Monthly News - October 2014

- pic of the month- Viking and Ebola

Azimut New Mexico Dealer

Azimut Yachts further strengthens its presence in the overseas markets thanks to a new partnership with Euro Yachts, doing business as Azimut Yachts Mexico, the Group’s new exclusive dealer for the Mexican market. Featuring four venues in key Mexican markets, Azimut Yachts Mexico is assured a strong presence throughout the country. In securing this nationwide coverage, the Azimut brand will have excellent access to the best crews and yacht owners, along with the supplier networks necessary to provide the high standards of immediate, high-level service assistance Azimut yacht owners have come to expect, that have always be representative of the Group. In signing this exclusive agreement, Azimut Yachts are signaling their belief in the growing importance of the Mexican market. When taken together with the markets of the US, Brazil and Mexico represent a substantial share of the group’s total turnover. This new partnership will further enrich the international service network that, with more than 140 offices, in 70 countries, is the largest of its kind in the world.

Bavaria Nominated for More Awards

Bavaria are delighted to have been nominated for five awards in Europe, the Cruiser 46 in the new sailing yacht range and Sport 360 and 400 in the Bavaria Sport range. The world premiere of the new SPORT 360 was at the Oslo boat show in early September. This stunning boat has already been nominated for two different awards. In Berlin at the show the boat has been nominated for the "BOB Award" which is announced at the end of November. This award from an independent jury of international journalists and boat testers distinguishes the practical needs of boaters. In the category "Best for Family”, the Sport 360 has a very good chance to be among the finalists where the focus is on how the boat best suits the needs for families. The Nautic Design Award at the Salon Nautique in Paris beginning in December, focuses more on the design of a motor yacht and recognizes the best motor boats of the year. In the category "Cruiser" are this year's 360 and 400 Sport which are on the nomination list. Until 11th December users can vote directly on the Internet to select the motor yacht with the best design. At the boot Dusseldorf the final winner of the "European Powerboat of the Year Awards" will be known where on the first Saturday of the fair, the coveted prizes in the different categories will be awarded. The international jury of leading magazines from across Europe nominated the Sport 400 in the category up to 45 feet. Bavaria also have a good chance to be European Yacht of the Year with the beautiful Cruiser 46 and to receive this price in Dusseldorf in January. This is one of the best selling boats from the German shipyard which is one of the finalists in the category "Family Cruiser". The 14-meter sailing yacht, which is built in a 3-and 4-cabin version, which since its debut late last year has found more than 150 new owners. 

Belize Impresses World Yacht Trophies

Designed by Australia’s iconic Riviera, Belize Motoryachts was always confident the classically inspired 54 Daybridge would stand out in a bay of the most modern luxury pleasure yachts in the world. And she has in fact done exactly that the Belize 54’s noble and nostalgic design struck an immediate chord with judges in the World Yachts Trophies awards at 2014 Cannes International Yachting Festival, where she was named as just one of three finalists in the ‘highest achievement’ category for vessels her size. Riviera chairman and owner Rodney Longhurst said the World Yachts Trophies awards, organised by French publishing group Lux Media Group, is considered to be one of the most highly esteemed awards of its kind in the global marine industry. The World Yacht Trophies awards ceremony, at ‘la Croisette’, is considered one of the highlight events of the Cannes Yachting Festival and this year’s gala ceremony attracted 700 of the most influential people in the yachting world. The judges said the Belize 54 ‘made herself known from the very moment she arrived’ for her European premiere at Cannes, adding she is the ‘epitome of the flybridge boat’ and praising her sea-keeping abilities. The Belize 54 is a clever blend of classical charm, state-of-the-art technology and a high-performance hull is squarely targeted at those who appreciate timeless tradition, individuality, class and refined character, as well as serious sea-keeping performance. 

Benetti New USA Head Quarters

The yard's commercial success in the Americas is consolidated. With Benetti's 2014 further growth in the America's, one of the Tuscan yard's strategic markets, success is confirmed with the opening of the new Benetti sales and post-sales office on 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale, capital of American and world yachting. Having secured their commercial presence in the USA, with more than 50% of the brand's business, Benetti secures their physical presence in Fort Lauderdale, a perfect location close to the Central and South American markets. Benetti's new American headquarters was designed as an office and showroom, open to brokers, traders and owners. It is not only a starting point but a meeting point, dedicated to hospitality. The design of the first American office for Benetti is inspired by the Benetti Viareggio showroom: dark tinted rosewood and ivory colored leather and bronze detailing, with floors of Crema Marfil marble with teak inserts, while the exclusive Yachtique showcases are of crystal. The designer furnishings have all been offered only by Italian suppliers and its design is highest standard level. They are names that represent excellence of the world - Edra, Lupi, Poltrona Frau, Schiffini, Cantalupi, Stefano Ricci, Armani, Yachtline, Menchini Marmi and Gruppo Mastrotto –which make the space confortable, elegant and definitely unique. Inside the offices limited edition design furniture by the interior designer Maria Rosa Remedi up the reception and meeting room.

CRN Supports Cogs for Cancer

CRN, a brand of the Ferretti Group specialising in the construction of fully-custom steel and aluminium pleasure vessels between 40 and 90 metres in length, is supporting Cogs4Cancer, an important charity cycle race which this year has reached its second edition and which started on 5 October from CRN’s shipyard in Ancona. Cogs4Cancer is a charity bike ride ridden in stages, organized by the captains of mega yachts from various countries in order to raise funds for cancer research organizations. This year it will run from Ancona (Italy) to Antibes (France). CRN supported this charity event by hosting the starting ceremony, which was held on 5 October at the shipyard in Ancona. The 16 participants - captains of megayachts and representatives of the international yachting world - will pedal approximately 850 kilometres. Following the first stage between Ancona and Forlì, the race will stop in Empoli, La Spezia, Arenzano and Sanremo and then reach Antibes, in France. Cogs4Cancer, which this year has already raised over € 200,000, is supported by international celebrities like Rihanna and The Kings of Leon and will donate the entire total to cancer research organizations.

Fairline Gears Up For A Stream of New Products

Leading British luxury Motor Yacht manufacturer, Fairline Boats has this month embarked on a major human investment into its engineering capability as it prepares for an extensive new product introduction programme. Continuing to focus on high quality engineering and boatbuilding excellence, Fairline has invested in two new appointments to support the upcoming programme. Stefan Whitmarsh joins as Head of Engineering and Ben Harrison as Engineering Manager, both based at Fairline’s Headquarters in Oundle. Stefan and Ben have joined existing team members, Gary Smith, Fairline Technical Manager and Andrew Pope, Design Director, to underpin the outstanding engineering and design expertise at Fairline. With a lifetime in the boating industry, Stefan brings a wealth of global boat industry knowledge and experience gained with leading distributors and manufacturers across the world. He is widely recognised as a leading authority in shipbuilding, construction, manufacturing methods and the operation of large yachts. In recent times Stefan has worked with Princess Yachts and Sunseeker International where his last role was as Project Manager on the build of former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan’s Sunseeker 155. He also has many years’ experience in high performance GRP vessels and currently races in offshore powerboat championships, winning the 4-day 800 mile Venture Cup Race in 2013. In his new role at Fairline Stefan will be responsible for driving the new product introduction programm and developing the design and engineering systems across the product range. Ben will be working alongside Stefan to deliver the engineering design, development and validation of new and current products. Ben’s previous experience includes engineering and program management roles at Nissan, Perkins Engines, Land Rover, Visteon and Caterpillar, where he undertook a two-year assignment in Qingdao, the People’s Republic of China as part of a Joint Venture engineering team.

Fairline Plans Eight New Models in Three Years

Leading British luxury Motor Yacht manufacturer, Fairline Boats announces plans to introduce eight new models over the next three years, with full details to be unveiled at the London Boat Show in January 2015. The news follows hot on the heels of Fairline’s recent announcement of a major human investment into its engineering capability. In recent weeks Fairline has unveiled two new additions to its engineering team to support the new product plans and underline Fairline’s commitment to high quality engineering and boatbuilding excellence. Stefan Whitmarsh joins as Head of Engineering and Ben Harrison as Engineering Manager, both based at Fairline’s Headquarters in Oundle. Stefan and Ben have joined existing team members Gary Smith, Fairline Technical Manager, and Andrew Pope, Design Director, to create a new look team to drive forward the new product strategy.

Gulf Craft To Invest In New Luxury Yacht Facility

Gulf Craft, one of the leading superyacht-building shipyards in the world, announced it will be opening a brand new facility in Dubai Maritime City (DMC), a world-class maritime cluster in the heart of Dubai. The company will invest $100 million over the next five years in developing the approximately 900,000 square foot freehold plot located within the marine district of DMC. The state-of-the-art facility will be used to build a shipyard for the manufacture of mega and super yachts. Dubai Maritime City, which is located on an area of over 21.52 million square feet, has been designed to promote the interests and lifestyle of the maritime community. Supported by highly developed and sophisticated infrastructure, as well as a suitable environment for the modern life balance between work and living conditions, Dubai Maritime City offers facilities to suit a multitude of purposes such as housing, offices, entertainment and retail.

Gulfcraft Wins Shipyard 2014 Award

UAE shipyard Gulf Craft cemented its global success in Cannes last week, picking up a World Yacht Trophy for Shipyard of the Year. Notis Menelaou, Sales Manager of Gulf Craft received the award on behalf of the company from Sam Richomme, Group CEO & Publisher of LuxMedia Group, the French publishing group behind the awards – considered amongst the most prestigious accolades in marine circles. The awards ceremony was held last Saturday, September 13 at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes as a prelude to the opening of the Cannes Yachting Festival. 000The World Yacht Trophies are judged by a panel of experts made up of highly qualified members of the steering committee of the LuxMedia publishing network – publishers of luxury, lifestyle and boating titles such as Yachts Emirates, Yachts Qatar, Yachts Lebanon, Yachts and Boats, Yachts Russia, Yachts Croatia and Boats Arabia amongst others. The expert panel was entrusted with the task of selecting and evaluating the yachts and the winners for each category.

Jarrett Bay Opening in Raleigh

Just in time for the holidays, Jarrett Bay Boatworks announces the opening of the Jarrett Bay Offshore “pop-up” store at one of the largest malls in the Southeastern United States, and Raleigh North Carolina’s largest enclosed mall. Starting Friday, October 3rd, Jarrett Bay branded merchandise will be available for mass consumption at Crabtree Valley Mall. Comprised of more than 220 stores and restaurants, Crabtree serves hundreds of thousands of shoppers annually from Central and Eastern North Carolina, including close regional demand generators such as North Carolina State University, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park.

Kadey-Krogen New Vice President of Sales

Today Kadey-Krogen Yachts introduces Tucker West as the company’s new vice president of sales. West is well-equipped with more than 20 years in the marine industry to take on the responsibility of leading the Kadey-Krogen sales force. For the last nine years, West led the North American Sales and Dealers Network for Grand Banks Yachts. In addition to sales, his work at Kadey-Krogen will contribute to product development and sales marketing. West has assumed an equity position in the company by purchasing John Gear’s interest in Kadey-Krogen Yachts, thereby creating a new team of principals. In addition to West overseeing sales, Larry Polster will supervise marketing, public relations, finance and administration and Tom Button will direct yacht construction, new product development, commissioning and post-delivery customer care. John Gear will continue with Kadey-Krogen Yachts as the company’s Florida yacht broker of record. West entered the marine industry after graduating from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire with a degree in business management. His primary focus throughout the years has been in sales, marketing, and after-sales service. Tucker began his career at Sunsail Yacht Charters, booking sailing vacations and selling boats into Sunsail's charter fleet. After spending a year in Thailand with Sunsail, he returned to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and spent the next seven years with The Catamaran Company. Most recently, his work with Grand Banks Yachts earned respect among his peers and cemented his passion for the cruising segment of the power boat industry. Opening a new chapter, we look forward to Tucker’s involvement and perspective. His appetite and desire for both boating and a happy customer fit perfectly with our philosophy of being a boat-building company, versus a company that builds boats. He is certain to usher in a new group of Kadey-Krogen owners eager to be, “At Home On Any Sea!”

Moonen Strengths Sales Team

Moonen Shipyards has welcomed a new manager to its sales team. Onno Laarhoven joins fellow sales manager Johan Dubbelman at an exciting time for the premium motoryacht builders. The Dutch yard has already sold two of its new Caribbean series over recent months and Laarhoven is confident that more developments are on the horizon. Onno Laarhoven has boats in his blood having started sailing at the tender age of six years old. He also has that passion for yachts which is typical of many Dutch people, although Onno can tell you all this in such fluent English that you would never know he comes from Holland! Onno was actually slated for a different career having gained a Master in Law, but the lure of boats proved greater than the bar and he started his career in the yachting industry in 2005. After almost a decade of prolific sales he is delighted to have joined Moonen at such a vibrant time in the yard’s history. Together with sales manager Johan Dubbelman, Onno is now fully dedicated to presenting the unique proposition of the Moonen brand as the only yard to offer top Dutch quality motoryachts from 25 to 50 metres in length. 

Numarine Launches North American Distribution

Numarine International announces the launch of Numarine luxury performance motor yachts in North America. Operating under the designation of Numarine North America, the company has established 3 points of distribution to manage an extensive service network for Numarine owners along the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Numarine International is a dedicated division for the management of international sales, marketing and expansion of the worldwide dealer network for Numarine. Numarine North America will be managed by Parker Stair, a marine industry veteran, with a strong track record of perpetuating success among high-end brands. 

Otam New Esclusive Turkey Dealer

Otam sixty years of experience in powerboating - is proud to announce Concept Marine as official representative and dealer in the Turkish market. Haluk Gundogdu, managing director Concept Marine said “We had been looking for a while for the right product to cater to the needs of some of our extremely demanding clients looking for a very fast, exclusive, semi-custom open to accompany them in their free time along our beautiful coasts. Otam manufactures a beautiful high quality product that really performs even in rough conditions, and we are very happy to be their partners on the Turkish Market. 

Outer Reef QR Coding Creates Ease

Outer Reef Yachts, the world renowned long range cruising yacht manufacturer, pioneers another first in the industry by taking QR Code technology to the next level, through the new Outer Reef Yachts’ Quik Code System™. QR Codes are computer generated images used as a shortcut to connect directly with online resources, without having to type a URL into an internet browser. By assigning an individualized QR code to each piece of equipment throughout the yacht, the code will direct a user to the desired page and topic in Outer Reef’s digital Owner’s Instructional and Maintenance Manual. An owner operator, captain, or maintenance technician can quickly locate the specific information needed through the convenience of a hand held mobile device. The owner, captain or technician, equipped with a smart phone or tablet will easily point and click to be directed to the equipment’s specific manual page, section, and topic, removing the need to search through a hard copy or scroll through the online service manual. In short, this process provides instant access to the required information for all equipment throughout the yacht, from the Pilot House DC/AC Panels to the engine room’s hydraulic and fuel systems, etc. The Quik Code System™ is not the first ‘convenience technology’ pioneered by Outer Reef Yachts. Outer Reef Yachts was the first long range motoryacht manufacturer to provide each owner with an iPad version of the Owner’s Instructional and Maintenance Manual for their yachts. Owners, captains and maintenance technicians of all technical backgrounds will enjoy and appreciate the convenience of accessing all the information needed to operate, manage, and maintain the yacht via an iPad. The information housed on the iPad is provided by Outer Reef Yachts to Wheelhouse Technologies (www.wheelhousetech.com), a company that specializes in creating tailored owners manuals and proprietary maintenance programs. Wheelhouse Technologies also maintains the information, by continuously updating the database as needed, to ensure the user is referring to the most current manufacturer information at all times. All Outer Reef Yachts, globally, will display the new Quik Code System.

Princess Star at Volvo World Match Play Championship

Surrounded by some of the world's best golfers, including members of the European and US Ryder Cup teams, the Princess V39 sports yacht will feature at the 2014 Volvo Match Play Championship. Lying across the lake that makes up a tricky 8th hole, par 3, the V39 will make a spectacular and fairly unique feature at this prestigious sporting event. Volvo usually showcases its automotive models at the event but this year wanted to tell a different story and reflect its status as a marine champion. As one of Volvo's longest standing partners, Princess Yachts International was very happy to help showcase the very best of marine design and performance. And what better boat to do so than the V39, arguably the most celebrated yacht of its generation. The Volvo Match Play Championship takes place from the 15th to the 19th of October, with players competing for a total prize fund of €2.25m, with the winner taking home 650,000. First won by Arnold Palmer in 1964, the championship was traditionally held at Wentworth, in Surrey, until moving to Spain and then Bulgaria more recently. For its 50th year the decision was taken to return the tournament to its British roots. Princess Yachts International will be celebrating its own 50th anniversary next year. Look out for more information and some exciting news to commemorate our own half century.

Rivera Congratulates Three Apprentices

Australian boating icon Riviera is proud to announce three of its school-based apprentice students have received awards recognising them as finalists in Queensland’s School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SATs) Awards. Riviera and Helensvale State High School this year rekindled the school-based apprentice program, which first started in 1997. This multi-award winning training program has produced hundreds of highly skilled tradesmen with nationally recognised qualifications, many of whom have had the opportunity to travel and work overseas with Riviera. Eleven new school-based apprentices joined Riviera this year, including SATs finalists Margaret Piakura in upholstery, Lachlan Davidson in cabinet-making and Brendan Smith in electro-technology. Apprenticeship project mentor Tony Vaughn congratulated Margaret, Lachlan and Brendan on their achievements. The SATs awards are an initiative of Queensland’s South East Region Department of Education Training and Employment. The SATs awards recognise the achievements of school students in not only their school studies but also their vocational work. The awards are designed to recognise students on their dedication to securing their future career paths. Each category has three finalists with an overall winner for each category and then an overall winner is announced from all the categories. Apprentice upholsterer Margaret Piakura was a finalist in the manufacturing category and she said it was a really exciting night. Lachlan Davidson and Brendan Smith were finalists in the Building and Construction category. Brendan said it was a very rewarding experience knowing he had been selected as a finalist from hundreds of applicants. Both Lachlan and Brendan are working on a rotation through Riviera’s various departments including lamination, new model development, Fit Out 1, Fit Out 2 and the waterfront, giving them exposure to all aspects of boat-building. Mr Vaughn says Riviera’s school-based apprentices spend one day at the TAFE centre, which is located on-site within the Riviera complex, and one other day in on-the-job training. Riviera’s general manager Scott Cumming said all three students and their parents were justifiably proud of their achievements. Riviera will commence enrolments for the 2015 school-based apprentice program later in the year. 

Riviera Owner Finds Paradise

The turquoise waters of the large lagoon and 1192 hectares (2950 acres) of reef surrounding Lady Musgrave Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was certainly a sight to behold for 40 Riviera owners and their friends as they dropped anchor in the Capricorn Cays National Park for the annual R Marine Crawley Lady Musgrave Experience. The fleet of 13 Rivieras travelled in convoy from Runaway Bay Marina on the Gold Coast north to Bundaberg Marina and then on to Lady Musgrave Island where they spent the next few days snorkelling, fishing, socialising and relaxing in one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This was the first time Max and Maree Hume had taken their Riviera 4000 Offshore Blasé to Lady Musgrave Island and they said it was absolutely sensational. Phil and Carmel Kaye on board 43 Open Flybridge Lady Soul said the two days they spent at Lady Musgrave were simply the best. Guided by R Marine Crawley’s dealer principal, Ben Crawley, the fleet experienced perfect coastal cruising conditions and managed to stay one step ahead of the weather for the entire trip, which was held from July 5 to 24. Ben said they dropped lines a day early to make the best of ideal cruising conditions up the coast and they were rewarded with countless whale and dolphin sightings along the way. The following day the fleet split into two groups, one that continued north and one that headed south back home to complete the 650 nautical mile round trip. 

San Lorenzo New Group President

Ferruccio Rossi was recently appointed as new Group President / General Manager of Sanlorenzo Spa, the Italian shipyard leader in the production of strictly tailor made motor-yachts, at the second place in the world ranking of top 20 builders over 24 meters (Global Order Book 2014). Rossi will report directly to the Chairman / CEO Massimo Perotti. Following his degree in Business Administration at Bocconi University in Milan, Ferruccio Rossi (1972) worked in investment banking and private equity in firms such as JP Morgan and Permira Funds. From 2001 to 2005 he entered the board of directors of Ferretti and Grandi Navi Veloci Spa and in mid 2005 he was appointed as Managing Director / CEO of Riva Spa. Since then and for the following nine years he has covered increasingly critical positions within Ferretti Group, reaching in mid 2012 the role of Group CEO. Massimo Perotti decided to enlist a high skilled and experienced manager in order to strengthen and improve the Sanlorenzo position in the global market. Unmistakable style and sophisticated design place Sanlorenzo motor-yachts at the peak of international yacht business. The Italian shipyard, in over 50 years of history, has now become synonymous with excellence both in terms of refinement and attention to details.

San Lorenzo Opens Brand Representative in Egypt

Sanlorenzo Egypt is the new Sanlorenzo embassy which recently opened in the beautiful Hurghada region of the Red Sea, thanks to the agreement with the local company Alkhalil Trading L.L.C., who will introduce the Italian Made-to-Measure motor yachts to the most demanding Egyptian owners. The new Brand Representative office is located in Abu Tig Marina, in the El Gouna resort, a popular yachting destination in the Hurghada region of the Red Sea. Sanlorenzo Egypt’s Managing Director is Tarek Khalil, a mechanical engineer who founded Alkhalil Trading L.L.C. in 1994 and since then has been successfully involved in many areas of business across Egypt and the Middle East. For the last 5 years, Alkhalil Trading has been successfully distributing in Egypt boats up to 80 ft and the addition of the Sanlorenzo motor yachts complement the current range of boats for customers who seek an outstanding first class super yacht, made to measure according to their personal requests and style. Sanlorenzo Egypt will provide after-sales service support on-site through the existing Alkhalil Trading service centre, in order to support both existing and new customers throughout Egypt.

Sea Ray Dealer Accomplishments 

Sea Ray’s dealer network has consistently been the most awarded group of marine retailers in Boating Industry’s annual Top 100 Dealer awards. So it was especially notable when Sea Ray recognized some of the top performers from within their celebrated dealer body at the company’s annual meeting, held recently in Knoxville, Tennessee. Awards were distributed in four major categories: dealerships with 100% customer satisfaction, top retail sales for a location outside USA and Canada, top retail sales for an independent retailer in USA or Canada, and top retail sales within the MarineMax network. In addition to the four established categories, an additional award for the top first year dealership was given to American Boat Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, in recognition of exceptional performance. Finally, Sea Ray executives also presented the prestigious C.N. Ray award, previously bestowed only three times in nearly 15 years. The award is reserved for a truly exceptional marine retailer whose professional accomplishments are exemplary in nature and closely aligned with the ideals and standards of excellence established by Sea Ray founder C.N. Ray. The 2014 recipient of the C.N. Ray award was Bill McGill, principal owner and president of Gulfwind USA (marine dealership) from 1978 to 1998, at which time he became CEO of MarineMax., the position he currently holds. Previous recipients of the C.N. Ray Award include Pete Beauregard, Sr. (Colony Marine Sales & Service), Rod Hall (Hall Marine Group) and Bill Trudeau, Sr. (Trudeau's Marina). Sea Ray’s awards gala marked the end of the 2015 model year meeting. The meeting featured Sea Ray’s ongoing Next Wave campaign, highlighting “innovative thinking and inspired execution” on a steady stream of new products. Six brand new models were on hand at the meeting, part of nine total new models that will be introduced in the fourth quarter of 2014 alone.

Sea Ray Honored with Four More Awards

Sea Ray has been recognized for excellence in customer satisfaction for the tenth year in a row, earning four 2014 Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Awards from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and bringing the company’s total to an unprecedented 59 CSI Awards over the years of the honor. As announced by the NMMA during the recent 2014 International BoatBuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), Sea Ray’s newest awards came in the following four categories: Deck Boats, Inboard Express Cruisers Boats, Sterndrive Bowrider Boats, and Sterndrive Cuddy and Express. Sea Ray builds boats for nearly every style of boater, and this affirmation across so many categories demonstrates that the brand understands just how great boating can be. Time and again, Sea Ray has earned accolades from the industry’s toughest critics and in the most stringent rankings, including those of J.D. Power, the NMMA, the AIM Media Group and Boating Industry Magazine. The CSI Awards measure customer satisfaction, only recognizing boat and engine manufacturers that receive the highest marks. To attain the requirements for the Marine Industry CSI Awards, Sea Ray achieved and maintained an independently measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction over the past year. This score is based on information provided directly by nearly 60,000 consumers who purchased a new boat or engine during the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014.

Viking and Ebola

Ebola is real, as Healey International Relief Foundation representatives Father Peter Konteh and Ishmael Alfred Charles can attest. Father Peter, Director of Caritas Freetown, and Ishmael, a former child soldier and current Foundation's In-Country Coordinator have traveled from Sierra Leone to the United States to help spread awareness. Caritas Freetown representatives, together with Benjamin Parra and Bob Healey, Jr., of Healey International Relief Foundation, were in Washington, DC to tell the Ebola story to different media sources, including EWTN TV Network and The Catholic Health Association of the United States and to testify before the joint Senate hearing. They continue to raise awareness of the Ebola outbreak.

Viking Lines In

April 8-11, 2015 are the dates for the second annual Viking Key West Challenge, our fantastic family fishing tournament that was created to mark our 50th Anniversary this past April. More than 350 people including Viking staff, Viking yacht owners, their families and friends and valuable vendors from the past 50 years enjoyed fishing, a lay-day pool party, and loads of family oriented events in the midst of spectacular weather and Key West hospitality.

Wider New Dealer in Australia and New Zealand 

Wider appointed a new dealer for Australia and New Zealand, to distribute the 32' and 42'Express Cruisers in the region. The Boutique Boat Company is the leading premium marine specialist in the nautical market. With strategic offices, maintenance yards, marinas and berths both on the West and East Coasts of Australia they benefit from a dedicated team of professionals with unrivalled experience not only in the marine industry but in related luxury businesses, such as automotive and real estate. The agreement is a major step forward for Wider in growing its presence in the international market. Wider gives a warm welcome to the new Australian dealer and trusts in a very successful and long lasting relationship.

Windy Nominated for Powerboat 2015 Awards

The Scandinavian boat builder Windy Scandinavia AB has been nominated for two 2015 European Power Boat of the Year Awards for the acclaimed 39 Camira sports cruiser and the 27 Draco sports weekender, a modern interpretation of one of Scandinavia’s most iconic boat designs. Short-listed in the ‘Powerboats up to 45 feet’ category, the Windy 39 Camira is a bigger sister to the ground-breaking Windy 31 Zonda, combining classic sports cruiser styling with superb handling and a top speed of 45 knots. One of Europe’s leading powerboat magazines described her Hans Jorgen Johnsen-designed hull as “up there with the very best 40ft production hulls we’ve ever tested.” The Camira’s exterior styling is by Dubois Naval Architects Ltd with an interior by Design Unlimited. The 27 Draco is a finalist in the ‘Powerboats up to 35 feet’ category. It is the first, and largest, in a series of three entry level sports weekenders to be produced by Draco Boats AS who have relaunched the much-loved Draco brand for a new generation of boat owners.