m 25 to 28 April, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove buzzed with activity as it hosted one of its signature events—the Singapore Yachting Festival (SYF).
To say that it is one of Singapore’s most significant celebrations of the maritime lifestyle would not be an overstatement. As Arthur Tay, CEO and Executive Director of SUTL Enterprise expressed, SYF is a cornerstone event in promoting the luxurious yachting lifestyle. “It symbolises ONE°15’s commitment to curating the absolute best of yachting innovation and unique lifestyle experiences in Singapore,” he said. “With SYF, our mission is to ignite a fervent passion for yachting, elevating it into a lifestyle embraced by discerning and aspirational individuals.”
Sure enough, the second edition of SYF spotlighted the latest trends as well as excellence in technology and design in the yachting world with a display by 115 yacht brands and suppliers of marine equipment, among others. Axopar, Azimut, Ferretti, Gulf Craft, Leopard, Princess, Sanlorenzo, and Sunseeker were among the leading brands—as a testament to ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove and Singapore’s place in the international yachting stage. This also included as many as 19 premieres—a world’s first included. Greenline, Wally, Dufour, Aquitalia, Yanmar were some of the new brands making Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asian and Singapore debuts.
This year saw the introduction of hybrid-capable vessels and cutting-edge innovations steering a definite move towards sustainable designs and features. Eco-conscious designs such as solar panel-powered electric motors as seen in the Greenline 40, Magellano 60’s utilisation of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil or HVO; and Wallywhy 200’s glass cockpit ingeniously designed for energy conservation, were some of the examples.
Swedish vessel Candela C-8, the world’s first 100 per cent electric hydrofoil boat to combine a long range with high performance, also made its Asia-Pacific debut at SYF. The eight- to 10-seater WIG Craft AirFish 8 (AF8), which is powered by a compact V8 car engine is another example of the innovative technologies on display—it runs on 95 Octane automotive-grade unleaded gasoline.
The largest yacht on display was the 55.7m—with a steel and aluminium hull—Perini Navi/Picchiotti yacht M/Y GALILEO.
There is no doubt that the boating industry is making a definitive move towards minimising its ecological footprint. The inaugural ICOMIA Boating Industry Conference 2024—also hosted by ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove—which preceded SYF brought eco experts and boating enthusiasts alike to our shores to discuss sustainable business practices and effective decarbonisation initiatives
within the recreational marine industry.
True to its name, and in celebration of the diverse needs and interests of the yachting community, this edition of SYF also introduced a Lifestyle Festival Market, showcasing pop-up alfresco food and beverage stalls, and family-friendly carnival games. Demonstrations of the latest and most trending gadgets such as jet-boarding added to the ambience along with rhythmic live music set-ups.
One of the main goals of SYF is to promote the yachting lifestyle and in doing so, it is imperative to appeal to first timers and complete newcomers. Alongside the main attractions, attendees could explore ancillary yachting equipment, including tenders and various recreational gear. Those interested in hands-on experiences with water toys could also indulge in an experiential zone, and sea trials aboard charter vessels, seabob-jet and speedboat rides.
