Standing quayside at the trendy O N E ° 1 5 Marina Club, I begin taking in the charming settings of Singapore ’s newest marina nestled in the prime enclave of Sentosa Cove. Surrounded by waterfront pads that overlook Sentosa island’s enchanting waters, mainland Singapore for a second seemed a world away.

Rows of stunning white yachts line themselves up by the pier as several prospective home buyers scan what could very well be their ‘playground’, should they decide to purchase a Sentosa property.

And why not? It is after all the latest up-market residence on offer; a site where exclusivity means being able to have a boat docked at the back of your house. Not something to be scoffed at in land-scarce Singapore where flat-owners pay a premium to secure a permanent parking lot for their cars.

Back at the pier, I was ready for my sea trial onboard the stunning Horizon 62, courtesy of Kingfisher Marine, the regional distributor for the Horizon Group - one of the world’s leading yacht builders.

Able to hold about 10 passengers at a single time, the Horizon 62 straddles the fence by being the type of boat that can accommodate a professional crew or just as easily be operated by an experienced couple.

At the same time, the 62-foot yacht is stately looking from dockside with hints of megayacht status in the design and styling. “We have found that the 62 often appeals to people moving up from larger express cruisers. They are typically surprised by the amount of space and comfort a motoryacht affords,” says Kit Chotithamaporn, managing director of Kingfisher Marine.

Based in Phuket, Kingfisher Marine — a company Kit formed with his Taiwaneseborn wife, Annie Lin — launched its Singapore operations at ONE°15 Marina Club last September.

Amongst its other operations, the Singapore office spearheads the company’s sales of Horizon yachts. The Horizon brand is the largest and most successful Taiwanese luxury yacht builder to date and is ranked top ten in the world. With the majority of Horizon’s production output exported to Europe under the brand name ‘Elegance’, it is also the only Taiwanese builder to have successfully penetrated the European market.

A burgeoning yachting culture

Granted that the boating culture in Asia is not as established as Europe’s and North America’s, Kit however feels that the trend is changing.

“Whereas the older generation just made all the money and didn’t really spend it, I think the newer generation has come in and the lifestyle and mentality is very different,” he says.

While the idea of owning yachts has not quite been part of the psyche of Singapore’s rich, Thai-born Kit believes that the Republic’s revamped image makes it poised to embrace alternative forms of indulgence.

“The country has adopted a more lifestyle economy if you like, you have casinos coming up, water-front homes, ONE°15 Marina and you have the F-1 as well. So its very much lifestyle based activities that have been brought to the fore,” he quips.

As Kingfisher Marine distributes fairly big yachts ranging from 50-feet and above, Kit says most of his customers are mostly expatriates who are experienced boaters and have owned boats previously.

While local buyers are few and far between for boats in the medium to large range, there is however an increasing demand for smaller sized boats.

“In terms of actual local Singaporeans buying boats, there’s a huge market right now for boats in the 20, 30 and maybe 40 foot range. Mainly for the people who’ve bought homes in Sentosa Cove because the maximum size you can bring into Sentosa and to have at the back of your house is 40 feet,” explains Kit .

A luxury yacht

As we eventually began our cruise on the Horizon 62, I was struck by the amount of space that the boat affords for lounging and entertainment, be it on the huge flybridge or the oversized sunpad on the bow.

A curved stairway leading from the back deck to the flybridge opens up a good sized piloting, relaxation and observation area - equipped with comfortable seats beside the helm station and a sofa and low table to the rear.

A full wet bar featuring sink, refrigerator and a barbecue grill heightens leisurely enjoyment of the flybridge space. While to the rear is ample storage space for a dinghy or even a jet ski.

The Horizon 62 behaves on the water like a speedboat, popping up on the plane within moments of the throttle being opened on her twin 1000hp Caterpillar diesels. Carving and floating through the chop, turning nimbly at high speed and delivering surprising reserves of helm power for a yacht in its class, Horizon 62 delivered impressively when put through her paces on the high seas.

With its 3,800 litre fuel capacity and 1,330 litre water tank, the yacht is well equipped for long range cruises. Says Kit , “For a Singaporean buyer for example, Horizon 62 is within easy range of Pulau Tioman, Anambas Islands or destinations like Penang, Langkawi or Phuket with the appropriate refueling stopovers.”

One feature that makes Horizon yachts appealing is the customisation afforded to customers. Horizon’s builders will work with the buyer on every detail; layouts, fabric, wood finishing and overall design. If the potential owner has special cutlery and china that they want to use onboard, Horizon will accommodate by making sure they can be properly fitted in the galley.

Full entertainment options are also available to the customer’s specification, including plasma or LCD TV, DVD player and stereo system. Unlike other production builders where one is identical to the other; each and every Horizon yacht are uniquely built to the owner’s specific tastes.

“This is overall value for money that nothing can compete with,” says Kit. To add credibility to the quality, he counts Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher as one of Horizon’s luminaries, owning three Horizon yachts – a 64-feet, 75-feet and a 110-feet. For those looking to own a Horizon yacht, a 62-footer sets you back around US$1.4 million.

Alternative boating experience

But if you are not too keen on the responsibilities and expense associated with yacht ownership, Kingfisher Marine offers a membership scheme that provides affordable access to the exclusive world of ‘lifestyle yachting’ – a new pastime enjoyed by affluent individuals more concerned with enjoying the boating experience than with the technical side of boating and issues of boat ownership.

Referred to as the ‘Azurea Lifestyle Yachting’, it is a boating equivalent of ‘time sharing’ with members having access to the yacht for seven days in a year.

Aside from a boating crew, the yachts come equipped with jet skis, diving and fishing equipments as well as an onboard chef. Members who opt for the 73 and 130 foot range yachts can also avail themselves of a spa therapist and masseuse onboard their cruise.

“It’s basically your own private hotel on the water,” says Kit of the Azurea membership programme, which costs between US$37,000 to US$179,000.

Azurea ultimately caters to an entirely new niche demand which bridges the divide between yacht chartering and yacht ownership. So whether you decide to own a yacht or take up a membership, now seems a good time as any to get in on the boating lifestyle.

Copyright © SMARTINVESTOR

Smart Investor is available at leading magazine outlets
To subscribe, call 6393 9772 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
For feedback, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it