Every May, the marina at Sanctuary Cove transforms into something closer to a floating motor show – rows of pristine hulls lined up gunwale to gunwale, each one engineered to make the last look modest. It’s a scene that rewards even the mildly curious to the serious buyers, and for four days on the Gold Coast, it’s open to anyone willing to slip off their shoes and step aboard.
Now in its 37th year, the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show runs from the 21st to the 24th of May, and the 2026 edition is poised to be its largest yet. The marina has been expanded to accommodate over 800 vessels, and more than 300 exhibitors will line the docks – a concentration of craftsmanship, engineering and quietly excessive fitouts that few events in the Southern Hemisphere can rival.
The marquee names are all present. Riviera and Maritimo will represent the best of Australian boatbuilding, while Princess Yachts and Beneteau hold court for the Europeans. Joining them this year is a growing wave of Mediterranean day-boat makers, among them Barcelona’s De Antonio Yachts and Finland’s Saxdor – marques that have become fixtures across Ibiza and the French Riviera, and now making their presence felt on Sydney Harbour.
What sets SCIBS apart from a conventional exhibition is the intimacy of it. This isn’t a roped-off display. Visitors board the vessels, open the hatches, trail a hand along carbon fibre trimmings and talk stabilisation systems with people who build them for a living. Whether you’re weighing up a serious purchase or simply want to understand what separates a $500,000 hull from a $5 million one, the access is the same.
For those drawn to the technical end, the Sports, Leisure & Fishing Precinct is worth the detour – a dedicated zone of watersports equipment, premium tackle and marine electronics, anchored by the annual Live Bream Shoot Out, which draws competitive anglers from across the eastern seaboard.
When the docks have had their fill, the show opens up. The Veuve Clicquot Sun Club runs bottomless brunches with canapés and mimosas each morning from 9:30 AM to noon, rolling into free-flowing champagne, rosé and DJ sets from 12:30 PM. Beyond it, the Marine Village serves as the Gold Coast’s most civilised long-lunch setting – and a fine place to regroup before one last pass through the marina.
With 75% of exhibitor space already spoken for and north of 45,000 attendees expected, this is shaping up to be the biggest SCIBS on record.
The Details
Dates: 21–24 May 2026 (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Location: Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast
This article is presented in partnership with Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
