the only question is – how big of a sticker can you fit, and does that hat come in black?”

Fishing Boat

Jack believes fishermen are masters of the sea and best avoided and left to their task. “They will assist where they can. But at the end of the day, they need to make money,” he states. “Recreational fisherman are living the dream and generally do not pose any problems.”

Brent finds it difficult to understand owners of fishing boats. “They have wasted their money on a boat for a sport with little excitement involved,” he finds. “I don’t understand them or the logic.”

Jet Ski

Jack finds that jet skis are a more accessible point-of-entry to our waterways, and he says the drivers are usually those who would not bother with boats. “Tattoos are not essential, but common, and some have a slim grasp of marine etiquette. I must confess though that I have been saved from two incidents on the water by jet ski riders, so I can’t be too harsh!”

Tom finds that jet skiers are to the boating community as “P-platers” are to those on the roads. “Sure there are some good ones, but even they understand they are greatly out-numbered.”

Dinghy

Jack finds that there are generally two types of dinghy driver: the yacht tender owner and the ‘tinny rat’. “The former regularly scoops garbage from our waterways, and are responsible and often heroic. Tinny rats are pesky individuals indeed. But then, we were all young once!”

Boat savvy Brent finds dinghy drivers as “very poor boating enthusiasts”. “A dinghy owner is typically an under-aged hoon that has been given a means to cause havoc on the waterways,” he says frankly. “They should be banned.”

Here’s to hoping dinghy drivers of Broadbeach redeem themselves for the sake of Brent!

By Sophia Sorensen

The post Stereotyping Your Boat appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast is renowned for its year-round temperate climate and enviable natural environment, whose features dominate the landscape and define the city’s unique lifestyle – from its coastline of golden sands giving rise to the city’s name, to the ample bays and endless weaving waterways that flow like veins throughout the city, defining its symbiotic relationship with the water that surrounds it.

But no one can argue that these elements alone provide near enough value to resolutely claim ownership of such an illustrious title. As residents, we could be accused of showing bias. I mean, surely if you were to ask the same question of Sydney or Melbourne residents, they too would undoubtedly sing in praise of their home city!

So on the surface, although the question of being most liveable seems a simple one that elicits a simple response, it is undeniably subjective, depending on whom you may ask. So how could there ever be a singular, unbiased and definitive result?

Measures of Liveability

Through the media, we often hear reports of cities being regarded globally as the world’s best. So how are these cities ranked in order to make such sweeping claims?

There are a number of annual surveys conducted by economists worldwide, used to rank different cities in terms of their living conditions and producing a list ranking cities from the most desirable to the least. Three examples of such surveys are Monocle’s “Most Liveable Cities Index”, The Economist Intelligence Unit’s “Global Liveability Ranking”, and “Mercer Quality of Living Survey”.  These are the surveys most commonly referred to in mainstream media, with their results providing an accurate analysis of the most comprehensive sets of global statistical and survey data.

In sum, these surveys are based on the standards they have set for the quality of life of a city’s residents. These standards cover the major aspects of politics, economics, environment, personal safety, health, education, transportation, public service infrastructure, and culture.

For seven years consecutively, Melbourne, Australia has ranked number one in the EIU’s Global Liveability Ranking. And it does make Australians prouder that more than one Australian city appears in the Top 10. This year, in 2017, Australia was just short of claiming four cities that rank in the Top Ten, with Adelaide and Perth ranking sixth and seventh, and Sydney missing out by one spot, coming in as the 11^th.

Of course to us Australians, it’s likely to come as little surprise. Having grown up in “the lucky country”, we have always considered Australia to be the best place on earth! And to have it recognised legitimately on a global scale ensures our pride as a nation, with a desire to maintain our position, if not dominate it, as a further testament to our identity and inherent competitive nature.

The liveability of the Gold Coast

So having now established that it is not only Australians who believe our cities to be the most liveable – credit that to the global recognition through Mercer and The Economist, it is surely not unrealistic to consider the potential of the Gold Coast’s candidacy among this elite group.

Let us take a look at a snapshot of the Gold Coast in terms of the global liveability standards.

With a huge land area of 133,372 hectares (1,334 sq km) and an estimated population 576,918 as of 2016, we are looking at a population density of only 4.33 persons per hectare. That precious “elbow room” (that major cities do not have) offers many opportunities for young and old people to build a creative and sustainable life and livelihood, if they choose to.

There is also the aspect of natural spaces. The city has one of the most bio-diverse environments in Australia. It is home to 1,737 recorded native plant species, and almost 600 recorded native animal species. The Springbrook and Lamington plateaus form part of the Border Ranges group that protect areas of extremely high species diversity. The Moreton Bay provides international habitats for more than 30 migratory species.

As for doing business on the Gold Coast, those seeking to invest obviously consider the city’s reasonable cost of living, but they also place the aspects of a healthy individual and family wellbeing as high priority. This makes the city very attractive to young entrepreneurs who value their happiness, comfort and safety, along with financial stability and prosperity.

The Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city and the largest non-capital city in the country. Long been regarded as Australia’s premier tourist destination hosting more than 12 million visitors a year, the city has unassumingly evolved from our nation’s beloved family beach holiday destination to a cosmopolitan city with the infrastructure to support it.

What undeniably began with the property boom in the 80’s, the city underwent massive development. From the high-rise holiday apartments to the development of the city’s canals and waterways, the changes in the dominant industry and an increase in employment, led to significant increases in the city’s economic prosperity. What was once driven solely by the tourism industry, the Gold Coast, with more than 58,000 registered businesses, now rely on a diverse range of industries to support its economy.

Unsurprisingly, the allure of the Gold Coast’s lifestyle and climate, boasting more than 57km of enviable coastline and 260km of navigable waterways, has established the city as the natural hub for Australia’s marine industry. The Gold Coast is home to one of the country’s largest boating communities and the base for domestic marine manufacturing. Globally, it is recognised as an industrial marine base, and home to the finest and most reputable domestic and international boating brands. The city also offers a unique lifestyle that translates into business for the marine industry. There are 890 kilometres of constructed residential waterfront land within the city that is home to over 80,000 residents. This opens up bigger opportunities for marine-related services and businesses locally.

The film industry is another major player that has ensured the prosperity of the Gold Coast. As home to the largest studio lot in the Southern Hemisphere, the attractive climate, along with its incredibly, diverse natural environment and favourable cost of living, continue to ensure the Gold Coast viability and preferred production location.

With consistent economic growth, protected natural resources, and a growing permanent population, the city further evolved, developing the infrastructure to support the new demands of its population.

The Gold Coast ticks the other aspects of a city’s liveability – education, transport, and health. The city’s popularity as a university city is ever increasing. It is the home to three universities and more than 80 schools, giving students the opportunity to study in world-class educational facilities, in an affordable idyllic city. Further recent developments to the Gold Coast’s public transport, which have seen the city’s new tram line open (with Phase 2 in the works), have further helped in defining the Gold Coast’s new and more metropolitan façade. The undeniable high quality of medical services and personnel also provides residents peace of mind when it comes to their health and wellbeing.

A changing cultural environment that started from the “sun, sand, surf, and sex” marketing is taking shape on the Gold Coast. A more mature and cosmopolitan music, arts, sports and recreation world is being established, perhaps as a result of a growing culturally diverse population. The city government provides many support services to artists and young people that enhance creativity and encourage diversity.

Beyond all these elements, one aspect that sets the Gold Coast apart from other Australian cities is its affordability of housing. The exponential rise in the cost of real estate in other Australian cities has meant many people cannot even consider entering the market. But here on the Coast, you can still get “good bang for your buck” and the people of this country know it.

The future may hold something different for the city. But for now, the Gold Coast is indeed a great place to live, for all of the reasons discussed here and many, many more. So, it does not matter much whether it features on “The World’s Most Liveable Cities”. For those of us who live here, we already know.

*Sophie is a resident of the Gold Coast, who freelances as a writer and producer in the television industry. With a unique and varied background, starting her career as a linguist, her desire for further creativity led her into the world of tourism and television. 

The post Gold Coast: Most Liveable City appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

We had the privilege to be part of many significant boating industry events, international and local. The insights and learnings we obtained are invaluable. With many expert presentations and notable comments made during these events, the information on recreational boating, both as an industry and as a universal leisure interest, surpasses political and geographical boundaries.

The concepts like “digital disruption”, “millennials”, “share economy” and the “waves of change” are the key focus of where the future of recreational boating is going. Looking forward, we deemed it important to also re-focus on the core concepts that relate to the tangible experience of boating. We coined the term “grassroots boating” to push forward the voices of those who are engaging in boating and who are waterways users. In this age of intangible concepts, we thought that, by bringing back what matters on the water, boaters should have a better appreciation of their unique experiences.

2017: A boating year

This year was a showcase of international events for the boating industry on the Gold Coast. There were two international boat shows held on separate dates, the international boating organisations’ joint congress, a superyacht conference, the first superyacht rendezvous, and a waterways resilience conference.

The various industry organisations and businesses were strategic players in many of the recent changes that happened in the local boating industry. The Boating Industry Association (BIA) is now the industry group in Queensland (which used to be Marine Queensland). The superyacht sector also celebrated milestones. For many years, this sector has been lobbying the government, through Superyacht Australia, to relax its policies on international superyacht charters, among many other proposals. The Queensland government showed its support to the sector by funding a research study to determine the economic impact of the superyacht industry in Australia. The Gold Coast is also now a Port of Entry for foreign-flagged vessels, with Southport Yacht Club as the Boarding Station, albeit on a one-year trial that is timely with the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

What significance do these events and milestones have on our boating life? The high-level conferences and the high-profile events are necessary to engage decision-makers and those who are involved in creating, amending and enforcing policies and regulations. They are activities that seek to educate and to create awareness of new developments in the industry, locally and globally, as well as of the challenges and issues that face the different boating sectors.

In May, the week dubbed as “International Boating Week” saw a number of international events held on the Gold Coast. The International Council of Marine Associations (ICOMIA) and the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO) held their annual joint Congress. The BIA, the Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX), and Superyacht Australia, and the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) are respective members. Although the event was an “industry” event, it was also an opportunity for the Gold Coast to showcase the city’s waterways and the boating lifestyle to the international delegates. A presentation (by the Boat Gold Coast team) to the delegates from the IFBSO about the boating life on the Gold Coast and in the country was well received with new insights and opportunities gained by the international audience.

Significant learnings

The first economic impact study on Australia’s superyacht industry presented at the Australian Superyacht and Marine Export Conference (ASMEX) in May, reveals that the industry contributed $1.97 billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016, and finds “the local superyacht industry is held back by restrictive policy – if relaxed, it could contribute an additional estimated $1.12 billion to GDP in 2021, for a total contribution of $3.34 billion”. For Australians, this translates to more local jobs, and more opportunities for tourism and hospitality businesses, and the marine service industries. The common sentiment of the experts is for the businesses involved to remain creative and focused on the boating lifestyle experience, rather than the actual product.

The economic value of the Gold Coast waterways, beyond the recreational boating industry, is huge, and should be integrated into the planning and policy development regarding waterways use, as suggested by the data presented at a waterways resilience symposium held by the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) in May, dubbed “Gold Coast Waterways 2017 and Beyond”. The economic value is often assessed in conjunction with built capital, such as goods, services and infrastructure. On the Gold Coast, the “waterways underpin significant economic activity, with an estimated contribution to regional GRP of around $440 million”. The values are taken from the total contribution from marinas, tourism and recreation. As regards impact to the regional employment, the total direct jobs attributable to economic activity are around 4,000, and over 6,000 jobs including flow-on impacts.

A vital discussion point during the Marine 17 Conference in July revolved around identifying who the current boaters are, and how to engage more non-boaters into this leisure activity. Currently, there are two million boat licence holders in Australia, 85% of whom are male, and 15% are female, while 60% of boaters are over the age of 45. There are 900,000 registered boats in Australia, with 15,000 new boats registered each year. The State of Queensland has the most number of registered vessels (at 256,000) and of boat licences (at 694,000).

Australia has experienced an increase of three million Australians in the last five years. This comprises 8.8% of the total population. The total population shows the average age to be 38. It is worth noting that the cultural backgrounds of many of the new Australians are Chinese and Indian. There is significantly greater cultural diversity, and hence, a broader range of audience that needs to be targeted. The new Australians are not yet fully familiar with the Australian waterways lifestyle, although it is something that would have appealed to them when they first arrived.

Based on research, it seems that the current generation are not showing a significant interest in recreational boating as a family pastime. People, particularly the millennials (Generation Y comprise 22% of the total population), are generally spending more time on the screen than on any other leisure activity, with an average three-minute attention span. If and when the more traditional outdoor recreational pursuits, like boating, become attractive to the digital generation, we may witness an innovative and diversified boating sector. With the popularity of Uber and AirBnB, and other share-economy activities that are powered by digital technology, we may also see a similar shift of interest in boating.

Moreover, it is recognised that population increase is currently considered more of a risk to the resilience of the waterways in the region than climate change. The aspects of safety and quality of experience thus play a huge role in recreational boating. The increasing number of boat users on the waterways should become an important point of interest, as this affects the strategies in balancing various interests in waterways use, taking into consideration the increasing diversity in the population. Boating safety regulations, infrastructure policies, and business strategies should remain relevant and targeted, and be reviewed in the context of the evolving social, economic and natural environments.

Bottom line: grassroots boating

The Australian population has experienced significant growth not only in the number of people in the country, but also in the extent of cultural diversity. With more young Asians driving economic activity, it will not be long before the Australian spirit of adventure will find its way into these new Aussies. We can expect greater interest in the boating lifestyle, particularly in areas where the waterways life is the norm. Moreover, in terms of industry participation, the hospitality sector is seeing many of these new Aussie millennials being involved in and supporting the tourism, hospitality, science, and IT industries. Why should they not find similar opportunities in the boating sector?

The recreational boating industry is competing with many other present-day recreational distractions. The digitally connected generation is a product of the digital disruption in the last 10 years. Although this gives the impression that everyone is less inclined to engage in “touch-feel” experiences, it is but a logical consequence of the relentless introduction of new technologies in our daily life.

It is clear that the recreational boating as an industry will have to adapt to the changing environment. Although we are currently focused on these technologies in our everyday life, the physical leisure experiences are not going to disappear. Boating as an activity will survive, as it has over the centuries. How the businesses will approach the waves of change and deliver the unique experiences, through innovative and creative contexts and structures, is now the biggest challenge they face.

The core value of grassroots boating is quality of experience. Beyond the brand names, the products and technologies, we are encouraged to go boating because we enjoy the freedom that it offers, and the social, psychological and environmental connections that come with it. We use the waterways for leisure, sport, transport, or survival. Although we are now exploring and learning new things through the digital domains, we are still experiencing life in the physical realm. The bottom line of boating is the value of that physical experience – and you, the boater, are key in creating it.

By Roselle Tenefrancia

/Sep-Dec2017

The post Grassroots Boating appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

But do not panic. The law will not be effective until 1 July 2018. After that, only four-stroke and direct-injection marine engines will have certified low emissions and can be imported. Dealers will have a year to clear old stock.

The additional paperwork requirements will make personal imports harder to arrange, so expect to see fewer grey market imports, including boats with an engine or any stand-alone petrol engine.

The original plan was to follow the world’s toughest standard, the USA EPA. But with the EU standards harmonizing with the US standards in 2016, either EU or USA certification will get an engine past Customs Clearance.

Clean engines may even open more freshwater boating, like Lake Lenthalls and Wivenhoe, which were opened up to clean engines only in recent years.

Some in the marine industry fear the changes and are asking for more time. Given it has been on the cards since 2005 and AS1799 boat-building standard was updated in 2009 for heavier clean outboards, it is hard to justify further delays.

All of the seven main outboard companies all have a full range of clean compliant engines. No one gets a competitive advantage from these laws. That is not to say we will not see market change. Boaties who enjoy the advantage of low-weight two strokes may take a green leap forward, bypass four-strokes and go directly to the convenience and weight advantages of electric outboards, like Torqeedo.

There is also the occasional rumour that existing carby two-strokes will be banned. Banning what are already on boats was never on the agenda. Used two-strokes will still be freely sold for years to come, although I fear they will lose a lot in resale value. No one can tell me how long parts will be available.

If you have not been following this story closely, the work started in 2005 to reduce the very high emissions on non-road engines, from lawn mowers to outboards. A carby two-stroke has about eleven times the emissions of the equivalent four-stroke or DI two-stroke. A two-stroke mower has forty times the emissions of a car. I do not even want to see the numbers for a 60hp two-stroke outboard. Clearly, setting the standards was inevitable.

It has been a long time coming.

By Gary Fooks

View the Update Paper on this link: http://bit.ly/2olKwqJ

(May-Aug2017)

The post An Update On Emission Standards appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

This is part of the reason that Boat Gold Coast has become a must-read for the local recreational boaties. It tells the stories that matter through the work of 70 contributing writers and photographers and provides a guide to the growth of this vitally important economic sector of our local economy.

The Gold Coast marine industry has over 600 actively trading businesses, supports close to 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs and generates an estimated $545 million in expenditure. This is aside from another $312 million in exports. Source: SGS Economics and Planning

The fact that this magazine is distributed across South East Queensland and attracts online readers from around the world helps boost not only visitation to Gold Coast, but also generates orders for both finished craft and ancillary equipment.

The Gold Coast Marine Precinct at Coomera – Australia’s boating industry capital – is now a thriving employment hub generating hundreds of jobs onsite and thousands more along the supply chain. Such is the craftsmanship and jaw-dropping beauty of the marine craft being produced here, the precinct has become a tourist destination in itself.

The City is now home to more than 40,000 registered watercraft, serviced by hundreds of marine-related businesses and around 20 private and commercial marinas.

If you want to keep pace with recreational boating and the thriving economic sector on the Gold Coast, I encourage you to read Boat Gold Coast to stay informed, educated and entertained. You’ll get independent and accurate insights. It’s a great read!

I am also taking this opportunity to welcome the members and delegates of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) and the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO), the leaders of marine industry associations and owners and managers of the leading boat shows from around world, who will converge in our city for International Boating Week on 22-28 May 2017. I also welcome the speakers and participants at the ASMEX Conference in the same week, as well as the visitors at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. These events offer a great opportunity to showcase the city’s magnificent waterways and the Gold Coast boating lifestyle to domestic and international visitors.

TOM TATE

MAYOR

(May-Aug2017)

The post Mayor’s Message appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

1. Boating is more instinctive than driving a car on the road. Although our societies have taught us to know road rules and safety by heart, moving on the water seems to come naturally to humans. The waterways are free and open. Roads have lines and are very restricting. You can’t just stop or slow down, or turn the car around without major damage to yourself, your car or another person. Boats have more freedom to navigate on the waterways.

2. Boating opens up and enhances our six senses. Being watchful, smelling the rain, tasting the salt, feeling the wind pick up and listening to the roaring waves instinctively come alive when you’re on the boat. And the sixth sense is all about gut feel–and it’s definitely important to trust it when boating.

3. People are friendlier to boaties. (Most of the time, anyway!) When you drive your car on a street, people on the road do not look at you and smile and wave. But when you’re on the boat, other boaties and people on the river banks or crossing the bridges will most likely acknowledge you and wave back when you do.

4. Traveling by boat takes you to places without getting out of nature. You are never really out of the water until you step off on to dry land!

5. You can just float and relax wherever you want. Parking is never a problem. All you need is a good anchoring skill and then you are on your own floating island on the water.

6. There are no seat belts in boats. There is a sense of freedom in driving where you are not strapped up on your seat. Even children develop a better sense of space and movement when they are not restricted by straps or belts. (Be mindful of the need for lifejackets though!)

7. You don’t always need an engine to go out boating. Sailing, rowing and paddling are cheaper and more relaxing anyway.

8. Whatever others may say, sunrises, sunsets and evening skies are always most spectacular when viewed from the boat!

The post 8 Reasons Why I Like Boating on the Gold Coast appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Incidentally, we also gathered insights about how people differ in their circumstances and how these differences reflect in activities and places they choose when boating, and their preferences for topics to read. For instance, majority of those who had smaller boats go out fishing most often. Most of those who are in the 55-64 age range prefer going offshore and generally have bigger boats for cruising up north such as the Whitsundays. The responses we gathered also proved how diverse boating can be on the Gold Coast. Although fishing, relaxation and cruising are the most common activities, the range of other activities that people actually engage in range from sports racing to diving, and even as transport.

Most people who participated in this survey were aged between 35 and 54. 32% belonged to the 35-44 age range, followed by those in the 45-54 age range (27%).

16.21% of the respondents are from the postcodes 4217 (Benowa, Bundall, Chevron Island, Gold Coast MC, Isle Of Capri, Main Beach, Paradise Island, Paradise Waters, Sorrento, Surfers Paradise and The Spit). 13.5% are from 4216 area (Anglers Paradise, Biggera Waters, Coombabah, Currigee, Hollywell, Paradise Point, Runaway Bay, South Stradbroke and Sovereign Islands), while 8.10% are from 4212  area (Boykambil, Helensvale, Hope Island, Monterey Keys, Sanctuary Cove and Santa Barbara). Interestingly, there were respondents whose postcodes were from northern Queensland.

According the results, 78.38% of respondents own boats or watercrafts, and 21.62% do not own a boat. Those who owned boats indicated that they owned power/sail boats and/or tinnies. Only three respondents indicated that they owned a PWC. However, regardless of ownership, most of the total respondents still go out on boats or watercraft at least once a week (21.62%) on average. The following is a list of boats owned by most of the respondents (as written in their responses):

• CruiseCraft Outsider 625
• Woods Striker 18trimaran (in progress)
• Yacht, Quintrex Fishnipper 350
• Stessco BassTracker FL410
• Bluefin Varmint 3.8m
• several tinnies
• 6m custom plate boat
• a polycraft
• Anglapro
• 6.1 Allycraft runabout
• Sea Jetski
• WAterski Boat
• Riviera
• tinny and jetski
• 45ft houseboat
• quintrex tinnie 4.1m
• all makes rxpx vxr ultra 300x
• swanson 36
• riviera flybridge
• cruising yacht 40ft
• bavaria 42 cruising sailing yacht
• Adams 40 yacht
• shark cat

The places that people frequent are the popular Gold Coast Broadwater (70.27%), South Stradbroke Island (56.76%), and Jumpinpin/Jacobs Well (48.65%). Majority of the respondents, 67.57%, go out boating most often with family and friends.

We made comparisons on the different boating activities, destinations and information based on age groups. This is because we understand that interests and motivations differ in these categories. The diversity of the trends come from the age groups, so we decided to compare the boating lifestyle of the respondents who belong these different groups.

Frequency of Boating

The most number of respondents (32%) came from the 35-44 age group, followed by 45-54 and 55-64 age groups (both getting 27% of the total responses). The choices were: (1) Everyday, (2) At least 2-3 times a week, (3) At least once a week, (4) At least 2-3 times a month, (5) At least once a month, (6) At least once every 3 months, (7) At least once every 6 months, (8) At least once a year, and (9) No boating.

The 55-64 age group (making up 27% of the total respondents) has the most respondents who go out boating most often, with 50% of them stating that they go out boating every day. 41% of the respondents in the 35-44 age group said that they go out boating at least 2-3 times a week, while 40% of those from the 45-54 age group said that they go out boating at least 2-3 times a month. The 65-74 age group (making up 10% of the total respondents) has 50% of them going out once a week.

Boating Activity

The most common boating activity is for cruising and relaxation (70.27%), followed by cruising offshore and fishing (both getting 43.24%). The choices were: (1) Cruising inshore [GC waterways], (2) Cruising Offshore or out of town [outside of GC], (3) Fishing, (4) Relaxation, (5) Sport/Racing, (6) Work/Business, (7) Transport, (8) Rescue, and (9) No boating. In the “Others”, respondents included Liveaboard and Diving as their activities.

Relaxation ranked first in the 35-44 and 65-74 age groups. In the 35-44 age group, 83% of the respondents chose relaxation. In the 65-74 age group, all of them chose relaxation (100%).

Fishing is more popular in the 35-44 age group, with 56% response rate, and in the 55-64 and 65-74 age groups with 50% response rate.

In the 55-64 age group, 80% of the respondents chose both relaxation and cruising inshore (Gold Coast). They both came out as the two popular activities in the age group, followed closely by cruising offshore with 70%.

Cruising offshore is the most popular activity in the 45-54 age group, getting 60% of the respondents.

Work and business is also popular in the 35-44 age group, with 56% response rate.

Destinations

The choices for destinations were: (1) GC Broadwater, (2) GC rivers and canals, (3) South Stradbroke, (4) Jumpinpin/Jacob’s Well/North GC waterways, (5) Moreton Bay, (6) North Stradbroke, (7) GC offshore, (8) Tweed River area, (9) Offshore north of GC, (10) Offshore south of GC, (11) No boating, and (12) Others.

Respondents who selected “Others” indicated the following destinations: Whitsundays, Sydney Harbour, Port Stephens, Central Queensland, 1770, Tannum Islands, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, Melbourne, Queensland East Coast, US (north to Washington State [boundary of Canada], and US South down around Baja California and into the Sea of Cortez to San Carlos).

The Gold Coast Broadwater proved to be the most popular destination for the respondents (70.2%). It is most popular among those in the 65-74 age group (100%), followed by those in the 35-44 age group (91%).

South Stradbroke showed popularity among the 35-44 age group (83%) and the 55-64 age group (60%). Jumpinpin/Jacobs Well/NorthGC also garnered popularity among the 35-44 age group (75%) and among the 45-54 age group (50%).

Boating Companions

The choices for companions were: (1) Family, (2) Friends, (3) Boating Groups or Clubs, (4) Sports Groups (or in competitions/events), (5) Social Groups or Clubs, (6) Work colleagues.

For most of the respondents, family and friends are their usual boating companions. It is interesting to note however, that each age group have different preferences. Those in the 35-44 and 65-74 age groups showed preference for their friends, while 45-64 age groups showed preference for family.

In the 65-74 age group, the friends received a 100% response rate, while the family received 25% response rate. In the 35-44 age group, friends received 83% response rate, while the family received 56% response rate.

Family received 90% response rate from the 55-64 age group, while it received 70% response rate from the 45-54 group. Friends received 50% in both age groups.

Type of Information Interested In

The list included: (1) Technical Boating, (2) Boat Maintenance, (3) Fishing, (4) Sailing, (5) Houseboats, (6) Liveaboards, (7) New Boat Review/Listing, (8) Used Boat Review/Listing, (9) Sports/Events, (10) International Boating Information, (11) Boating, (12) Destination, (13) DIY, (14) Fashion/Personal Care/Wellbeing, (15) Gadgets/Technology, (16) Local Business/Industry News, (17) Lifestyle Articles [includes dining, camping, social events, pets on board, gardening on board, etc.], (18) Local Boating Personalities, (19) Boating Services Listings, (20) Watercraft and Watersports Features, (21) Latest Rules and Regulations, and (22) Environment.

The type of the information that the respondents are most interested in are latest rules and regulation (59.46%), followed by boat maintenance (56.76%) and technical boating (51.35%). The least popular on the list are fashion and personal wellbeing (8%) and international boating information (13%). Surprisingly, fishing information came 8^th as the most popular, getting only 27% of the total responses.

For the 35-44 age group, here are the top 5 topics (all getting 50% response rate) that they are most interested in:

• Boat Maintenance
• Fishing
• Used Boat Reviews/Listing
• DIY
• Lifestyle Articles

For the 45-54 age group, the top 3 topics are:

• Used Boat Reviews/Listing (60%)
• Technical Boating (50%)
• Boat Maintenance (50%)

For the 55-64 age group, the top 5 topics are:

• Liveaboards (60%)
• Gadgets/Technology (60%)
• Technical Boating (50%)
• Boat Maintenance (50%)
• DIY (50%)

For the 65-74 age group, the top 3 topics (all getting 75%) are:

• Technical Boating
• Boat Maintenance
• Lifestyle Articles

Print or online?

85.7% of respondents who read the magazine preferred the printed copy and 23.81% read the online version. The reasons given are:

• “Print is better—I see it, I read it—but I wouldn’t search for it online.”
• “Printed copy is a great free book.”
• “Printed: you can share, lend, give to friends, keep items, refer to items.”
• “Printed copy better than staring at a computer screen. Computers are for work; printed mags are for leisure.”
• “There is no substitute for print.”
• “Digital version provides faster access, easy reference; printed mag’s better on kickback holiday reading.”

While the general sentiment showed preference for the print version, one respondent indicated otherwise as he lives abroad: “I’d consider online subscription—saves trees, fuel and postage, and it’s an easy way to collect data about visiting Australia.”

We thank the respondents who participated in the survey. Their answers and comments have been very helpful and enlightening for the Boat Gold Coast team. We are working on improving our content based on the survey results and other feedback from our readers and clients.

If you have not participated in the survey, you are more than welcome to answer our Feedback Form on our website (boatgoldcoast.com.au/feedback_form). We would like to know your thoughts and ideas.

Compiled by Roselle Tenefrancia and Michelle Simao

The post Survey Results Report appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Please take our anonymous BOATING SURVEY because we value your opinions. We will post the results online when we have collected all the data. Your feedback is important to us, so we hope you take a few moments to answer. Thanks!

- The Boat Gold Coast Team.

If the link above does not work, please copy and paste the following URL:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MLGJBX2

The post TAKE OUR BOATING SURVEY! appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast has a rich history. In this fourth edition of Boat Gold Coast, we collected stories of the past that have made impacts in the current Gold Coast boating and waterways lifestyle.

Our editorial team had the privilege of meeting the woman behind the man behind the Sanctuary Cove Act of 1985. Her name is Margaret Toose and her story tells of her personal interactions with the people behind the place of “ultimate living” (p44). We also look back and remember the water skiing era, where Keith Williams and Vaughan Bullivant were champions in their own right (p8). An engineering feat that the Gold Coast is known for is the Sand Bypass System developed in the 80s (p50). We also recall how in the 90s, a man named Rod McLaughlin proposed for signages on our canals. We look into his proposal, and bring out insights on naming residential waterways (p42). We remind you of the days when there were only six races a year held by the Southport Yacht Club and how the current 76 races have come to be (p26), and how a young man attempted to use a computer as a navigational aid way back in the 80s and was successful (p30).

With a glimpse of the past, we are able to learn more about our city, and how it has grown from dairy farms into a bustling destination city for people who love the sun, the surf, the beach and the boats. Government policies and stakeholder participation are key to a future of a boating industry and a lifestyle that are thriving and sustainable.

The National Clean Air Agreement is a reality that will affect the future of two-stroke outboard engines in the country (p18) but it is no cause to worry as the aim is to achieve a cleaner environment for us. The Gold Coast Waterways Authority are bracing for more projects to implement and support for the coming year, such as dredging and infrastructure developments (p37). Industry leaders also speak up about their boating life and look forward to a bright future for boating (p36).

It is indeed an exciting future ahead for Gold Coast in a lot of ways. I find myself understanding my new home city more as I venture into its past. But as I have to move forward in my own life, the Gold Coast has also no way to go but forward. The future of Gold Coast boating—the industry and the lifestyle—is something to look forward to with an open mind and an open heart. Although we seek outside to find our greener pastures, we must look inside our own city, our own people and our own resources, and give them the opportunity to flourish in a place that was only a dream to those who lived before us.

Roselle Tenefrancia

The post Editor’ s Note – November – January 2016 appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Imagine this: Your backyard backyard view vividly changing with the temper of the seasons, and the ebbing and coming in of the tide provides a constant reminder of nature’s dynamics. There is no better way to combine a residential home and live the boating lifestyle than on the Gold Coast.

Living on a waterfront property on the Gold Coast with inspirational views of the waterways is a dream many boaties seek to make a reality. More than 90 percent of all residential canals in Australia are located on the Gold Coast. Although other states, such as New South Wales and Victoria, have banned the development of new canal estates, Queensland has kept its doors open for these developments, albeit with strict guidelines…So, the right Gold Coast waterfront property will be valuable in the future.

Unlike Venice canals, where there is technically no car access or road system following canals, the Gold Coast offers both land-based transport access as well as water access. When considering a waterfront home, your land-based considerations should be assessed first. Your work location, kids’ schools, proximity to shops and services, and leisure and recreational activities. Once you have defined the suburbs you want to live in, then you need to look for the right house with boating accessibility that suits you.

DIRECTION AND LAND

The direction of the property plays a vital role in your family’s comfort. For instance, a practical advice is to buy a north-to-water aspect. This will give you sun on your backyard/waterfront all day. If the house faces any other direction, you will be left with half a day in the shade, which gets very chilly during the colder months. A west-to-water aspect means you do not have sun on your backyard waterfront until the afternoon and the orange glare of the sunset fills your windows often requiring you to pull the blinds down. Aside from choosing the home with the aspect of your choice, it is also worth considering if the land fans-out towards the water or not. A block of land that fans out towards the water will allow for a larger pontoon and sufficient room to maneuver; whereas land that fans-in towards the water will have restrictive boat access and will compete for space with neighbouring jetties.

ACCESS AND WATER

There are 400 kilometres constructed canals on the Gold Coast with every navigable kilometre offering something different, often challenging, for boaties. Understanding the pros and cons of different areas is important before deciding where to buy. If you want direct and quick access to the Broadwater and Seaway, then Runaway Bay is the obvious choice. In fact, there are more registered boats in the Runaway Bay 4216 postcode area than any other postcode in Queensland, with the Runaway Bay Shopping Village having the busiest public access jetties adjacent to a shopping centre in the city. The downside is that some dead-end canals are congested with boats, and generally, the architecture of the residential houses is older than the newly established suburbs.

If you are looking into the Sanctuary Cove-Hope island-Upper Coomera areas, you have the option of choosing from many exclusive gated communities that offer a high level of security and a quieter and slower pace than the rest of the outside world. The architecture offers some of the newest on the Gold Coast. However, the Coomera River has quite a temper in the rainy summer months. Both Runaway Bay and the Coomera River areas are the choice for sailing boat owners as many sections are bridge-free and offer deep water passage. The main arm of the Coomera is a 6-knot zone for all vessels, so travelling to the Broadwater is a slow process. The northern arm of the Coomera allows vessels 8 metres or less the travel at 40 knots arriving in the Broadwater near Couran Cove, providing quick access to Tipplers, Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well and Moreton Bay.

For 8-metre or smaller vessels, the Nerang River has both 6-knot and 40-knot zones. From the Southport Broadwater, travelling by boat to locations such as Carrara will take approximately 40 minutes. Travelling by boat to Broadbeach Waters and Mermaid Waters will take considerable more time. The canals of Clear Island Waters are only accessible by Boobegan Creek lock which will add time to the journal. The benefits of living off the Nerang River is that you are never far away from the ski-access zones of the main river, the fishing is great in these waters, and you can pull up on the many beach front parklands to walk to local shopping strips. There are established public access docking at Pacific Fair and Capri on Via Roma. Like most of the canal areas of the Gold Coast, Broadbeach Waters and Nerang River areas have a well established kayaking culture with many waterfront residents using their canoes for fitness training and leisure.

While main river frontage is desirable, it carries a premium price tag. An issue for boat owners on main rivers and canals is that wake from passing vessels and wakeboard boats can be annoying and sometimes damaging to boats, pontoons and jetties. But at least you get to watch the boats pass by as entertainment. Before you buy a home, travel there by boat and see for yourself what challenges lay ahead for boat passage.

BOATS

If you buy into waterfront lifestyle but still deciding on a boat to purchase, then an entry-level investment is a tinnie or a kayak that allows you to experience the boating lifestyle and explore your local waterways without the hefty price tag. A step up the boat ownership ladder is a boat 8 metres long or less allowing you to go anywhere with ease while traveling up to 40 knots along most stretches of the main rivers. Larger boats longer than 8 metres will be restricted to 6 knots on most of the canal systems across the city. If wet berthed, these large boats can be fitted with draining skirts or boat lifts to avoid the maintenance costs associated with engines and hulls at rest in salt or brackish water for extended periods of time. While fly bridges are deemed essential further north where there are many reefs to navigate, here on the Gold Coast they reduce access to many of the canals with low bridges.

PONTOONS

If replacing an old pontoon or building a new one, there are many factors to consider before making the purchase. Piled pontoons are floating structures fixed in place with large concrete posts that are secured into the seabed. Piles are usually used in waterways that have strong tidal flow where the pontoon must be held in place firmly. In calmer waters, the pontoon can be attached to land using aluminium struts or cables. If your boat is under 6 metres long and weighs under 1,500 kilograms, you have the option to dry berth on the pontoon that incorporates a tapered end allowing for a boat or Jetski to be parked on top of the pontoon using a roller system with an electric or a manual winch. In this case, a 3.5-metre wide pontoon is recommended allowing enough space to be able to walk safely down each side of your boat. Narrow pontoons tend to be a little unstable and leave very little room for storage of kayaks, etc. If dry berthing, then extra freeboard (freeboard refers to the height the pontoon sits out of the water) is recommended so that when the boat is on the pontoon the aluminium frame work will also be out of the water. The extra free board height is very important if you are positioned on a main river with ski zones (like the Nerang and Coomera rivers). A pontoon that has a high freeboard will be more durable and can handle crashing waves from power boats and will stay drier, as passing power boats, especially wakeboarding boats, make large waves.

It is worth noting that council regulations allow your pontoon length to be up to 70 percent of your total waterfront property length.

Editorial by Andy Kancachian

The post Inspirational Waterfront Living appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.