The Boat Works, the refit specialist based on Australia’s Gold Coast, has announced the opening of its newest and largest refit sheds. The Boat Works’ four new ‘Mega Sheds’ are the tallest refit sheds on the Gold Coast with a 20m height clearance and have been developed to cater to superyachts up to 50m in length. The first superyacht to enter one of the new sheds is the 36.4m Moonen superyacht called Beluga.

The sheds have a 16m width to accommodate the scaffold and scissor or boom lifts necessary for various refit works along with room aside for cooling towers, storage containers, as well as room to store tenders and toys. The new sheds have access to a chandlery, marine trade supplies and all the various marine services within the Gold Coast Marine Precinct.

According to The Boat Works, all of the sheds have state-of-the-art LED lighting, power for vessels and trades, drainage channelled into a treatment process and commercial curtains for privacy, noise reduction and dust.

“To meet the demand, we accelerated our plans,” explains Tony Longhurst, owner of The Boat Works. “Our new mega sheds are five metres higher than our existing super sheds and they are the largest on the Gold Coast, ready and waiting for the largest privately owned and commercial superyachts.”

“The new sheds are a great addition to the already existing comprehensive offering that The Boat Works can provide to our Sanctuary Cove Marina berth holders,” adds Steve Sammes, general manager of Sanctuary Cove Marina. “The feedback from our berth holders is that The Boat Works’ facilities are world-class which further strengthens the offering in our region. Our relationship with The Boat Works means our customers can access this premium maintenance and refit facilities within a convenient distance from the marina.”

Australia has arguably one of the fastest-growing superyacht economies in the world. As well as a traditionally strong domestic market of smaller superyachts, a flurry of large infrastructure developments have helped prepare the region for an influx of larger vessels and, more recently, the amendment of the cruising regulations for foreign-flagged superyachts has meant that in the post-pandemic era, all the constituent parts will be in place for Australia’s superyacht market to kickstart in earnest. It should further be mentioned, that the pandemic has also had a positive impact on the number of domestic superyacht charters, many of whom were previously content to spend big on the luxury cruise market.

“It’s a new super-era we’re entering on the Gold Coast and we’re proud to be leading it,” comments Shane Subichin, general manager at The Boat Works. “Our mega sheds are world-class, as are our tenants, staff and contractors.

“[The mega sheds represent a] game-changer for our city’s marine industry,” says Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate. “Our focus, as a council, is on diversifying the economy – and the marine industry is key to that approach. We want the world to know that our city is not only a welcoming port for superyachts and their crew but that we also have the logistical and technical facilities to ensure the best service and support is in place throughout their visit.

“In the past three years, we have seen significant state, council and private sector investment in the marine industry. I applaud all parties for their confidence in expanding this vital industry sector.”

The Gold Coast is just one of a number of areas in Australia that has seen significant investment in the development of superyacht infrastructure in recent years as it positions itself to grow both its domestic and international markets. As the global service network grows and an increasingly large number of desirable destinations amend their policies to welcome foreign-flagged superyachts, Australia has fast become one of the world’s critical superyachting hubs. For a full breakdown of recent refit developments in Australia, click here to gain access to The Superyacht Refit Report.

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