Boat Asia is an annual event that brings boat makers, enthusiasts, and related suppliers together. With more opting for the good life, are Singaporeans ready to embrace the lure of a boating lifestyle? According to leading boat and yacht makers, there is a market for luxury watercraft here.

NOT TOO long ago, owning a boat in Singapore meant that one was either a fisherman or one lived in a kampung near the sea. Other than as a means of travel or livelihood, boats played little part in the lives of the average Singaporeans. The situation today is different and the recent boating lifestyle event Boat Asia is testament to the growing importance of the leisure marine industry.
      Boat Asia was held in late April at the Sentosa Cove and attracted its fair share of exhibitors and visitors. Roel van Leeuwen, the show director, says that with over 120 exhibitors from 19 different countries, the strong exhibitor showing for this year's event is an indication of the event's massive credibility within the regional marine leisure industry. He believes the international boat fraternity has signalled their confidence with their strong repeat presence at the event.
      "With the likes of Beneteau, Chris Craft, Cranchi, Ferretti, Fountaine Pajot, Four Winns, Grady White, Grand Banks, Horizon, Jongert, Lagoon, Riviera, Sea Ray and other leading brands, Boat Asia reaffirms its role as an international marketplace in the region from which to conduct boat-related business," says van Leeuwen.
      He thinks the next challenge is to encourage the major international boat manufacturers to take an active role in partnership with regional nations, marine associations, and boat marinas, in further promoting Southeast Asia's cruising grounds into a boating haven to rival the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. However, this is a developmental process that would require support across all levels of the industry to succeed. The good response to Boat Asia by both buyers and industry players is a positive step.

The event had several new boats on show catering to many tastes and pocketbooks. These included the 53-foot Horizon from Taiwan's leading yacht builder Horizon Yacht, the Riviera 42 from Australia's renowned sports fishing brand Riviera, and the Fountaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 catamaran from Best Dealz International. Also on display were the Chris Craft Speedster 20 and the Grady White Seafarer 228 from Singapore dealer Marina Bahari Raya. Peninsula Boating displayed the Grand Banks 47 Flybridge and the Four Winns 378 Vista, but the star attraction was the Jongert 40T Number One, a S$24-million clipper

The Fountaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 catamaran       offers both spacious accommodation and       stability.

class super yacht. Its three masts and luxurious fittings hinted at the comfort and stately opulence that its passengers would enjoy. Built in 1999 in Holland, this 136.5-foot beauty is a masterpiece of renowned naval architect Tony Castro.       In addition, Boat Asia featured the latest in marine equipment and accessories from leading companies as Amos Industries, Bellingham Marine Australia, Heinen & Hopman Engineering, Teleflex Morse, Unistream Engineering, and more. One notable innovation introduced by the organisers was an Internet booking system to make it easier for manufacturers and distributors to book customer viewings and sales visits. This provided an online directory of all the show yachts on display and let interested visitors schedule an appointment to view a particular product directly with the exhibitor.

CT TAN       Singapore dealer Marina Bahari Raya displayed       Chris Craft speed boats that travel in excess of       40 knots.

      Naturally, boating enthusiasts were out in force to catch the latest and hottest products from the international boating industry. Besides the boats themselves, the event featured a line up of exciting visitor activities including the sailing village that provided sailing try-outs, wake boarding, and Jet Ski rides.

More Buyers
      Several boat dealers said enquiries and sales have seen a sharp upswing over the past two years. Sam Henley of Simpson Marine says the company has sold more than 10 boats in the past year: "It used to be one enquiry a month, now it's more like one enquiry a week."
      Sunseeker is a well-known British maker of performance powerboats. Lek Lee Ann, director of Sunseeker Asia Ltd agrees that sales are picking up in the region: "We've sold 18 units in the region last year and have sold about four units this year. This is a positive indicator of the growing acceptance of boating as a lifestyle choice."
      Most of his customers are experienced boaters who either want to upgrade to a bigger model or to a craft that better suits their needs. Sunseeker offers powercruisers ranging in size from 32 to 120 feet and each can cost between S$580,000 and S$21 million.
      The larger boats are capable of cruising from Singapore to Phuket and the Andaman Islands in all weather conditions, while the smaller craft can handle trips to nearby islands with ease.
      Lek says boaters are a special group of people. They have both the spending power and the drive to live life to the fullest. He adds that boaters are a knowledgeable lot, so in many cases they know specifically what they want, thus an event like Asia Boat is an opportunity for companies like his to show their craft rather than "hard sell" them.

Unique Problem
      He explains that sellers here face a different problem: "Within the Asean region and specifically Singapore, boating is still very new. It has to be embraced more by the region's movers and shakers. While costs are not prohibitive, one has to aspire to a certain lifestyle in order to appreciate the value of these pleasure craft. In Hong Kong, boating is an established lifestyle of the well-to-do. In Singapore, thanks to such events as Asia Boat and the establishment of waterfront home concepts, there is greater interest emerging."
      Martin Holmes, general manager of Lee Marine International, has his own winning formula for sales. Visitors to the event cannot but be awed at the impressive display of exclusive Riviera, Ferretti, Pershing, and Jeanneau watercraft berthed for visitors to see and experience.
      He says: "In a market like Singapore where the boating lifestyle is still in its infancy, our role is to educate the general public on the rewards of boating as a leisure activity. Therefore, letting as many people as possible visit our boats, step aboard, and feel for themselves the luxuries that can be offered, helps both the sales and education process as well as promotes the wonderful brands we are so fortunate to represent."
      In addition to brand new craft, Lee Marine also represents in excess of 100 pre-owned vessels for sale most of which are located in Thailand, but their listings stretch to all corners of Southeast Asia. "We have a boat to suit anyone's requirements, for having fun on the water," commented Andrew de Bruin, head of Lee Marine's Brokerage Yachts division.
      Lee Marine, which conducted an aggressive series of public sea trials outside Sentosa Cove Marina also reaped the rewards of this sales strategy. The company confirmed orders for two new Riviera models—the M400 Sport Cruiser and the 3600 Sport Yacht—both to Singaporean buyers, one a first-time boat owner.
      Phuket-based Kingfisher Marine has sold three yachts within a year of opening its Singapore office. Its managing director Kit Chotithamaporn says it is a "very good result", given that two of the three yachts sold cost S$1.5 million each. Two of those sales were to local Singaporean buyers, one of whom was completely new to boating, so clearly there is a section of the community here which is both affluent and keen to get into the sport.
      While he thinks Singaporeans definitely have the power to spend, they don't know what to do with a boat: "It's becoming a very vibrant market for boating, no doubt but they haven't bought into the lifestyle totally as yet. Singapore in particular has prestigious waterfront residential developments like Sentosa Cove, not to mention a state-of-the-art megayacht marina in ONE°15 Marina Club. Taken together with other developments like Singapore's Integrated Resort and the warm tropical climate, we have all the necessary ingredients for pleasure boating. And this should mean higher demand for luxury boats."
      These developments are helpful in increasing the interest in boating (see box story). Chotithamaporn adds that despite the revival, expatriates in Singapore still dominate the boating arena—unlike in Hong Kong, for example.

Boating's Lure
      Nigel Stedmann is one such expatriate at the event. This managing director of a multinational company had his eye on a cabin cruiser. He says that he finds boating a way of spending quality time with his family: "Today's schedules rob most families of critical time to connect. Families have even less time to connect when parents opt for individual leisure activities that often don't include the children. Fathers, especially, struggle to stay connected with their children, and in today's two-earner households both parents can easily become detached from their kids."
      Barry Lim, an architect and boat-owner says that the lifestyle simply offers a conducive way to relieve stress. He likens it to having access to a mini-vacation any time you want it. He often cruises to nearby islands with his wife: "Boating's capacity to refresh and renew is almost magical. It literally carries us away from the everyday hustle and bustle and into our own special time together. There's nothing more serene or satisfying than the time we've spent on our boat."
      Kingfisher's Chotithamaporn says that Boat Asia's turnout has reaffirmed his company's belief that now was the right time for them to open a second office in Singapore: "Many of our serious inquiries are from residential owners of Sentosa Cove properties, either apartments or bungalow buyers and all of them are looking for the right kind of luxury yacht for their needs. We're convinced that an office here will benefit many of the higher end buyers looking to complement their luxury property investment with the right watercraft."
      Of late, increased corporate leasings have also meant that more business people are experiencing pleasure boating. While boating may seem a leisure activity on the surface, it also offers corporations a viable alternative to teambuilding, incentive, and entertaining needs. The boating lifestyle has always been a form of recreation that yields its fullest enjoyment when it's shared. It is known to inject a special bond between those who experience it together.
      If staying connected, or getting reconnected, with your business partners is a priority, boating could be the answer. It can be the perfect way to challenge and bond staff, colleagues, and clients. For corporate events, motivational or other training activities with a difference, boating can be a rewarding choice.