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Delphia Yachts at Sydney International Boat Show 2008 Geoff Pearson has a vision - to show Australia that there is a new force on the Australian Yachting market and that in the future, Delphia Yachts will be as popular to yachting as laptops are to the computer industry! Geoff says that it's inevitable that Delphia Yachts, with their European style, great value for money, and high quality of standard inclusions, will make the boats very popular with a large number of the yachting public. Geoff and his staff have over 60 years combined experience in the marine industry, to back up this prediction. In 1991, Geoff Pearson founded the very successful business, Sydney Yachting Centre, and was the manufacturer and seller of the Australian Northshore Yachts brand. 2006 saw Geoff move out of the manufacturing business, and sold his interests in Northshore. He wanted to specialise in selling and distributing an international brand, and in keeping with his vision, he signed up to distribute and sell Delphia Yachts the same year. "We were given an opportunity to get involved with Delphia yachts as the NSW agent, but we believed in Delphia yachts so much, we decided to be the importers for Australia and New Zealand instead. Taking over the Delphia brand was not a decision that Pearson took lightly. He remains 100% committed and focused to building yachts in Australia and is proud of both the performance, style, and quality of the build of the locally produced Sports 8 yachts. He also realises it is imperative that he has a European yacht offering as well to the Australian consumer, and Delphia Yachts presented itself as the perfect opportunity to fit into the portfolio of Sydney Yachting Centre. 'I was excited to travel to Poland this year to meet with the directors and owners of Delphia Yachts. I knew the brand, and what it could offer the Australian yachting consumer, but to see the yachts being made first hand impressed me greatly – the style, the quality of fittings, and the attention to detail was second to none. Although Delphia Yachts are priced competitively in the marketplace, no compromise has been made in the quality of the construction of the boats." Geoff said. 'All their methods of manufacture were a lot stronger than many other imported boats we are familiar with. All the bulkheads are fibreglassed into the hull and the quality of the materials was top form.' Pearson was particularly impressed by the Delphia factory that has heat and humidity control with over 650 trained staff and strict quality control audits. The facility is currently building over 3500 boats per year which include the American J Yachts for the European market and powerboats for the Brunswick Corporation including the Avor range. He commented on the quality of inclusions in Delphia's standard package. 'The boats come standard with an excellent range of quality fittings including Selden masts, booms and rigging. All the deck hardware is Lewmar. The steering is Whitlock steering: solid drag link steering as opposed to the cheaper cable steering.' 'All the furling systems are from Selden- it's the Furlex Genoa system. Selden also offers, for not a lot more, an in mast furling mainsail. It's only about $2000 extra. And we can customise in boom furling should they wish.' There are Ray Marine instruments, a Smev stove and oven, Corian bench tops, Jabsco electric flushing toilets and all the wiring throughout the boat is tin coated copper marine cable. Volvo diesel engines are standard. 'The hulls are a combination of hand laying and vacuum forming. Its vinylester and polyester resin and isothalic gel coat. The build is guaranteed against osmosis for 5 years. And the yacht actually has a 2 year warranty.' Pearson reports that all the interior joinery is precision made: 'we don't have any plastic add in units that some other manufacturers are using- they look like glove boxes fitted into the boat'. He says that the external teak on the Delphia Yachts is properly recessed into the deck, 'not just plonked on top.' A number of people associated with the yachts have commented on the quality of the deck and hull mouldings, with one person saying that he had been 'pleasantly surprised' by the standard of the finish. Pearson adds that the colour of the hull is not a stark white, but more of a pearl finish, which makes it easy on the eye. Although Delphia Yachts (Australia) has only been importing the brand for a relatively short time there has already been a strong response. 'People recognise value for money' noted Pearson. Delphia had a strong showing at the recent Sanctuary Cove Boat Show with Pearson reporting a number of confirmed sales and trade ins via Sydney Yachting Centre's brokerage. 'Sanctuary Cove was quite overwhelming…People are recognising the quality of build, the service that they know from our history and also the good value. People have noticed that a lot of other boats are cutting corners and we can show to them that we're not, and that the construction is very sound.' 'A unique feature of this range of yachts is that each of the Delphia 28,29, 33 and 37 are available in three different keel configuration – swing keel, shallow draft and deep keel options. The standard option for the standard Australian yacht is the deep keel option. The Delphia 40 also has three keel options, shoal, standard and deep. This shows Delphia Yachts desire to help buyers get what they want.' Pearson will be at Sydney Boat Show, 2-7 August, to launch the Delphia 33. Like her sisters the 29 and the 37, the 33 has the option of a swing keel and drop mast facility which makes them particularly attractive to cruisers. With the keel retracted the yachts have a minimal draft of .6m for the 29 footer, and up to about .8m for the 37. 'The swing keel mechanism is winched up in the cockpit. The whole idea is to be able to handle it single handed.' 'The boats also have an option for a bow thruster. The furling main, genoa and the bow thruster make it very simple for the more mature sailors to be able to handle the boat short handed if strength is an issue.' 'These boats are not flat out racing machines: we don't pretend them to be. But they do have a very good turn of speed and can make great club cruiser racers. We already have four new Delphia Yachts racing at Middle Harbour Yacht Club!' Pearson commented that the three cabin version was a good option for families, or people that liked to cruise in company, with strong interest from charter companies in the four cabin versions. It seems that Delphia has hit on a winning formula for the Australian market: a comfortable, family friendly cruiser racer with a great range of standard inclusions at a price that appeals to the hip pocket. |
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