60th anniversary - great prizes!

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show will celebrate its 60th anniversary in May 2015. This year, the Grand Prize is something very special — and, better still, there are two of them!

Visitors to the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show have always had the chance to win some pretty special prize boats but this year’s Grand Prize is twice as good — and very revolutionary.

This May, two of Stabicraft’s brand new carbon fibre 1600 models will be given away. Each prize boat will come with an ultra-reliable, ultra-economical 70hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard, a huge range of extras and a retail value of around $60,000.

Featuring a lightweight, resin-infused carbon fibre superstructure, the new Stabicraft 1600 Fisher and 1600 Frontier are the first aluminium powerboats in New Zealand to feature carbon fibre in their construction.

As a result, the new 1600 Fisher features a bonnet made up of five parts, with carbon fibre splashed throughout the design. In addition, the new model has a huge one-piece windscreen that extends down in the centre. This ensures that both the driver and the passenger have the best possible visibility, protection from the elements and freedom of movement. A centrally mounted depth sounder means an uninterrupted view for the driver (and enables everyone on board to see what is happening below) while a rod and canopy holder helps keep things tidy.

The new 1600 Frontier is just as innovative. Made from composite materials, the new pontoon-shaped console is an ergonomic masterpiece. It features a recessed throttle control and a 70-litre chilly bin/main seat that can be stowed inside the console, leaving a completely uncluttered cockpit. A casting platform, designed to suit virtually every style of fishing and with handy dry stowage below, is also included with the prize boat, as is a practical console bimini frame.

Powering these two new revolutionary Stabicrafts will be the legendary Yamaha 70hp four-stroke outboard. One of the world’s very best and biggest-selling mid-range 4-stroke outboards, the Yamaha F70 delivers lightweight, flawless performance and outstanding fuel economy, making it the perfect match for both the 1600 Fisher and the 1600 Frontier.

The lightest 70hp outboard on the market and capable of operating at up to 6300rpm, the Yamaha F70 boasts four valves per cylinder on a single overhead camshaft, making it incredibly efficient at drawing in fuel and air and pushing out the minimal exhaust that remains.

Both of these incredible Stabicraft/Yamaha Grand Prize Packages will have fully painted hulls, come complete with an up-spec’d DMW trailer, a depth sounder and VHF from ENL and a Fusion stereo system. Each will also have a full safety package (including flares and lifejackets); an impressive selection of water toys; and an Outdoor Tech Large Turtle water resistant and shockproof remote Bluetooth speaker system from Hutchwilco.

When the prize boats are handed over to their lucky new owners, they will be on registered and warranted trailers, the outboards will have been prepared by the experts at Yamaha Motor NZ Ltd and there will be fuel in the tanks. Included, too, will be a year’s worth of complimentary insurance courtesy of Club Marine Insurance and a free year’s membership at the Outboard Boating Club.

How to win:

To win one of these incredible new carbon fibre Stabicraft/Yamaha Grand Prize Packages simply buy an entry ticket to the 2015 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, either on line at www.boatshow.co.nz (for $20) or at the gate (for $22).

Then, at the show, collect the correct stamps for all the clearly marked stamping booths, answer a simple question, fill in your contact details and put your completed entry form into one of the large entry boxes alongside the Grand Prize Boats display in Hall 5.