Welcome to Central Boating Services

Central Boating Services is the builder of the popular GEM 550 Trailable Yacht in Australia.

We also build our locally designed Sandpiper Day-Sailer dinghy and a lightweight dinghy tender we call the Sabre.

With over 25 years practical experience in yacht and boat construction, Central Boating offers a wide range of services for both commercial and pleasure boating. We build boats and we also fix all types of boats.

More than 60 completed GEM 550 One-Design yachts have been built by us over the past 20 years. We believe this makes it the most popular and successful hand-built, mid sized production trailer sailer in the southern hemisphere. Our happy owners tell the best stories about the GEM and they send us the photos to prove it.

Our boats are racing & cruising in every State of Australia, with a significant fleet based at the Canberra Yacht Club on Lake Burley Griffin. The GEM has been used as the Standard Yardstick boat for National Competitions run by this acclaimed club.

Meanwhile, two years ago, we shifted the total business & factory from Port Adelaide to the Lonsdale Industrial Zone, south of Adelaide as a way to keep our production prices competitive.

Our long association with the nautical history of Port Adelaide and Birkenhead was great to be a part of, but new housing development was creating expenses beyond our means. But we are still in the business of building great boats for enthusiastic family sailors. We invite you to call around and see what we do.

We thank the Canberra Gem Fleet for the use of various photos.