From the forests of Bavaria to soggy Hong Kong

by Guy Nowell on 24 Jun 2005 Last month (May 2005) received 508mm of rain, 61% above average. And June is looking pretty damp too. Maybe right now is a good time to buy a boat in Hong Kong – before we all float away anyway.

Vic Locke, Managing Director of Jade Marine (HK) Ltd, and Bavaria agent for Hong Kong, South China, Singapore and Indonesia, certainly thinks so. 'In the last six months we have sold two Bavaria 42 sailing yachts, a 36 and a 39, and one Bavaria motor boat. It’s a pretty good start to a new agency.'

The Bavaria line of motor and sailing yachts has been taking the European market somewhat by storm in the last couple of years, and are close to becoming the biggest manufacturer (in terms of boat numbers) in the world.

'Buyers are attracted by the exceptionally good value-for-money and very fast delivery times, all backed up with impeccable German quality and engineering.'

Jade Marine showed off the latest arrivals – two Bavaria 42’s and a 39 - at a launch party last week at the RHKYC.

Eric Carter, owner of one of the 42’s, was looking very happy. 'I had a look at the 39, and was very impressed by the quality and finish evident all over the boat. I was also very taken with the firm promise of a six-week delivery time, which Bavaria have honoured, almost to the day. Really, I bought the boat straight off the brochure! Now I am really looking forward to getting her in the water.'

Bavaria delivers a ‘ready to sail’ product, but there are plenty of opportunities for customization. Carter has added an all-lead keel, a folding prop, autohelm, hi-fi system and a VHF antenna to the basic package. 'And the price is still lower than that of some other ‘well-known’ boat manufacturers'.

Reviews in some of the UK print magazines remark very favourably on the way in which Bavarias withstand the rigours of charter usage, no doubt an indication of the robustness of their build.

For further information contact Vic Locke at jademarine@biznetvigator.com