Our history in the sailing business

ESTABLISHED IN 1995 BY OLYMPIC YACHTSMAN AND CIRCUMNAVIGATOR MATT HAYES

Performance Cruising Yachts is one of the oldest sailing businesses in Australia.

We have been importing to Australia premium brands such as Hunter Yachts and Silverton Motor Cruises from the USA, Dufour Yachts from France, garnering great success and many awards.

In 2013, we became Australia’s exclusive importer for Elan Yachts. A highly revered brand that offers a quality performance range and blue water cruising range from 36-51 ft.

Since 2019 we are the exclusive importer for Australia and New Zealand of Dufour Catamarans, a premium Italian brand with models 44ft-48ft in both power and sailing versions.

Later in 2022 we were appointed as the exclusive importer for ICE Yachts of Italy. Semi custom high end luxury models ranging from 52-100ft along with high performance catamarans that range from 64-72ft.

More recently we were appointed by Italia Yachts as their exclusive Australian and New Zealand dealer. A well known Italian brand that produce stylish and fast racer/cruiser models from 33-71 ft and an exciting new power boat line, starting with the 43 Veloce debuting later in 2023.

We have imported hundreds of yachts and motor boats. And we have delivered them to all states of Australia, as well as importing into New Zealand, Fiji, the USA and Europe.

In these days of customers recognising and demanding quality, we only choose premium brands that have high levels of quality and exceptional customer service.

We have a dedicated team of shipwrights, riggers, engineers and boat detailers and in house staff headed up by General Manager Ed Penn. Ed has over 30 years’ experience within the marine industry and brings a massive wealth of knowledge and expertise to all areas of the business.

Who we are

WE ARE NOT JUST ANY COMPANY THAT SELLS YACHTS

Rather we are a one stop shop for sailing, and one of the most diversified sailing businesses in Australia.

Through our brands we offer small to large yachts for cruising, fast cruising, live aboard cruising and racing. We provide technical advice on all aspects of sailing from raw beginners to the upper echelons of racing.

Through our recognised Yacht Training Academy (Sydney By Sail) , we train to all levels, ranging from absolute beginner to the levels of internationally recognised bareboat skipper, plus coastal sailing and offering expert advice for those customers contemplating venturing farther afield.

We offer not only new yachts for purchase, but also yacht share and yacht charter investment.

When dealing with Performance Cruising Yachts you will not experience heavy handed fast talking salesperson, rather dedicated seasoned enthusiasts who love talking about our product range and what we can do.

We pride ourselves on our service, attention to detail and enduring relationships with our customers

Meet the Management Team

Matt Hayes

CEO

Sailing has been Matt’s passion since he was a boy, starting out in dinghies and going on to represent Australia in the Olympic Games in Atlanta, and completing a circumnavigation of the world in October 2020.

Matt also started young in the sailing business, establishing his first sailing school and charter business at just 19 years of age.

His global adventure has further ignited his passion to share his love of sailing, whether it be for on weekends, local explorations, heading for the waters of Queensland, the South Pacific or sailing around the world.

If you are going to buy a yacht, buy one off someone who has been there, done that, in all facets of the sport.
That someone is Matt Hayes and the team at Performance Cruising Yachts.

Edward Penn

General Manager

Ed has around three decades of experience within the marine industry and brings a massive wealth of knowledge and expertise to all areas of the business.

Ed supervises the entire purchase process from the initial enquiry; build specification, shipping, commissioning to hand over and after sales. He has an incredible eye for detail when it comes to fit, finish and final delivery to the customer.

Ed is passionate about sailing and the yachts that we sell and it shows. Growing up on the east coast of England, he was sailing competitively from early age and continued to do so while studying for and achieving a Bachelor of Science degree. During that time, he also became a sailing instructor and commercial skipper to allow him to pass on his skills and love for the sport.

To further his understanding of the yachts we sell Ed has spent time at the various shipyards in the USA, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and France and has developed strong relationships with the key personnel in both sales and after sales departments.

Due to Ed’s dedication to service, our company has been awarded numerous Awards for Customer Service.

Josh Hayes

Marketing & Social Media Manager

Josh lives and breathes all things ocean.

Growing up surfing and sailing, Josh has been at home in and on the water since a very young age. After achieving a double degree in Psychology and Commerce at Macquarie University, Josh focussed on his yachting passions, achieving a YachtMaster Offshore to use as a commercial skipper. Since then, Josh has clocked up an impressive 30,000+ Nautical Miles at Sea, with his most remarkable leg being the skipper of a 56 feet yacht from Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean to Capetown, South Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean in 2019. He has completed several coastal passages since and has even sailed to Lord Howe Island in 6 – 8m seas!

Josh’s role at Performance Cruising Yachts is Marketing and Social Media Manager (Actually his real job is to drive Dad to work)

Home Base Team

Yacht Management & Care

Combined 60 years sailing Experience.

Our network of specialists throughout Australia includes shipwrights, riggers, boat yards, yacht clubs, marine electronics specialists and sail lofts, all of whom we have a longstanding relationship with. Some of the respected names we work with include White Bay Shipyard and Woolwich Dockyards, Cosine Shipwrights and Signature Marine in Sydney; Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne, Fremantle Sailing Club, One Sails based in Perth and Sydney and many suppliers of new aftermarket safety equipment and locally fitted optional extras.

Our in-house specialist team manage and perform the majority of commissioning and detailing to ensure your new boat is delivered in perfect condition.

About Us