Press Release: Simpson Marine and Beneteau Asia Launch Asia’s First Beneteau Cup in Hong Kong
22 April 2021
Simpson Marine and Beneteau Asia are delighted to announce the launch of the first edition of the Beneteau Cup Hong Kong, a new flagship sailing event for Beneteau in Asia on the 15th and 16th May 2021.
With 137 years of experience, the prestigious French Beneteau Group is the number one yacht builder in the world, offering a comprehensive range of yachts for boaters and yachtsmen of all levels and experience. The Group’s historic trademark, Beneteau has been a pioneer for recreational boating since 1884. With its world-leading ranges and iconic products, nearly 45 models offer diverse, high-performance capabilities. With one single idea in mind: innovating in terms of both boats and processes to enable as many people as possible to realise their dreams, making the avant-garde accessible. Beneteau has been represented in most of Asia by Simpson Marine for the past 35 years, making it the most long standing partner for the company.
Hosted by the Aberdeen Boat Club (ABC) – the Beneteau Cup Hong Kong 2021 is a two-day regatta with a busy sailing and social programme. This includes two races (Island Race on Day 1 and Pursuit Race on Day 2) in the HKPN and Family Classes, and an evening Awards Dinner Ceremony with live music and vibrant activations at the ABC Middle Island Clubhouse. The venue will be styled as a lush, tropical island and themed as the “French Antilles”. The Best Dressed Crew Award will be presented to the most imaginative team.
The entire event will be rounded off with a friendly beach BBQ on one of Hong Kong’s many islands after the Pursuit Race on Day 2, with prizegiving and the announcement of the Overall Beneteau Cup Winner.
All Beneteau owners are invited to join Simpson Marine for this fun weekend. The regatta is set to start a new sailing tradition in Hong Kong as the Beneteau Cup will become an annualy held event.
“We are happy to be launching this new fun regatta for all Beneteau owners in Hong Kong,” says Richard Allen, Simpson Marine Group General Manager. “There are Beneteau Cups taking place all over the world but we have never had a dedicated Beneteau Owners event in Hong Kong and that had to change! With the support of Beneteau and the Aberdeen Boat Club we would like to invite all Beneteau owners with their crew, friends and family to the Beneteau Cup Hong Kong 2021. With two days of fun racing, big social events, a treasure hunt, a white sails pursuit race and a beach BBQ there is plenty for everyone to enjoy. The event is aimed at having a fun time and growing the owners community around Hong Kong, so everyone is welcome, regardless of their racing experience.”
“On 15 May Beneteau, together with Simpson Marine, will fire the starting gun of the first Hong Kong edition of the renowned Beneteau Cup,” says Vianney Guezenec, Beneteau APAC Director. “For the first time in Hong Kong we will have the pleasure of celebrating the Beneteau family with a unique two-day experience of sailing and fun. I’m pleased to see that Simpson Marine and the Aberdeen Boat Club are organizing a truly exciting edition, mixing (fun!) races, sailing, parties, games, music and so much more! At Beneteau we are very proud to see such amazing event being held by Simpson Marine, our historical partner in the region, and are looking forward to being able to connect or reconnect with all the owners in Hong Kong.”
Making it even more a meaningful event, Beneteau Cup Hong Kong event will support SPLASH FOUNDATION, Hong Kong’s only charitable organization teaching under-resourced communities how to swim. They currently work with domestic workers, kids from low-income families and kids with special needs. The Beneteau Cup will be donating to Splash’s 2021 programmes and SPLASH Volunteers will join the Regatta on Day 1 to help with the fun water activities prepared for the teams in the free time between the end of the Race 1 and the evening Awards Dinner.
The event is supported by a number of Partners including CF Wealth Management, a reputable international Wealth Management Company, a Partner Practice of St. James’s Place. CF Wealth specialises in providing sustainable investment strategy to maximise the financial outcome for their clients whilst maintaining accountability for the social and environmental impact and Voyager Risk Solutions, a leading Yacht Insurance company providing all aspects of speciality insurance services to corporate and individual customers in Asia Pacific and South East Asian Region with over 25 years of in-depth experience on the market.
Other Regatta Partners include Ateliers Pinton, prestigious French Creator of exceptional carpets, rugs and tapestries, Beaba, innovative and trendy French-designed Baby Care products, OBMG, Marine Electronics and engineering services Peters & May, Global marine transportation specialist and Rocna, Experts in boat anchors and reliable anchoring solutions.
We would like to thank all our prestigious brand partners for donating awards and prizes for the Beneteau Cup 2021 including Frette, Mazu, Toio, Kapok, CleanMax, UK Sails, North Sails, OBMG, Sotheby’s Wine, and many more.
First in Asia: Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 Sells into Hong Kong
23 February 2021
Simpson Marine is delighted to announce the sale of Asia’s first Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 into Hong Kong. Designed to make both sailing and mooring up fun and enjoyable, the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1’s unrivalled spaces in her class, huge deck plan and ability to cover many miles has made her an excellent luxury sailing yacht for exploring Hong Kong’s many beautiful cruising grounds.
Able of meeting the cruising requirements of even the most demanding sailors, the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 is available in several versions, layouts, draughts and rigs to cater to individual preferences. This 12-metre-long sailing yacht delivers excellent sailing performance with a new hull design by Marc Lombard. Her notably fast performance and incredible versatility has recently won the hearts of Sail Magazine’s stringent panel of judges, winning her the “Best Monohull Cruising Boat Under 50ft” Award for 2021.
The Beneteau Oceanis 40.1’s fine sailing qualities do not compromise her stunning interiors and the ergonomics of the yacht’s layout are equally impressive. An exceptionally bright and spacious living environment is available in four different versions in order to accommodate different family sizes and set ups. Equipped with a C-shaped galley to starboard, the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 offers lots of storage areas and a spacious worktop. A large saloon with a table and a removable bench is located to port for socialising in utmost comfort.
Comfortable and with easy manoeuvring, the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 is a true sailor’s yacht that is fitted for couples, families, and hosting alike. Contact us at beneteau@simpsonmarine.com to enquire about Beneteau Sailing yachts today.
Beneteau Introduces FIRST SE to the FIRST family
23 February 2021
As part of its ongoing mission to share a passion for sailing, last year Beneteau, together with Seascape, presented three new members of the 7th generation of the FlRST line. The First 24 and 27 are exciting sports cruisers, while the First 14 is an innovative dinghy that brings fun and exciting sailing to all.
In addition, the new First SE – Seascape Edition line, consisting of four models (the 14SE, 18SE, 24SE and 27SE) was recently created with the mission to bring modern one design racing and adventure sailing to every sailor.
These new Firsts are drawing power from the same exhilarating hulls designed by talented Samuel Manuard as their SE cousins, while offering simpler systems, aluminium masts, more comfortable interiors and cockpits geared towards day sailing and coastal cruising. Adapting to the different needs and expectations of a wide variety of users has always been a staple of the Beneteau brand.
First SE – Seascape Edition builds on the Seascape heritage and encourages and empowers sailors to expand their comfort zone. It brings high-tech performance, and event and community know-how from the cutting edge of racing into the hands of amateur sailors.
First 14 SE – Seascape Edition will satisfy more demanding dinghy sailors who want to push themselves further with an extra layer of performance and high-tech. She delivers the excitement, speed and fun of high-performance racing skiffs in a modern, accessible, safe and easy-to-handle package. The build quality and high-tech materials allow sailors to push the boat in stronger winds, while additional sail area gives extra power in light wind conditions. The mast, boom and bowsprit are made of carbon fibre while the upwind sails are built from laminate. With smart removable wheels and easy to transport on the car-roof, she is the perfect answer to an active lifestyle.
The 18 SE is a sailboat for people who want to start exploring sailing and grow into well-versed sailors, whether in one design club racing or adventure sailing. With 500 of the First 18 SE – Seascape Edition already sold worldwide she is a perfect sport boat for recreational sailors who would like to challenge themselves in well-established one-design class. Her wide flat hull and twin rudders cannot disguise the offshore DNA which offers complete control even when planing at double-digit speeds. Boat handling and deck organisation are simplified as much as possible with a snuffer system, furling jib and carbon mast without backstays. It has a small, but still spacious enough, cabin that can accommodate two adults. A large open cockpit and a small cabin with a big double berth makes it an ideal sea camping platform. The fully retractable swinging keel and removable rudder blades will give you access to the shallowest bays. Being easily trailered and dismantled, she is also able to fulfil racing ambitions as well as suiting those looking to head away for a night.
Whether you are hoping to expand your comfort zone in solo adventure racing or take your family on adventure holidays, the First 24 SE – Seascape Edition covers it all. She is a modern high-tech sport cruiser, delivering thrilling performance and an exciting sailing experience. Her carbon rig not only reduces the weight aloft but also removes the need for a backstay. This significantly simplifies maneuvers and allows the boat to carry a sizeable square-top mainsail. This results in a combination of very high sail area/displacement ratio which allows sailors to have fun in even the lightest winds. Being trailerable and slip-launchable together with a smart system to raise the mast even single-handed allows the 24SE to change sailing regions with great ease.
The First 27 SE delivers extraordinary sailing experiences that until today were reserved for professional racers. This Samuel Manuard-designed all-weather, vacuum infused one-design offshore racer and adventure cruiser is built entirely in sandwich construction. This construction method helped make her the only offshore one-design class sailboat that can be towed on the road without special permissions and has allowed over 160 owners to gather and undertake long-distance races around Europe and USA.
Please enquire with us about this new exciting range of sailing boats at beneteau@simpsonmarine.com
Quick Availability on Figaro Beneteau 3 in Asia
19 Feb
The Figaro Beneteau 3 (FB3), Beneteau’s first one design foiling sailing yacht and a multiple award winner in best performance yacht categories, now has a quick availability for Asia. Ready to go from the Beneteau shipyard in Western France, this new vessel can arrive in Asia as early as this spring.
The FB3 is the first production foiling one-design monohull ever to be designed. A unique combination of technology and innovation, it results from a collaboration between the Beneteau Group’s best racing/marine experts and the Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost (VPLP) office, the naval architects of the two last boats to win the Vendée Globe.
The FB3 monohull is as reliable as its predecessor, the FB2, but with even more advanced features. It is equipped with foils, a better performing ballast-free hull, a more slender and deeper keel, a setback mast and a more extensive and larger sail plan.
Take her sailing or regatta racing wherever you live and experience the fun of foils and her impressive speeds, easy manoeuvring and handling.
Contact us for your order at beneteau@simpsonmarine.com
First Oceanis Yacht 54 in Asia Sold in China and Taiwan, New Movie Released
27 January 2021
Meet the new Oceanis Yacht 54… A sailing masterpiece that seamlessly blends form and function into a yacht that is exhilarating under sail, easy to shorthand sail with 4-6 crew, and comfortable both at sea and in port. Recently launched by Beneteau, the yacht is one of the new generation of cruisers with a reinvented central cockpit that frees up space for free-flowing movement, ample seating areas, and safety measures throughout. Her cutting-edge technology of Ship Control; Dock&Go joystick, and Harken’s AST firmly sets her at the vanguard of the industry and able to meet the high expectations of passionate sailors.
The interior of the Oceanis Yacht 54 is just as impressive as the exterior and has been specially designed to create a warm modern atmosphere that maximises natural light and ventilation. Her layout includes a chart desk and large saloon table that can comfortably accommodate six adults.
The Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 movie has now been officially released and we are delighted to have had clients commission this new model into China and Taiwan with their arrivals due this summer. Expect official launch events and sea trial opportunities for registered clients, with details to follow.
To enquire about the Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54, please contact our team at beneteau@simpsonmarine.com
Simpson Marine Sailing School to Launch in Thailand with a Fleet of Beneteau First Boats
26 November 2020
Simpson Marine is set to launch Asia’s first Simpson Marine Sailing School in Thailand. Scheduled to open mid-March 2021 at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Pattaya, the Simpson Marine Sailing School will be an academy that applies Simpson Marine’s passion for yachting to nurture the younger generation in Thailand. The perfect approach to pave the way for them to have a head start into the vibrant marine industry.
Students of Simpson Marine Sailing School will be enrolled into the International Yacht and Maritime Training (IYT) curriculum – a globally recognised sailing course. Each student from Simpson Marine Sailing School will undertake a top-notch sail training syllabus in a safe and professional environment.
Beneteau has long been one of the world’s top sailing yacht brands and it is only natural for Simpson Marine to use only Beneteau sailing yachts at our Simpson Marine Sailing School. In preparation for the opening of the sailing school, Simpson Marine has secured eight brand new Beneteau sailboats. Thailand will soon be expecting the arrival of five Beneteau First 14s, two Beneteau First 18s, and a Beneteau First 27. Beneteau’s sailing yachts are suited for ocean crossings, spirited racing and relaxed day cruising making them perfect all-rounders for this purpose. The handling of the yacht is very suitable for beginners and will help to expand the sailing knowledge and experience of the young sailors as they progress through their sailing courses.
Simpson Marine Thailand welcomes all young people aged between 12 – 18 to sign up for our Simpson Marine Sailing School. To receive first-hand information on our Simpson Marine Sailing School please contact us at thailand@simpsonmarine.com
Simpson Marine and Beneteau Group APAC Support First Series of Asia Boating Dialogue, a New Initiative to Promote the Industry Across Asia
23 October 2020
Simpson Marine, together with our long-term partners Groupe Beneteau and their APAC division, were recently Silver Sponsors of the ground-breaking initiative of a pan-Asia video conference. This special Asia Boating Dialogue (ABD) 2020 event was developed with the aim of grouping the industry together all the way from India to the Philippines and from Japan to Indonesia. Discussion topics included the local markets and current boating policies as well as seeking ways to improve the overall performance of the industry and ways to uniform the rules and regulations across the region. This was a very good initiative with the aim of sustainable growth and organic expansion for the region-wide industry.
Over 160 industry professionals joined together for the two free online sessions that made up the ABD 2020. An update of the Asia Boating Forum (ABF), which was started five years ago, the new initiative is a cooperation between the Singapore Yacht Association and the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association, along with the support of ICOMIA. The first of the two free round table webinars proved to be a welcome opportunity for members of the Asian boating industry to connect and network, especially given the dearth of boat shows this year. The first session focused on the South and South East Asia regions. Seven country representatives presented industry statistics, business trends, marine updates, boating regulations, and some local destination insights. These included India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
The second and final session of the ABD, supported by IBI, saw 150 delegates participate in a two-hour intensive dialogue around the North East Asian markets including seven key North East Asia markets – China, the Chinese market of Hainan, Hong and Macau, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
A key conclusion from the two sessions of the ABD was the strong bounce back of the Asian markets from the Covid-19 crisis, resulting in increased boat usage with boat sales and charters currently very strong – especially for smaller powerboats and sailing yachts.
Organised jointly by Lawrence Chow, chair of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association (HKBIA), and YP Loke, chair of the Singapore Boating Industry Association (SBIA), the online event was moderated by Udo Klienitz, secretary general of ICOMIA, and was made possible by industry sponsors including Beneteau APAC and Simpson Marine.
To read more on this initiative please visit: https://asiaboating.org/blog-page/
New Oceanis 46.1 ready for delivery in Hong Kong
20 August 2020
Just arrived in Hong Kong and available for immediate delivery is the new Oceanis 46.1, ready to take you cruising around Hong Kong or be easily delivered to a neighbouring country. A year after the Oceanis 51.1 phenomenon, Beneteau has created a revolution in its historic Oceanis line. This second model is a superb progression of the best-selling Oceanis 45, which was awarded the European yacht of the year title in the family cruiser category. Loyal to the Oceanis reputation, she’s a joy to live on, with her easy-to-manoeuvre cockpit and clean deck, seaworthy hull design, clean and bright interior by superyacht experts Nauta Design and best-in-class saloon and master cabin sizes with plenty of clever storage solutions.
Please contact us at beneteau@simpsonmarine.com to arrange a visit and sea trial.