Italian yacht builders hog limelight at exhibition

A vast majority of these boats seen at the Lusail Marina are manufactured in Italy. INSET: Gornati..Italian yachts are in great demand.  PICTURE: Jayan OrmaBy Ramesh Mathew/Staff ReporterItalian boat manufacturers are getting a great deal of attention at the 1st Qatar International Boat Exhibition being held at the Lusail Marina.Many top yacht builders from Italy are at the show, with their pavilions displaying immaculately built miniature models.In an interaction with this newspaper at his company’s pavilion Mario Gornati, a senior official of Sanlorenzo, one of the front line boat manufacturers from Ameglia in Italy explained why the reputation of builders like his six-decade-old company remained intact even today when there are more manufacturers in the industry in different parts of the world. “Italian companies manufactured almost 47% of the 22,000 metres of yachts built across the world in 2012 and they also handled a sizable share of the orders for large yachts,” said Gornati who was confident that they would attract more buyers from this region.Gornati said their yachts can be seen in large numbers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and the ongoing boat exhibition is their company’s first ever show in Qatar. Italian companies, including Sanlorenzo are presently workin on 272 orders from across the world.Though the industry suffered last year compared to the previous year, there has been a 3.9% rise in orders for yachts above 150 feet. However Gornati was optimistic that business in the GCC states would grow faster than other regions as more enthusiasts are showing interest in yachts.“Overall the industry has been struggling over the last four years after it peaked in 2009 with the global orders touching 1,992. Since then every year the business has been on a low, especially in the segment below 199 feet.The trends of orders for larger yachts has continued from 2012  although there has been a 30% drop in open-style yacht orders in 2013.While speaking about Sanlorenzo boats Gornati said their customers prefer tailor-made units to readymade yachts. “We make boats only for those requiring tailor-made units,” said the Italian professional, who travels frequently to marinas across the world.“Qatar has made a good beginning with the show and the interest shown by the local entrepreneurs in the business is a positive development for the industry,” said the Sanlorenzo official.