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Boat prize is a dream for single dad Joey
Gold Coast single dad Joey Lijewski is the proud owner of a brand new 16-foot Avalon trailer boat after winning a competition during the recent Gold Coast Marine Expo.
Joey defeated four other contestants in the Gold FM radio station “Live in it to win it” competition run throughout the weekend of the Expo.
“My eight-year-old son Jack and I are so excited,” said Joey. “We picked up the boat the weekend after the show and headed straight out on the water. This is going to make our Christmas so special!”
Brett Thurley from Clipper Motor Yachts Australia donated the Avalon centre console boat. The boat came with a Suzuki outboard motor and a trailer, a package valued at $16,000.
“It’s a new brand of fibreglass fish and watersport boat,” said Thurley. “It’s ideal for harbour and estuary fishing and for family fun.
“It is great to know that Joey is going to use the boat well. It has gone to a very worthy winner and we are so excited for him.”
Joey works for a pontoon building company on the Gold Coast waterways.
“Every day I would see people out on their boats and feel sad that I could not afford to take young Jack out there too,” said Joey.
“Now I have my own boat and it is great. The Avalon performs well and feels really safe for young Jack.”
According to Ashleigh Hession of Gold FM, the contestants won their spot after a 30-second to “talk your way onto the boat” phone-in.
Joey admitted he does not normally enter radio contests but he got to work early one morning, heard the promotion on the radio and” thought I would give it a go”. It was the last day for entries and there was only one place left on the boat.
On the Saturday of the show the five contestants were loaded into the boat and given a series of challenges in a last-man-standing competition.
“Joey excelled in all the challenges on Saturday so he and Morton were the last two left for the final challenges on Sunday morning,” said Ashleigh.
The two men were given a deck of cards to play the game Fish. The winner would get a one-minute start in a fishing contest. The first to catch two fish would win the boat.
“I had never heard of the game Fish, let alone played it,” said Joey. “But I won and got the one-minute start in a real fishing competition right in front of everyone visiting the Expo.”
Joey caught his first fish within 40 seconds. But it was a long half-hour wait for the second hook-up. Joey hauled in another fish and the boat was his.
“We are so grateful to Clipper and to Gold FM,” said Joey. “We are out every weekend – me and dad and Jack. Dad has been teaching Jack how to fish but it is going to be so much more of an adventure with the boat. The first day out was on the Tweed River and the second was Currumbin Creek. We’ll really be able to explore the Gold Coast waterways over the Christmas break.”
Clipper master-class answers the big questions
The speed of development in marine electronics technology can be daunting for boat owners.
According to Clipper Motoryachts Australia Managing Director Brett Thurley, “by far the most frequent questions from our owners are about their electronic navigation systems.
“Clippers are designed for comfortable long-distance passages,” he said. “Anything we can do to help our owners feel more comfortable offshore is important to us. Our regattas are a vital part of this and the master-classes help skippers to have a greater understanding of the capabilities of their navigation equipment.”
The master-class in the boardroom at the Audi Centre Gold Coast on November 7 attracted 14 Clipper owners to the two-hour session presented by Grant Watson from Raymarine and Andrew Torti from South Pacific Marine Electronics. Torti is responsible for installing all Raymarine systems on board Clipper motoryachts and for training owners.
Beginning with basic instruction about multi-function displays and setting up split screens, the presentation included chart set-up, the differences between classic and touch-screen technologies, as well as the basics for setting up waypoints and tracks.
A highlight of the evening was a discussion about Raymarine’s new Apple iPad and iPhone app that works with the company’s new e7 multi-function display. The system includes Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The e7 screen display can be accessed from anywhere on-board via the mobile Apple devices. With charts loaded onto a device, owners can also plan a voyage at home then download it to the e7 when they step aboard.
Two participants quickly took out their iPhones and downloaded the app. Within minutes they had the Raymarine screen presentation displaying on their phones.
Grant Watson also showed the new high definition radar systems and gave a practical demonstration of radar set-up and the benefits of the new systems. Guests were also given the chance to test one of Raymarine’s new hand-held night vision thermal image cameras.
Thurley said: “The master-class included lively discussions about navigating through the Raymarine screens, anchor alarm settings and even man-overboard settings.”
He said this was one of a range of similar training events Clipper is organising for owners.
“The master-classes go hand-in-glove with our regattas which combine fun and learning,” he said.
The staff at Audi Centre provided guests with a steady flow of light food as well as a variety of refreshments throughout the evening.
“The food was great and Rebecca Frizell and her team did a great job in providing the additional touch of enjoyment for our owners,” said Thurley.
Clipper eXcited and delighted at Marine Expo
The team at Clipper Motoryachts Australia is delighted by the response to the weekend’s Marine Expo at the Gold Coast marine precinct.
Managing Director Brett Thurley said: “It was a great atmosphere throughout the weekend. A great relaxed and family environment added to the fact it was a selling show and people were making commitments to buy. We were extremely pleased with our sales for the show and feel there is more to come in the following weeks.
“The result confirms that we believe this should become an annual event.”
Clipper displayed four boats – ranging from a Heritage 36 to the flagship Cordova 60 - at its own dock on the marina as well as a range of tenders on the hard stand.
“This was the largest display of Clipper motoryachts we have achieved in Australia,” said Thurley.
Clipper Motoryachts Australia head office is at the water’s edge in the heart of the Marine Expo at the Gold Coast City Marina and Thurley was one of the founding organisers of the Expo.
“The success of this event vindicates our faith in the original idea that Ryan Leigh-Smith approached us with to be a founding sponsor and organiser of the Expo,” he said. “Gold Coast boating enthusiasts have demonstrated that a show at this time of year, with great warm weather, is exactly what they want.”
Clipper also hosted a busy owner and guest hospitality marquee throughout the weekend, offering food and refreshments.
Big new Clipper fans sighted off Fraser Island
Sighting a whale a few hundred metres away as it plays in the ocean is a thrill for most people. A close encounter is rare.
The families who participated in the annual Clipper Fraser Island Regatta this year are still talking about one of the most extraordinary encounters.
“They were right beside us,” said John Seymour who was on his first regatta, having taken delivery of his Clipper Cordova 48, My Poet, only a few weeks earlier.
“We were cruising north toward the northern tip of Fraser Island when a pod of three or four surfaced,” he said. “We all stopped and waited. Incredibly, the whales came right up to the boats, raising their heads or swimming under the boats.
“I’m still not sure whether they were looking at us or we were looking at them. They lifted their heads out of the water beside the boats and we could look right into their eyes. They are beautifully curious creatures.”
Clipper’s Brett Thurley said a few brave boaters even donned swimming masks to get a sight of the massive creatures under water.
“Of course, none of us left the boats,” he said. “We simply stopped the boats and allowed the whales to decide how close they wanted the encounter. But we could almost reach out and touch them. Incredible!
“They were obviously impressed by our Clippers!”
Another first-time Clipper owner, Jack Heaton, also watched the whales in awe.
“They came up to our boat and had a good look around,” he said. “They stayed with us for quite some time then went on to the next boat.”
Irving and Di Korman on board their Clipper 40, “The Dolphin”, were old hands at whale watching. They had experienced the creatures during last year’s Clipper Regatta. But still they were awe-struck.
“They stayed with us for perhaps 90 minutes,” said Irving. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The Kormans’ Clipper is a full displacement design so they were grateful for the sense of camaraderie among all the boats that everyone kept a steady pace.
“Most of the Clippers in the regatta are semi-displacement and can run at speeds around 20 knots,” he explained. “Our displacement Clipper is happy and comfortable around nine knots. So the fleet simply maintained our cruising speed. It kept everyone together throughout the eight days.”
The cruise took in anchorages from Moreton Bay to the Triangle Cliffs on Fraser Island and included nine boats during the event including Clipper Heritage 40s, Cordova 48s and even one of the newly released Cordova 45s.
Owners joined the regatta from Gold Coast, Brisbane and some from New South Wales who were heading south after visiting north Queensland. They joined at Fraser Island.
Gold Coast and Brisbane boats met at Dunwich at the northern end of North Stradbroke Island on the first day. They rafted up and sheltered from stiff south-easterly winds and everyone enjoyed fresh prawns and bugs provided by the Clipper team along with a few drinks.
“The first night raft-up gives everyone a chance to meet and chat,” explained Brett. “We had five new boats and crews on this trip so it was great for them to talk with others who had experienced our regattas.”
The Clipper team included skipper Jeremy Cooper who spent time on each owner’s boats during the regatta, offering tips and showing the new owners some of the technicalities of their boats.
For both John Seymour and Jack Heaton, the service was welcome.
“We took delivery in June. So Jeremy’s tips were greatly appreciated,” he said. “A shakedown cruise such as this is a fantastic way to learn about the capabilities of the new boat.”
Jack Heaton had even less time to trial his new Cordova 48, Barcoo, before stockingt up and heading north for the regatta.
“The Clipper team did an incredible job to commission the boat and have it ready just a few days before we set out,” he said.
“We encountered quite difficult seas both heading north and coming home. These included beam seas and 30 knots of wind at times. I was really impressed with the way the Clipper handled the conditions.”
The fleet headed to Mooloolaba on day two and tied up at the marina in plenty of time to stroll down the road to Fish on Parkyn restaurant.
The next day’s departure was timed to perfection to cross the Wide Bay bar as a group at high tide approximately 2pm and the boats headed to Tin Can Bay marina for the evening.
Clipper owners John and Gayle took everyone into town for a superb dinner at the Black Cockatoo restaurant which serves fresh local seafood.
“The dinner gave us the opportunity to introduce our Wide Bay owners to the group,” said Brett. “The southern crew enjoyed the sheltered waters after a couple of big days in southerlies and the bar crossing. They were looking forward to some protected cruising.”
The weather improved and everyone was anxious to head north. Next port of call was the delightfully named Yankee Jack Creek, south of the Kingfisher Resort.
The following day began with rain, but it cleared as the boats rounded Moon Point to head along the northern beaches of the island.
“We saw a whale and her calf outside Kingfisher Resort,” said Brett. “That was a strong sign that we would be seeing plenty of whales further north. And we did. The northern bay area is teeming with whales relaxing, breaching and raising their young.”
By the time the fleet arrived at the triangle cliffs, the water was glassy and the area remained completely protected from wind for three days.
First order of the day was to set up the first beach barbecue with some excellent wagyu steaks followed by a great fire on the beach, some drinks and plenty of stories particularly from the contingent of New South Wales owners who joined on their way home from cruising in north Queensland.
The next day was dedicated to fishing and whale-watching. The fleet had been cruising for about two hours, closing on the northern tip of Rooneys Point, when they spotted the pod of whales that would entertain them for the next hour and a half.
“When they finally drifted off, we returned to our fishing venture,” said Brett.
“Skipper Jeremy found some fish and we landed a yellowfin tuna which we enjoyed on the beach barbecue that night along with a few drinks, a beach bonfire and a very curious dingo.”
The weather began to turn north at the end of the week, signalling time to head home. The fleet reached Gary’s Anchorage and settled down, preparing for an early bar crossing next day in a 15-knot northerly.
“Bar conditions were lumpy so high concentration and good skippering was required,” said Brett. “We all made it through safely of course. We were lucky that the winds remained north-westerly for most of the return voyage although it did pick up to 30 knots and storming as we pulled into Mooloolaba that evening.
“We are already planning next year’s event.”
Clipper’s Hudson Bay sedan cruiser nears completion
Clipper Motoryachts’ new-style Hudson Bay 50 sedan cruiser is nearing completion at the company’s factory under the watchful eye of Mark Campion and his team of British and Australian engineers, naval architects and boat builders.
According to Clipper Motoryachts Australia Managing Director Brett Thurley: “The new Hudson Bay 50 is everything we had hoped for.”
Thurley said the design of the Hudson Bay combined a layout and features that will focus on families getting away and staying on board while offering a comprehensive range of contemporary features.
“The design team spent a great deal of time and energy to ensure they combine the classic lines for which Clippers are renowned with the contemporary lifestyle aspects of a sedan cruiser,” he said.
“Many companies have produced a sedan style of motor yacht focussed on a ‘day boat’ layout, rendering the boat very one-dimensional.
“We have incorporated a wide range of standard features that reflect contemporary cruising and entertaining lifestyle including a combined teppanyaki and lava rock barbecue, sliding sunroof in the saloon to flood this area with air and light and large portlights in the hull that provide incredible light to the accommodation suite.”
Thurley said the company is preparing for an official launch in Sydney in early September – “just in time for the boating season,” he said.
The new Hudson Bay 50 is designed around a single-level family and entertaining area stretching from the aft cockpit protected by a generous overhang of the hard top through the galley and saloon and dinette.
The blue-water hull is constructed in solid hand-laid fibreglass below the waterline with cored fibreglass above. Deck and hardtop are infusion moulded with a honeycomb core to maintain strength while reducing weight.
The innovative hydraulic swim platform doubles as a stairway with only the centre section raising and lowering. It can be lowered to make swimming on and off the boat simpler or to launch a jet ski or tender.
The hybrid platform is “an Australian first” according to Thurley.
“Our new sedan range will offer Australian families the perfect blend of indoor and outdoor living and accommodation for weekends away,” he said.
“Every boat in the Hudson Bay range will combine gorgeous exterior styling that exudes class and timeless elegance with Clipper’s blue water cruising credibility. The hull design shares many features of the proven Cordova range, making it equally comfortable cruising at 12 knots or speeds up to 26 knots.”
Standard power is provided by optional twin Yanmar 480hp or Cummins 440hp turbo diesel engines. Vessel number one is powered by 600hp Cummins turbo diesels. The boats are also equipped with an Onan 11kW generator.Clipper Motoryachts’ new-style Hudson Bay 50 sedan cruiser is nearing completion at the company’s factory under the watchful eye of Mark Campion and his team of British and Australian engineers, naval architects and boat builders.
Clipper to showcase Hudson Bay at inaugural Gold Coast Expo
Clipper Motoryachts will showcase its new Hudson Bay 50 at the inaugural Gold Coast Marine Expo to be held in the first week of November.
The Expo will be held over three days at the Gold Coast Marine Precinct in Coomera.
According to Brett Thurley, Managing Director of Clipper Motoryachts Australia, “This is an exciting new initiative and we will have six of our boats on display ranging from a Heritage 40 displacement cruiser to our luxury Cordova 60 and, of course, the brand new Hudson Bay 50 sedan cruiser.
“The show will give prospective Clipper owners the chance to inspect these models on the water in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.”
Mr Thurley said that Clipper was a founding partner of the Marine Expo.
“We believe events such as this can only promote boating in general and the Clipper lifestyle in particular.”
The Marine Precinct is home ground for Clipper Motoryachts Australia, he said.
“Our owners know us in the precinct and we are looking forward to meeting many more who want to experience the growing trawler-style boating lifestyle.
“We will have a hospitality marquee where Clipper owners and invited guests can enjoy a barbecue and refreshments throughout the show.”
Many of Queensland’s finest and most reputable boating companies will showcase their marine products and services alongside many international brands at the event.
“Admission is free of charge,” said Mr Thurley. “The organisers are asking people to give a gold coin donation to the non-profit organisations that will be assisting over the three days.”
“We will provide our clients with free on-site parking. There are also helicopter transfers from Southport and bus transfers from the Coomera Railway station, so access to the Expo will be extremely easy.”
Weekend regatta whets the appetite for cruising
“It was all over too quickly,” said John about the Clipper Gold Coast Regatta in April.
A flotilla of 10 classic-style boats cruised the Gold Coast waterways for an evening of fun and relaxation at the Dux, a private retreat at the northern end of South Stradbroke Island.
For John and wife Jill who own a Clipper 52, this was their first Clipper regatta and they were delighted to find new friends.
“We got along with everyone,” said John. “It was as if we had known them for quite a long time.”
As the regatta ended, the couple parted with the rest of the flotilla that headed home. The weekend was the beginning of a long cruise north.
The regatta began with a get-to-know-you party at Southport Yacht Club at the southern end of the Gold Coast Broadwater on Friday evening. The newly arrived Clipper Cordova 45 was the centrepiece of the party and a strong talking point for guests.
After an evening of fine wines and good food, most people stayed the night on their boats at the yacht club and set out in convoy on Saturday morning.
The entire Clipper range – from the Heritage 36 and 40 – through the Cordova range to the flagship 60 were represented for the first time on a Clipper regatta since they began just two years ago.
The proud new owners of Australia’s first Clipper Cordova 45, John and Gayle, were delighted that Clipper provided a professional skipper to show them the ropes of their new boat.
“Learning how to manoeuvre the boat with the twin engines and bow thrusters was important,” said John. “Skipper Jeremy was a great help. I learned so much about the boat in just the two days.”
The Clipper team, headed by Managing Director Brett Thurley, prepared a barbecue at the Dux on Saturday evening.
“The weather was kind to us and everyone shared time,” said Brett. “The Clipper fraternity is becoming very close. We have people coming back again and again to our events. So I guess we must be doing something right.”
For John and Gayle, the next event cannot come soon enough.
“We were guests at the Hervey Bay regatta last year,” said John. “That is our home waterway and we loved the whale watching. This year we will be able to join the regatta on our own new Clipper. We can’t wait!”
Clipper Cordova 52 Pilothouse – for serious passagemaking
Clipper Motor Yachts has launched a pilothouse layout for its popular Cordova 52 Series II Motor Yacht.
The pilothouse is a new option for the internal layout, offering the crew a dedicated navigation station forward, beside the helm.
“This development is a great example of Clipper’s ability to customise the internal layout of our boats to suit market requirements,” said Brett Thurley, Clipper Motor Yachts Australia’s Managing Director.
The navigation station includes a wide, upholstered bench seat, fold-up working table and space to spread paper charts.
To accommodate the navigation station, the Clipper design team moved the galley aft by (how far??) and redesigned the saloon to offer a U-shape lounge with a multi-purpose dinette table.
The dinette table slides out for easier access and is mounted on a gas strut pedestal. The table can be lowered to create a coffee table effect or to operate as the base for a cushion that turns the lounge into a generous double bed.
“The navigation station is an important additional feature for couples or families on longer voyages,” said Thurley. “It provides the crew with comfortable seating forward with the skipper and a working area right beside the skipper so information can be relayed quickly and easily.
“It is also a great place for the crew to relax on the voyage,” he said. “It provides a similar togetherness with the skipper as they experience on the flybridge.”
Of course, the Clipper Cordova 52 Pilothouse maintains all the classic Clipper features including walk-around decks, side and aft boarding doors, stainless steel sliding aft saloon doors and air conditioning throughout.
Three steps down the central companionway between helm and navigation station, the accommodation suite includes the master stateroom forward, a VIP guest stateroom to starboard and a twin berth cabin to port. The master has an ensuite bathroom while the other cabins share the second bathroom. Both bathrooms feature Staron countertops, timber vanities with glass wash bowls and elegant mixer taps. Separate shower stalls include safety glass screens.
Outside, the ample aft deck features a door in the transom leading to the deep swim platform. A deck hatch leads to a massive lazarette that provides access to the steering equipment and, forward, to the engine room.
A moulded staircase with teak treads leads from the cockpit to the expansive flybridge that is fitted with a davit and plenty of room for a tender and cradle as well as open and covered entertaining areas. A wet bar and barbecue are built into an FRP cabinet aft of the undercover seating. This includes two lounges – an L-shape with teak table to port and a straight three-seat lounge to starboard. A single helm seat forward faces a wide teak dash equipped with engine control and monitors, navigation aids and anchor controller and chain counter.
Double stainless steel sliding glass doors lead from the aft deck to the elegant saloon with ultra-leather wrap-around settee on the port side and a teak cabinet to starboard that conceals a pop-up 32-inch LCD TV. The entire area has a teak and holly floor or can be carpeted.
Large stainless steel framed windows throughout the saloon afford clear 360-degree views from the helm to aft deck.
The U-shape galley is well equipped with granite or Staron benchtop, four-burner hob, a refrigerator/freezer and convection microwave oven. Cabinets under the bench and overhead provide ample storage for extended cruising.
The Cordova 52’s classic double chine semi-displacement hull and running surface are designed by renowned Canadian naval architect Trevor Bolt in a style developed by the great naval architect Ed Monk. As a result, she is perfectly stable and comfortable cruising at a leisurely 10 knots and her twin Cummins 440hp turbo diesel engines can deliver a turn of speed to 20-plus knots if you need to reach a destination or avoid heavy weather.
Standard features include a bow thrusters, flybridge hardtop, built-in flybridge wet bar with an electric barbecue and a full Raymarine electronics package. Options range from stabilisers and stern thrusters to a tender cradle on the flybridge aft deck.
Everything you could want for a comfortable lifestyle is build into this magnificent craft. It even comes standard with soft furnishings for all three cabins and Clipper monogrammed towels for the two bathrooms.
Clipper regatta acclaimed a “whale” of a success
“For me, the entire experience was the highlight,” said Peter Hanan of his first Clipper Regatta. “The whales, the people, the beach barbecues, having a professional skipper on board with me for a couple of days – everything.”
Peter and two friends aboard his Clipper Cordova 48, “Dasame”, joined 40 other enthusiasts on 12 boats during an eight-day Clipper Regatta from Queensland’s Gold Coast to Hervey Bay and back.
“It was the first time I have skippered a boat in open waters and the security of other skilled people in the boats around me made it possible,” he said.
For Irving and Di Korman on board their Clipper 40 “The Dolphin”, the highlight was encounters with whales.
“We had one dive under our boat and another tail slap right beside the boat,” he said. “But the companionship of other Clipper owners was also wonderful.”
The regatta left the Gold Coast Broadwater, heading north inside the Stradbroke Islands to reach Horseshoe Bay on Peel Island for their first night at anchor. Then it was a long day to Mooloolaba where the heavens opened and sent everyone scurrying to the renowned Fish On Parkyn restaurant for a seafood feast.
Jennifer and Rhys Withers live in Sydney and picked up their new boat, a Clipper 40, “Kahurangi”,on the Gold Coast only a few weeks before the start of the regatta.
“The waterways are new to us, so it was an exciting trip,” said Jennifer.
Among the highlights for her were the beach barbecues.
“For once the ladies didn’t have to cook!” she said.
Jennifer and Rhys recently swapped a life of sailing for the stability of their Clipper.
“I’m over pulling on ropes,” said Jennifer. “Now we can relax and enjoy a cup of coffee as we cruise along with a great view from the flybridge.”
Jan Wolfe agreed the barbecues were special.
“It was a great chance to talk together,” she said. “The girls swapped recipes and ideas.”
Clipper’s Brett Thurley explained: “Once we reached Fraser Island we put on a beach barbecue for the entire team. Steve Dittmar provided prawns fresh off the Mooloolaba fishing trawlers.
“We named our barbecue site the Clipper Beach Bar & Grill.
“By the time the regatta was over, there were a number of Clipper Beach Bar & Grills along the sandy beaches of Fraser Island, including one under a lone palm tree.”
The weather throughout the fleet’s time in Hervey Bay was so good they remained in anchorages rather than retreat to marinas.
“Light north-easters, very calm waters,” said Brett. “It was exactly the right weather simply to sit at anchor, watch the whales and do some fishing.
“The event ended with incredible radio chatter. Everyone was farewelling and making recommendations for our next event. So we’re already planning for more regattas.”
Clipper’s Hudson Bay sedan cruiser launched
Clipper Motoryachts’ new-style Hudson Bay 50 sedan cruiser has been launched and is undergoing final fitout and sea trials.
According to Clipper Motoryachts Australia Managing Director Brett Thurley: “The new boat is scheduled to leave the factory in late October. We anticipate an official launch in Australia in mid-November.”
He said the Clipper factory team had worked closely with him to build the first boat in the new Clipper range to the highest standards.
“This is a highly specced boat,” said Thurley. “We have included refinements such as a pantograph skipper’s door on the starboard side for walk-around deck access when docking and anchoring.
“The team has also gone to great lengths to refine the look of the helm with an innovative hand-stitched leather pod to house the electronics featuring the latest Simrad touch-screen technology for GPS, Radar and Autopilot. The cabins feature carefully chosen Australian premium fabrics for the wall linings and bedheads as well as Italian-inspired upholstery for the dinette and saloon settee. Build quality and interior fitout on this boat can only be described as world class.
“The new Hudson Bay combines the classic lines for which Clippers are renowned, with a flourish of the contemporary lifestyle aspects of a sedan cruiser,” he said.
“This first boat is packed with quality inclusions to make it an attractive option for families who want to entertain and stay on board for long weekends and holidays.
“We have incorporated a wide range of standard features that reflect contemporary cruising and entertaining lifestyle including separate teppanyaki and lava rock barbecues, a sliding sunroof in the saloon to flood this area with air and light and three large portlights in the hull that provide incredible light to the cabins.
“We have also ensured that the cockpit roof overhang is generous to shade the tables and outdoor dinette as well as a huge swim platform area so the cockpit can be accessed from either side with the tender still in place.”
Thurley said the boat would arrive at the company’s Gold Coast office in early November for final detailing and an initial launch before its official unveiling at an event in Sydney.
The blue-water hull is constructed in solid hand-laid fibreglass below the waterline with cored fibreglass above. Deck and hardtop are infusion moulded with a honeycomb core to maintain strength while reducing weight.
The innovative hydraulic swim platform doubles as a submersible platform with teak tread stairway; only the centre section raises and lowers. It can be lowered to make swimming on and off the boat simpler or to launch a jet ski or tender but can also be raised and the steps used to let the kids turn it into a diving platform.
The hybrid swim platform and tender launch is “an Australian first” according to Thurley and continues the focus on this boat catering to Australian families.
“It also eliminates the need for tender garage which limits the tender size,” he said. “Launching and retrieving a tender via a garage can be a time-consuming and difficult exercise at anchor,” he said.
The company plans to launch a range of Hudson Bay sedan cruisers over the next two years, including a 47-footer and a larger 54-footer.
“Every boat in the Hudson Bay range will combine gorgeous exterior styling that exudes class and timeless elegance with Clipper’s blue-water cruising credibility. The hull design shares many features of the proven Cordova range, making it equally comfortable cruising at 12 knots or speeds up to 26 knots.”
Standard power in the Hudson Bay 50 is provided by twin Yanmar 480hp or twin Cummins 440hp turbo diesel engines. Vessel number one is powered by 600hp Cummins turbo diesels. The boats are also equipped with Onan 11kW generators.
