“The ocean, the smell… it’s something I am very strongly drawn to. I love sailing not just because it allows me to come close to all these childhood memories; I love the feeling of being driven by wind—you really get to feel how small you are,” he explained. “It’s also a complete relief from stress, being out of cellphone range. There is no weight on your shoulders. It’s just you and the elements. I’m more relaxed and happier when out at sea.”
The managing director for Asean at Geodis Singapore pointed out that sailing was not always possible at certain points of his career. Nonetheless, some of the best memories of his adult life were spent on board a yacht.
“My friend bought a 62ft Swan in Hong Kong in 2005, and I came on board at Kota Kinabalu to help him sail it to Bali,” he said. “There had been a gap in my life where due to work, I had not been on a boat for a very long time. So this was a great experience,” he recalled.
Six years ago, Rene moved to Singapore. Today, his ground-floor residence at Sentosa Cove directly looks out to the placid waters right beside ONE°15 Marina. So it was only natural that the sailing aficionado should start shopping for his first boat.
On January 6 this year, he fulfilled his lifelong dream and acquired a 55ft Bavaria Cruiser previously owned by a maritime pilot. With the help of his dad and three friends, he sailed it 1,500 nautical miles from Hong Kong to Singapore over 10 days, making one stop at Anambas Islands Regency. This gorgeous watercraft is now anchored at ONE°15 Marina, where Rene has been a Member since late 2018.
“Wherever work takes me, living near to the sea and being part of the sea feels like coming home. It is something I would hate to live without.”
“There is a reason they call ONE°15 the finest marina in Asia. The facilities for mooring and berthing are excellent. Whenever you come back from an afternoon of cruising, there are always people to help you and embrace you with open arms. In most other clubs, people tend to keep to themselves. However, there is a strong sense of openness and social friendship in a yacht club,” he shared.