The message is - get vaccinated! - MarineBusinessWorld.com Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 5 Aug 2021 23:00 BST
Solar boat Wayward Sun completes emission-free voyage to Alaska © Torqeedo
As Australia grapples with clusters of Covid outbreaks nationally, the message to everyone is to "get vaccinated". Until we achieve a high percentage of the population protected from the extreme ravages of this disease life will not be the same and that includes the relative freedom that boating offers. However, it's not all doom and gloom and engineering developments continue to unfold within the boating spectrum.
An electric boat that runs virtually endlessly on solar power - that's the dream that's been driving David and Alex Borton for the last 17 years. Since 2004, the father-and-son team has been working to fulfil their vision, building several custom, patented, solar-electric boats under the brand name of Solar Sal. This summer, the two of them completed what they believe to be the first-ever solar-electric boat voyage from Bellingham, Washington, to Juneau, Alaska.
They departed on Tuesday, 25 May, in their 27-ft wooden hull solar boat Wayward Sun and made landfall at Ketchikan, Alaska, 13 June, then continued up the coast at a more leisurely pace to Glacier Bay and Juneau, concluding the voyage on 8 July. The electric boat is powered 100 per cent by solar energy with no fossil-fuel combustion engine at all on board. "People always ask us if we have any gas or diesel back up," said Alex Borton, "but the sun rises every day. If our batteries get too low, we just wait."
Traditionally power sources still dominate, so much so that one supplier has had to take steps to maintain supply. Cox Marine began production of the CXO300 in May 2020 and has seen demand grow strongly for this high-performance diesel outboard engine. However, the pandemic has had a significant impact upon the British diesel manufacturer's supply chain - particularly the delivery of the major component, the PTT (power, tilt and trim) system. To resolve this, Cox Marine has taken the strategic decision to bring the production of the PTT in-house to its headquarters, located in Shoreham-By-Sea, UK. This enables Cox to keep the production of all sub-assemblies in-house, thereby ensuring that the highest standards are maintained throughout the build process of the CXO300 diesel outboard.
New launchings this week includes the Pardo GT 52 from e-yachts. The Pardo GT 52 will be positioned between the Walkaround and the Endurance range, appealing to a segment of owners looking for even more spacious and comfortable volumes than the current walkaround models, but without sacrificing performance.
For Managing Director Peter Hrones, the Pardo GT 52 is one of the most exciting new models to enter our range, "We have a close relationship with the factory at Cantiere del Pardo and we have been keeping the GT range a secret since our partnership began in early 2020. When I saw the official plans, I was glad to see chose vertical windows, a suggestion I made because it won't be a hot in our climates, you get the feeling of more interior space when at the wheel and a more distinctive look. What I really love about the GT52 is that the cockpit is huge and with the free-flowing saloon you end up with approximately 30 feet of one level entertaining space. The GT range will be ground-breaking for Australia and New Zealand, the cabin is ideal for our weather conditions and the Italian styling and design choices are sure to capture the hearts of our local boaties. We cannot wait to bring this elegant and sophisticated model down under."
New product releases involve Garmin International, Inc. This week they announced the Apollo™ Series amplifiers from Fusion® Entertainment, a Garmin brand, delivering the best performance and most power for boats equipped with Fusion Digital Signal Processing (DSP)-enabled stereos and Fusion speakers2. Designed exclusively for Fusion marine entertainment systems, the new Apollo Series enhance audio clarity and reduce distortion for a superior onboard entertainment experience.
"With Apollo Series amplifiers on board, boaters can play their favourite songs louder and cleaner than ever before, even when cutting through the waves at full throttle," said Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of global consumer sales. "By offering an innovative amplifier range specifically designed for Fusion systems, boaters can expect to have the same quality of sound performance found in high-end home audio systems while out on their boats."
Established Australian importer and distributor, Multihull Solutions and the Yacht Sales have made further expansions. The company has opened a new Sales Centre in Singapore to cater for the strong demand for quality new and pre-owned yacht sales. The new office is based at the exclusive ONE degrees15 Marina in Sentosa Cove and led by the experienced team of Paul Stamp and Daniel Au. The Sales Centre provides the highest standard of service for those seeking to buy new or pre-owned sail and power yachts from the world's leading brands, including Fountaine Pajot, NEEL Trimarans, ILIAD Catamarans, Fountaine Pajot Motor Yachts, Rapido Trimarans and more. The comprehensive Brokerage division also handles the sale of quality pre-owned yachts and monohulls with an extensive database of qualified buyers and an outstanding sales record. The companies also have three additional Sales Centres in Phuket, Thailand, as well as a network of agents in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Also, in Asia the Lantau Yacht Club is pleased to roll out the first yachtcation package for yachting aficionados this summer. In the most popular yachting season of the year, yachting lovers are now offered a rare opportunity to try out the new state-of-the-art LYC marina and our premium service at our exclusive Club. The number of pleasure yachts in Hong Kong saw impressive growth since the pandemic outbreak - the number of pleasure vessels increased by over 580 in 2020 alone and more locals are getting into yachting. Pleasure yachts are now considered a private and safe space away from the crowd, and where people can spend quality time with friends and family. Another reason for us to get out of the current travel restrictions !
Despite the current mobility restrictions "life goes on" so keep sending us your business news for inclusion on the marinebusinessworld.com site and in this weekly e-news letter which we mail close to 7000 subscribers.
And before I finish congratulations to our Olympic sailors who managed to win two Gold medals in Tokyo. Matt Wearn in the Laser dinghy class and Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan in the two-man 470 class. Both crews blitzed their opposition and won their last races with daylight between them and second place in both events. Great stuff.
In the meantime, get the jab, stay safe and well!
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com