9th Macau Yacht Show 2019
Macau, a former Portuguese colony boasting over 600,000 inhabitants, is an autonomous enclave on the coast of China across the bay from Hong Kong in the South China Sea.
Macau has just experienced first-hand the delights of the modern boating lifestyle. From a splendid 140ft Sunseeker superyacht down to the diminutive 7’9” Optimists, there was – literally – something for everyone including a fabulous Bikini show.
International brands were also represented this year with Marine Italia displaying three Italian motoryachts, that proved popular with show visitors.
China Pacific Marine have been exhibiting at the Macau Yacht Show since 2012, and had two French-built Jeanneau sailing yachts on display – a Sun Odyssey 440 and a Sun Odyssey 410.
“This yacht line has proved to be very popular over the years,” explains Lawrence Chow, who has joined the family business established by his father Don Chow.
“There is a long and powerful sailing connection between Hong Kong and Macau, kept alive by sailing races organised by the Cruiser Owners Association and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.”
Good sailors need to start early with the basics and dinghies are the best way to learn to sail. The tiny Optimist, looking like a sawn-off sampan, has been the platform from which many of the world’s leading sailors have launched their careers.
The Macau Youth Optimist Sailing Regatta had competitors from Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan who competed in the two-day regatta with Li Wei chairman of the Macau Sailboats Council presiding over the award ceremony.
For those who wanted to be out on the water but not too close to it, there was a sunset cruise on the Xiangjiang No 1, a traditional coastal waters sailing junk that was built in Macau.
Each day 30 visitors had the chance to enjoy the local scenery from the water. These attractions along with the Bikini shows and jet-surf performances attracted a large audience to Fisherman’s wharf.
Show exhibitors believe that there are great opportunities promoting the boating lifestyle in Macau.
“It’s the Las Vegas of Asia” says Chow. “If leisure yachts were able to move more freely around the Pearl River Delta, this would transform the leisure marine industry”.
http://www.asia-pacificboating.com/shows-regattas/203735/macau-yacht-show
