Full Ahead

“It’s hard to tell the difference between sea and sky, between voyager and sea. Between reality and the workings of the heart.”
– Haruki Murakami

“LAST MARCH, YACHT dealers thought they were staring down the barrel of bankruptcy. But by July, they were the ones buying champagne and contemplating their greatest year ever,” says Richard Lofthouse.

The Asia-Pacific regional co-ordinator at Catalano Shipping Services had witnessed first-hand how the expectations of dealers and brokers had swung from panic to delight in Hong Kong.

“No one could have foreseen that the pandemic was going to be a stimulus for people to buy boats. They’ve been buying yachts like hot cakes.”

Across Asia, yacht sales skyrocketed in the more mature markets, while local charters did roaring business. Indonesia is now one of the easiest