Chaparral boats boom

words - D.D McNicoll

Show success in east and west

The new range of Chaparral sports boats had an outstanding response from the public at both the Sydney and Perth boat shows last month.

In Sydney boat buyers were so excited by the new range that 27 test drives were organised on the harbour for the weekend following the show. NSW Chaparral dealer Troy Higginbotham from National Marine Services was delighted.

He sold all his stock and has taken orders for eight further boats.

“The two standout boats for us were the big harbor cruising bowrider 244 Sunesta, which has an inbuilt toilet, massive standard options list and a lovely soft ride in all conditions,” Higginbotham told BoatPoint. “The other big mover was the 196 SSi which, under a lot of competition from other brands, showed many buyers that you can have a quality, highly optioned small boat that is designed for saltwater use and still be competitive at entry level pricing.”

Perth’s Chaparral dealer, Geoff Ellis of Offshore Marine, says he was selling boats straight off the stand and taking orders for more.

“We have always had a good following for the Chaparral brand in WA,” Ellis told BoatPoint, “What was interesting here is the mix of cruiser and bowrider sales. The 270 Cruiser was a stand out for us and the 196 SSi is simply a brilliant boat.”

Chaparral has been a leading boat builder in the United States for 46 years and has built a solid reputation for innovation and quality. The company came through the GFC is a strong position and is debt free with money in the bank.

The company is in middle of an unprecedented research and development phases and plans to roll out new models every few months.

Full details of the Chaparral range can be found at: Chaparral Boats.
To comment on this article click here Published : Monday, 6 September 2010
Issue :

---

disclaimer

Prices and specifications supplied are for the market in Australia only and were correct at time of first publication. BoatPoint Australia makes no warranty as to the accuracy of specifications or prices. Please check with manufacturer or local dealer for current pricing and specifications.