As we roll into the new year, 2006 is set to be yet another landmark year of key significance for CruiseCraft and their authorised dealer group as the company proudly celebrates their 60th year in the Australian boat manufacturing business.

Boats possess a unique quality that allows entire families to share valuable time together that few other recreational pursuits can provide. It is this sentiment of family togetherness and passion that has seen Australia’s most respected manufacturer of family boats celebrate their own family milestone spanning both boat manufacturing and retailing.

To honour the Nichols Bros. 60 year milestone, all CruiseCraft boats manufactured in 2006 will bear a commemorative 60th Anniversary boat graphic to mark this significant achievement. The celebration year will also feature a gala 60th year CruiseCraft birthday party along with a string of other notable 60th anniversary celebration type events.

Queensland-based CruiseCraft Boats has spent the last six decades designing, developing and building world-class trailerable boats. These boats have allowed thousands of families to come together with a passion for the Australian boating lifestyle. Now 60 years on, the company is still firmly entrenched in the hands of the Nichols family that began the journey with Roy Nichols back in 1946.

Very few manufacturers within Australia can emulate the longevity of the Nichols Bros. in boat building. This 60th anniversary milestone in 2006 is not only a testament to the Nichols family but also to an unwavering dedication to design innovation and manufacturing excellence.

At the age of 25, Roy Nichols established a timber boat building business manufacturing everything from rowing dinghies and motor launches to commercial boats for the local fishing fleet. Several years later, Roy Nichols opened Wynnum Marine Hardware where his two sons Barry and Kevin were eventually to follow in their fathers footsteps.

In 1965 the decision was made to embrace new fibreglass boat manufacturing techniques with the first CruiseCraft fibreglass boat rolling off the factory floor in 1967. The second Nichols Bros. generation, Barry and Kevin, soon took the reigns to further strengthen the CruiseCraft name both within Australia and lucrative overseas markets.

The third generation of the Australia Nichols family ownership is now well and truly entrenched in the CruiseCraft fabric of boat building with Nathan, Justin, Danny and Darren all actively involved in all facets of the CruiseCraft business.

CruiseCraft has continued to set industry standards in manufacturing techniques and has recently raised the bar in safety certifications with CE export compliance.

The 59th year for the Nichols family has also been worth acknowledging with the CruiseCraft Explorer 625 taking top honours for “Best Trailerable Fishing Boat” BOTY at the 2005 AMIF awards. The company also recently unveiled the first “Executive 700” model from the luxurious line of ‘Executive’ cruisers, with the range set to grow further in 2006.

CruiseCraft is a wholly family owned, third generation Australian boat manufacturing business, operating from their Brisbane manufacturing facility. CruiseCraft boats are distributed exclusively through a network of authorised Dealers throughout Australia and selected international markets.