Serious Buyers Back and Looking to Spec up Their New Vessels

Hot on the heels of a strong sales start to 2012 with more than $10 million worth of boats contracted Maritimo Gold Coast dealer Ormonde Britton says there has been ‘a  distinct shift in thinking’  displayed by prospective boat purchasers.

“For the first time in a number of years we are seeing a return to the situation where a prospective buyer is sitting down with us and going through a check list virtually customizing a vessel and then getting a bottom line price,” he said.

“This is a really positive sign and makes for a change from the last few years where it has been all about price and getting  a boat at a certain figure rather than looking at exactly what the boat comprises.”

Ormonde Britton is based at the Maritimo headquarters at Hope Island on the Gold Coast.  He and his team have been responsible for approximately 50 percent of the company’s recent sales surge and they will deliver more than $4 million in new vessels to owners this month.

“We are seeing people come in and want to look at the build list and spec up their boat for the first time since about 2010,” he said.

Maritimo is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead after starting 2012 with almost $10 million in luxury cruiser sales.

The company sold eight boats for prices of up to $2 million each in the period from the end of December through to mid-January.

The buyers have been a mix of local, interstate and overseas and the sales are a mix of stock and new builds.

The vessels sold by Maritimo included two Maritimo 60 Motoryachts which are prices at approximately $2 million each, two M440’s, an A55 Sports Flybridge and a number of other vessels.

Maritimo has just been represented at the  Miami International Boat Show in the US where there were positive signs of a rebound in enquiry from the boat buying public.

The company is also gearing up for the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show being held on the Gold Coast in May.