The 10th Anniversary Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) opened today.

While the traditional boating markets of Europe and the USA continue to struggle in the current economic climate, Phuket is benefiting from Asia’s growth and continues to attract international boat brands and marine products to exhibit.

The marine industry in Thailand continues to see strong growth with 15% year-on-year growth in marine leisure and tourism. PIMEX remains provides a marketing platform for businesses in the region to market to international visitors from as far away as Russia, Australia, China and beyond, and helps to generate over THB7 billion for the marine industry.

Andy Dowden, PIMEX Show Director said:

“PIMEX celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary this year and over the years we are proud the role PIMEX has had in helping to develop and promote Phuket and Asia’s marine industry. Together with marine and lifestyle businesses in Phuket and the region, PIMEX helps to position Phuket at the centre of Asia’s booming marine industry, and Asia as the key growth area in the global industry.”

“There is something for everyone at this years PIMEX. The in-water displays is one of the best yet, and the packed Exhibition Hall offers an interesting mix of marine and lifestyle products and services. Combined with the delightful setting of the five-star Royal Phuket Marina, PIMEX offers four-days of entertainment and makes for a great family outing.”

Boats on display range from ‘Blosson Uno’, an Astonda 102 GLX being shown by Princess Yachts Thailand brokerage, which is the largest in the Show this year, to trailer boats with every model, size and type in between. All the major boat brands from around the world are on display this year.

The Phuket International Boat Show is open from Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th March at Royal Phuket Marina from 11:00am to 7:00pm daily, and closing 6:00pm on Sunday. Entry is free.

Conrad Humphreys said:

“We are thrilled that Ecover have agreed to extend their generous support of the Ecover Blue Mile and that we are joined today by the Marine Conservation Society as our new official charity partner. We want people to get outside and immerse themselves in our natural world and do more to look after our seas and wildlife.”

The news follows last week’s announcement that Ecover is to incorporate a percentage of reclaimed sea plastic into its packaging and to communicate their message in a bottle via major art and cultural events such as Glastonbury Festival and the Royal Hampton Court Flower Show.

Rudy De Vis, Sales and Marketing Manager, Ecover:

“At Ecover we are passionate about raising awareness of the importance of looking after our seas and are very proud to be continuing our sponsorship of the Ecover Blue Mile. All of our products are made from natural, sustainable plant-based ingredients, ensuring they respect aquatic life and we wholeheartedly support the work the Marine Conservation Society are doing to protect our water environment.”

The Ecover Blue Mile will support the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) as its new official charity partner. Andy Bool, Head of Fundraising for MCS said:

“The Marine Conservation Society are delighted to be the new Official Charity Partner of the Ecover Blue Mile. Being a part of the Blue Mile will help to raise much needed funds to protect our seas, shores and wildlife. We also want to encourage people to volunteer and take part in practical MCS initiatives such as Sea Champions, Beachwatch and Wildlife Sightings. This is a big commitment from Ecover and the Blue Mile team to bring about a better future for our seas and wildlife and we’re excited about involving many hundreds of active people in helping to protect the beautiful sea playground that we all share.”

The partnership with MCS aims to encourage people across the UK to connect with their local beach and waterway by doing a sponsored mile either in or next to water, in return for support from family and friends. The aim is to inspire a new generation of sea champions who enjoy getting active in support of our seas and would like to take on the challenge of paddling, swimming or even zorbing a blue mile for MCS.

More at http://www.thebluemile.org/

For sailors who own racing yachts in the UK, here is a great opportunity to get your hands on some cool sailsport merchandise/memorabilia.

The RORC Rating Office is offering sail number GBR 1000 R for sale by auction, and will donate 50% of the sale proceeds to Toe in the Water, the charity that offers competitive sailing opportunities to injured servicemen and women.

This could make the most unusual and unique of Valentine’s Day gifts! The closed auction commences on February 14th and runs until noon on February 28th and is only open to British owners.

The Rating Office, the technical arm of the Royal Ocean Racing Club based in Lymington, Hampshire, issues sail numbers in the ‘R’ series to British racing boat owners. RORC sail numbers have long been revered amongst the sailing fraternity since the RORC was formed in 1925.

The most desirable sail numbers were rapidly snapped up by boats racing under the RORC and IOR rating rules during the last century, but it has only just come to light that sail number 1000 was never officially allocated.

The Rating Office is pleased to support Toe in the Water, recognising the charity’s dedication and success in its mission: “Competitive sailing is a physically and mentally challenging adventurous sport and provides a unique opportunity for injured men and women to sail and race on equal terms with their able bodied contemporaries.”

A cheque will be given to representatives from Toe in the Water by staff from the RORC Rating Office at a presentation in March at the RORC Clubhouse in London.

Owners interested in bidding for GBR 1000 R should contact the RORC Rating Office at info [at]  rorcrating.com for further details and the Terms and Conditions of the auction, or you can read these here… (PDF)

The Extreme Sailing Series will return to Singapore this year and it is widely expected that the Volvo Ocean Race will return to China as part of their next round the world event. The region is growing strongly, but will the growth translate to sailing?

There is no dout that Asia continues to grow as a playground for millionaires as they lavish on luxury yacht purchases. Bloomberg recently reported that, according to the 2012 World Wealth Report published by RBC and Capgemini, the number of individuals in Asia-Pacific with invest-able assets of $1 million to $5 million climbed 1.9 percent to 3.08 million individuals in 2011.

The country with the most ‘ultra-high net worth’ individuals (defined as having assets over US$20 million), is the Peoples Republic of China. It’s not just consumers who are spending. Shandong Heavy Industry Group-Weichai Group even purchased iconic Italian yacht builder Ferretti, displaying a combination of both spending power and good taste!

Singapore, as the centre of Asia’s wealth management industry, is also fast becoming a hub for luxury yachting. This ‘Monaco of the East’ is well served by both privileged banking and the luxury products industry. In Singapore, Boat Asia remains the key focal point for the ‘ultra-high net worth’ to acquire the necessary on-water accouterments for their “luxxe” lifestyle, because you simply haven’t ‘made it’ until you’ve acquired your very first yacht!

Much of this wealth will be on display at Boat Asia from 18-21st April 2013. Boat Asia will host more ‘ultra-high net worth’ Individuals from China and Southeast Asia through its exclusive hosted VIP Program, in partnership with the Bank of Singapore. This is where the serious money from China and Southeast Asia will be making their play for their new floating toys come April 2013, fully supported by the boat show’s Official Card, Mastercard.

Boat Asia 2013 kicks into even higher gear with Presenting Sponsor McLaren and Official Car Land Rover. Boat Asia 2013’s elite visitors travel in style on both land and sea.

Yacht Racing and Sailing might not always make for the best television, but the sport can deliver some stunning photographs that convey all the emotion, passion and aspirational qualities that other sports can.

Running alongside the World Yacht Racing Forum, the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Photograph of the Year Award attracts entries from around the globe and showcases the talents of the sailors as well as the the photographers.

24 photographs were on display to delegates of the Word Yacht Racing Forum in Gothenburg, Sweden to decide which 5 would be voted on by a panel of experts – and the winner was Kurt Arrigo from Malta.

His photograph was taken during the Volcano Race and features the yacht Nilaya and the reflection of the island of Capri on her hull. He said about the photo:

“This picture has been taken during the Volcano Race 2012. The weather had been bad all day, but the sun suddenly came out for a short while. We were leaving the area but I asked the pilot of the helicopter to fly back briefly over the leading boat; that’s when I took this photograph. I am absolutely thrilled to receive such a prestigious award. It is a great honour for me.”

Shirley Robertson,double Olympic Gold medallist was one of the jurors who had the final say. She said that:

“the quality of this years’ finalists really is extraordinarily high; each photograph tells a story of an exceptional year in our sport. I loved them all”.

According to Christian Février, a legend of yacht racing photography:

“the reflection at twilights in the hull was interesting. But the importance of the crew creates a second point of interest. It’s a great shot, that would have been impossible to do twenty years ago with the films of very low speed we used then.”

2012 Yacht Racing Photo of the Year Finalists

• 1. Kurt Arrigo
• 2. Ian Roman
• 3.  Thierry Martinez
• 4. Tom Gruitt
• 5. Matias Capizzano

The award was won by Thierry Martinez in 2011 and 2010.

If ever there was a case for a sailor to get new representation it is James Spithill. The guy has all the makings of a sports superstar, but the folks at ORACLE Racing can’t seem to get it right when it comes to presenting the Australian as anything other than a corporate spokesman.

When PUMA Ocean Racing got Juan K on board to design a SUP board with the help of stand up paddleboard legend Laird Hamilton, the SUP world was pretty interested. Perhaps it was the Laird X Factor or perhaps it was PUMA‘s sports marketing savvy.

Here then is an opportunity for James Spithill to be more than just the bloke who drove the trimaran in the last America’s Cup. Here is an opportunity for ORACLE Racing to talk about something other than ‘Liveline’ and promote someone other than Stan Honey.

The story according to some PR person goes like this:

ORACLE Racing skipper Jimmy Spithill today took part in a paddleboard contest off Takapuna Beach in New Zealand. The State Beach Series is run on Tuesday nights over the course of 16 weeks for kayakers, swimmers, paddleboarders and beach runners.

Spithill last fall took delivery of a new PUMA paddleboard, and today was his first race on the black board with red octopus tentacles.

The stand-up paddleboard fleet included the likes of JP Tobin, New Zealand’s representative in the RS:X windsurfer class at the London Olympics this summer, and Annabel Anderson, the Kiwi who is the worlds’ No. 2-ranked female paddleboarder.

With a southeasterly wind blowing around 8 knots and a slight chop, the conditions were fairly rough for the three-lap race around a triangular course. Spithill completed the course despite a wet night.

The best quote that they could find from James was:

“I had a little trouble standing on the board and counted eight swims. But it was an awesome experience.”

James deserves better.

It’s the kind of nostalgia that brings people to describe Cowes as “the home of yachting.”

The Boat & Leisure Festival is designed to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on the 4th and 5th of June. There will be live music, hospitality and a great display of British boats and outdoor leisure activities.

James Brooke, Festival Director, commented:

“We’re really excited to be celebrating such an historic occasion and delighted to be working closely with the Cowes community to make this memorable family event a great success. We have previously organised major events at the Royal Windsor Racecourse and Earls Court and, for me, Cowes has to be the venue for such an occasion, given its historic links with our monarchy. It’s a perfect venue for an overtly British-themed event, and we’re proud that Cowes will be one of the most exciting places in the country to be celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.”

In 1851, the Isle of Wight hosted a race which was to become the America’s Cup. In that sense, it could be argued that Cowes has been important in the world of yachting. The little town strains at the seams several times a year to host the J P Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race and the traditional Cowes Week regatta, but to call it the “home of world yachting” is a little bit of PR license…

Nevertheless, attractions for visitors will include:

“A display of  some of the finest British built yachts and motorboats, an exclusive preview of teams racing in the 2013 Cowes to Monte-Carlo Powerboat Race, a parade of fashion, and a range of outdoor leisure activities and accessories for families to see, try and buy.”

The Cowes Boat & Leisure Fest will take place at the Cowes Yacht Haven.

Jessica Watson will sail as crew aboard a catamaran in the H&R Block Three Peaks Race in April.

After skippering a youth team in the most recent Sydney Hobart Race, the well known sailor will join MTA Big Wave Rider, skippered by Bruce Arms who was project manager for her solo unassisted circumnavigation.

Watson said:

“The H&R Block Three Peaks is a great event that has been on my ‘to-do’ list for a while. So I’m looking forward to contesting my first race this year with my friends Bruce and Suzanne Arms on Big Wave Rider. Having mountain runners as part of our team will be a unique experience. Thankfully I’m a sailor! “

An annual event since 1989, the H&R Block Three Peaks Race is a unique team competition comprising three short-handed offshore sailing legs totalling 335 nautical miles, and three mountain running legs totalling 133 kilometres with an overall ascent of 2646 metres. During the three days of racing competitors will travel through some of Tasmania’s most scenic coastline.

Watson continued:

“Sailing in Tasmanian waters is a challenge I enjoy. The bonus this time is that the course will take us right in amongst the spectacular scenery of the Bass Strait Islands and Tasmania’s stunning East Coast.”

Watson is one of Australia’s best known sailors, drawing more publicity and social media interest than the entire Australian sailing team. Her continued involvement in the sport helps to speak to a different audience in a different way.

Considered the most significant social event in the Olympic and Paralympic classes sailing calendar, the Ball will bring together the sailors selected to compete for Team GB and ParalympicsGB in 2012, as well as some of Britain’s past sailing medallists and special guests from the worlds of commerce, politics, the arts and the media.

Funds raised from the Ball also help to support future generations of Skandia Team GBR sailors along the way to achieving their medal-winning ambitions.

At a reception for Ball sponsors and patrons held at the London Hilton this week (Tuesday 10 January), also attended by triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie, it was announced that the Sail for Gold Ball 2012 backed by Peter Harrison, a staunch supporter of British sailing.

Mr Harrison commented:

“I’m absolutely thrilled that the Olympics are in Great Britain in 2012.I have supported every Sail for Gold Ball since 2000 and so this is the fourth time, and I’m thrilled because our sailors have been some of the best performers and it’s a sport in which we do so fantastically well. Being in home waters this time I’m hoping will mean we do that little bit better.

“I’m absolutely sure the Games is going to be a wonderful experience for everybody, and I’m sure the Ball will once again be a wonderful occasion and celebration as we wish our sailors the very best of luck.”

Michael Shepherd, General Manager of the London Hilton on Park Lane where the Ball will be hosted, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that we have the opportunity of once again hosting the Sail for Gold Ball here at the London Hilton on Park Lane. The London Hilton has been supporting sailing and Team GBR for more than 20 years and we’re really delighted that we have an opportunity again in 2012 as London is hosting the Olympics here this year.

“I’m a keen sailor myself and all the team here at the London Hilton are so energised in being able to support not only the sailors, but also be part of what is going to be the greatest Games and the greatest party in the world.”

The destination and location are well matched with the YCCS criteria of pristine surroundings, quality sailing and safe cruising waters for its members and for the prestigious top-tier international sailing events such as the Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous organised and hosted by the Club.

YCCS is twinned with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the New York Yacht Club, and has a reciprocal agreement with the Royal Yacht Squadron of Cowes. Serving an international sailing and yachting community, the Club prides itself on its superior level of quality and excellence. It delivers a unique combination of a state of the art marina as well as service and restaurant facilities in the Clubhouse that provides a base from which to explore the neighbouring leeward and windward islands.

His Highness the Aga Kahn, President of YCCS, during his opening speech said:

“We are genuinely excited with our partnership with the Government of the British Virgin Islands. We have many years of experience in quality tourism and understand that if we are to attract quality tourism, we need to offer a quality product. It is encouraging to know that the Government is an enabling one that will support our endeavors.”

The marina has 38 slips for yachts up to 100 meters (328 feet) and a draft of up to 9.1 meters (30 feet). The Marina design includes a central T-shaped dock measuring 267 meters (867 feet) that is accessible from both sides. It is well protected from prevailing winds, ocean swells, and is free of surge.

YCCS was established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan, and a small group of founding members with the aim of bringing together nautical sports enthusiasts and sea lovers and promoting artistic, cultural and scientific initiatives. The Club currently has over five hundred members representing twenty two nationalities.