Polboat 2025: Growing-up, changing mindsets and new products

At a sun-bedazzled Polboat Yachting Festival, running until 27 July at Marina Yacht Park, Gdynia, MIN chats opportunities, challenges and new products.

According to organisers, Polboat has grown steadily. It’s in its sixth year, having been set up in its current form during covid. A year ago, there were over 80 exhibitors, Now there are 120.

While the expression ‘difficult times’ crops-up in almost every conversation (followed by a combination of tariffs, post-covid-slump, and / or the market demanding bigger-not-smaller boats), there is much to be positive about say exhibitors, with opportunities for the GRP-specialist market to grasp.

Forecast challenges in current economic uncertainty

“Honestly, it is hard here,” says Sebastian Pasierowski of PonSil. The Polish company produces deck foam and acoustic insulation which is resistant to UV, can be prepared to custom shape and comes in a wide range of colours (there is more information on the company’s website).

Pasierowski says the current economic climate means it’s hard to plan and forecast compared to previous years. Whereas previously he could look five or six months ahead, “right now we are just working month by month.

“It’s hard to manage everything due to uncertainty around the world. We know people still want to buy a boat in the US but due to the nature of un-regular tariffs it is hard to plan delivery for the next six months. We don’t know how much people will have to pay for the final boat. It is hard.”

Pasierowski’s looking for potential new customers and to catch-up with the companies he’s already working with. “I like this atmosphere,” he says. The company mostly works directly with shipyards but end-user sales are increasing especially with refit.

And, he’s positive about what the future will bring. With a tightly woven eco-system, all can benefit from the success of GRP.

“We [Polish marine market] have huge knowledge concerning construction of GRP boats, Polish producers are really experienced. We can manage a lot of new projects and we can develop this further.”

Creating visibility in consumer market

Tomasz Stefamec is based in Poland where he represents Sunbrella and what he terms “amazing products and amazing fabrics for the marine industry.” Those are manufactured in France and the US.

The show represents one of the biggest opportunities to present the patterns and designs to the Polish marine industry. “We want to be much more visible on the market and promote to end-users especially.

“We are working with many boatbuilders here, they’re using our fabric, upholstery and covers.

“We also work with many of the upholstery makers who work with the boatbuilders, so we are also connected with both. It’s a synergy push-pull.

“We do this show for our customers. And the customers of our customers to build a better representation and visibility on the market.”

Stefamec is confident that Sunbrella’s fabric can be found on most boats in the marina: “Even if it’s on one small pillow, they’re everywhere.”

Everybody is finding the global market “a little bit difficult”, he says, but he notes it’s promising as “now the bigger boats are much more popular, compared to the small boats from a few seasons ago.”

On-water offers time to try ‘real sailboats’

“You would not test a boat in a hall in Dusseldorf,” says N’Fun Yachting’s Marek Stańczyk. The show’s really important for him as it’s floating. He’s an ex-professional sailor and has built his business around his passion. “Our boat is a real sailboat,” he says of the N’Fun 30 which he’s showing. “If a person is interested in sailing our boat, they need to try it.”

Stańczyk’s customers are looking to sail in daytime, and not use their vessel as a hotel. “Six people can sleep inside this – but it’s 1.6 height in the cabin. It’s not a cruiser.”

He notes the amount of companies building sailboats is dropping. “But I am still here and I can collect [the sailors coming through].

“I don’t build 20 boats per year, I only need to catch four or five clients a year who are really interested in having a nice customised sailing boat.”

Building trust key to introducing new products

Marineworks’ Olga Skrońska says the company’s showing off the latest products which it’s introducing to the Polish market, from companies like Volvo Penta (with which it recently developed its partnership)and Zipwake.

Bringing more eco-friendly products to the market is a work in progress. – the company’s taking part in an eco-forum at Polboat to talk about the work it is doing.

“Introducing the product at the beginning of the cycle is challenging because you have to let people know what it is, convince them that is what they need,” she says. “This is probably the most challenging part.”

At more than 20 years old, Marineworks has established roots and connections.

That’s important in Poland.

“In this market especially, this is how everything works. Once you have trust, introducing new things to people is not really as hard because they trust you, they want to hear what you have to say. And we have really industry-leading products on offer.”

Skrońska believes marine is an exciting sector for young people to work in and buy into. While the older generation are ‘elegant boaters’ Skrońska says young people in Poland want to be part of the marine community “because it’s cool and it gives some sort of status.”

“A lot of young people are getting richer faster, and they are able to afford to have a boat.”

Distribution opportunities for softer dinghy chocks

German, Juergen Linder, is exhibiting Tender-Rest at Polboat for the first time. An engineer by trade, he’s never really thought too much about how to sell the dinghy chocks which he designed and developed after several of his family members hurt themselves with inadvertent chock contact.

Linder’s in place to meet boat manufacturers and dealers. “I have a very interesting contact here in Poland and this person wants to introduce me to the boating industry.”

Tender-Rest (pictured left) comes in integrated versions with a flat top.

Smaller show still delivers for Sunreef

Artur Poloczanski says Sunreef Yachts likes to exhibit at Polboat Yachting Festival, even though the show is smaller than other events.

“It’s not the biggest yachting event for us but none the less it’s important as it lets us reconnect with the Polish customer base. We used to have a lot less interest coming from Polish customers but right now we see very positive change with more and more Polish customers and it’s great that we have such a nice event.”

Previously, the company’s met a couple of customers there which have led to sales. “The sales that I can recall – we had a Polish customer for a Sunreef 70 sail, and an 80 sail, and a 70 Sunreef power and this year we hope to meet some more new friends.”

This time the company’s showing an 80 Sunreef power catamaran. “It’s custom design and layout, made for an American customer. It has a galley up and a galley down layout, and a nice outdoor cinema setup on the flybridge,” he notes.

Young brand looks for opportunities to grow-up faster

Cavo Marine, set up around six years ago, produces two brands which Jakub Dec (who says he is always pictured with his dog) describes as regular inflatable boats and RIBs.

“This year the trend is not as good as we were expecting after a very good previous year, but we are a young brand and the figures are growing-upwards still . . but not with the speed we desire.

“We are still growing.

“We are finding dealers across Europe. Our ambition is not only covering the local market. We want to be in Germany and Croatia, Greece etc. It’s advancing slowly, so this is a main opportunity to use the freshness of the brand to do this.”

Marine city gets to chance to shine by hosting boat show

One hundred years ago, Gdynia was a small village, explains the city’s mayor Aleksandra Kosiorek.

“Marine business is the purpose of Gdynia. It’s because of the port and yachting we became a modern and innovative city. So it’s important we celebrate yachting, sailing and sea sports.”

Kosiorek’s glad that tourists and citizens comes to the show as well as businesses.

“They can come to the dock to look at luxury boats and luxury cars. It’s a huge opportunity for the city,” she says.

This article was edited on 25 July to include comments from Sunreef.