The Paris boat show, extended this year to 15km of alleys with 1 200 stands, opened this weekend stressing measures by the boatbuilding industry to protect the environment.
Yachting is a huge leisure activity in France, which is home to leading boatbuilder Beneteau. It is also an important market for a European boatbuilding industry that continues to expand, notably in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
The theme of environmental protection is highlighted at the 47th show this year by a sailing dinghy made by the Bic group: the boat is built in less than 15 minutes and is recyclable.
The head of French boatbuilding federation FIN, Annette Roux, the main shareholder in Beneteau, said the industry had worked hard on techniques to destroy old fibreglass hulls but that ”so far we are having difficulty finding any: they are in good condition and sailors continue to use them.”
Of the 1 200 stands, about 170 represent companies and products from 23 countries other than France. On show are 1 400 boats, of which 300 are new models, the smallest being 1,4m long and the biggest 18m.
The organisers expect attendance during the eight days of the show to increase by 10% this year from the figure in 2006 to 300 000.
Exhibitors range from boat and equipment manufacturers to sailing schools, charter companies, ports and publishers. Several small barges for rental by the tourism industry are on show. Travelling on French and European canals is an increasingly popular holiday activity.
Roux said that the French industry was healthy, increasing sales revenue for sailing yachts this year by 8% after growth of 8,3% last year, and sales of motor yachts by 9% after 9,8%.
This would put total sales for the French industry this year at about â,¬1,25-billion, showing faster growth than the world market.
Exports have risen nearly five-fold in 10 years, or at twice the growth of domestic sales, which increased by 2,2% last year, and now account for 63% of sales.
But the French industry faces difficulties. The boats built are ever bigger and more expensive — a larger model can cost as much as a second home. Buyers of new boats are older, 44 on average, and the number of new boats registered in France fell in 2006 by 3% to 21 796.
Large numbers of people are being drawn into the bigger segment of motor boats as shown by statistics for motor-boat licences, which have increased by 14% this year to 110 000.
However, the second-hand boat market is dynamic.
One of the main problems of manufacturers selling to French customers is a shortage of mooring places, estimated at 55 000. The industry is supporting efforts to create 7 000 places in existing harbours and marinas by 2009, and to provide new facilities including so-called ”dry harbours”, in which boats are parked on tarmac and put in the water on demand.
On the environmental theme, the industry argues that boating activity causes only 1% of pollution in the water and that 80% of the damage originates in other land-based activities.
However, they are campaigning to increase awareness among people messing about in boats of good practice in the disposal of all types of waste materials and in the use of energy. — Sapa-AFP