Auckland Boat Show: Sunny weather brings big crowd to the Show - Day 3
by Sail-World.com/nz 16 Mar 23:14 NZDT
16 March 2024
Auckland Boat Show - Day 3 - Viaduct Event Centre - Jellicoe Harbour - Auckland - March 16-, 2024 © Chris Cameron
Despite a backdrop of economic uncertainty, boating fans poured into the Auckland Boat Show on a fine warm, sunny late-Summer day - keen to decide on where to spend their spare dollars if not now, then when the economic recovery kicks in.
With the Show now in its best ever venue - with the new Jellicoe Harbour bordered by the Viaduct Event Centre one one side, the America's Cup base area on the other - and with the run of cafes, bars and watering-holes of North Wharf making up the third side of the harbour.
The Auckland Boat Show is the second event that has used the new facility - with the magnificent Wooden Boat Festival being the first, three weeks earlier, cramming over 160 vessels into the marinas of Jellicoe Harbour.
Event organisers reported the Saturday's attendance numbers through the show gates are up on 2023, and even up on pre-Covid 2019. With another sunny day forecast for the final day on Sunday a big attendance is expected. Despite the visitor numbers, there was plenty of room at the new venue.
"We're hearing plenty of good news from throughout the show. We've heard of boat sales, big yachts going under contract, and plenty of strong enquiries from qualified buyers," the event organisers said in their daily exhibitors update.
It was a pleasure to have Mayor Wayne Brown join us for our exhibitors' function last night. He reiterated his support of our industry and passed on how impressed he was with our show, and with our industry's collective commitment to promoting boating as an integral part of Auckland's life, the update continued.
"I love the marine world. This is a sector which provides 8000 jobs, and our industry's skills are held in high regard internationally," said Mayor Brown.
"This is what it means to be in Auckland; out on the water enjoying life."
The show opens on Sunday at 10.00am and closes at 5.00pm.
Despite the Wynyard Crossing bridge being out of commission, again, there is fleet of four buses offering a free shuttle service from Custom St East to the Auckland Boat Show in Wynyard Quarter.