Recent financial market jitters and possible interest rate increases have resulted in people looking at alternative ways to fund their boating activities. This is the conclusion reached by Jonathan Duffy, MD of fractional sailing company SailTime.
At a buoyant Southampton Boat Show that reported visitor numbers up by around 8%, SailTime signed up a large number of new members as well as coming away with a healthy pile of leads to be followed up after the show.
“The interest came mostly from the well established sailing areas of Lymington and Hamble,” reported Jonathan, “and we also signed up members to join our newer bases at Gosport, Poole and Falmouth.”
All this interest resulted in SailTime placing orders through Ancasta for six new Bénéteau yachts. This included the first Oceanis 37 to be delivered in the UK which will be on SailTime's stand at the London Boat Show at Excel and which will be based at Poole along with an Oceanis 31.
In addition, SailTime will be ordering further new boats, both from Bénéteau and Sealine, as the new members' requirements for Hamble, Lymington and Gosport are processed, said Jonathan.
SailTime offers fractional sailing for everyone from novices to experienced sailors, enabling regular use of a new boat for a monthly fee that is considerably less than the cost of the marina berth alone.
The monthly membership fee for a new Bénéteau 343 Océanis Clipper is £455 plus vat. Which covers marina fees, maintenance, insurance and running costs. SailTime members can also use other SailTime bases in the USA, Caribbean, South of France and Netherlands
Jonathan added: “More people are understanding the concept of fractional ownership, and now that SailTime has been established in the UK for five years, the credibility and benefits of such a scheme are more familiar.”
