DUESSELDORF – It’s like old times again: the new northern hemisphere boating season kicks off at Boot Düsseldorf. Scores of thousands of visitors will again trek to the massive international water sports and nautical tourism exhibition to be fascinated, amazed, charmed and inspired. The show runs from January 21 through 29 and has been the global epicenter of all things aquatic for 54 years.
A bird’s eye view:
MOTOR BOATS
Motorboats from all classes and global brands have docked in halls 1, 3-to-6 and 7a. Mid-sized and steel powerboats include De Boarnstream, Linssen Yachts, Super Lauwersmeer, Elling (all Dutch brands), Bavaria, Bénéteau and Jeanneau.
Hall 3: motor boats up to 10m – from, among others, the Brunswick Group with Searay, Quicksilver and Bayliner. And outboards from Honda, Mercury, Suzuki, Tohatsu and Yamaha.
Hall 4: Scandinavian craft and many models with innovative propulsion systems, including Arksen, Axopar/Brabus, Candela, Finboat, Nimbus, Saxdor and X-Shore.
Hall 5 is the “Superboats hall,” full of tenders and chase boats, both classic and futuristic. Brands: Boesch, Boston Whaler, Cantiere del Pardo, Nautor/Swan, Frauscher, Rand Boats, Wally and Zar Formenti.
SUPERYACHTS
Hall 6 features find boats from luxury yards: Steeler Yachts, Azimut, Fairline, Ferretti, Princess, San Lorenzo and Sunseeker.
Hall 7a: even more comfort, luxury and exclusive furnishings: KMYachtbuilders and Van den Hoven. Hall 7 is reserved for maritime art.
Hall 9 shows the growing motorboat segment: tenders and ribs up to 10 m. Engine makers display the latest propulsion systems.
Hall 10: providers of products and services for marinas, boat gear, insurance, accessories and marine upholstery. Also home to the new “Blue Innovation Dock,” a podium to discuss sustainability in boat building, water sports and marinas. The European Boating Industry trade lobby coordinates the program.
SAILING YACHTS
Hall 11: Professional boat builders, restorers and do-it-yourselfers will find information on sailmaking, painting and equipment. The ‘Refit Center’ is where visitors can look over the shoulders of experts and fish for valuable tips from them.
Hall 12: The focus is on diving, including a diving tower.
Hall 13: is the epicenter of vacation destinations and charter travel.
Hall 14: Everything you always wanted to know about canoeing, and rowing. Also: the “love your ocean’ booth features seven ‘information islands’ about the protection of the sea.
Hall 15: the world of sailing regattas and clubs, the ‘Sailing Center’ and ‘Start Sailing.’
Hall 16: sailing yacht manufacturers present large fleets from 22 to 70 feet. They include Contest Yachts, Jachtwerf Heeg, Menken Maritiem, Bavaria, Bénéteau, Dufour, Elan, Grand Soleil, Nautor Swan, Oyster, Solaris and Wally Nano.
Hall 17: Surfers’ paradise, complete with the XXL pool.
Contest Yachts presents two new boats: the Contest 49CS and 50CS, designed by Judel/Vrolijk. The new models required considerable investment, as Nedcam made new molds. The 50CS continues a long tradition. The yard has carried a 50-footer in its portfolio for 45 years. The latest marks a significant upgrade that makes for a more contemporary, less angular model. The cockpit is spacious. It has a lounge, a part from which to steer and operate the sheets and trim lines. The Contest 49CS, already shown at major “wet” shows, is distinctively different. The contest, long the market leader in the mid-cockpit segment, caters to customers who prefer an aft cockpit configuration. Contest builds all vessels with the Lloyd’s-approved vacuum injection method. Carbon is incorporated into the hull for extra strength and stiffness.
Dutch Award candidates
Linssen Yachts will show the Linssen 55 SL AC Variotop, the latest flagship of its SL series, equipped with the patented Linssen Variotop. Highlights include the hydraulic swim platform, a teak deck, 400V bow and stern thrusters with proportional controls, hot water heating with radiators, biological black water treatment, two fridges, a dishwasher and a washer/dryer. (www.linssenyachts.com)
Super Lauwersmeer developed its SLX54 in cooperation with architect Arnold de Ruyter. The underwater hull was designed with Van Oossanen. The 17m steel motor yacht sits midway between a water displacement and a planing vessel. It also has a Hull Vane. Separating the lounge and the “beach deck” is a large glass façade.Boot Duesseldorf returns full throttle (www.superlauwersmeer.com)
A new award category
The Steeler 61 S Electric competes in the new Electric category, a field that has four competitors. The Steeler design is special: a seagoing steel, triple-deck yacht of 18m, equipped with all-electric propulsion. The electric motor is powered by a generator, which the yard says is much more efficient than a conventional diesel engine. (www.steeleryachts.com)
