As we approach boat show season, boat manufacturers have begun bombarding us with press releases announcing new product.
“It’s good to see the industry back to actually developing new models again,” said Bentley Collins, vice president of sales and marketing for Sabre and Back Cove Yachts. “There will be a lot to see at the fall shows and it’s very exciting. There are loads of companies who are in the development process who are sending out press releases on future launches in hopes of keeping clients from making decisions [to buy existing inventory] this fall before their new models are launched. Case in point is our own introduction of the Sabre 66, which will launch in August of 2015.”
The new boats being pumped out today hold high value, Viking director of communications Pete Frederiksen said.
“New models are very expensive to design and build, and that’s one of the reasons why they cost more, but the new models, I think, offer better benefits — whether it is better use of space, more power, more fuel capacity, better accommodations, helm designs and things of that nature. These factors make value stand out in a new boat.”
Viking will showcase its new 92-footer at the shows — its largest boat ever.
Innovation has led to the design and manufacture of bigger new boats, said Constantinos K. Constantinou, CEO of Greenline North America, which will be bringing a new 48-foot hybrid-powered express motoryacht to the shows.
“We are seeing an uptick in interest on the larger boats,” Constantinou said. “It’s a measurable lift in demand and interest. When I say large boats, I mean 35 feet or bigger. With the boat shows coming up, we are expecting to see continued interest fueled by a lot of activity from many boatbuilders with new launches and new innovations.”
Click here for a slideshow of some of the boats to debut this fall.
