Last week Bentley visited China for the China International Boat Show. Bentley went in search of an importer and to learn more about the boat market in China. The fantastic Sabre and Back Cove booth display highlighted the company’s models and drew in people from all over the country visiting the show.
East meets West. Walking the streets of Shanghai.
Brenda and Bentley visit the great wall – one of the 7 Wonders of the World.
Here is a typical Chinese Power Cruiser complete with a Mahjong Table and Karaoke machine. Mahjong is a popular game similar to the Western card game Rummy.
On Saturday evening at the Boat Show, Sabre + Back Cove Yachts held a reception at our display. We invited new friends we met at the show and served Schramberg Champagne, which should have some significance for Americans.
Schramberg Champagne Blanc de Blancs was presented at a banquet in Beijing during President Nixon’s historic visit to China when he visited Zhou En-lai, the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China. Nixon made a “Toast to Peace” during a state dinner in Bejing in 1972.
Bentley reports it was an excellent trip. “China’s boating market holds tremendous potential but is today in it’s infancy. It will be a decade before a significant percentage of the population learns about and begins to enjoy boating. With (lots of) patience, this will be a big market for our motor yachts.”
Although the boating industry is far behind the US — he compared it to the US in the 1940’s — he met some fantastic people and is looking forward to having some Sabre Yachts cruising the China Sea.