Latest news
Merger will harness the power of social networking
Sharp Communication @ Wed Aug 27 11:00:00 +0100 2008
Sailingnetworks.com, the world’s leading social networking website for the boating community and marine industry, has just merged with Boat Register, the innovative boat registration and security company. The merger enhances Sailing Networks’ position as a major service provider in the recreational boating sector and marks an important stage in realising the commercial potential of the on-line social networking phenomenon.
“The early impact of free social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo is now maturing in the form of commercial networking,” explains Ric Hawley, Chairman of Sailing Networks. “Essentially we have created a continually-growing online department store for like-minded people, a business model that can work in any niche market, bringing everything together into one easy-to-use platform.”
“With Sailingnetworks.com, boaters can find everything they need in one place: news of boating activities and events; local weather conditions and tides; marinas and chandlers; a place to buy or sell a boat; find a crew member of look for a boat that needs a crew; find a place to launch and a place to lunch; visitors to the site can now also register their boats for security, VAT and provenance checks. In the past all of these activities had to be individually researched. Now they are all in one place, making life much easier for boaters all over the world.”
The merger includes a three-year investment plan for the company which has £500,000 earmarked for business development over the next 12 months. This budget will be focused on two main areas; the expansion of Sailing Networks’ current features and the introduction of innovative new services.
Near the top of the list will be investment in broadening the appeal of the site across all types of boat user including power, inland and personal watercraft. Sailing Networks also plans multi-language versions of www.sailingnetworks.com. This will provide a truly global platform for boaters all over the world to connect with people who share the same interests.
The site will also be launching a mobile version of the most popular Sailing Networks features, so that you can leave the computer at home but still be able to communicate with your boating friends and exchange photos, videos and information from your mobile phone.
The provision of these ‘free but valuable’ services and information is the key to Sailing Networks’ commercial success. With over 4 million boaters in the UK alone the company mantra of ‘global reach with local focus’ is developing a massive network of people who all have shared interests and experiences, creating the basis of a very potent marketing environment.
“Marine businesses know what their customers want. So now, with the free networking tools that Sailing Networks offers, they can ensure that they are targeting the right people in the right places,” explains Hawley.
World’s first Enigma 34 Signature hits the water running
Sharp Communication @ Tue Jun 24 11:00:00 +0100 2008
Enigma’s brand new Signature 34 achieved a top-ten finish at the 2008 Bol D’Or despite touching the water for the first time only hours before the starting cannon.
Before the start, the stunningly sleek, box-fresh ‘Enigma 34 Signature’ turned heads with admiring glances from spectators at the Geneva Yacht Club, and then she showed her class amongst a fleet of 600 boats at this year’s 70th Bol D’Or Mirabaud yacht race on Lake Geneva.
The new boat is a striking development for Tuzla-based Enigma Yachts, offering the latest composite construction and race technology in a high-performance and stylish luxury day-sailer package and all for a competitive price.
Developed and built in-house, the new Signature package incorporates a full complement of luxury options into the successful Mark Mills ‘Enigma 34 Race’ model. The new design aims to satisfy the exacting requirements of a fast-growing group of day-sailors looking for that elusive combination of race-bred performance, easy handling and stylish and comfortable fit-out. Like all of Enigma Yachts’ craft, the Signature model will be distributed exclusively by Yabo-Sailing of Switzerland and its partner.
The first Enigma 34 Signature (hull number 001) has a metallic-black hull, a full teak cockpit, deck, seats and other teak applications, a Nordic clear-coated carbon rig, teak interior, stereo with i-Pod dock, clear coated carbon cockpit-box and tiller and other features such as a lifting keel, a full Nexus race instrument package and sun-bathing cushions to relax in style.
North Sails and Enigma have designed a brand new sail plan with North 3DL square head main, 2 3DL jibs, 2 gennakers and a 3DL Code 0 supported by a longer boom and a newly-designed Nordic carbon rig.
“We are thrilled with the new Signature model,” says Michael Bornhäusser, CEO of Yabo-Sailing and Enigma Yachts shareholder. “The performance is incredible and we were leading the race for more than 12 hours. She’s a magnificent yacht, one of the first beautiful and really fast boats in this size range.”
The Enigma 34 One Design is a high-tech series of yachts produced with vacuum injection methods and offered as ‘Enigma 34 Race’ and ‘Enigma 34 Signature’ editions. These two packages offer a perfect high-performance yacht for discerning buyers all over the world, whether they are racing skippers or luxury day-sailors.
Currently, Enigma Yachts are sold in Australia, UK, Denmark, Middle East, Austria and Switzerland. Other markets including Germany, France and Spain will be coming soon.
Enigma 34 Race/Enigma 34 Signature –Technical Specification
Length: 10.36m
Beam: 2.30m
Draft: 2.20m, (1.60m with lifting-keel option)
Displacement: 2,300kg, (1,100kg of which is in the keel)
P: 12.3m
E: 4.50m
I: 11.67m
J: 3.52m
ISP: 13.46m
STL: 6.13m
Price: from Euro 92,000 excluding VAT.
Notes to Editors
Yabo-Sailing is the exclusive worldwide distribution partner for Enigma Yachts. The company serves dealers and clients around the world out of Basle, Switzerland. Yabo-Sailing takes care of sales, customer relations, marketing and promotion for Enigma Yachts.
Enigma Yachts is the producer of Enigma Yachts in Tuzla, Turkey. They work with leading designers and suppliers to create a best-of-breed package for each individual Enigma Yachts customer. Enigma Yachts is a specialist in bespoke yacht production using the latest vacuum injection, epoxy, vinyl-ester and carbon hull production technologies.
COMPANY CONTACT
Michael Bornhäusser Yabo-Sailing Phone: +41 79 320 69 28, Mobile: +41 (0)79 320 69 28
E-mail: mb@enigmayachts.com, website: www.yabo-sailing.com
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
For more information about this news story or for high-resolution images please contact
John Sharp at Sharp Communication (UK)
Phone: +44 (0)1403 713325, Mobile: +44 (0)7855 755 085
E-mail: john@sharpcommunication.co.uk
Boat Register offers free security check-ups at RIBEX
Sharp Communication @ Thu Apr 24 10:00:00 +0100 2008
To highlight the fact that Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) are amongst the most likely craft to be stolen from UK waters, Boat Register will be offering free security check-ups at this year’s RIBEX show from 9th to 11th May at Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight.
“RIBEX is the world’s only dedicated RIB show,” says Piers Covill of Boat Register. “There is no better place to ensure that RIB owners are given the best information about keeping themselves and their boat safe and secure, giving themselves the best chance against criminals if their boat is targeted. The latest security packages can ensure peace-of-mind for the same price as two stops at the re-fuelling berth.”
RIBs, their outboards and other equipment are popular targets for thieves. Often poorly secured in remote locations, a large proportion of stolen RIBs are not recovered. In some cases, they can even be shipped abroad before the owner has even reported them missing. A number of simple, practical and reasonably inexpensive measures can deter thieves and aid the police in recovering the vessel and reuniting it with its rightful owner.
At the heart of Boat Register’s system is the free on-line registration service. Serial numbers, bills and even photographs can be logged by any boat owner to prove ownership and aid future identification. To complement the system Boat Register also offers optional hidden electronic tags (similar to pet chipping schemes), and a waterproof, self-powered tracking device that alerts you if your boat is being moved.
“From our point of view, keeping boating accessible is essential,” says Jon Langford of Noble Marine Insurance. “If total losses are reduced insurance premiums can be kept competitive and crime prevention need not be solely dependent on punitive conditions of storage and usage [like the requirement that boats are stored in approved locations with 24-hour CCTV coverage]. The Boat Register approach marks a sea-change in the provision of practical, efficient and cost effective boat security, something that helps keep everyone happy, not just the insurers.”
For your free boat security check-list visit Piers Covill and the Boat Register Team at stand A2 at RIBEX show in Cowes, Isle of Wight between May 9th to 11th where they will be able to guide you through the most effective means of securing your vessel and highlight some simple things to deter the thieves without punishing your wallet.
Ends
BOAT REGISTER CONTACT DETAILS
Piers Covill
Tel: 01491 411 517 or 07811 380 055 (mob)
Email: piers@boatregister.eu
CAPTIONS: Piers Covill with some of Boat Register’s security components
Selecta DNA and RFID (‘Radio Frequency Identification’) tags (actual size 10mm)
(high res versions available on request)
|
