Starting next week, the 24th annual Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, running from 24 to 27 May 2012, will play host to new products from all over the world, making their debut in Australia, along with non-stop entertainment, demonstrations as well as attractions to provide visitors with important value.

Silver Bullet yacht tender to be on display at the 24th Sanctuary Cove Boat Show

With the theme “Boating and Beyond”, this year’s event aims to stake its position as the venue for showcasing international innovation.

With 315 exhibitors – 50 of them brand new to the boat show – there are more than 70 world and Australian launches, as well as free boating safety courses for the ladies, fashion parades, cooking demonstrations, a top line-up of bands and performers including Casey Chambers and much more over the four day event.

From kayaks, tinnies, standup paddle boards, RIBs and jet-skis to day boats, trailerboats, ski boats, catamarans, cruisers or charters, the new generation of cleaner, greener engines, high-tech flotation, safety and navigation equipment, books, charts, maps and accessories – an entire world of marine lifestyle will be showcased this year.

In the motor yacht segment, there are launches from European, US, UK and Australian brands, including Jeanneau, Prestige, Maritimo, Mustang, Pelorus Marine, Chaparral, Palm Beach Motor Yachts, MJM Yachts, Integrity, Clipper, Outer Reef Yachts, Fleming, Grand Banks, Alaska, Hampton, Riviera, VanDutch and more.

For movie buffs, there are two Chris Craft gems: the Silver Bullet from the Twilight film “Breaking Dawn” and the heritage runabout called “Mistral” which is identical to the one that starred in “On Golden Pond”.

The Silver Bullet is a 20ft, limited edition luxury runabout which is the boating equivalent of a sports car and one of only 150 manufactured and available worldwide. Equally sleek is its companion, the 22ft timber ‘Mistral’ built from a kit of authentic parts shipped from the US to Tasmania in 1950, Mistral was then completely restored between 1992 and 2001 by only its second owner since the boat was built.

This design emanated from the WWII Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs) and is regarded as one of the finest designs ever to come out of the Chris Craft factory. To the best of our knowledge ‘Mistral’ is one of the only survivors. Mistral’s owner is now looking for a loving custodian for this marvellous piece of history and has established a sale price of $89,000.

The Queensland Water Police vessel, the PV Brett T Handran will again be on display at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, 24-27 May.

This 23.35m vessel is used for training and exercises and was a base in the January 2011 Brisbane floods.

Senior Sergeant Lucas Young said “We will be showcasing the role of the water police and our assets and capabilities,” he explains. “We welcomed more than 2000 people onboard last year and the feedback was all positive. This is the public’s only chance to see an operational police vessel, which is a new member of fleet.”

Named in honour of a Detective who lost his life in the line of duty in 1989 in Wynnum, the PV Brett T Handran is used in search and rescue operations, including during the Brisbane floods and far north in Innisfail and Cairns during Cyclone Yasi.

“It’s a water borne command centre,” continues Senior Sergeant Young. “People are always impressed with the range and capability of the vessel, which is also used on the Gold Coast for events like GC 600 and Schoolies Week and other major police operations.”

From New Zealand, the internationally acclaimed yacht designer, Roger Hill presents his ground-breaking 17m power cat, Voodoo, which marks a first for the company with its trail blazing design, and launches worldwide at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Incorporating the impressive combination of hydro foils along with an asymmetric hull shape, Voodoo achieves exceptional performance, economy and speed even in the most challenging of conditions on the high seas.

Along with dozens of world and national launches of boats of all sizes, equipment and all manner of ideas for enjoying the great Aussie ocean and waterways lifestyle, the line-up of awe-inspiring show-stoppers aims to bring a new generation of visitors to the Boat Show, while thrilling regular show-goers with world-firsts.

For the first time in Australia, visitors will be able to behold the gravity-defying JetLev R200, the coolest way to take to the water! Drawing inspiration from the James Bond flick “Thunderball”, the JetLev is winning devotees around the world since its US launch last year. Shooting 30ft (9m) in the air with just a hose linking it to the water, the JetLev will be on display throughout the four-day event.

Jetting in from Dubai, the JetSurf is a High Tech motorized surfboard designed and manufactured by MotoGP and Formula1 engineers. Totally unique, it is a monocoque hull made 100% from the highest quality Carbon Fibre.

At only 14kg in weight, the JetSurf uses a specially designed high tech Two-Stroke 86 cubic centimeter engine that provides an amazing 55km/h! A patented high tech exhaust system ensures maximum power and reduced noise in a very small space.

Due to popular demand, the “Women on Water” program is back for another year, with the glamorous “High Tea on the High Seas” cruises around the Broadwater, Ladies’ Lunch with Ita Buttrose, as well as over $1m in Jewellery on show from Ann Middleton, and a myriad of cooking demos, interiors seminars and hands-on practical experiences such as free boating basics classes.

There is more than $250,000 in prizes to win – including a $100,000 Gulf to Gulf Adventure Rig prize package which includes a Toyota 76 Series GXL Workmate V8 turbo diesel wagon fitted with offroad accessories; a Goldstream Vacationer series 2; Stacer 349 Proline car topper with Vortex 6.0hp two stroke shaft outboard engine; Waeco CF80 fridge-freezer and Waeco Cool-Ice WCI-70 icebox.

92.5 Gold FM listeners have the chance to win a $10,000 SINN 900 Limited Edition watch from Define Watches PLUS the Ultimate Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show experience including: Two guest passes to the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, Overnight Accommodation at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, and a $250 dining voucher for the Marine Village Sanctuary Cove, OR a weekend on-board a luxury houseboat from Sundowner Houseboats valued at $3,000.

Then there’s the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove Weekend of Luxury for two people, driving the superb Mercedes-Benz E250 Cabriolet courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast and staying at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove. To go in the draw, simply fill out a form at the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast stand in the Superyacht Pavilion.

Visitors to the show can win $400 in Polarised Sunglasses every day thanks to BarzOptics or a Whitsunday’s holiday onboard a Seawind 1160 at the Seawind Whitsunday Rally in June.