a yacht in chinese

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What is the translation of "yacht" in Chinese?

"yacht" in chinese.

• volume_up 驾快艇

yacht {noun}

• volume_up 游艇

racing yacht {noun}

• volume_up 赛艇

Translations

Yacht [ yachted|yachted ] {verb}, monolingual examples, english how to use "yacht" in a sentence.

• open_in_new Link to source
• warning Request revision

English How to use "racing yacht" in a sentence

Synonyms (english) for "yacht":.

• racing yacht

pronunciation

• xiphocostal angle
• xiphoid process
• y-coordinate
• ya (young adult)

Do you want to translate into other languages? Have a look at our Indonesian-English dictionary .

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Who is Guo Wengui, the Chinese billionaire who owns the boat Steve Bannon was arrested on?

WASHINGTON — Earlier this month, a sunburned Steve Bannon , holding a lit cigar and wearing a blue polo shirt with the collar turned up, stood in front of a camera on a yacht owned by his friend Guo Wengui, a Chinese billionaire.

A YouTube video shows Wengui putting his arm around Bannon as the former Trump campaign chairman denounces the Chinese government and extols the alleged benefits of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. The vessel's lavish interior gleams in the background.

On Thursday, Bannon was arrested by federal agents on that same yacht off Westbrook, Connecticut, and booked into jail on fraud charges. Though the charges appear to have nothing to do with the Chinese businessman, the arrest puts a new spotlight on Bannon's relationship with Guo, a controversial figure with his own history of legal entanglements.

Multiple people familiar with the matter tell NBC News there is a separate federal inquiry involving a company linked to both men, GTV Media Group. As The Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday, the FBI, the New York state attorney general and the Securities and Exchange Commission are examining whether securities laws were violated during a $300 million private offering by the company this spring, the sources say. In a memo to potential investors, according to The Journal, the company identified Bannon as one of several prominent directors.

News Bannon and 3 others charged in scheme stemming from 'We Build The Wall' campaign

Last month, investigators with the Mercer Island Police Department in Washington state took an incident report from an unidentified victim who had become an investor in GTV Media Group Inc., with the promise it was launching a video-sharing platform, similar to YouTube, "that was supposed to go huge," according to an official familiar with the matter. The investor wired $500,000 to receive shares in the company by the end of May, but never received shares and wasn't able to get in contact with the reported suspect, the report stated. As of July 10, local authorities noted that no crime had been charged, and the FBI was investigating the matter.

The Mercer Island PD incident report identified the suspect as Guo Wengui, describing him as a "billionaire" based out of New York, and noted there were other victims. When Mercer Island police contacted the FBI, local investigators learned that Wengui appeared "to be a target of a large investigation personally and pertaining to his business," according to an official familiar with the matter.

When they followed up, investigators in Washington learned FBI agents had been investigating the case for about a month. "The victims that have been calling the FBI, FTC, and local police agencies have been reporting fraud for a failure to return on promised investments," the official said.

Guo's lawyer declined to comment, and Guo himself could not be reached.

Guo, who sometimes goes by Miles Kwok, is a mysterious and polarizing figure — a self-styled crusader against Chinese Communist corruption who has drawn the ire of the Chinese government but has also been sued by other Chinese dissidents. A former female employee alleges in an ongoing lawsuit that he repeatedly raped her, a charge he disputes. And a former Trump aide, Sam Nunberg, is among many who have sued Guo alleging defamation; he denies the allegations.

"Utilizing his world-wide publicity, high profile, social media accounts, and seemingly endless financial means, Defendant Guo regularly uses his public platform and power to defame and harass his enemies," Nunberg's suit says. "In this case, Guo set his sights on destroying Plaintiff Samuel Nunberg's reputation and livelihood by filing baseless litigation against him and slandering Nunberg with malicious, false lies which discredit Nunberg both personally and professionally." Nunberg's suit is ongoing.

Guo, who by all accounts made his money in real estate and securities, portrays himself in interviews and court records as an exiled whistleblower, proving an inside account of breathtaking corruption at the heart of the Chinese system.

"Guo is a pioneer of using YouTube and Twitter to fight for the rule of law, human rights, freedom and democracy in China," his lawyers wrote in court papers in a federal lawsuit in Maryland against a self-described Chinese democracy activist. "Guo has exposed widespread corruption in the Chinese Communist Party ('CCP'), multiple senior officials of the Chinese Government, and their family members."

That lawsuit itself offers an illustration of the divisions of opinion about Guo: The defendant, Hongkuan Li, a well known dissident who says he participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, accused Guo on social media of being a "gangster," a "communist spy puppy," "a rapist" and of "suffering from schizophrenia," Guo's lawyers wrote, charges they say are all false.

That lawsuit purports to recount Guo's history, which includes a 1989 incident he says turned him against the Chinese government.

As police sought to arrest him for supporting the Tiananmen protests, the suit says, "Two drunken policemen raided Guo's office and fired their weapons directly at his young wife, who was holding his three-month-old baby daughter. His younger brother…tried to protect Guo's wife and daughter and was shot twice in the altercation," the suit says.

Guo's brother was sent to the hospital, the suit says, but "the policemen who shot him instructed the doctors to refuse him any medical care and locked the door." As a result, he died, and Guo "vowed to become a persistent and brave advocate against the Chinese kleptocracy," the suit says.

As a New York Times magazine profile pointed out in 2018, that timeline doesn't appear to explain why Guo spent the next two decades growing rich in China through real estate development, a business that typically requires close cooperation with government officials even in democracies, let alone an authoritarian state like China. In nearly three decades after his brother's death, there is no record of Guo taking a public stand against the party he says caused it, the Times wrote.

There are darker allegations against Guo than hypocrisy, however. A lawsuit filed in New York state by a 28-year-old Chinese woman says Guo lured her to the U.S. from China to work as his assistant and then kept her prisoner for three years, repeatedly assaulting and raping her. The suit says she escaped while in London and went to the Chinese embassy, and that she filed a criminal complaint with Chinese authorities.

Guo's lawyers have denied the allegations in court papers. A lawyer for Guo told NBC News that Guo reiterated his denial of the allegations.

In a statement, the lawyer for Guo also said, “Mr. Guo is aware of the situation involving Mr. Bannon who has been a strong ally in fighting for freedom and democracy in China. Mr. Guo’s past efforts with Mr. Bannon in fighting for democracy in China had nothing to do with the We Build the Wall organization or Mr. Bannon’s activities with that organization. Mr. Guo appreciates that unlike the Chinese Communist Party, the United States of America affords all individuals accused in the United States, including Mr. Bannon, the presumption of innocence and the right for a fair trial before an impartial judge.”

In 2017, as Guo's public profile in the U.S. began to grow, a journalist from the Voice of America, a government-funded news service, arranged to interview him. The plan was to broadcast a live interview for three hours on social media, but top officials at Voice of America ordered it stopped after an hour and 20 minutes, according to documents and interviews, because they were concerned he was making unverified allegations.

Guo accused the VOA of having been infiltrated by Chinese intelligence, a serious charge that threw the agency into turmoil. But an investigation by independent journalism experts—and a separate State Department inspector general's inquiry — concluded that the decision was based solely on journalistic principles, VOA officials said. The journalist who arranged the interview, the chief of VOA's Mandarin Service, was fired.

In a 2019 tweet, the journalist, Sasha Gong, quoted Bannon as saying, "Voice of America tried to clear out all truth-tellers about China in Mandarin Service. VOA executives betrayed American people, Chinese people."

Earlier this year, a Bannon ally, Michael Pack, became the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which includes the VOA, after a long confirmation delay in his Senate confirmation.

The veteran journalists in charge of the VOA, Amanda Bennett and Sandra Sugawara — both of whom were involved in the decision to stop the Guo interview — immediately resigned.

Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.

Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter for NBC News. He covers the Western U.S., specializing in crime, courts and homeland security. 

Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Katy Tur is the host of "MSNBC Live" at 2 p.m. and a correspondent for NBC News. She is the author of the New York Times best seller "Unbelievable," about her time covering Donald Trump during the 2016 election, for which she also won a Cronkite Award.

• Pinyin Chart

Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary

• 舺 xiá boat Taiwan pr. [jia3]
• 航 háng boat ship craft to navigate to sail to fly

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• 船 只 Trad. 船 隻 chuán zhī ship boat vessel Show Strokes
• 小 船 xiǎo chuán boat Show Strokes
• 龙 舟 Trad. 龍 舟 lóng zhōu dragon boat imperial boat
• 划 船 huá chuán to row a boat rowing boat rowing (sport) Show Strokes
• 甲 板 jiǎ bǎn deck (of a boat etc)
• 棹 Trad. 櫂 zhào oar (archaic) scull paddle to row a boat
• 舫 fǎng 2 boats lashed together large boat
• 风 帆 Trad. 風 帆 fēng fān sail sailing boat
• 扁 piān small boat
• 同 舟 共 济 Trad. 同 舟 共 濟 tóng zhōu gòng jì cross a river in the same boat (idiom); fig. having common interests obliged to collaborate towards common goals Show Strokes
• 乘 务 员 Trad. 乘 務 員 chéng wù yuán attendant on an airplane, train, boat etc
• 水 涨 船 高 Trad. 水 漲 船 高 shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo the tide rises, the boat floats (idiom); fig. to change with the overall trend to develop according to the situation
• 风 雨 同 舟 Trad. 風 雨 同 舟 fēng yǔ tóng zhōu lit. in the same boat under wind and rain (idiom); fig. to stick together in hard times
• 划 艇 huá tǐng rowing boat racing row-boat
• 沉 船 chén chuán shipwreck sunken boat sinking ship
• 赛 艇 Trad. 賽 艇 sài tǐng boat race racing ship or boat rowing (sport)
• 靠 岸 kào àn (of a boat) to reach the shore to pull toward shore close to shore landfall
• 扁 舟 piān zhōu small boat skiff
• 汨 罗 Trad. 汨 羅 Mì luó Miluo city in Hunan Miluo river in Hunan, famous for Dragon Boat festival
• 龙 船 Trad. 龍 船 lóng chuán dragon boat (used at 端午[Duan1 wu3], the Dragon Boat Festival)
• 橹 Trad. 櫓 lǔ scull (single oar worked from side to side over the stern of a boat) (free word)
• 香 包 xiāng bāo a small bag full of fragrance used on Dragon boat Festival Show Strokes
• 渡 轮 Trad. 渡 輪 dù lún ferry boat
• 木 船 mù chuán wooden boat Show Strokes
• 舳 zhú poopdeck stern of boat
• 汽 艇 qì tǐng motor boat
• 逆 水 行 舟 nì shuǐ xíng zhōu lit. a boat going against the current (idiom); fig. you must work harder
• 顺 水 推 舟 Trad. 順 水 推 舟 shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu lit. to push the boat with the current fig. to take advantage of the situation for one's own benefit
• 难 兄 难 弟 Trad. 難 兄 難 弟 nàn xiōng nàn dì brothers in hardship (idiom) fellow sufferers in the same boat Show Strokes
• 巡 逻 艇 Trad. 巡 邏 艇 xún luó tǐng patrol boat
• 船 工 chuán gōng boatman boat builder Show Strokes
• 船 家 chuán jiā person who lives and makes a living on a boat boatman boat dweller Show Strokes
• 鱼 船 Trad. 魚 船 yú chuán fishing boat same as 漁船|渔船 Show Strokes
• 飞 舟 Trad. 飛 舟 fēi zhōu fast boat Show Strokes

Browse Dictionary

• 舒庆春 | ShuQingchun | Shu Qing chun
• 舒气 | shuqi | shu qi
• 舒舒服服 | shushufufu | shu shu fu fu
• 舓 | shi | shi
• 舔屁股 | tianpigu | tian pi gu
• 馆 | guan | guan
• 舞动 | wudong | wu dong
• 舞场 | wuchang | wu chang
• 舞娘 | wuniang | wu niang
• 舞水端里 | Wushuiduanli | Wu shui duan li
• 舟山群岛 | ZhoushanQundao | Zhou shan Qun dao
• 船 | chuan | chuan
• 航厦 | hangsha | hang sha
• 航空邮简 | hangkongyoujian | hang kong you jian
• 航舰 | hangjian | hang jian
• 舭 | bi | bi
• 船到桥门自会直 | chuandaoqiaomenzihuizhi | chuan dao qiao men zi hui zhi
• 船到江心，补漏迟 | chuandaojiangxin,bulouchi | chuan dao jiang xin , bu lou chi
• 船到码头，车到站 | chuandaomatou,chedaozhan | chuan dao ma tou , che dao zhan
• 船尾座 | Chuanweizuo | Chuan wei zuo
• 船帆座 | Chuanfanzuo | Chuan fan zuo
• 船底座 | Chuandizuo | Chuan di zuo
• 船政大臣 | ChuanzhengDachen | Chuan zheng Da chen

Use this tool to add tone marks to pinyin or to convert tone number (e.g. hao3) to tone marks.

Although you can use the red buttons to add tone marks, we highly recommend you use the number method (e.g. hao3) for speed and placement of the accent above the correct vowel. [Hint: Type "v" for "ü"] Note: You do not need to use this tool to enter pinyin in this dictionary.

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Learn more about 船

• Written Chinese
• "船" Character Details

Radicals in this Character

• 舟 zhōu boat
• 儿 ér son
• 口 kǒu mouth

Common Chinese Words Using 船

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How to use 船 in a sentence.

A missile hit the ship.

I could see the fishing boat to starboard.

The ship sank off the south coast of the island.

One of the fishing boats sank down astern of us.

The sunken sailing-boat was a glimmer of white on the bottom.

The boat instantly tilted, filled and sank.

The ship went under, taking with her all her crew.

He detected a ship moving down the starboard side of the submarine.

The typhoon sank a ferry, drowning over 200 people.

'Right you were , Cap'n Smollett ,'replied Silver.'Dooty is dooty, to be sure.

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A new dawn: Inside China's rising superyacht market

China emerged as the great new hope for superyachting after the 2008 crash. One spectacular false dawn later, could it finally be taking off?

If 1421 was the zenith of China’s long yachting history, when legendary eunuch admiral Zheng He purportedly led his “treasure fleet” of hundreds of junks around the world (in the process, according to one historical account, discovering America 70 years before Columbus), 2013 could be considered the nadir. For that was when President Xi Jinping – only months into office – began a crackdown on “tigers and flies”, a euphemism for those government officials and businessmen (the genres blur in China) whose greed and corruption had begun to stir public anger.

Part of his anti-corruption crusade was an eye-watering 44 per cent import tax on luxury goods and a clampdown on lavish hospitalities and personal spending. Ostentatious symbols of wealth – fast cars, lavish banquets, his-and-hers diamond-studded Rolexes, Learjet jaunts, $20,000 gift-wrapped bottles of Rémy Martin and 50-year-old Moutai rice wine, and, of course, superyachts – became highly conspicuous and drew the wrath of the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

“We must uphold the fighting of tigers and flies at the same time, resolutely investigating law-breaking cases of leading officials and also earnestly resolving the unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems which happen all around people,” Xi said at the time. Dozens have been investigated, arrested and jailed, including top ministers – so many the Qincheng maximum security prison in Beijing for disgraced senior Communist Party officials ran out of cells last year, according to credible reports. Orders for status-symbol trappings dropped off a cliff; Western luxury retailers and manufacturers saw exports nosedive.

The yacht market was especially devastated. It’s far harder to hide a superyacht than a diamond ring or a Porsche, after all. Prior to the crackdown, China’s boating sector had been inching its way towards some kind of momentum after its once illustrious sailing heritage, having been all but erased along with much of the country’s four millennia of history during Chairman Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, was resurrected for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Then the financial crisis struck the West, and China, with its seemingly armour-plated economy and near-double-digit growth, emerged as the great Eastern hope for leading yacht brands. Into the Chinese market sailed an international fleet of brokers and builders. The 14,500-kilometre coastline, stretching from the Bohai Gulf in the chilly north to the Gulf of Tonkin in the tropical south, was eyed as a prime playground for China’s new billionaire class, which grew to 338 individuals in 2017, according to data company Wealth-X. Estimates put the number of millionaires in the country at more than 1.5 million. China was about to go boating again.

Exhibitions were hastily organised, rendezvous booked and property developers broke ground on scores of prestige marinas, charging top-dollar membership and mooring fees, many starting at ¥1 million (£110,000) a year. Local boatyards followed, laying keels of copied foreign and home-grown designs, some in joint ventures with overseas shipyards, many without.

The image-conscious Chinese super-rich responded in kind and started buying foreign-branded trophy boats at up to three times the market price, and moored them in the expensive marinas. Cost was not an issue. What mattered was so-called “face” or mianzi: the projection, and protection, of one’s reputation and social standing. In the West we call it ego.

A 2012 report by the China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association found that there were 3,000 yachts of all sizes in China, and estimated that this figure would rise to 100,000 by 2020, in a market worth €10 billion. The international boating industry was washed along by this giddy, irrational wave of hyperbole. Across the board, orders for smaller superyachts went from zero – zoom! – skywards.

Local yards benefited. After years of being ignored by the domestic market, in 2010 Chinese yard Heysea received eight orders for its 82 model before it had even finished the mould. A year after the financial crash in the West, meanwhile, China recorded sales of ¥4.15 billion (£450 million), according to local media reports. “After 2008, the yacht market took off because the West’s financial crisis had negligible impact in China,” says Sunseeker Asia’s Gordon Hui from his office in Hong Kong. Jona Kan, from Australian yard SilverYachts , adds that demand suddenly grew for superyacht dayboats on which Chinese businesspeople could entertain clients.

But Icarus had flown too close to the sun. Within a couple of years, the world’s financial woes started to penetrate China’s economic model. Jobs were slashed and inflation was on the rise. Yet for the wealthy Communist Party cadres and their tycoon chums, it was business as usual. The restive masses looked expectantly – and threateningly – to Beijing to bring such conspicuous consumption to heel. President Xi responded with a dragnet that claimed scores of high-profile scalps, sending the message loud and clear: in-your-face luxury would no longer be tolerated.

Brokers’ phones stopped ringing, builders’ order books took a hit and showrooms became wastelands. All of those contacted by Boat International for this article echoed almost verbatim the sentiment expressed by Sunseeker’s Hui: “After more than three years of the anti-graft policy, the Chinese boating market has come to a halt, with a 95 per cent drop-off in sales. It has been all but dead since 2015.”

Sunseeker , bought in 2013 by China’s fourth-richest man, Wang Jianlin, has closed two of its three dealerships in mainland China. At one point, China accounted for 15 per cent of Sunseeker’s global sales. “Now it’s less than five per cent,” says Hui. Several Chinese yacht builders have gone bankrupt as hefty value added tax and duties on imported parts such as engines rendered operations unviable. Marinas have battened down the hatches, slashing their prices by half to avoid the fate of Xiangshan Yacht Club in Fujian province; billed as Asia’s largest marina when it opened, it went bust in 2014.

Yet to solely blame the anti-corruption drive and the global financial crash for China’s slumbering boating market is misguided. Prior to Xi’s clean-up, there had been attempts to build a culture of private boating after the former leader Deng Xiaoping launched economic reforms in 1981. But those attempts failed, says Hong Kong-based yacht broker Mike Simpson, of Simpson Marine, one of the region’s biggest boat dealers. Simpson agreed the import tax on foreign boats has had a near fatal impact, but he says there were already major hurdles to developing the fledgling market. “We have to remember China is relatively new to boating,” says Simpson, who set up his company in Hong Kong in 1983. “It’s been developing in fits and starts. An obvious curb on its development has been the import ban on second-hand boats, which was there before the luxury goods tax.”

He adds: “The last two to three years have been pretty desperate. I don’t think anyone has made money. Everyone’s been spending money just to stay in business in China over the past few years.”

The lack of a boating culture is also commonly cited as one reason that’s holding back the Chinese market. In the West, yachting is all about relaxing fun in the sun, a weekend jaunt from one marina to a secluded cove or island, or for sailing boat owners, the thrill of stealing an opponent’s wind during a regatta. In China, owning a yacht has been all about the optics, or “face”, and viewed by the public as the exclusive preserve of the ultra-rich. But even among this demographic, interest is limited. According to Wealth-X, just two per cent of all Chinese UHNW individuals own or even have an interest in yachting, compared to 6.7 per cent globally.

“The perception among the Chinese is that boating is for the very wealthy,” says Rocky Wang, chief representative of Burgess in China. “Many Chinese have yet to grasp what boating is all about. Boating culture remains in its very early stages. Yachting is very new to them. Those Chinese who think about buying yachts continue to do so with mainly a business objective in mind. Buyers are business owners, investors and entrepreneurs, who use the yachts as dayboats to entertain, rarely overnighting on board.”

Of the 200 yachts in the southern boom city of Shenzhen, where Deng Xiaoping launched China’s opening up and reforms half a century ago, about 70 per cent never leave the yacht club. Instead, they serve as venues to host wealthy clients and government officials; one pontoon legend has it that some boats were bought without engines because their owners never entertained the idea of going to sea.

In China, building a $30 million marina with a plush clubhouse and spa is the easy part. Not so easy is attracting the essential supplemental services: repair yards and chandlers, navigation aids, charts, a coastguard service willing to assist the stranded sailor, sail training schools and so on. A lack of trained Chinese crew is also a major problem. In China there are an estimated 60,000 sailors, mostly of school age, attending small sailing centres and learning in dinghies. Crews experienced enough to handle a 60-metre-plus seagoing vessel are a rarity. “Chinese yacht owners must, therefore, import foreign crews with the expertise to maintain and sail boats, and this comes with visa application headaches,” says Simpson.

Then there is the maddening red tape. China guards its coastal waters like a hawk; try to sail a nautical mile off Qingdao beach or a cable or two up the coast from Sanya and you’ll have patrol boats stuffed to the gunnels with uniformed boarding parties bearing down on you demanding papers; a day’s sail is treated like an invasion or a desperate escape with state secrets.

“It’s true,” concedes William Ward, CEO of the biannual round-the-world Clipper Race, which during its last edition stopped twice in China, in Sanya in the south and Qingdao in the north. “The government protects the inshore waters as it would an inland military installation. It’s overbearing, there’s too much red tape, and you just don’t need that. You need to be able just to hop on your boat, slip your lines and head out for some safe fun and relaxation, just as we can in the UK, or in the Med and everywhere else,” he says.

Then there’s China’s geography. Part of the appeal of cruising is exploring idyllic archipelagos or mooring off a chic seaside town. Only in the south, around the island of Hainan, can you find good cruising with accommodating marinas. Even then, as Ward recently experienced, just heading out for a day’s jaunt demands official clearance to slip your lines, which may or may not be granted.

Little wonder those Chinese who own a superyacht, or are still in the market for one, seek to moor their pride and joy outside China, in places like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, while the ultra-wealthy look to the US and the Med.

Not for the first time, there might be signs of a new dawn appearing for China’s boating market. In April, the Pride Mega Yachts shipyard in Yantai, China, rolled out the spec-built 88.5 metre superyacht Illusion Plus , which later appeared at the Monaco Yacht Show. She’s now listed for sale , asking $145 million. If she sells well, it will be a sign of faith in Chinese yacht building.

Chinese conglomerates are once more seeking to own international superyacht brands. China Zhongwang, the world’s second-largest producer of industrial aluminium extrusion products, recently acquired a controlling interest in Australia’s SilverYachts, which builds high-speed, fuel-efficient superyachts from high-grade aluminium. The yard’s commercial director, Jona Kan, says the boatbuilder will soon announce the acquisition of a shipyard in the Pearl River Delta.

Sunbird, a Chinese conglomerate with five shipyards including a large commercial facility, added IAG Yachts to its varied portfolio in 2015, and turned out to solid reviews the 42.7 metre  King Baby , the largest fibreglass motor yacht ever produced in China.

Heysea Yachts, founded in 2007 and one of China’s largest yacht builders, was a new entry in the Boat International Global Order Book’s Top 20 builders in 2018 and holds its place in this year’s report. Chairman Allen Leng says the company is seeing more interest from domestic buyers because it is adapting to local tastes, by placing the galley down below and including more living and entertainment space, with fewer cabins. “There is an increased number of Chinese clients who better understand the culture of boating and the lifestyle it offers; that boat ownership is more than having a floating platform for business and to boost one’s image,” says Leng. “More Chinese customers are accepting that China-made yachts offer quality and the same after-sales service as foreign brands. We’re also noticing a demand for smaller yachts, which shows the link between sailing and sport and leisure, and that boating is not just a rich person’s pursuit.”

Horizon Yachts says its product range, including new projects such as the FD series, are proving popular with Chinese clients, who are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes. “For example, a buyer in Shanghai or in Sanya will moor their yacht in a yacht club and let the club manage it. In the past five years, we have delivered a 120ft [36.5 metre] superyacht and 145ft [44.2 metre] superyacht, both to clients in Shanghai,” says Horizon Yachts’ chief marketing officer, Lily Li.

Simpson Marine’s Mike Simpson estimates that around 50 per cent of yachts being bought in China are now locally built. “The standard is improving,” he says. “Sometimes you have to do a double-take when you see yachts coming: you think it’s a well-known foreign brand. Then you look again and it’s actually a locally made boat.”

Sunseeker’s Hui also expresses modest optimism. “I think the market overall is getting better, albeit slowly,” he concedes. “I can say 70 per cent of our 2015 to 2018 customers are mainland Chinese with overseas-listed companies. But their boats are all outside China.”

Grassroots sailing and crew training recently received a much-needed boost. In April, the UK’s then deputy ambassador to China, Martyn Roper, and the president of the Chinese Yachting Association, Qu Chun, signed deals to open three training centres to bring Chinese seamanship up to British standards. The centres will offer the UK’s Royal Yachting Association courses. In the UK, seven per cent of the population goes boating. If the same percentage could be replicated in China, that would mean 80 million people taking confidently to the water.

Simpson says a new initiative called the Greater Bay Area development scheme is seeking to unify nine mainland coastal cities to allow yachts licensed in Hong Kong and Macau to cruise in the good southern cruising areas around Hainan without paying a hefty tax. And there is quiet and determined diplomacy afoot calling for Beijing to relax and standardise coastal regulations. Ward, the Clipper Race CEO, says he has been speaking to officials at city and provincial levels who understand the benefits of rationalising China’s sailing industry and its associated tourist trade. “I have spoken with many officials and they get this point. They understand the [stifling red tape] situation, and they’re passing these concerns up to Beijing, that leisure sailing is a different culture and is good for local and regional business,” he says.

There are signs of a cultural shift, too. At the 2018  Shanghai Boat Show , many of the exhibitors were proposing something different – more accessible yachting, with small fishing boats and cruisers standing cheek by jowl with the bigger craft, says Delphine Lignières, co-founder of the Hainan Rendez-Vous. “Contrary to myth, many Chinese enjoy watersports, including sailing and fishing. What I have seen now is more and more people boating on inland freshwater lakes in smaller-sized boats.

“That’s where I see the market developing this time, with smaller recreational boats being bought for use on lakes, rivers and estuaries. This will help establish a boating culture, and over time, the boats will again get bigger and bigger. And not in such a conspicuous way.”

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China’s Yacht Market: Opportunities and Challenges for Foreign Players (updated)

China appears well-positioned to become a prominent yacht market, given its 14,484km-long coastline and a class of millionaires expected to cross the 20 million mark by the mid-2020s. Despite this, however, sales have been disappointing i n the last 3-5 years due to high import tax and the inability of manufacturers to respond to Chinese client demands. In this article, we provide a general overview of China’s yacht market and discuss the differences in business outlook according to key stakeholders, ranging from optimism over market growth potential or concerns about limited domestic prospects . We also discuss the recent entry of Chinese capital in the industry and how Chinese companies are manufacturing for non-China markets. Finally, we look at opportunities for foreign investors in China’s boat market, including prospects for small and mid-cap companies, and showcase the success cases of Italian companies.

UPDATE: O n August 18, 2 0 22, the Ministry Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), together with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of Transport (MOT) , and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), jointly released on the Guidelines on Accelerating the Development of Cruise and Yacht Equipment and the Industry (Guidelines) , clarifying China’s roadmap for the development of the yacht industry through 2025. More details are provided below .  

While North America and Europe remain in the lead as the world’s largest yacht consumers, the Asia-Pacific region has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing yacht markets.   The yacht market in Asia has been skyrocketing post-pandemic, with increased purchases and a growing interest in sailing – sparking what industry experts define as a ‘boom’. On the one hand, countries like Taiwan and China have increased their market share with new builds by locally-based shipyards. However, boat sales to the region are also on the rise.

As of 2021, Asian ownership of superyachts over 40 meters in service accounted for 5.8 percent of the global superyacht fleet. The number of Asian-owned yachts has progressively increased, from 91 at the beginning of 2016 to 109 at the start of 2021.    Countries like Singapore have become active once again in the yacht sales ad brokerage market s after a slow period  during the pandemic that triggered international and regional border closures.   

In China, heightened living standards have led to the increasing demand for luxurious consumer goods, including in the boating industry. According to the China Transport Association’s Cruise Yacht Branch, the total number of yachts in China will increase from 38,100 to 163,510 between 2020 and 2025.   

China’s yacht market: an overview    

Few geographical regions offer the superyacht sector as much room for expansion as the Chinese market does. China has a vast and increasing pool of potential superyacht purchasers, although the country is still in the early stages of yachting growth in terms of domestic infrastructure and ownership. It could still be the right time for such a high-potential market to flourish due to factors like the increase in the country’s per capita purchasing power and that of its ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) population.    

A 2021 wealth report revealed the 10 countries with the highest increase in their UHNW population in 2020 – the so-called ‘top 10 riders’ – with China leading the group at 16 percent growth. Furthermore, in 2021, China surpassed the United States to become the world’s first country with over 1,000 billionaires. The research highlighted that, despite the trade war and the pandemic, China was able to add 259 billionaires to its list, surpassing other nations like the US, India, and Germany.  

With a large number of prospective consumers, China’s relatively new market is even more attractive for foreign businesses. New yacht manufacturers, brand sales agents, yacht customers, private clubs, and exhibits have sprung up throughout the country in recent decades. Meanwhile, China’s boat manufacturing keeps rising steadily, from 29,100 units produced in 2011 to 48,300 units in 2015. China’s yacht industry is estimated to reach US$15.1 billion in 2027, accounting for 17.8 percent of the worldwide market and growing at a CAGR of 3.9 percent between 2020 and 2027.  

Less stringent regulations demonstrating the government’s commitment to the sector  

Many positive government efforts linked to the yachting industry and maritime activities, in general, have lately been enacted, and China is seeing a trend of loosening regulations. At the outset of this decade, two regulatory bodies – the Ministry of Transport and the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) – announced new, more liberalized criteria and standards for yacht registration and overseas-yacht entry/exit procedures.   

More limitations on boat ownership have been abolished in recent years, and clear maritime traffic legislation has been adopted. The increase of the navigability range, the streamlining of the examination/approval processes, and the inclusion of non-resident yacht registrations are the three most recent major amendments to the rules. These key developments show the government’s commitment to the sector’s growth.  

Also, as wealthy Chinese yacht owners spend about 10 percent of the yacht’s value on maintenance, a large portion of this wealth is reinvested in the local economy. This not only is a great boost for regional GDP but is also in line with the government’s will of shifting its economy away from production to consumption. It has likely prompted Chinese officials to ease the cumbersome registration process for importing a yacht into the country, as well as the requirements for traveling between provinces. Yachts registered in Hong Kong and Macao, for example, were allowed to sail in China’s Pearl River Delta beginning 2018. The first cross-border sailing program has also increased boat orders in the Chinese Mainland by 20 percent to 30 percent.     

Accordingly, The State Council Office evaluated the Guidance on Tourism Industry Acceleration and drafted a National Tourism and Entertainment Outline (2013-2020) in which measures were taken to improve the infrastructure for yacht marinas and cruise terminals, as well as encourage the growth of tourism products.   

Yacht market more prosperous in certain regions than others: The case of Hainan Free Trade Zone   

The yacht business in Hainan Province flourished in 2021 – the Sanya Yachting Association revealed that Sanya, China’s tropical island and premier destination for luxury tourism, hosted almost 160,000 yacht trips, up 47 percent compared to 2020. Moreover, by the end of 2021, the number of new yachts registered reached 323, surging 202 percent year on year.  

This increase is partly due to the Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port (“the Masterplan”) that was released in June 2020, which stipulates that by 2025, there will be no tariffs on the island’s import of ships for transportation, tourism, and other purposes. Import tariffs, the value-added tax, and the consumption tax will all be waived for foreign exporters – which will effectively cut prices for foreign-made products.   

Success stories: Italian yacht businesses in China  

With 407 projects and super-yachts totalling 14,994 meters in development in 2021, Italy continues to top the annual report issued by the nautical newspaper ShowBoat International. Azimut-Benetti, Sanlorenzo, and Ferretti Group occupy the first, second, and third place, respectively. 

Despite having eight well-known brands, six shipyards, and over 170 years of history, Ferretti Group is today the only rival in its business to provide a comprehensive range of yachts ranging in size from 8 to 95 meters, and it is very active in China’s yacht market. After defaulting in 2009, the company was bought in 2012 by SHIG–Weichai Group, a large Chinese machinery manufacturer that currently controls 75 percent of the Italian shipbuilder.   

Following the acquisition, the company focused on growing into new markets. It made a great impression in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter of 2020, selling about US$73 million and negotiating two new dealership agreements for the distribution of its yachts in Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos.   The Italian shipbuilder now has offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as a fully equipped after-sales facility, to meet the needs of its customers in the region. It also inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sanya Central Business District (SCBD) to collaborate with the government on the development of the local industry and China’s yacht market in general.

Other than larger and well-established companies, opportunities are there for everybody. According to Giovanni Lovisetti , Senior Associate on the International Business Advisory at Dezan Shira & Associates’ Milan Liaison office , “while huge companies can approach Asian markets by themselves – such as Fincantieri, who has already established a presence in Hainan – several smaller companies are just waiting for the right stimulus to take the first step towards Asia.” This might be the right time for them to step in.   

Roadblocks to the development of China’s yacht market   

High import taxes on foreign boats are one of the primary hurdles to the development of China’s yacht sector. The country has a 43.65 percent tax on boats – although recently reduced to 38.1 percent for motor yachts and 35.6 percent for sailing yachts above 8 meters. Furthermore, since the beginning of the government’s Anti-Corruption Campaign in 2012, potential customers have been reluctant to flaunt their wealth, preferring to keep a low profile and avoid public scrutiny.  

Another considerable barrier to Chinese high-income individuals buying private boats in the Mainland, is the lack of well-equipped marinas, ship repair yards, spare parts suppliers, and all other necessary (and expensive) infrastructure for yacht upkeep and mooring.  

Lastly, in 2015, China strengthened its regulations for yachts travelling in its national waters, restricting the number of passengers onboard to a maximum of 12 people – which made it impossible to arrange large parties and gatherings on board since the crew alone counts six members. Furthermore, China’s southern shoreline land is a particularly difficult marine zone due to ongoing territorial conflicts with neighboring states.  

As a result, several of the world’s most prestigious shipbuilders, like Sunseeker and Ferretti Group, have shuttered their showrooms in Mainland China or eliminated the country from their core target markets, despite their Chinese ownership. Regardless, those companies continue to sell boats to Chinese customers for delivery outside of the Mainland.  

Understanding the Chinese market and its cultural context  

Four purposes for boats are sailing, sports, leisure, and entertainment. For wealthy Chinese buyers, the latter would be the most common option. Given that the high-income Chinese population has little interest in sunbathing, the primary aim of these luxury boats in the contemporary setting would be to serve as a business frontier for hosting meetings, parties, and other business-related events. Yachting, however, has a bad cultural connotation as compared to other activities in a wealthy society.

According to market research, affluent Chinese people like golf, swimming, spas, and yoga as leisure activities, since they are well-known in Chinese culture for providing health benefits , and are thus appealing. Yachting, on the other hand, does not provide comparable physical benefits in the traditional Chinese context. Such cultural premises are fundamental when considering the gap between target customers and the industry culture.  

All things considered, it is not impossible for Chinese customers to shift their perspective since the country’s shopping habits and tastes are fast changing because of the ongoing rise of HNWIs. This means that tastes are subject to change and may be molded if an industry pursues them aggressively. In reality, a lack of brand familiarity and awareness provides first-mover brand opportunities.  

The future of China’s yacht industry    

All in all, between financial crackdowns and setting up zones such as Hainan FTZ, what is the right space for the yacht market to develop?   China’s financial crackdowns continued throughout 2021, with Beijing slamming for-profit education, tanking Ant Financial and Didi IPOs, or bringing the entertainment and gaming business under control, and harnessing local digital titans. As a result, in the era of “Common Prosperity,” it’s worth considering whether China’s yacht market can take off and grow.  

Yet, the central government’s desire to boost consumption and encourage tourism (including yacht tourism) creates unprecedented potential for the boat sector in the coming years, at least for small-to-mid-sized boats. The formation of the Hainan Free Trade Zone and the development of a new port have the potential to turn the island into a hub for China’s yacht culture. The number of registered boats in Sanya has increased from 10 to 500 in the previous decade alone, and yacht rental services have grown in popularity in China, enhancing yacht culture among both the Chinese middle and high-income classes.  

Further, according to the Guidelines on Accelerating the Development of Cruise and Yacht Equipment and the Industry (Guidelines) jointly released by the MIIT and other ministries on August 18, 2 0 22 , there are four development goals to achieve in the yacht industry by 2025: improving the design and construction capacity, refining the foundation of the equipment industry, expanding the demands in the consumer market, and strengthening cooperation and talent cultivation. Sanya is expected to be transformed into a home port for international cruises, outlining several international first-class cruise tourism destinations. Priority is attached to the development of water tourism resources in areas such as the Circum-Bohai Sea Economic Zone, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the coastal city cluster that links Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang, the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Pearl River-West River Economic Belt, and the Grand Canal Cultural Belt. Meanwhile, Hainan is encouraged to pilot a yacht leasing business. The Guidelines also called for building teams of professional talents along the whole industry chain, covering the design, construction, operation, and management of cruises, yachts , and tourist passenger ships, as well as related tourism services and legal consulting.  

Catering to specific needs

With China’s yachting culture still in its infancy, yacht makers should concentrate on meeting the expectations of Chinese clientele, from emphasizing the design of entertaining rooms to making it easier to hire superyachts on a short-term basis. The scarcity of skilled Chinese Mandarin-speaking specialists and Chinese designers, on the other hand, is stifling the growth of China’s boat sector. Foreign shipbuilding businesses should tailor their offerings to the demands and preferences of Chinese boat buyers, keeping in mind lifestyle and cultural preferences.

For example, Chinese yacht owners seldom spend the night on board and prefer boats with leisure and recreational amenities like KTV (karaoke) rooms. Catering to such needs, which are specific to the Chinese clientele, is an essential part of challenging cultural differences and securing a spot in such a promising market.  

This article was first published on June 21, 2022 and last updated on September 29, 2022.

China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates . The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done so since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at [email protected] . Dezan Shira & Associates has offices in Vietnam , Indonesia , Singapore , United States , Germany , Italy , India , and Russia , in addition to our trade research facilities along the Belt & Road Initiative . We also have partner firms assisting foreign investors in The Philippines , Malaysia , Thailand , Bangladesh .

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45 Chinese Sailing Boat Yards producing for China and Worldwide!

Published by sail on march 18, 2023 march 18, 2023.

China is a main sailboat manufacturing hub, including worldwide notorious brands.

Here is a list of 45 of the main Chinese sailing yards:

• Amel Yachts – Based in France with a manufacturing facility in China, Amel Yachts produces high-end bluewater cruising sailboats
• Bavaria Yachts China – Founded in 1978, Bavaria Yachts is a German sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising and racing yachts. The company had a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Bayliner China – A subsidiary of the US-based Bayliner company, Bayliner China produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for family cruising.
• Beneteau China – Beneteau is a French sailboat manufacturer with a history dating back over 130 years. The company’s China division produces a range of sailboats, including cruising yachts, racing boats, and catamarans.
• Broadblue Catamarans – Based in Xiamen, this company produces high-performance sailing catamarans for the international market. China Sailing – Established in 1988, this company produces a range of sailing yachts, catamarans, and powerboats.
• Dalian Detai Yachts – Specializing in the production of high-performance racing yachts, Dalian Detai Yachts produces a range of cutting-edge designs that are popular with professional sailors.
• Delphia Yachts China – A Polish-based company with a manufacturing facility in China, Delphia Yachts produces a range of sailing yachts and motorboats.
• Dickey Boats – Based in New Zealand, Dickey Boats produces a range of high-performance sailing yachts that are designed for racing and cruising.
• Dufour Yachts China – Established in 1964, Dufour Yachts is a French sailboat manufacturer with a strong presence in China. The company produces high-quality, performance-oriented sailboats ranging from 30 to 63 feet.
• Far East Boats – Based in China, this company produces a range of dinghies, keelboats, and multihulls for racing and cruising.
• Fountaine Pajot China – Fountaine Pajot is a French catamaran manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising catamarans. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Grand Soleil China – A subsidiary of the Italian-based Grand Soleil company, Grand Soleil China produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Hanse Yachts China – Hanse Yachts is a German sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of high-performance yachts for cruising and racing. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Hansheng Yachts – A leading sailboat manufacturer in China, Hansheng Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts and catamarans.
• Hi Star Yachts – Based in Taiwan, Hi Star Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Hunter Yachts China – Hunter Yachts is an American sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of cruising and racing yachts. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Hylas Yachts – Based in Taiwan with a manufacturing facility in China, Hylas Yachts produces high-end bluewater cruising sailboats.
• J/Boats China – A subsidiary of the US-based J/Boats, this company produces a range of performance sailing yachts.
• Jeanneau China – Jeanneau is a French sailboat manufacturer that has been building boats for over 60 years. The company’s China division produces a range of sailboats, including cruising yachts, racing boats, and catamarans.
• Jiangsu Sirocco Marine Co. – A leading manufacturer of inflatable boats, Jiangsu Sirocco Marine Co. also produces a range of small sailboats that are designed for recreational sailing.
• Jinlong Yacht – A leading manufacturer of powerboats, Jinlong Yacht also produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Lagoon Catamarans China – Lagoon is a French catamaran manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising catamarans. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Maxima Yachts – Based in Qingdao, Maxima Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for recreational sailing.
• Ming Hui Yacht – Founded in 2008, this company produces a range of motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans.
• Mingxing Yachts – Specializing in the production of traditional Chinese sailing junks, Mingxing Yachts produces a range of beautifully crafted wooden boats.
• Nautor’s Swan China – Nautor’s Swan is a Finnish sailboat manufacturer that produces high-performance racing and cruising yachts. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Ocean Explorer Yachts – Based in Hong Kong, Ocean Explorer Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for cruising in comfort.
• Oceanis Yachts China – Oceanis Yachts is a French sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of cruising yachts. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Oyster Yachts China – A subsidiary of the UK-based Oyster Yachts company, Oyster Yachts China produces a range of high-end sailing yachts that are designed for luxury cruising.
• Qingdao Wingo Star Yachts – Established in 2007, this company produces a range of luxury yachts, including motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans.
• Rongcheng Tongmao Yacht Co. – Based in the coastal city of Rongcheng, Rongcheng Tongmao Yacht Co. produces a range of sailing yachts for both pleasure and racing.
• Rongsheng Yacht – Founded in 1996, Rongsheng Yacht is a leading sailboat manufacturer in China. The company produces a range of high-performance sailing yachts, catamarans, and powerboats.
• Royal Yacht Club – Founded in 1996, this company produces a range of luxury sailing yachts and motor yachts.
• Seafarer Yachts – Based in Taiwan with a manufacturing facility in China, Seafarer Yachts produces a range of bluewater cruising sailboats.
• Seaway Yachts – Based in Shenzhen, Seaway Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both performance and comfort.
• Seawind Catamarans – This Australian company has a manufacturing facility in Qingdao, China, where it produces a range of performance cruising catamarans.
• Shanghai Double Happiness Yachts – Founded in 1989, this company specializes in the production of racing sailboats and cruising yachts.
• Shanghai Far East Yachts – Founded in 2002, Shanghai Far East Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats for recreational sailors.
• Sunbird Yacht Co. Ltd. – Founded in 1995, this company produces luxury motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans. Based in Shanghai, Sunbird Yacht Co. produces a range of luxury sailing yachts that are designed for high-end clientele.
• Tsai Yachts – Specializing in the production of luxury sailing yachts, Tsai Yachts produces a range of beautifully crafted boats that are designed for high-end clientele.
• Vagabond Yachts – This company produces a range of bluewater cruising sailboats, with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship.
• Viko Yachts – A relatively new player in the Chinese sailboat market, Viko Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for family cruising.
• Xiamen Hansheng Yacht Building – This company produces a range of motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans, with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship.
• Xiamen Hualong Marine – Specializing in the production of high-performance racing yachts, Xiamen Hualong Marine produces a range of cutting-edge designs that are popular with professional sailors.
• X-Yachts China – X-Yachts is a Danish sailboat manufacturer that produces high-performance racing and cruising yachts.
• Yachting France – This company produces a range of performance cruising sailboats for the Chinese market.

For a complete picture, please use our free searchable database here!

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At 5:45 a.m. on a pleasant May morning, three boats push off from the dragon boat dock on the west side bank of the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park, tailed by a small motorboat.

It’s a long-distance training session, an hour out on the water paddling in unison with up to 19 other members of the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association (PDBA), propelling an almost 40-foot-long boat up and down the river. 

Head coach Dr. Robert McNamara follows alongside in the motorboat. He uses a megaphone (the traditional drums are rarely used in practice) to start and stop the racing and rest periods or to call out individuals by name — or learn the names of any newcomers — and correct any sloppy technique.

“This is harder to teach than rowing,” said McNamara, who also used to teach rowing. “Rowing … you have a fixed oar lock, it’s much easier to control where the blades are going. Here, it’s all free-flowing.”

When the hour ends, the boats return to the dock and everyone heads off to their work days. For McNamara, that’s as Chair of Emergency Medicine at Temple University Hospital. 

Until that time though, all minds are only focused on the technique, the boat and the river.

“It’s a moment you’re connected to the water,” said Sibila Antoniazzi, a member of the women’s dragon boat team Philadelphia Flying Phoenix . “I think the water is a big therapy. It’s that noise, that rhythm, that steady thing that goes on, and then you go into that Zen moment.”

This and many other training sessions are part of the preparations for the 17th annual Independence Dragon Boat Regatta on June 1. The event is the largest single-day regatta in the U.S. It draws well over 100 teams from the Greater Philadelphia area and across the country to compete or watch from the banks.

‘That’s not rowing’

How did Philly become a major hub for a 2,000-year-old Chinese sport?

In 1983, the Hong Kong Tourist Association came to the U.S. Rowing Association , headquartered in Philly at the time, for help trying to build up the international dragon boat circuit. U.S. Rowing went to Boathouse Row to try and recruit rowers for a tournament in Hong Kong.

“[They] said, ‘that’s not rowing,’” recalled McNamara, who had rowed lightweight at La Salle and was a second-year resident at the Medical College of Pennsylvania at the time. “‘Well, we were going to give you a free trip to Hong Kong,’ [the recruiters said]. [They] said, ‘Yeah, yeah, that’s rowing.’”     

After competing in 1984 and 1985, McNamara began to coach dragon boating in 1986. Today, he is the most successful coach in the country, guiding the PDBA — the oldest and most decorated club in the U.S. — and the U.S. national team to over 140 International Dragon Boat Federation World Championship medals and two Nations Cup wins. Last year, he was inducted into the federation’s Hall of Fame . 

Philly provides about a quarter of the U.S. national team’s paddlers, McNamara said. On that May morning practice, former champions paddled alongside first timers. Single outrigger canoes passed by the three dragon boats with individuals doing time trials to make the premier team boats. McNamara likened the mentality of the local paddlers to a certain Philly mascot.

“The Philadelphia paddler is seen as one that has grit, that really will push themselves to the max,” McNamara said. “That’s been part of our success, knowing that we work harder than other teams.” 

‘We help each other out’

Race day will see a mix of serious competitors and community groups out for a recreational paddle. Races are set up to be competitively even, based on skill level and ages. 

The PDBA runs the regatta, and members will swap their paddles for staff shirts to keep the event running smoothly,  said Tommy Leonardi, PDBA team president and president of Schuylkill Paddlers Incorporated .

Fourteen clubs currently paddle out of the dragon boat dock, with close to 700 members. Leonardi said that three-quarters of the paddling community is female and one-quarter is people of color. There are teams for breast cancer survivors , members of Philly’s Chinatown community and the Philadelphia Police .

“It’s a wonderful community, we help each other out,” Leonardi said. “A few years ago, when Ida came and flooded, the water was literally on MLK Drive. After it cleared out and our stuff was all over the place, not only did the whole community come together, but people who weren’t even paddlers came out and helped us.”

Much of the event’s proceeds will go towards helping sponsor the U.S. team, giving current team members the same chance to visit and compete around the world that the pioneering paddlers received. 

“That to me is the most amazing part of this: The ability to stay healthy and to travel the world to compete,” Leonardi said.

The sport’s camaraderie also extends beyond Philadelphia. Flying Phoenix member Antoniazzi recalled her trip back from last year’s IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in DBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.

“On my way back I went through Doha and said, ‘Let me check out a dragon boat team in Doha,’” she recalled. “You travel and you find teams that you can join and they’re so happy that you come and join their team.”

The regatta starts Saturday, June 1 at 8 a.m. The races will be livestreamed be on the event’s Facebook page . 

Nick Kariuki

Nick Kariuki is Billy Penn’s trending news reporter. A graduate of the University of Virginia and Medill’s MSJ program at Northwestern University, Nick was previously a sportswriter for outlets such... More by Nick Kariuki

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Chinese nationals are trying to get from Indonesia to Australia by boat. This is why they're risking their lives

As night fell over the Indian Ocean, Li thought he would die in his boat.

It had been four days since he and nine other men from China boarded the small wooden vessel in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and headed to Australia.

Li was told by the so-called "agent" who sold him the place on the boat that the trip would only take four days.

But as the sun set on the fourth day, strong winds and huge waves saw the group still floating on the ocean, with Li feeling nauseous and hopeless. 

And the worst was yet to come.

Two engines broke down. Perilous waves hit the boat again and again. The only pump in the ship stopped working. Water leaked from beneath the floors.

Li took out his phone and started to draft his last words.

In the message, he apologised to his wife and child for being too busy with work in the past few years, and for not taking good care of them.

"I was hoping that if I didn't make it through, then maybe someone could find my phone one day and know who I am," he told the ABC.

Somehow, after eight stormy nights, the boat came ashore on the northern tip of Western Australia. They had made it, but in many ways, their journey was only just beginning.

Exhausted and thirsty, the group of men decided to look for water. They broke up into smaller groups, and one of those groups accidentally walked into the unfenced Truscott air base. 

What happened next hit national headlines, reviving a fierce debate about  border security and boat arrivals that has vexed successive federal governments for decades.

Chinese nationals trying to reach Australia by boat has been a phenomenon rarely seen until this year.

The ABC can confirm at least three groups of Chinese nationals have travelled or planned to travel to Australia by boat via Indonesia this year. 

Only Li's boat made it to Australian shores. 

The latest group was found on May 8.  Their fishing boat, carrying six Chinese men on board — including an alleged smuggler — was intercepted by Indonesian authorities as they tried to make their way to Australia .

Indonesia's Immigration Agency has confirmed one people smuggler from Bangladesh has been arrested, and two Indonesian field operators have been sentenced to seven years in jail for people smuggling.

Indonesian authorities also revealed that the people smugglers used TikTok to lure in the Chinese nationals and get them to set sail for Australia.

Li and the other men on board the boat that reached Western Australia have been detained at an offshore processing facility in Nauru for more than a month. 

But their story is not just about border security and people smuggling.

It speaks to an emerging trend of Chinese nationals risking death for what they say is a chance at a better life abroad. 

Why these men spent $10,000 each to reach Australia

The ABC has been in contact with three men — including Li — who have been detained at the Nauru Detention Centre since wandering into the WA air base. 

The ABC has used pseudonyms to protect their identities.

For Li, who is in his early 30s, travelling to Australia by boat was a last resort after being continuously frustrated by what had happened in China since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. 

He ran a small business in a northern city in China but, due to Beijing's tough COVID zero policy that saw entire neighbourhoods forcibly locked down for weeks at a time, his business suffered significantly.

Even after the lockdowns were lifted, the Chinese economy continued to suffer. Li's business went bankrupt and he was left with huge debts.

He said he also felt discouraged by China's political atmosphere after President Xi Jinping began his third term of leadership and tightened his control over society.

"I found my life in China too stressful, with limited freedom," he said.

"I want to come to Australia as it's more humane and free."

Zhang, another Chinese man in his late 30s who is also detained in Nauru, said his reasons for leaving were similar. 

"I also ran a business before but due to the broader environment I now owed lots of debts," Zhang said. 

Zhang also said he suffered political oppression for refusing to bribe officials.

Li and Zhang never met before boarding the boat in Jakarta. However, they both say they had been browsing on social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Douyin — the Chinese version of TikTok — looking for ways to leave their country. 

They spotted advertisements about smuggling operations to Australia via boat in comment sections.

They were then added to a chat group.

"We then found out lots of people want to come to Australia but their visa applications were rejected," Li said.

"We still wanted to come to Australia and gradually we decided to take a risk."

They paid an agent about $10,000 per person for the journey.

Under the agent's instructions, they took a plane to Jakarta, then waited until sundown to get into the boat.

The smugglers never told the 10 Chinese men they could be taken to Nauru, where Australia's offshore immigration detention centre is based. 

"We were not aware of this at all," Li said.

"What we only knew is that there'd be two possibilities awaiting us if we travelled by boat: We either got intercepted before coming ashore or we landed successfully and then applied for visas based on our individual situations, such as applying for asylum."

Fang, another Chinese man from the boat, also said he was not aware of Australia's immigration policy and the existence of offshore detention centres.

The 30-year-old Chinese national told the ABC that he was working in a steel factory in Malaysia.

He also came across information about boat travel on Chinese social media. When he boarded the vessel, he was still yet to resign from the factory.

"I have travelled to Australia in the past and I quite like the country," Fang said.

"I want to come here to make some money. Life has been difficult."

In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu said it prohibited using the platform for illegal activity.

"Upon discovering such violations, the company will remove the content and take action against the account," the spokesperson said. 

The ABC has also reached out to ByteDance — the parent company of Douyin — for comment but is yet to receive a response. 

The treacherous 'walking route' to the US 

The ABC is unable to independently verify Li, Zhang and Fang's claims.

And the men could not provide any documents to the ABC because their possessions, including their phones, were taken from them at the Truscott air base.

However, their stories — including how they used Douyin and Xiaohongshu to find ways to enter Australia without visas — heavily overlap those emerging from the US border in the past two years. 

Since late 2021, there has been a dramatic rise in undocumented Chinese nationals entering the US through Mexico — a route often used by people from Central America.

According to data from US border authorities, more than 37,000 Chinese nationals were arrested on the US-Mexico border in 2023  — 10 times more than the previous year.

Many of these Chinese nationals used Douyin — where Li, Zhang and Fang found information about the boat travel — to record how they travelled from China to the US without a visa.

They often go to Hong Kong or Macau, take a plane to Turkey, and then fly to Ecuador, where Chinese passport holders can enter the country without visas.

From there, they walk through the Darien Gap — one of the most dangerous jungles in the world — all the way north to Mexico.

They call this journey "the Walking Route" and it takes about a month to complete. 

Tracy Wen Liu, an award-winning journalist now working for Voice Of America — a US government-funded broadcaster — has been documenting the phenomenon since 2022.

She said the people she spoke to who followed the Walking Route were often from a lower- to middle-class background, with about $30,000 to support themselves as they left China. 

"A lot of them actually have had some sort of college education or even had a job in China," Ms Liu said.

She said they tended to be young — between 20 and 40 years old — and they were familiar with using social media to look for information or document their journey.

And Chinese nationals' growing demand for the route had inspired a new business model in Mexico, Ms Liu said.

New Chinese restaurants, hostels and car rental services are being set up by locals to serve these new customers.

"There are an increasing number of agents trying to offer packages to people who are taking this route," Ms Liu said.

"Those agents can arrange transportation for these people or they can even help bribe local police or help bribe local gangsters to make this trip much less risky."

Still, the route is full of danger.

In late March, a group of eight Chinese nationals were found dead on a beach in Mexico.

This is the first known case of Chinese migrant deaths since the Walking Route became popular in 2021.

Why are Chinese nationals leaving their country?

It's rare to see people from China — a middle-income country — opting for illegal migration pathways to leave, according to Victor Shih, an associate professor in Chinese political science at the University of California, San Diego. 

"Usually this kind of sizeable economic migration would stop when a country reaches middle-income status, which China reached a few years ago," Dr Shih said.

"Of course, even in middle-income countries, people try to leave sometimes for better economic opportunities, but mainly relying on legal channels, like studying overseas and then getting a work visa."

Dr Shih said the growing use of the Walking Route spoke to the economic downturn in China in the past few years, as well as the increasingly challenging business environment.

"During COVID, a lot of small businesses had their savings wiped out because the lockdown policy just led to no cash flows," Dr Shih said when asked why business owners such as Li and Zhang would take such risks to leave China.

"Many of them, also, in order to survive their businesses, borrowed a lot of money, either through formal banking channels or informal lending channels.

"But because of the weakness of the recovery, many of these businesspeople were not able to make enough money to repay their debt."

And that is when their economic struggles turn political.

"In China, because of how pervasive the credit system is … if you get a low score on the credit system, some of these people are not able to even ride a train," Dr Shih said.

"So that makes doing business — to start a new business in order to repay some of their debts — nearly impossible."

After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in 2022, Beijing announced measures such as tax cuts to boost the economy. However, Dr Shih said "that doesn't really help" with the cash flow situation.

"The other problem is that many local governments are basically bankrupt, so some local governments have instituted informal taxes on small businesses," he said. 

Many Chinese people — from the elite to the middle class — have lost their optimism, according to Dali Yang, a China political economist at the University of Chicago. 

"We do see this year, for example, finally, the uptake in domestic tourism [in China]," he said.

"But at the same time, for people who have lost a lot of money in recent years, it's not like they can easily get back the money, and very often they may have exhausted their savings."

Data from China's Central Bank released last week also shows China's manufacturing and services sector has slowed at a time of weak domestic demand and possible deflation.

"The latest figure [from the Central Bank] also just simply reveals that people don't find a lot of opportunities for making investments in China at this moment," Professor Yang said.

The new reality after leaving China

In the US, journalist Tracy Wen Liu has stayed in touch with Chinese nationals who have risked their lives on the Walking Route to enter the US. 

She has found those who can speak some English and drive can adapt to American culture more easily.

"I think a lot of them are struggling as well," she said. 

She has also noticed many Walking Route migrants have chosen to settle in big cities such as New York and Los Angeles, and many of them are competing for the same jobs. 

"It's more and more difficult for them to find a job right now, and also hostels or hotels in those areas are getting more and more expensive because there's an increase in demand," she said.

She has also found some of the Walking Route migrants have returned to China.

"A lot of Chinese migrants, when they were living in China … they had a perception about life in the US, [like] it's very easy to make money in the States, it's very nice to live there, it's very convenient and prosperous," she said. 

"However, when they actually came to the US, when they live in those hostels and share a room with 10 other people, when they work 14 hours a day, seven days a week and make a salary that's much lower than the minimum salary by law because they don't have a status … I think a lot of them realise that it's actually really difficult to find a living in the States."

Both China and the US have tried to crack down on the flow of migrants. 

In April, Douyin — where many Chinese migrants search for information about the Walking Route — censored relevant videos on the platform.

The two countries have also reportedly resumed cooperation on repatriation to tackle Chinese migrants rushing to the southern border of the United States. 

Meanwhile, in Nauru, the 10 Chinese men who sought a better life in Australia face an uncertain fate. 

Fang chose to return to Malaysia and continue his work there. However, Li and Zhang want to try to stay in Australia.

"After going through what happened at home, I don't want to go back to China," Liu said.

"I came to Australia because it's a free country. It has human rights. It gives people freedom, both physically and mentally."

The nine Chinese men say Australian immigration officials offered them $US5,100 (about $7,600) per person and a return ticket if they agreed to go back to China.

During their stays in Nauru, they took English lessons, went through various health checks, and had time for exercise.

As the men barely spoke any English, they communicated with officers from the centre through mobile translation apps, and when they had meetings with police and the immigration department, there was an interpreting hotline set up for them.

But what they had been hoping for was access to legal aid.

Li said the centre told them they would have a legal aid session in late April, but they told the ABC they were unable to meet with a lawyer until May 17. 

They are becoming more anxious as the days pass. 

Two sources inside the Nauru Detention Centre told the ABC that one of the Chinese men has been on a hunger strike since Wednesday, demanding to be sent to Australia.

The sources say he is in a good condition. 

Li occasionally calls his wife using the phone provided by the centre.

"My family is quite worried but they are also supportive," he said.

He also has a young child but in the past few weeks has tried not to speak to them directly.

"I worry that I will get emotional," he explained. 

In a statement to the ABC, the Department of Home Affairs said people who attempted to travel to Australia by boat without a valid Australian visa had "zero chance of settling in Australia".

"Australia's policy response remains consistent — unauthorised maritime arrivals will not settle in Australia," a spokesman for the department said.

"The government of Nauru is responsible for the implementation of regional processing arrangements in Nauru, including the management of individuals under those arrangements." 

The ABC has contacted the Chinese embassy in Australia for comment but is yet to receive a response. 

Additional reporting by Bill Birtles and Erin Parke

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Electric boats

Electric hydrofoil, meet vessev and its ultra-efficient electric hydrofoil boat designed for smooth tourist rides.

A new all-electric maritime specialist called Vessev has come out of stealth mode with an exciting new vessel called the VS—9. The electric hydrofoil boat offers a state-of-the-art design that delivers incredible efficiency, providing future tourists with a smooth and quiet ride as Vessev looks to commercialize into larger vessels that can transport 100 passengers at a time.

Vessev, formerly known as Seachange, is a young, eco-friendly boat builder founded a few years ago by two bright minds with backgrounds in innovation, including a tenure at Apple. The company was founded in Auckland, New Zealand, where it currently operates and is conducting sea trials of its flagship vessel—an electric hydrofoil boat called the VS—9.

Designed for commercial operations and tourism, this electric hydrofoil “flies” above the water, offering a new futuristic option in sea travel that will soon be used as a passenger ferry thanks to NetZero Maritime – the green technology team at Fullers360 – New Zealand’s largest ferry operator, who has already signed on to help commercialize the hydrofoil technology.

But that’s not all. Vessev may be young, but it has a clear vision for the future of clean maritime transport, and the VS—9 is merely its starting point for larger electric hydrofoil boats and more scaled deployments. Per Vessev co-founder and CEO Eric Laakmann:

We are in the earliest stage of a global transition to sustainable energy use. Our partnership with NetZero Maritime is one of the most powerful in the world in accelerating the adoption of new technologies. There are 33 million vessels in the world today with sustainable vessels representing the smallest fraction. Through significant enhancements in efficiency, hydrofoiling will play a key role in this once-in-a-generation shift.

Vessev’s entry into cleaning up and potentially revolutionizing the maritime segment begins with the VS—9 electric hydrofoil, which has made its public debut and will soon be certified for commercial operations overseas. Have a look.

Vessev looks to expand to larger electric hydrofoil boats

The maritime developer shared details of its flagship electric hydrofoil boat this week as it came out of stealth mode with some impressive in-house technology, encouraging performance specs, and a detailed plan for its expansion into commercial ferry operations and beyond.

The VS—9 was designed using the same state-of-the-art foiling technology used in the America’s Cup (the oldest international competition still operating in any sport) to maximize efficiency and range by foiling above the water. Vessev shared that its electric hydrofoil boat technology reduces energy consumption by up to 95%.

This technique not only enables the vessel to travel farther on a charge due to less impact from waves and wake but also delivers a smoother ride for passengers. Add the quietness of an all-electric motor, and you get a new breed of boat that feels like the ideal way to travel across water.

The new electric hydrofoil boat offers room for ten passengers and can travel at a service speed of 25 knots (~29 mph). The VS—9 has a range of 50 nautical miles (57 miles/92.6km) and can recharge its batteries at any marina plug. If that area happens to have a DC fast charger, Vessev says the VS—9 can recoup 0.8 nautical miles of range per minute.

The VS—9 is undergoing sea trials out of Auckland, and its initial tests have been encouraging. Laakman explained:

We use techniques similar to America’s Cup vessels which provide very high control authority when compared to other systems. That means we can handle more wind and bigger seas. The system is more difficult to engineer up-front, but results in a very performant vessel that is both more capable and more efficient. The VS—9 is so efficient that we are able to use very safe and longer-lasting battery technologies when compared to other vessels of this type. To put it into perspective, the VS—9 is undergoing on-water testing with a petrol-powered chase boat following, doing the same motions and distance. At the end of each day, the cost of the petrol fueling the chase boat is 25 times the cost of the electricity used to charge the VS—9.

Vessev is seeking certification later this year, with commercial operations carried out by Fullers360 in New Zealand thereafter. In addition to the ten-passenger VS—9, Vessev shared that it is already working to scale its technology into larger electric hydrofoil boats, including a new 100-passenger vessel called the VS—18. According to the company, that hydrofoil will have “additional seakeeping capability and unlock even more opportunities.”

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Scooter Doll is a writer, designer and tech enthusiast born in Chicago and based on the West Coast. When he’s not offering the latest tech how tos or insights, he’s probably watching Chicago sports. Please send any tips or suggestions, or dog photos to him at [email protected]

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Translation of boat – English–Mandarin Chinese dictionary

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• The boat was swept out to sea by the tide .
• The boat sank almost immediately after it had struck the rock .
• The lifeboat rescued the sailors from the sinking boat.
• The fishing boats were out at sea for three days .
• In the harbour , the boats bobbed gently up and down on the water .

(Translation of boat from the Cambridge English-Chinese (Simplified) Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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Word of the Day

height above sea level

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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