S'pore to play host to major boat expo

S'pore to play host to major boat expo

T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Singapore

The morning sun was bright and the wind was blowing gently when
the M.S. Columbus cruise ship left Marina Keppel Harbor here for
the nearby Sentosa Cove, the venue for the upcoming Boat Asia
2004 exhibition.

The 94-year-old Netherlands-made charter cruise ship, which
has hosted royalty and heads of states in Europe, was taking a
group of local and regional journalists for a preview of the expo
last weekend.

Boat Asia 2004, which will take place from April 15 to April
18, is a showcase of yachts, powerboats, super yachts, marine
equipment and accessories. After being a predominantly indoor
exhibitions for many years, Boat Asia 2004 will have an on-water
venue for the first time in the show's history.

A highlight event is Marine Week, from April 10 to April 18,
which will feature, among other things, a dive show, water sports
exhibition and an underwater wedding.

A three-day dive exhibition will follow starting on April 16
at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Boat Asia 2004 is expected to draw some 8,000 visitors, not
only from Singapore, but also from Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong
Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and Australia.

"Our message to all is loud and clear: Look no further than
Asia for a boating and cruising lifestyle par excellence," Warren
Buckley, chief executive officer of the event's organizer, Suntec
Integrated Media, said.

He acknowledged that Asia is still largely underdeveloped as a
boating region despite its undisputable potential.

Unlike Europe or North America, the region has beautiful
marine resorts that have not yet been fully explored for boating
potential, while the weather allows people to go boating all year
round.

About 70 participating companies from around the world will
take part in the expo, targeting both traders and boat
enthusiasts. A number of yachts will also be on display.

A series of seminars will also be held aboard M.S. Columbus
during the event to introduce newcomers to the boating lifestyle
and to provide a forum to debate and discuss the development of
marine recreation in Asia.

Even though boating is enjoyable, it is not as popular as
swimming or diving. Many people are hesitant to go boating
because they consider it to be a costly and dangerous hobby.

"Boating can be suitable for anyone. We want to encourage
those who merely dream of a marine lifestyle to go for it and
make Boat Asia 2004 their destination," said Tammy Gouldstone,
senior project manager for the event.

Boating has gained popularity in Singapore over the past
decade, following the development of the country's first marina
in 1992, according to YP Loke, managing director of Spinnaker
International in Singapore.

Along with the growing interest in the sport, a sailing class
is offered as an extracurricular activity at some high schools.

Currently, there are about 2,000 privately owned boats of all
sizes in Singapore. All of them must be registered with the
government and a license is needed to sail them.

"Almost all yacht clubs here offer a driving course," Loke
said, adding that there are five yacht clubs in Singapore.

The SAF Yacht Club, for example, offers a course for S$231 for
members and S$315 for nonmembers. Students learn general theory,
the rules of sailing, basic boat handling tips, and practical and
coastal navigation.

To take a cruise, Loke said, one does not need to be able to
swim or dive. But it is very important to check the safety of the
boat and to make sure that life jackets are available.

A luxury yacht may cost hundreds of thousands or even millions
of dollars, but Loke said that for several thousand dollars, a
boat enthusiast can purchase a small craft about three meters in
length.

To park a small yacht on land, one will have to pay about
S$200 a month, while larger yachts that must be kept in the water
will require a monthly docking fee of some S$500.

The maintenance of a yacht is not too expensive as long as you
do it yourself. "It becomes expensive if you hire someone to do
the job, for example, if you hire someone to clean it," Loke
said.

According to Alessandro Diomedi, managing director of Ferritti
Group Asia Pacific, the annual maintenance fee for a luxury yacht
is about 10 percent of the price of the vessel.

The price of a Betram yacht built in the Miami shipyard by the
Ferretti Group, one of the participating companies in the expo,
starts at US$498,000.

Diomedi said that last year the group enjoyed a turnover of
340 million euro, with less than 10 percent of that coming from
Southeast Asia.

He is optimistic of improved yacht sales in the region given
its potential. "The Indonesian market is quite interesting. We
have sold several boats over there the past year," he said.

Some Betram boats, he said, could be found at Pantai Mutiara
or Ancol in North Jakarta.

He hopes that more Indonesians will become interested in
buying boats, especially as the economic and political situation
in the country becomes more stable.