Sail Luxuriously On Your Personal Yacht

A swimming pool, basketball court, cinema, game room, massage room and other whims are all available choices on sea crafts designed for those who won't settle for anything less.

- Risa Regala Garcia

The Philippines, with 7,641 islands, beckons seaward— whether to the beach or to the water. Recent developments of marinas and resorts indicate more and more private yachts are taking to the sea. In 2012, Europa Yachts opened an office in Manila to establish itself as the premier distributor of luxury brands Azimut, Beneteau and Lagoon. sat down with Europa Yachts’ Managing Director, Thomas Cachera and Director of Marketing, Richard Sarinas, who spoke of choices available to satisfy the most discerning customer.

THE COLOR OF YOUR YACHT

“The process of buying a boat usually takes a few months,” Cachera shares. Initial talks explore what the customer has in mind. Do they want a boat made for speed or for space? Is it foremost for entertaining or family use? He says the age range of buyers in the Philippines is from 45 to 65 years old, who consider buying a yacht after a great sailing experience on a friend’s boat.

“We talk about what they want to do with the boat, where they want to dock it and their budget. We have a wide range of boats from 20 feet up to super yachts, which are up to 100 meters. From there, we narrow it down. Majority of our clients know how to sail, so it’s quite rare that they don’t have an idea of what they want.” He adds that these yachts, also known as production boats, are highly customizable. “Just like with a luxury car, one has a wide range of possibilities for the colors and materials used inside.”

BASKETBALL AND CINEMA ONBOARD