It is pretty exciting to watch Pelorus, the 31-foot Iguana, cruise the Broadwater.
She is an open, centre-console, day boat (or tender) for up to 10 people yet it is her amphibious capabilities that really turn heads. This French-built boat is the first of its kind in Australia and, before she headed north to her permanent home on Orpheus Island, she stopped in at another one of a kind, Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (GCCM), to be placed into Australian survey standards.
Long term clients of GCCM, Northern Escape Collection, decided to add this glamorous amphibious boat to its fleet, which includes M.Y. Flying Fish, to offer guests of luxury hideaway Orpheus Island Lodge unique Great Barrier Reef excursions where they can step off onto dry land, directly from the yacht. Yet the boat needed to be converted to Australian marine standards across a number of trades. GCCM was the perfect location to get the work completed not only due to the number of trades onsite yet also the surveyors who could monitor, assess and certify the work.
Securely tucked away in an enclosed refit shed, the Iguana underwent the required works.
“While the GCCM see many and varied vessels, our Pelorus is probably one of the more unique yachts to undergo work in the shipyard and it has been great to be able to complete all of the necessary commissioning work here on the Gold Coast at GCCM with such world class marine contractors,” Captain Paul Nelson.
Once fully commissioned, there was just enough time to take the lifestyle journalists of the Courier Mail to learn firsthand of the benefits of amphibious boating. As she traversed the pure white sands of the Broadwater, Pelorus certainly turned the heads of local Gold Coasters.
“Over 20 years of operations, GCCM has seen and worked on every conceivable vessel of every size and purpose, yet this was one of the more intriguing. No doubt she will provide some unique and great experiences for guests on the Great Barrier Reef,” said GCCM’s CEO, Trenton Gay.
For more information on how GCCM could assist you with your unique boating project, contact us on [email protected] or call Ph: + 61 (0)7 5502 5888.
