“Most of our customers have been working very hard their entire life in order to be able to walk into a boat showroom and buy a brand-new boat. We really wanted to make the experience even more special for them.”
Stejcraft is a luxury boutique boat builder with a full range of stunning sport bowriders, premium cruisers and high performance fisherman cabin boats.
With more than 50 years of experience in the boat building industry, Stejcraft is one of the rare “pure- Australian” and well-established boat brands.
In 2020, to be able to produce more boats and answer the high volume of demand, Stejcraft moved to a new factory in Arundel (Gold Coast). It was the perfect occasion for them to open a dedicated showroom to the brand and offer Queenslanders the opportunity to buy their dream boat direct from the factory.
Stejcraft owner, Tim Catanese, explains what motivated him to take this unusual direction in the boating industry. “Our mission at Stejcraft has never changed. We want to bring to the market a range of premium boats that hard-working Australian families can afford. Over the past decades, our boats have reached the top-level in terms of performance, customisation and quality. Obviously that’s something we are really proud of, and by selling directly to the public we can maintain reasonable prices and a high level of customer service.”
The Stejcraft vision extends further than that. Buying direct from the factory means that new owners can discuss with the boat builders their ideal boat, which we can customise to meet most requirements.
Since Stejcraft started selling direct from the factory, it is not uncommon to see customers visiting the factory daily during the manufacturing process to check on the progress, understand what’s inside the hull and under the floor, so they know the boat inside and out. They also take photos of their new boat and ensure their requests are being met.
“You should see the smile on their faces when they see their dream boat coming to life. For us, there’s no better way to start a long love story with your new boat,” Tim passionately emphasises. “We now offer a seamless service, including boat maintenance and servicing. Our
customers can have the team that builds their boat also look after it. This means that annual servicing, adding new accessories, boat repair, and refits can be carried out at our Arundel factory. The Stejcraft team are also experienced enough to service and repair most makes and models of trailer boats.”
The list of services includes pick up and delivery, and use of the shop trailer to collect boats live on the water.
Tim says, “As you can see, we are at the stage where we don’t want to just build boats at Stejcraft; we want to build a relationship and a truly unique boat ownership experience, that, as far as I know, no other boat brand is able to offer here in Queensland.”
All Stejcraft boats are built with the same painstaking care and passion, with a range that suits all the different boating lifestyles. Stejcraft boats have three beautiful sport bowriders: the SS55, a very playful inboard bowrider; the SS58, a classic and affordable sport boat that drives like a sports car and is capable
of taking some big Broadwater chop; and the very unique SS64, their jewel on the water with many luxurious fittings and equipment included in the standard version build. “This model [SS64] is built on a deeper hull, which improves handling if you like to go offshore on a regular basis,” highlights Tim.
The Stejcraft range has three cabin cruiser boats: the Islander 580 DLX, the most affordable cruiser that includes everything you need for an unforgettable weekend on the water; the Monaco 610 DLX, semi-open cabin and luxury cruiser with a deep hull, which is perfect to stay safe offshore even in challenging conditions; and the Monaco 640 DLX, the top-of-the-range boat fitted with a water tank and many other premium features requested by the most demanding customers.
There are also two fishing boats in their extensive range: the 580 and the 610 Fisherman, both upgraded versions of the cruisers. They are fitted with everything a serious fisherman can expect from a premium fishing boat and also keep the look and the comfort of the cruiser boats.
If you’re in Queensland and currently looking to buy your next boat, stop by the Stejcraft factory and showroom on the Gold Coast. You might just fall in love with one of these very charming boats and experience the incredible opportunity to buy your new boat directly from the factory.
www.stejcraftboats.com.au
Published in print October-December 2021
