Inaugural World Boating Day marked with nearly 50 global events

The inaugural World Boating Day, celebrated this past weekend, attracted almost 50 events globally.

The Superyacht Life Foundation coordinated the new initiative, which was celebrated from 25 to 26 May 2024.

The foundation says World Boating Day is a non-profit campaign comprising many local open days across the globe, aiming to foster a greater understanding of the leisure boating industry and help attract more talent to safeguard its future.

In Australia, the day started with events centred around the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show, extending to other coastal cities across the continent with 22 events.

“Riviera was proud to open our gates on Saturday, May 25, as part of the World Boating Day celebrations,” says Stephen Milne, marketing director of Riviera Australia. “Visitors had the unique opportunity to see and learn about the full build process of a Riviera luxury motor yacht. No doubt taking part in such a tour creates a much greater understanding and appreciation of the skills and qualities required to build world-class motor yachts.”

As the rest of the world awoke, they joined Australia in the festivities of World Boating Day.

“With the very first World Boating Day, Feadship aimed to showcase the craftsmanship, innovation, and dedication behind the superyacht industry,” says Farouk Nefzi, head of marketing of Feadship. “It’s not just about building yachts; it’s about creating added value for owners, fostering employment, and preserving maritime production capabilities in the Netherlands. We’re celebrating the beauty of enjoyment on the water and highlighting the hard work and knowledge that makes it possible.”

Massimo Casoni, general manager of Benetti, adds: “We are very pleased to have participated in the first edition of World Boating Day, especially given the enthusiasm shown by the public from the very beginning.

“This event provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our strong relationship with the local community and share our passion for yachting with a broader audience eager to discover our world. In just one day, our Benetti headquarters in Livorno welcomed more than 1,500 visitors, both adults and children, entertaining them with several activities. I believe this kind of event helps position the yachting industry as a symbol of excellence to be preserved and offers professional career opportunities for future generations.”

Companies in nine different countries—Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, France, the UK, Croatia, and the Isle of Man—organised local events, inviting people and their communities to join the celebrations.

“We were pleased to host a technical tour of our shipyard for students from Istanbul Technical University,” says Tugba Sengun, marketing director of Turkey’s Bilgin Yachts. “Engaging with these future industry professionals was incredibly rewarding. As a company, we deeply value the contributions of the younger generation to the future of yachting. We are excited about organising similar events in the future and look forward to participating in next year’s World Boating Day with even more impactful activities.”

Eva Janique, marketing director at West Istanbul Marina, adds: “We loved feeling connected to other marinas, yacht manufacturers, and boatyards around the globe from afar. We’re grateful to have been able to take part in the first-ever World Boating Day and encourage all lovers of leisure boating to connect, even from opposite sides of the world.”

ICOMIA, a key supporting organisation, says the celebration could not have been more timely. “It is a great pleasure to be celebrating World Boating Day, whilst ICOMIA hosts its annual congress in La Rochelle,” says ICOMIA CEO Joe Lynch. “This gathering of industry leaders from across the globe allows us to discuss and to plan how we can collaborate to promote a safe, sustainable and successful future for boating.”

Visitors who attended the World Boating Day events also shared their enthusiasm for the festivities. Jens J. de Klerk, a 19-year-old participant at the Feadship De Voogt Design Masterclass, says: “As a young aspiring yacht designer, it’s amazing to get a glimpse into the inner workings of a major design studio like Feadship De Voogt; you get a peek into your dream world, seeing where you’d love to be in the future.”

The Superyacht Life Foundation says it is already looking ahead to future celebrations, with 2025 dates to be shared soon.