Africa’s premier boating exhibition boatica Cape Town will once again grace the city in 2023, with the announcement that it will return to the V&A Waterfront from 27-29 October.
boatica Cape Town features manufacturers and buyers of luxury boats, accessories and marine equipment, a once-in-a-lifetime Ultimate Yacht Experience, sophisticated exhibiting companies, live on-water activities, and a luxury lifestyle exhibition for a premium shopping experience.
While boatica Cape Town provides an array of exciting products and activities to whet the appetite of of boating enthusiasts, it also plays a larger role in the City’s efforts to promote the Blue Economy. This encompasses sectors and activities revolving around the coastal and marine resources, and aims to create job opportunities, foster innovation and promote sustainable tourism.
boatica Cape Town’s display of marine technology, watercraft, tourism offerings and more raises awareness, encourages collaboration and drives economic growth in line with the Blue Economy’s principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Underlining this, the 2023 event will once again be in partnership with the City of Cape Town.
Speaking at the recent South African Boat Builders Export Council’s (SABBEX) awards dinner, Alderman James Vos emphasised the important relationship between the City and Boatica Cape Town.
“The City also proudly funds and hosts Boatica, Cape Town’s premier boat show, which last year featured 120 exhibiting companies, live on- water activities, a VIP Boat Cruise, and a luxury lifestyle exhibition for a superior shopping experience,” he said.
“With a marine manufacturing industry that acts as a major contributor to the local and global economy, events such as Boatica are critical to boosting Cape Town’s profile in this sector. More than 90% of global trade takes place on sea routes, while the coastline around the metro contributes almost R40-billion, or 10%, to the city’s GDP per annum.”
SABBEX spokesperson Vanessa Davids added that the event offered a unique opportunity for the public to view South African-built boats.
“Boatica offers the exclusive platform for South African boat builders to exhibit their internationally acclaimed boats within the country. In the previous year, Boatica presented an impressive collection of six newly designed recreational vessels to the public, and we anticipate that this year’s showcase will feature an exciting lineup of boats catering to diverse user preferences. Whether you’re seeking luxurious power or sailing boats or compact runabouts, the South African boat building industry offers a wide array of options to satisfy every individual,“ she said.
There will be an extensive range of activities for ticket holders to watch or participate in over the course of the three-day event.
The on-water programme includes the popular Great Optimist Race run by well-known charity campaigner Greg Bertish. First held in 2019, the race features adults and kids racing in Optimists, the classic children’s sailing boat, to raise funds for charities of their choice. Linked to this event, the Great Optimist Sailing clinic will be open to children for the duration of the event and will also host development kids and vulnerable children on the Friday of the event.
There will also be dragon boat racing, e-foiling, kayaks and e-surfboards on display in the water, providing a real-life demonstration of some of the products available.
Return exhibitors such as marine electronic supplier Taylor Marine SA, popular outboard brands Suzuki and Yamaha will have their latest products on display. They will be joined by exciting new exhibitors such as Radinn Electric Surfboards and next-generation navigation, communication and entertainment system provider Digital Yacht.
