Simpson Marine celebrate the end of 2011 with the delivery of 5 Lagoon catamarans and launch parties for their new owners at the Royal Phuket Marina.

A Swan 42 will also be bearing the Simpson Marine colours during the King’s Cup Regatta, the country’s most prominent sailing event to be held in December.

A yacht owners Rendez Vous will take place in the beautiful and pristine Andaman islands on Dec 16 to 17 which will enable Azimut and Lagoon owners to get together.

Simpson Marine, Asia’s largest yacht brokerage company, has opened a flagship office at the Serenity Coast Marina in Sanya, Hainan.

“Simpson Marine is ready to serve the Chinese market, and specifically its southern part, which is transforming itself into the yachting hub of China.”

On top of the existing 8 marinas in operation, over 12 new marina projects have been identified on the southern coast of China and Hainan. The idea of a Chinese Riviera stretching from Xiamen to Sanya has never been so relevant.

They already drive flashy cars, wear expensive watches and eat at top-end restaurants. Now rich Chinese businessmen have found a new way to flaunt their wealth – luxury boats.

“They want to go out on the ocean and have fun — and take VIP clients to fish and negotiate deals,” said Zheng Weihang, secretary general of the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association.

With the second-largest number of dollar billionaires in the world after the United States, according to Forbes magazine, China is drawing eager foreign marina developers and boatmakers to its shores to tap the fast-growing market.

China currently has around 1,000 luxury powerboats and yachts moored around the country, and the number is expected to balloon to more than 10,000 over the next five years, Zheng told AFP.

Azimut’s latest yacht is the Leonardo 100 which has been specified to be much larger and wider than its previous designs.

Like a Leonardo da Vinci painting, Azimut achieved the right balance of proportion, color, and design to make this a masterpiece.

The main deck of the new Leonardo 100, which measures 30 metres from bow to stern, is shrouded in elegance and is dedicated to comfort.

The luxury yacht Azimut 68S were the most exclusive limousine yacht of the Croisette, chosen by Chopard to offer its VIP guests an unprecedented attention.

Chopard was the Main Sponsor of the “Palme d’Or” Festival besides being the maker of the coveted award.

On the occasion of the 61st Film Festival, the Azimut 68S becomes the most impressive stage on the sea in all of Cannes, welcoming onboard the stars of the Film Festival who are Chopard’s guests for “glitzy” photo shoots organised by the prestigious firm and offering short cruises between the Croisette, the famed beach of the Hotel Carlton and the Eden Roc of Cap d’Antibes, the exclusive venue for Chopard’s trendiest parties.