Informa, the parent company of the Monaco Yacht Show has just confirmed the acquisition of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show along with four other US yacht shows for $133 million from Active Interest Media.
The acquisition sees Informa getting the FLIBS as well as the Yachts Miami Beach, the Palm Beach International Boat Show along with the St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show and the Suncoast Boat Show in Sarasota. Informa, a public company listed in London with a market cap of £5.5 billion had acquired the Monaco Yacht Show along with IIR Holdings in June 2005 in a transaction totaling $1.4 billion.
Arguably the most significant yachting event in the United States, the FLIBS gathers 100,000 attendees and 1,300 exhibitors bringing over 1,200 boats each November to Fort Lauderdale. With the transaction, Informa's exhibition business has become the largest part of its holding company by revenue and profits. In 2015, the group posted total revenues of £1,2 billion and £219 million of profits before tax.
Active Interest Media was founded in 2002 by Efrem Zimbalist III, grandson of Efrem Zimbalist a famed violinist originally from Russia. Apart from running these boat shows, the company also hosts equestrian events and action-sports events following its acquisition of Warren Miller Entertainment.
Messe Düsseldorf decided to cancel boot Düsseldorf for 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic and the associated worldwide lockdown measures. The next boot, as scheduled in the trade fair calendar, will open its doors from 22 to 30 January 2022. Under the given circumstances, an implementation on the planned date in April is no longer guaranteed, says Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf: "The continuing high level of infection and the fact that the end of the lockdown is not foreseeable for the time being make a resumption of trade fair operations at the end of April appear increasingly unrealistic. We have reassessed the situation with our partners and jointly decided to cancel boot 2021 early. Our priority is the health and planning security of our exhibitors, visitors and service providers. All activities will now be focused on the successful staging of boot 2022."The aim, he said, is to return to the concept of boot Düsseldorf both as an event for all water sports enthusiasts and as a business and networking platform for the international trade audience. For 2022, he added, work is also underway on a hybrid trade fair experience that will, among other things, enable digital participation in seminars and events at boot Düsseldorf.Credits: boot Düsseldorf
January 21, 2021
Mangusta GranSport 45 is a fast displacement yacht that combines technical features such as speed, greater range and limited consumption with elegant lines and a sophisticated interior. The model has zero speed and underway stabilizers for ultimate guest comfort. Her top speed is 26 knots and cruising speed is 20 knots. At an economical speed of 12 knots, her range is 4,200 nautical miles. Her shallow draft means she is perfect for visiting destinations like the Bahamas. Yesterday, the shipyard announced the launch of the new Mangusta GranSport 45. ‘This is where beauty and speed meet their habitat,’ Mangusta Yachts said in an Instagram post. Overmarine Group was founded in 1985 by the Balducci family. The shipyard builds open and displacement power superyachts under the Mangusta and Mangusta Oceanco brand names.Credits: Overmarine Group
January 21, 2021
Azimut S6 won the title Best Sportscruiser over 40 Feet at the coveted Motor Boat Awards organised by top UK magazine Motor Boat & Yachting during a virtual ceremony on January 19, 2021.The sporty coupe, designed by Stefano Righini and Francesco Guida, scored points with the jury for the balance it achieves between adrenaline-pumping performance, excellent handling and a comfortable, spacious lower deck. Also, Azimut Yachts won another important award – Azimut S6 is the best Sportscruiser over 40 feet according to the jury of the Motor Boat Awards, presented annually by leading UK magazine Motor Boat & Yachting based on ability, design and value for money in their chosen marketplace.Azimut S6 was launched at the Cannes Boat Show in 2018. The sporty pure coupe features an exterior by Stefano Righini. The bow shield, combined with the trapezoidal bow and large rectangular windows in the hull, ensures that the interiors are flooded with light, while the deckhouse’s diamond-shaped glazed surfaces give the yacht an even more distinctive profile. The interiors by Francesco Guida are decorated and furnished with a discreet, modern elegance that is both fresh and refined.This model in the Azimut Yachts sports range features an extensive use of Carbon Tech and a triple Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system, which translates into excellent consumption efficiency and a significant reduction in vibration and noise. The triple propulsion system not only delivers better acceleration, but also superior handling and responsiveness.Azimut Yachts is an Azimut Benetti Group brand. With its Atlantis, Magellano Flybridge, S, Verve and Grande collections, it offers the widest range of 34- to 125-foot yachts.Credits: Azimut Yachts
January 21, 2021
‘A true gentleman’s yacht,’ Sultana has been sold after being on the market for more than a year and a half. The deal was closed by Northrop & Johnson with the final price of €2,995,000. Sultana, a striking example of a classic canoe stern, was built by Feadship in 1969. In 2012, the motor yacht completed a substantial refit to bring her back to her former glory. Accomplished by Feadship’s Makkum yard, the owner and this team worked closely with Feadship’s refit department to ensure the yacht was restored to the high-quality and preservation of the Feadship brand. The 25.8m Sultana can accommodate eight guests in four cabins.Sultana has a full-beam master suite with a centerline queen bed, vanity, sofa, walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with a large hot tub and separate shower. The yacht’s additional staterooms include a full-beam VIP and two staterooms with twin-size beds, which can be converted into doubles. The yacht offers a generous sundeck, which is perfect for relaxing and entertaining. The space showcases sunpads, comfortable loungers and a barbecue. Her aft deck showcases alfresco dining surrounded by a built-in sofa.Her cruising speed is 10 knots. Feadship was formed as a group in 1949 as a marketing partnership between six Dutch shipyards, de Vries Lentch, Van de Stadt, Witsen & Vis, Akerboom, De Vries Scheepsbouw and Van Lent Shipyard, and De Voogt Naval Architects. Feadship is well-known as one of Netherlands’ most elite yacht builders and delivers superyachts from 50–100+ meters in length.Credits: Northrop & Johnson
January 21, 2021
The 54m Bow Sprit is Vittoria Yachts’ first motor yacht, and it’s now under construction. The keel laying ceremony took place at the yard’s facility in Adria. Bow Sprit is designed to maximise the hull length while keeping her below 500GT. She can be customized to have five or six cabins and space for eight crew members. There will be one swimming pool at the aft deck and another at the top deck with a panoramic view. Another interesting feature is the winter garden located behind the glass sliding doors. She is powered by MTU 16V2000M61 engines and can reach a top speed of 16 knots. Her cruising speed will be 14 knots. At the economical speed of 10 knots, her range will be more than 6,500 nautical miles.The 54m vessel will be completed in 2023. Vittoria Yachts was established in 1927 and has a long history of producing military and commercial vessels. With their first motor yacht, Bow Sprit, a new brand is born.Credits: Vittoria Yachts
January 20, 2021