Weekly Update : 29th Sept ~ 5th Oct

STOP PRESS !!!

The Mumbai Harbour has opened...all the energy and buzz in the air has returned. Boat-owners are out on their boats enjoying their evenings on their prized-possessions.

Charters enquiries are on the rise...with people demanding their slice of the waters.


Last week this year on GiiraYachts.com is all about -


29th September, 2008 - All you can do this season on the waters for your company...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/yacht-charters-corporate-affair.html


30th September, 2008 - A glimpse into the next level of boat-manufacturing facilities...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/factoreef-future-of-boat-making-is-here.html


1st November, 2008 - Fun when you want it to be fun and practical when you want it to be practical...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/10/my-jet-ski-seats-upto-6-people.html


3rd November, 2008 - Check out the new HOT CAT on the prowl...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/10/future-catamaran-porsche-studio-design.html


4th November, 2008 - Water-rafting, anybody?...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/10/white-water-rafting-rapid-grades.html


5th November, 2008 - Another attempt by the automobile industry towards the lifestyle of yachting...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/10/volkswagen-introduces-caddy-with-boat.html

See you on the waters soon... Read more...

Pershing : The Cannes Super-Star...

The SILVER LIGHTNING of the seas is at it again...it's time to proudly parade that long Rooster-Tail once more...


...and we have a WINNER !

Pershing...the best performance yachts of all time...has up-ped its marque by winning 3 awards...and in the process created a furore when the Pershing 64 won 2 back-to-back awards at Cannes in the 'The 2008 World Yachts Trophies Gala Dinner'.

...an incredible three awards at the 31st edition of the Festival de la Plaisance!


THE CANNES PARADE

On 13th September 2008, a splendid parade of yachts crowned the 31st edition of the Festival International de la Plaisance in Cannes, one of the most elegant and eagerly awaited events in the worldwide yachting calendar.

For a while a cloudy sky threatened to spoil the atmosphere of the closing gala celebrations, but in the end the dinner and the Yacht Parade all went off perfectly, even surpassing expectations. And for the Pershing yachts the evening was a momentous triumph.

As usual, the Cannes Boat Show closed with the World Yacht Trophy awards. Organised by Yachts Magazine, these awards are presented to the craft the magazine considers to be the best in the yachting world for that particular year. And this year Pershing’s distinctive combination of class and refinement swept the table with no less that three trophies.


In the Open Yacht Under 24 Mt category the Pershing 64' carried off awards for both Best Design and Most Functional Design, raising the Italian shipyard’s enviable prize record to even greater heights.


Then the Pershing 80’ won the trophy for the Most Innovative Boat in the Open Yacht Over 24 Mt category. This trophy was awarded after an appraisal of the craft’s structural design that guarantees superior overall performance and therefore a more luxurious onboard lifestyle for the owner.

It is no coincidence either that the two Pershing models received nominations in almost all categories, including Best Design, Most Functional Design, Best Decor (best internal layout) and Most Innovative Design.


WHY A WINNER...

These yachts boast numerous elements that make them stand out in this increasingly innovative segment.

First and foremost they are constructed using advanced techniques, such as the special Scrimp System fibreglass vacuum moulding process.


They also include a series of refined features that enhance every moment of life onboard, like the slideaway glass partition designed in collaboration with Besenzoni, the extendable and retractable hard top with its twin electric drive mechanism and the Genius gangplank that doubles as a swimming ladder.


And lastly, these craft boast highly original design elements, such as the special open-view maxi window in the Master Cabin, situated in the centre of the boat, which is a remarkably light and airy feature, thanks to the openable porthole set into the glass.


ADVANCED ENGINEERING

The Pershing 80’ and the Pershing 64’ demonstrate how Pershing insists on adopting only the most advanced technology and providing owners and their guests with new ways of surprising the future. This is the spirit that matches these new yachts perfectly with the brand’s new communication campaign: only the greatest ideas come true.


POWER, SPEED, INNOVATION...

A vision that focuses on the new, the unexplored, the yet to come and the need to improve and put oneself constantly to the test. Pershing is all this. Because ideas only become great when they are transformed into concrete actions. When they prove their brilliance by facing reality.


A GALA WITH A SPECIAL CAUSE

'The 2008 World Yachts Trophies Gala Dinner' ceremony was held in the splendid setting of the Hotel Carlton Inter-Continental beach terrace and the spectacular event was attended by some of the most famous celebrities in the world of international yachting.


The Pershing President, Tilli Antonelli, yacht designer Fulvio De Simoni and CEO Fabio Fraternale collected the awards personally, in front of an audience of a thousand invited guests.


This year, the gala evening, organised once again by Michel Karsenti’s Lux Media Group team, included a major new charity initiative. This involved introducing a subscription fee for every boat taking part in the parade, a move that succeeded in raising 41,500 Euros which the Yachts Magazine Group then donated to the ELA (European Leukodystrophy Association), an institution specialised in helping children suffering from muscular dystrophy .

80 AND 64

Pershing chose to enrol its leading models, the Pershing 80’ and Pershing 64’ at Cannes, as the French Salon is a natural continuation from the success enjoyed by the two craft during the Pershing Sea Show, this summer. This highly original event, in its second edition this year, moored in a number of prestige locations including the Milan Furniture Show, Portorose and Palma de Majorca.


At each of these stopovers the spectacular design and features of these splendid yachts succeeded in attracting attention and enchanting yachting experts as well as the press and the general public. Cannes was therefore the ideal place to continue the cruise.

And once again this year the Festival proved to be a not-to-be-missed opportunity for attracting worldwide attention and sizing up sector competitors. After all, this is an event that Pershing has created a very special bond with over the years and this, combined with its unique, prestigious atmosphere makes it the natural choice for celebrating the opening of the yachting season in style.

For more of our coverage on Cannes 2008...click here.
Read more...

Weekly Update : 15th~21st September, 2008

Mid-way into September, and we all are slowly getting excited about the new season coming up...

Europe wakes up from it's siesta with the Cannes Boat Show that happens this week...and the Monaco Boat Show coming up soon....



15th September, 2008 - Feel the passion of rafting down the whitest of waters with our coverage on the Brahmaputra...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/brahmaputra-river-puts-india-on.html


16th September, 2008 - Villas on the seas? Not really...get to know what a 'Flotilla' is...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/flotillas-summer-camp-on-seas.html


17th September, 2008 - Every Riva is an ecstatic mix of passion, glamour and glory...with the 92 Duchessa it just gets more involving...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/riva-debuts-royal-member-of-family-at.html


18th September, 2008 - Here's the countdown to the BIGGEST Boat Show...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/monaco-yacht-show-2008-get-ready-for_18.html


19th September, 2008 - Not sure whether the boat he captained in the movie was his own?...NO PROBLEM...this one is surely his own!

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/celebrity-yachts-johnny-depp.html Read more...

Weekly Update : 1st~7th September, 2008

September's kick-started with a bunch of posts on topics from all over the globe! Right from budget boating on the opposite ends of the world to the boats described in the superlatives! Here's a weekly update on the range of topics with their specific links to show you at a glance all the action that was covered, just incase you missed out on the daily updates.


1st September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/budget-boating-usa-going-india-way.html


2nd September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/worlds-largest-maxi-trimaran-launched.html


3rd September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/couach-yachts-metre-by-metre-of.html


4th September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/darwin-lions-beer-can-regatta.html


5th September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/virgins-daredevil-branson-to-attempt.html


6th September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/fort-lauderdale-venice-of-america.html


7th September, 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/09/smooth-sailing-in-times-of-global.html Read more...

Weekly Update : 26th~31st August, 2008

International Yacht Paint's seminar in association with West Coast Marine was definitely the best highlight of the week.


Alan Koh took away the crowd with his particulars on painting...and rest assured all the Indian users of International Yacht Paint are in safe hands.

In other articles - get to know about taking your passion of sailing to the land, or get to know about another fabulous American brand of yachts - Hatteras Yachts...and more...

26th August, 2008 - Time for another BIG Boat Show...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/40th-southampton-boat-show-from-12th.html


27th August, 2008 - See another kind of Volvo speeding up to its destination...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/volvo-ocean-race-more-than-32.html


28th August, 2008 - Alan Koh of International Yacht Paint...doing what he does best viz., giving his best to the Indian yacht paint market...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/international-yacht-paint-seminar.html


29th August, 2008 - We all love American yachts for their comfort, convenience and their GUNG-HO attitude...try Hatteras this week...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/hatteras-yachts-americam-beauty.html


30th August, 2008 - Imagine how much fun it would be to take your passion of sailing on the ground...

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/land-sailing.html


Sail well this September... Read more...

World Marina News : Latest Updates - Aug '08

Marinas - India's most required resource in terms of boating, are strategically very important the world over.


Apart from the Glamour and the Luxury associated, there are many authorities that are constantly in the endeavour of making and maintaining the best marinas of the world.

Let's get to know the latest about the world of marinas...

MARINA NEWS

(1) Marina di Varazze wins the “Marina Development Italia” Award

CNBC Europe & Africa Property Awards 2008 have just revealed the results and Marina di Varazze has won the award in the category of “Marina Development Italia”.


The award will be presented at a glittering gala dinner to be held at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London on 27th September.

The fact that Marina di Varazze earned one of these coveted awards is sure proof that Italy cannot only compete but also triumph within the highly competitive Europe & Africa property arena.

Entries were judged by a panel of professionals whose collective knowledge of the property industry is second to none and unsurpassed by any other property awards.


(2) Dubai's Marina Industry to create 1,500 new jobs

A growth surge in Dubai’s marina industry will lead to the creation of 1,500 new jobs, according to a luxury marina developer and management company.Island Global Yachting (IGY), said Dubai would be home to more than 20,000 berths for yachts within the next five years.


The 200% increase in berths on current numbers in Dubai would also lead to the creation of more than 1,500 jobs within IGY’s operations in Dubai alone, it said.

The company is also developing Anchor Marina - a 590-berth facility for private yachts between 10 metres and 30 metres - scheduled for a Dec 2008 opening.


(3) MONTENEGRO - 'Berth'place of a New Sailing Destination

Montenegro presses against Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Albania on the southern fringes of the Dalmatian Coast. The seaside is heaven. Green mountains plunge into the Adriatic, the water is cerulean blue and unsullied. Ancient towns, some fortified, dot the shores. Hotels, restaurants and shops are springing up everywhere, but the densities (and the prices) are nowhere near the horrific levels of France's Côte d'Azur.


The bay is a geographical wonder. The English poet Lord Byron called it “the most beautiful encounter between the land and the sea.” Its steep, rugged mountains frame a natural harbour that is well shielded from the Adriatic and has about 100 kilometres of coastline. The bay takes the rough shape of a figure eight, with the inner and outer portions pinched in the middle by a narrows.

A lot of investors are laying their money down to increase marina development here.

The Bay of Kotor marina will see a rise in berths and could have 650 yachts, 150 of them superyachts. Boats as long as 150 metres could be accommodated in a pinch.

For more Marina-related news, images and articles click here.
Read more...

National Laser Championship '08, Hyderabad - CONGRATULATIONS ALL !

The National Laser Championship, Hyderabad between 3rd to 7th August concluded very successfully, and was a fantastic platform to take sailing in India to the next level.


The Sailing Team from the Royal Bombay Yacht Club of Mumbai fared fabulously with Ayesha Lobo, Xerxes Bamboat and Advait Deodhar winning medals in various categories.

The contingent from RBYC that landed in Secunderabad under the watchful guidance of Mr. Sunil Lobo, had a great time in terms of tasting the Hyderabad waters and the fun and frolic between races.

WINNERS ALL

XERXES BAMBOAT

Winner of the Gold medal in BOTH Laser 4.7 and Youth Laser Radial Categories.




AYESHA LOBO

Winner of the Silver medal in Laser 4.7 Girls and Bronze in Laser Radial Women Categories.




ADVAIT DEODHAR

Winner of the Silver medal in Laser STD Category.




These young sailors were stretched to their maximum over the entire week. The races of various categories were at times back-to-back...one in the morning session and the other in the evening sessions.

The finest sailing acumen notwithstanding, it came down to sheer grit and determination for all of them that made them reach the top of their individual standings.


Youth such as Ayesha, Xerxes and Advait are the fore-bearers who can take the sport of sailing to the next level with their commitment towards the sport. Their dedication towards the sport are one of the key characteristics that could turn the tide towards the yet lesser known but immensely exciting sport of sailing.

Through their participation, it was the sport of sailing that was the real winner at the end of the day...their medals being the Icing on the Cake.

Watch this space for details on how the week transpired on the winners who have made us proud...
Read more...

www.GiiraYachts.com : Weekly Update - 10th ~ 17th August, 2008

For the benefit of our viewers, every Sunday we bring to you a WEEKLY UPDATE on the latest in world of boating in that week and a list of all the posts that have been put on www.GiiraYachts.com.



LAST WEEK'S POSTS

11th August, 2008 - With the Olympics 2008 here, and a buzz in the air about China dominating the sailing events, we have discussed the same in -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/olympics-2008-will-china-sailing-team.html


12th August, 2008 - Raymarine, one of the world's best in Navigation Equipment, wants your kids to be safe and sound, whether it's your yacht or an expensive charter - your child's life is PRICELESS -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/raymarine-life-tag-wireless-mob-system.html


13th August, 2008 - Know more about your boat with our technical articles...in our last and final of the Types of Hulls series talks about Semi-Displacement Hulls -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/types-of-hulls-3-semi-displacement.html


14th August, 2008 - Do you know about the Yng-Ling Class to be raced in the Olympics 2008 ? -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/olympics-2008-sailing-yngling-class.html


15th August, 2008 - We love Mochis, and we are sure you will too after you read about the Mochi Long Range 23 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/mochi-long-range-23-true-green-yacht.html


16th August, 2008 - Now, get to know more about the 49-er class racing in the Olympics 2008 -

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/olympics-2008-sailing-49er-class.html


17th August, 2008 - Covering boating in the USA has always been a pleasure, this particular post is about how boaters are considered and responsible part of keeping the environment clean and green in USA.

http://www.giirayachts.com/2008/08/us-clean-boating-act-of-2008.html

...and hope all Indians had an Happy Independence Day! Read more...

International Market Update - SuperYachts going STRONG !

US economy slow-down?...global recession??...inflation rising and markets down in India???...surely looks like a bad picture for the luxury industry, and even worse for guys selling hot yachts!


BUT surprise surprise...you wouldn't believe if we told you that there have been more superyachts ordered last year than ever...and the trend is rising at approx 20% per annum!

Rumours of a shake-out in the bullet-proof superyacht industry were mooted at the Global Superyacht Forum.

STATS

The latest Superyachting Index shows that the top end of the yachting market is still holding firm – not showing any signs of depletion currently.

The index, which is compiled by The Luxury Institute and Camper & Nicholsons International – the yacht broker and charter company – found that new orders for yachts over 130 feet are up 18% in 2008. There were 254 new orders for yachts longer than 130-feet last year, up from 134 in 2005.



The report also puts into perspective the astounding growth rate over the past decade for jumbo yachts. In 1997, there were just 241 yachts of 80-feet or more under construction around the world. Last year, there were 916 such boats being built.

The average price for motoryachts longer than 100 feet was US $10.3 million in 2007. The average price for sailing yachts of the same length was US $9 million (although, to the dismay of traditionalists, sailing yachts now make up a tiny fraction of the large yacht market).

STAFFING IS THE MAIN PROBLEM

Ironically, the biggest constraint to the industry’s growth isn’t the economy — it’s staffing. The report says that about 25,000 crewmembers are necessary for today’s fleet of superyachts, but only about 15,000 currently work aboard yachts. Shortages of captains and engineers, it notes, are especially acute.


All of this sounds encouraging. And the superyacht market likely won’t face the same crash it experienced in previous downturns, since it’s so global. Just a decade ago, the vast majority of big boats were being purchased by Americans and Europeans. Now, Russian, Indian and Middle Eastern buyers are fueling the market.

U.S. SLOWDOWN JUST AROUND THE CORNER

A brief review of with several yacht brokers would lead us to believe the market – at least in the U.S. – is poised for a slowdown. A year ago, buyers could order a new boat knowing that, in the worst case, they could flip it for a quick profit. Now they’re more hesitant.


“With the American market especially, people are waiting for more certainty in financial markets before make a big decision,” said Jonathen Beckett, CEO of Burgess.

INDIA...

Having a full-fledged superyacht market in India may not be a distant dream for some, but as per current socio-economic trends a safe estimated growth of 60% per annum is emminent.
Read more...

'Clipper Round the World' Updates - May '08

The Clipper Round the World 07-08 is not over yet and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is already searching for Captains of boats for the 09-10 edition.


With Leg 06 out of 7 Legs just concluded...this edition has definitely been one of the most exciting ever.

The results have just come in for Race 9 - Santa Cruz to Panama - the English team of HULL & HUMBER take the honors in winning this very tough and long race that concludes this Leg of the entire Clipper Round the World.

RACE 09 - SANTA CRUZ TO PANAMA STANDINGS

#1 - Hull & Humber
#2 - Qingdao
#3 - New York
#4 - Nova Scotia
#5 - Glasgow:Scotland with style
#6 - Liverpool 08
#7 - Uniquely Singapore
#8 - Jamaica
#9 - westernaustralia2011.com
#10 - Durban 2010 and Beyond


OVERALL RACE STANDINGS

1. Durban 2010 and Beyond - 54 points
2. Hull & Humber4 - 52 points
3. New York - 51.5 points
4. Glasgow:Scotland with style4 - 49 points
5. Liverpool 081 - 41.5 points
6. westernaustralia2011.com - 39 points
7. Uniquely Singapore - 38 points
8. Nova Scotia1 - 33.5 points
9. Qingdao - 30.5 points
10. Jamaica3 - 19.5 points

HULL & HUMBER

The Hull & Humber city-region is home to around a million people who enjoy the rich variety of city, coast and countryside living, from the peace and tranquillity of rural life to stimulating seaside or the buzz of the big city.

The distinctive orange yacht is an ambassador for this dynamic part of the UK and has captured the imagination of the region and beyond. The region wishes the crew bon voyage and God’s speed on the ultimate team challenge – to circumnavigate the globe in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race.

For latest updates on the world's most favorite race look here.
Read more...