Dubai Creek Club to host UAE's first used boat show

Dubai: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club is turning its attention to the untapped used boat segment of the luxury maritime market in the UAE.

From November 4-6, the club fronting Dubai Creek in Deira says it will host the country's first used boat show to give would-be sailors an affordable entry into a regional pastime steeped in maritime traditions.

Over three days, the club will host more than 40 used vessels that are for sale, ranging in length from 18 feet to more than 60 feet.

Mustafa Al Hashimi, club manager, said the initiative has been in the works since the new year and will capitalise on pent-up demand overlooked by extremely popular boats shows in the country that have focused exclusively on new vessels.

"We realised there isn't a single physical platform in the UAE for anyone to buy or search for used boats," Al Hashimi told Gulf News in an interview yesterday. "We made sure we didn't get boats only in the million-dollar range. We're going to make it really inexpensive for guys to bring their boats to sell at market rates. We've made it really affordable to pass along the savings to buyers."

One of the key messages the used boat show's organisers want to convey is that boating can be affordable for people at all levels, depending on the kinds of activity people want to pursue on the water.

A previously owned 18-foot fishing boat that comes equipped with a trailer will be far less expensive to purchase and operate than a 36-foot cruiser that is kept year-round at a permanent berth, Al Hashimi said.

"This is a good way to show new people who want to buy boats that they don't have to be rich to enjoy the sport," he said.

Promising market

The market is ripe for used boat sales as upwardly mobile and wealthy Emiratis and expatriates upgrade to larger vessels after relinquishing their smaller boats to a maturing used boat market across the country.

Demand for used boats has increased in some global markets, where sales of larger recreational assets dropped in recent years due to global recession and tougher lending climates.

The UAE's potential as a growing market for boaters is strong, according to a recent corporate report. Whereas one in every 54 people in the United States owns a boat, in the UAE the penetration rate is just one in 700.

Al Hashimi said the used boat show would not be limited to boats berthed at the marina. Boats on trailers parked on shore will also be displayed by their owners.

"Any marine retailer or boat owner interested in trading up or down should make use of this ideal opportunity to showcase their vessels and equipment to the local yachting community at very affordable rates in the heart of Dubai," he said.

Free of charge to the public, the first Dubai Creek Marina Used Boat Show will feature live music, international food and a children's zone.

Exhibitors will include everything from banks offering on-site financing to marine insurers and sport fishing equipment firms.