Highlights for this year

There's a lot that the regional boat and leisure craft industry has to be excited about at this year's Dubai International Boat Show. The debut of the New Zealand-based, 50-metre-long, Sensation, a $60 million super yacht, is one of them.

The Middle East premiere of boats such as Atlantis 50, the Atlantis 35 and the Azimut 39 Evolution, and the worldwide premiere of the Azimut 103S from Art Marine, will also be a highlight.

The Majesty Yachts range from Gulf Craft Inc, which will include the new Majesty 56, a luxury family motor yacht, and the latest Majesty 118 super yacht release also promises to be exciting.

Erwin Bamps, Executive Manager, Gulf Craft Inc, says that the market for boats and leisure craft is growing because real estate developers are actively promoting a marine-based leisure lifestyle, as a rewarding and glamorous pastime in the UAE.

According to Gianfranco Venturelli, General Manager for Victory Team, the UAE is the perfect location for sailing.

"You have perfect wind and sea conditions here throughout the year. In fact, in my opinion, it is one of the best areas in the world to sail in. Even the America's Cup team Alinghi chose Dubai as its winter training ground because the area had conducive conditions and the environment that they needed even in the winter months to prepare their boats."

Yacht broker and consultant Cassidy Woods, says that present trends in pleasure boating in Dubai have been influenced by the lack of berths available.

"In the future, with a number of new marinas earmarked for development, I believe we will see a niche market for mid-range boats or 'day boats' that are ideal for light cruising and the weekend trips.

"People who buy property in Dubai on the Palm or other developments are more inclined to purchase a boat that they can use during the day and then retire back to the comfort of their new homes in the evening," he says.

Mike Cappuccitti of Cavendish White, a reputed sales and charter broker, feels that the majority of boats/yachts sold will remain at the lower end (25-40 foot).

"However, as the marina developments come online (Palm, The World and The Dubai Waterfront), the amount of boats/yachts sold will increase dramatically. Even at the top-end, although the percentage will remain small, the numbers will increase," he says.

Victory Team, which has a reputation for building some of the world's fastest race boats, is using its experience to build commercial craft.

"We are constantly developing our product to not only stay at a level with the market, but to always be one step ahead. We aim to produce customised boats using high technology materials in a way that will ensure better overall performance," says Venturelli.

Technological advances in the area of marine electronics are also being incorporated into boats in the region considering that safety is an important feature especially for marine activities.

Raymarine, a leading name in marine electronics, has introduced the 'Life Tag' system, to ensure the safety of the crew and passengers on yachts and other boats.

"This system gives a warning if any member is not within a predefined distance from the main electronics unit onboard thus alerting the crew by audio-visual alarm about a probable situation, for instance, where a person falls overboard," says IJ Singh, Deputy General manager, Gulf Development Systems, a marine electronics and communications equipment company.