First Yacht 53 delivered in Taiwan
by Guy Nowell 4 Sep 2020 15:00 NZST
Beneteau First Yacht 52 © Gilles Martin-Raget / Groupe Beneteau
Much to everyone’s surprise, including that of the brokers and dealers, 2020 is proving to be a very good year indeed for selling boats in Hong Kong. The major dealerships just can’t offload the incoming transports fast enough. Informed opinion says that people prevented from flying away on their summer holidays are spending cash on a boat and a ‘staycation’ instead - Hong Kong has no shortage of beautiful cruising grounds, and they are just a heartbeat from the centre of the city. Existing boat owners have discovered that overnighting on board is truly delightful; the friends that they invited for the weekend thought so too, and are now looking for a boat.
Simpson Marine, Asia’s premier yacht dealership, delivered one Beneteau First Yacht 53 to Kaohsiung earlier this year - and there’s a sister ship on the way, also headed to Taiwan.
Beneteau have really excelled themselves with this boat – it was first launched in 2018, and is destined to become a classic of the marque. A full-blooded racer/cruiser has long been the dream of every boat builder, and the First 53 has really stitched all the good stuff into .one elegant package. Looks, performance, and practicality. Recent cruising designs have become more and more boxy as the naval architects strive to draw as much volume as possible into the available waterline length. By way of contrast, the First 53 has the looks of a slippery and elegant racing machine, but with the inherent size to accommodate all the cruising accoutrements. Beneteau call it “53 feet of audacity.”
Roberto Biscontini was retained for the hull and naval architecture, drawing on years of America’s Cup design experience to produce a quick and efficient performance hull. The broad stern works equally well as a working space for a racing crew and a social area when cruising. Lorenzo Argento drew the deck plan and the interiors: it’s a bang up-to-date look, with a low coachroof and swept-clean decks. Smart interior space management allows plenty of room to be comfortable, and even the inclusion of a tender garage too.
Beneteau have not cut any corners with the installed gear – everything from door handles to winches is top-spec. This is a long-legged boat that is just as happy on long ocean crossings as she is day cruising or racing inshore.
As luck would have it, there’s another First Yacht 53 about to hit the water. If this sounds like your boat, and you don’t like long waiting times, contact Simpson Marine and put your name on it! Quick delivery available now! Will there ever be a better time to get out on the water?
www.simpsonmarine.com