Honouring a quarter century of rigid inflatable boat building born in Ukraine, Grand Boats begins a year of celebration with the Southern Hemisphere debut of its new G980 flagship and the launch of its first 3D Constructor tool.
Grand Boats is celebrating 25 years of boatbuilding, kicking off the milestone year at the upcoming Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. The anniversary will unfold over the coming months through a series of events that bring owners together across Europe as well as commemorative storytelling honouring two and a half decades of craftsmanship.
From the brand’s beginnings in Ukraine in 2001, Grand Boats has developed a distinctive design language and global owner community that has distinguished the brand as one of the most distinctive names in premium rigid inflatable boat building.
“We are incredibly proud to be honouring twenty-five years of our brand,” says Dmitriy Borodin, International Sales Manager at Grand Boats. “After all these years, what we care about most has not changed. Every Grand is built in Kharkiv by a team of people who take real pride in their craft, and that is something we continue to protect and honour. It is thanks to our craftspeople in Ukraine, as well as the dealers and owners around the world that we continue to build a brand that has a really special place in the industry.”
Built in Ukraine, with pride
Founded in Kharkiv, Ukraine in 2001, Grand Boats began as a small team of passionate shipwrights and designers committed to building detail-orientated and beautifully finished rigid inflatable boats. From the outset, the company took a markedly different approach to a category then defined by utility. Drawing on European yacht-building traditions, Grand combined sculpted fibreglass, considered deck layouts and premium materials to produce RIBs engineered with a modern design refinement and family-oriented usability.
That philosophy has shaped every Grand built since. Sharp lines, sculpted negative angles and central-console layouts that maximise deck space have become hallmarks of the range, paired with hull design focused on offshore capability, stability and performance. Today the Grand line-up spans compact tenders through to the new 10-metre G980 flagship, each model reflecting the same commitment to craftsmanship, functionality and long-term quality.
Every Grand is still designed and built in Ukraine, even through the most difficult chapters of the country’s recent history. Throughout the ongoing war, the factory has continued to design, build and ship world-class boats to customers around the world, with the brand growing steadily across global markets in the process.
Celebrations at Sanctuary Cove
The brand’s Australian distributor, Grand Boats Australia, will launch the 25th anniversary celebrations at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show.
“As a distributor, we always seek to honour the pride and resilient spirit that goes into every single boat made in Ukraine, and share that with our community of owners,” says Dan Arscott, Managing Director of Grand Boats Australia who has been with the brand for 10 years. “With our celebrations at Sanctuary Cove, we recognise most importantly all of the people that make the brand what it is today; everyone in Ukraine and fellow dealers around the world, and celebrate the new product milestones that Grand continues to achieve.”
The Grand G980: a flagship moment
At the centre of Grand’s Sanctuary Cove display is the Southern Hemisphere debut of the all-new Grand G980, the largest and most advanced model in the brand’s 25-year history. Following its worldwide unveiling at Boot Düsseldorf earlier this year, the 10-metre flagship makes its Australian premiere at Sanctuary Cove.
Featuring an overnight cabin, configurable entertaining areas and a sharp-entry twin-stepped hull developed in partnership with Swedish race boat designers Mannerfelt, the G980 is powered by up to 700HP and capable of speeds exceeding 58 knots. Its spacious double berth cabin, enclosed toilet, integrated wet bar and rear entertaining area combine to distinguish the G980 as a modern day-cruising RIB for families who want to go further in comfort.
“The G980 has been designed to empower true adventure while creating a home on the water for families onboard,” says Arscott. “Debuting such an impressive new model in Australia during Grand’s 25th anniversary year makes it a particularly meaningful moment for the brand.”
Customers attending the show can pre-book a private inspection of the Grand G980 ahead of arriving on stand via the Grand Boats website.
Introducing the 3D Constructor
Alongside the G980, Grand Boats will formally launch the brand’s new 3D Constructor, a first for the rigid inflatable boat market in Australia. The platform brings advanced 3D visualisation and interactive functionality to the online boat viewing experience, allowing customers to configure styling, layouts, finishes and features in real time.
Live demonstrations of the 3D Constructor will run throughout the show on Stand PR23.
The full 2026 lineup
Joining the G980 at Sanctuary Cove is Grand’s most extensive Australian show display to date, with eight models on stand: the G340, G380, G420, G580, G680, G750, G850 and G980, spanning from its smallest tender models through to the new flagship.
Celebrating 25 Years
Beyond Sanctuary Cove, Grand’s 25th Anniversary celebrations will continue to unfold across 2026 through a series of initiatives designed to bring together the Grand community and honour the people, craftsmanship and milestones that have defined the brand:
Official kickoff at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, where owners, dealers and enthusiasts will gather to mark the start of the anniversary year alongside the debut of the new G980 flagship.
Owner celebrations across Europe throughout summer, bringing together the global Grand community at a series of boat shows and dealer events.
Curated digital and editorial storytelling across the year, highlighting the defining designs, moments and people who have shaped Grand Boats across a quarter of a century.
Looking forward
While the 25th Anniversary honours Grand’s heritage, the company is equally clear that the milestone is about what comes next.
“The anniversary is a chance to acknowledge Grand’s passionate spirit as well as everyone who has been part of the Grand story over the past 25 years,” Dmitriy Borodin says. “And with moments such as the launch of the G980 and 3D Constructor, we continue to look ahead and grow momentum for our brand.”
Grand Boats Australia will be on Stand PR23 at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show from 21 to 24 May 2026. To pre-book an inspection of the Grand G980 or explore the full range via the 3D Constructor, visit www.grandboats.com.au.
