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Simpson Marine: Sailing is Driving Demand in China
Simpson Marine are the key brokers in the Chinese market, with a level knowledge and investment in the region acting as an untapped wealth of expertise. We speak to Mike Simpson to learn about the infrastructure issues and solutions changing the Chinese yacht market.
“You can say that there is now a polarisation on the market,” explains Mike Simpson, Founder of Simpson Marine. “On one hand you have the day boats, the runabouts and their sales are fairly brisk, but from there up to the superyachts and the bigger yachts there isn’t much activity at all. I think it’s there we see the biggest change. These changes have been most noticeable in last 12 months or so.”
With the stabilisation of motor yachting in China very much an agreed and gradually establishing market, the exciting new world of sailing is growing more and more popular.
“What we hope is going to be a very good deal coming up is the sale of 40-45 footers to another fleet, we did this some years back with the China’s Cup, ten years ago in fact [...] It’s certainly got sailing on the map in China, and it’s certainly got ourselves and Beneteau very established in the market.
There’s a lot of enthusiasm, the good thing is that there are a growing number of people who enjoy sailing and they get together and go off sailing and even long distance cruising, so there’s a growing appetite for it. There’s a new generation of people growing up sailing and progressing, there’s a large number of people out there that can afford it and have the interest. “
Watch the full video with Mike Simpson above to find out more about the problems and the future generational solutions which are already being nurtured and established.