The biggest boat show in the South Island

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 21

The biggest boat show in the South Island

The biggest boat show in the South Island opens at Canterbury Court today at 1 p.m. This three-day show is the fourth organised annually by Mancan Foundation, Ltd, the commercial company of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. Occupying the whole of the huge Canterbury Court exhibition area, including the Alston Pavilion, the show features exhibits from more than 30 companies and boating organisations. “This is an excellent opportunity for the general public to see the latest trends in power and sail boats, and to see equipment and accessories from around the world,” said the director of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, Mr lan Howell. “It also offers a chance to gain a greater appreciation of the work that volunteer organisations are doing in the interests of boating activities,” he said. “There is virtually everything of interest to boating and water sports enthusiasts.” The show will be open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and tomorrow, and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The wide range of exhibits includes cabin cruisers, yachts, jet boats, dinghies, water skis, outboard motors, marine engines, sails and wind-surfing equipment. The range of boat accessories also displayed includes safety equipment, chandlery, fibreglass and marine paints. The Canterbury Outboard Boating Club, the Waimakariri Sailing Club, the Canterbury Underwater Club and the Canterbury Volunteer Coastguard are among the non-profit-making organisations with stands at the show.

A local sailing enthusiast, Mr John Powell, has arranged through various clubs for sailing boats of all the popular classes to be displayed. These range from junior, one-person Optimist, P-class and Starling craft, and a two-person Junior Cherub (J.C.) boat, through to senior boats, including two “Sunbursts” — one wooden, and the other in fibreglass, with a “foam-sandwich” construction.

The foam-sandwich Sunburst is the first of its kind to be seen in the South Island, and has been built by Robert Brook, of Auckland, son of the designer of Sunburst craft. There are also two Phoe-nix-class boats on show — one wooden and one fibreglass.

Phoenix boats can be raced using any choice of gear and either one or two people. Examples of other sailing boat classes represented in-

elude a Zephyr — another one-person boat; a Javelin; an R-class boat; and a 470, which is an international Olympic design.

Several of the stands showing club members’ boats will be manned, so visitors can have their questions answered there, too, as

well as at the commercial displays. The admission charges to the show are $2.50 for each adult and JI for each child.