Boat Life: Australia's New Love Affair with an American Dream
America's love affair with Pontoon Boats is about their geography; lots of canals, lakes, everglades, rivers and waterways that are magnets for the rich and famous lifestyle seekers. If you believed everything you saw on TV, you’d think every American had a summer home in the Ozarks or in a quaint riverside town in New England.
Here in Australia, they’ve long been reserved as playthings for the rich and famous, especially on the Gold Coast. Pontoon boats are also a big thing in the luxury suburbs of the Gold Coast where canals, the Spit and the picturesque rivers offer the perfect backdrop for some proper luxury lifestyle. Australia's waterways are begging for more Pontoon boat life - so why have these must have A-list items failed to launch – until now?
Well, first, there’s a limited number of Australian pontoon boats compared to other marine suppliers. This means higher prices, fewer choices and questionable performance. For a fully equipped pontoon boat, suitable for all the lifestyle perks, Australian buyers have been looking at price tags upwards of $170,000. And that’s when they can get a price. The boater bait and switch – where a basic model is advertised for a reasonable price, but essentials aren’t included. So a $60K pontoon boat quickly becomes a $100K+ model. Buyers outside of the Gold Coast also face large national boat transport fees and lack of local infrastructure suited to their new craft.
“These are a luxury item, but in the US, they’re priced for a little middle-class luxury, not reserved for the 1%. It’s a shame because Australia’s waterways are breathtaking, and often far less under-developed than those in the USA. These boats are designed with low environmental impact in mind so it could see an end to environmental damage done by speedboat wash and wake,” said John Perry, of Lagee Pontoon Boats Sunshine Coast.
But, and perhaps, thanks to Instagram, Australia’s interest in pontoon boating is piqued and new suppliers are entering the market with affordable, locally constructed and “made for Australian waters” options.
“It’s exciting to see these boats taking to the water here on the Sunshine Coast. It’s a game changer that breathes new life into our waterways without the huge environmental cost.” Said Mr Perry.
