with mark rothfieldand proudlymadeincardiff · 2010. 12. 21. · friday, november 26, 2010...
TRANSCRIPT
Friday, November 26, 2010 NEWCASTLE HERALD 49
BOATING AND FISHINGc8847229-26Nov
Your Wooden Boat Specialist
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Your Wooden Boat Specialist
c8793569-26Nov
with Mark Rothfield and Simon Walker
Proudlymade inCardiffBoatingMark Rothfield
BUILDING A REPUTATION: One of Bluewater Cruising Yachts’own takes shape and, above, a well-travelled 420. Below,the In Tune team and the popular Stacer BayMaster.
HE may buy and sell TVstations and casinos as oftenas changing his suits, butJames Packer is quite fussyabout his flotilla ofpleasurecraft. Theworkmanship must be worldclass.
On four occasions Packerhas commissioned Cardiff-based Bluewater CruisingYachts to work on differenthigh-speed tenders – one wasa jet-powered RIB (rigid-hulled inflatable), anotherwas a fancy 28-foot sportsboatof the Boston Whaler ilk.
It’s a feather in the cap forowner David Bradburn andhis build team, who otherwisetend to fly under the radar inthe barren back-blocks ofMunibung Road.
It’s a good advertisement,too, for their versatility.
The company is remarkablyprolific. Among the customprojects currently on the goare a new six-cabinhouseboat, a full refurb of a20-year-old Wayworld 45yacht, and new caravanmoulds.
Over the years, Bluewaterhas also built 14-odd Seawind1050 Resort and Venturercatamarans for Nowra-basedSeawind.
The primary mission,however, is to constructspecialised cruising yachtsfor a discerning, globe-trotting audience.
They have four models onoffer – the 420RS, 420CC, 450Mand 520PH.
Three 420s are underconstruction. Two are raised-saloon versions of the Adams-designed 42-foot hull, theother is a centre-cockpit.
The 45-footer is a classicHolland/Cole design, one ofwhich regularly competes inthe Sydney-Hobart race, andthe 52-foot pilot-house sloopwas formerly the Farr 51
built by Binks Yachts inAdelaide.
Bradburn has bought orbuilt the moulds over time.And time is something thatthe Bluewater boys seem tohave up their sleeves.
Enter the factory andthere’s a sense of purposerather than pace.
They don’t rush their workbut rather strive to get it right.Everything is done on site.
The build cycle for a 420 isaround 12 months, whereas amass-production buildercould do a similar-sized yachtin about 12 days.
Customers are prepared towait, knowing that the vesselwill protect them in a stormand also last them for many ayear.
Most buyers immersethemselves in the process byregularly visiting the factoryand, come launch day, theyalready know their boatinside-out.
There’s a price to pay, atleast compared to theimports, but the testimonialpage on the Bluewaterwebsite speaks volumes forthe quality of both boat and
customer satisfaction. Seebluewatercruisingyachts.comor phone 4956 8522.
Seal of Stacer approval
SPEAKING of customersatisfaction, In Tune Marineat Long Jetty on the CentralCoast has been named theStacer 2010 NSW dealer of theyear.
The firm opened just eightyears ago but has rapidly builta loyal following.
“The main reasonfor oursuccess is havinga large rangeof stock onhand,” dealerprincipal JeffBullard said.
“People can come in, sit inthe boat, stand on the castingplatform and chuck the kidsin the bow, instead of justpurchasing off a picture.”
In the past 12 months InTune has sponsored BateauBay Fishing Club events andis holding licensing courseswith the Australian BoatingCollege every Friday andSaturday on their premises.
BayMasters ride high
OF all the models in Stacer’srunabout range the sevenBayMaster boats areapparently proving a hit with
entry-level tinnie buyers.There’s the EVO Advance
Hull with a fine bow deep veefor a softer ride, plus creaturecomforts such as folding rearlounge, rear ladder, biminiand walk-through deck.
The 449 BayMaster is easyto store at 4.65 metres, weighsonly 370kg and can carry up tofive people.
If you’re looking to get intosomething slightly larger butstill compact, the 479BayMaster is 4.95 metres longand is rated to carry up to75hp outboards.
PhoneInTuneMarineon4333 3444.
Teralba regatta in wind
TERALBAAmateurSailingClubwillhostits64thAnnualRegattathisweekend.Racingstartsat2.30pmonbothdays,andclassesexpectedtoraceincludeSpirals,Lasers,VJs,VSs,Tasars,NS14s,Careelsandcatamarans.The notice of race and entryform are available on theTeralba Amateur SailingClub website atteralbasc.weebly.com.