SELA, the national company behind some of the most ambitious lifestyle development projects across  the whole of Saudi Arabia, is delighted to announce that JYC Marina this week welcomes the first  yachts to berth there on the occasion of the inaugural Saudi Arabia F1 Grand Prix.  

This new international motorsport spectacular takes place this weekend from 3rd – 5th December, at  the new circuit on Jeddah’s North Corniche – the fastest F1 street circuit in the world. Guests aboard  megayachts like M/Y O Pari, 95m, built by Golden Yachts, the 85m Oceanco Sunrays and the 82m Abeking & Rasmussen RoMEA, have been joined by a fleet of over 40 superyachts and smaller units to  take part in the fun, for what is going to be an adrenalin-packed weekend, just a stone’s throw away  from the JYC Marina. 

JYC Marina is the first marina along the Red Sea coast that can accommodate superyachts and  megayachts up to 120m in a world-class environment. In parallel, this opening event will give visiting  yachts and VIP visitors to the F1 a unique opportunity to preview the premises of the upcoming Jeddah  Yacht Club, which will be officially opened around the time when the Saudi F1 GP returns for the 2022  season on 25-27 March 2022. 

A project built in record time – an incredible six months from first breaking ground, on an inland site, to  welcoming some of the biggest yachts in the world this week – the entire complex is situated in the  northern part of Jeddah, only a few kilometers away from the new King Abdulaziz airport and the city  center. It comprises JYC Marina, the Jeddah Yacht Club and a collection of retail and F&B outlets on the  marina Boardwalk around the basin. 

WORLD CLASS MARINA 

Capable of berthing over 100 yachts of all sizes up to 120m, JYC Marina epitomizes the future of  superyachting on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline. It is the first step into major yachting developments  that are to take place in the Kingdom over the next 10 years, stretching from Neom in the North to  Amaala and the Red Sea Project further south down to Jeddah and beyond. 

Developed by SELA, JYC Marina provides berthing in a safe and secure environment with gated entry  and easy access for guests, service providers and ship chandlers. It offers all the necessary supplies of  electricity, water and fuel bunkering facilities, in a spectacular modern and functional environment. It  has an on-site helipad to make it convenient for guests to arrive and embark or disembark discretely.  

One of the key benefits of JYC Marina is that it is recognized by the Saudi authorities as a port of entry  into the Kingdom. As such, it provides customs clearance and immigration services to all vessels,  including foreign-flagged superyachts that will charter in the area, or stop off to visit this fast-developing  destination on their way to the newly opened cruising grounds of the East Indian Ocean and Southeast  Asia. In addition, once fully operational by the end of March 2022, JYC Marina will provide repair and  maintenance facilities within the Marina precinct. 

With its highly strategic location, JYC Marina is ready to welcome permanent and seasonal yachts coming  from the Mediterranean, the GCC, the Indian Ocean, Asia and beyond. As it is already possible to book  short or long-term berthing at Port JYC Marina, interested yachts can enquire directly with the Marina  manager by emailing berthing@jeddahyc.com. 

WORLD CLASS YACHT CLUB 

An exclusive members-only establishment, the Jeddah Yacht Club was founded to grow the maritime  spirit and lifestyle in Saudi Arabia by providing diverse, world-class experiences across a full spectrum of  social, sports and leisure activities. Strategically positioned at the crossroads of historical Red Sea  maritime routes, JYC aims to provide a major new platform in the Kingdom for the development of  sailing, boating and every facet of the healthy, fun-filled, on-water and sporting lifestyle for its members.  It also intends to raise awareness of the need to protect marine biodiversity and ensure the preservation  of the Red Sea environment for the younger generations and the local community to enjoy and take care  of in their turn. 

The perfect complement to JYC Marina, the development of the Jeddah Yacht Club was initiated only six  months ago, at the end of April 2021 – designed and built from scratch in record time. As SELA will be completing the final touches to the Club House for its official opening less than a year after the project  was launched, the Jeddah Yacht Club team have decided to take advantage of the first F1 weekend to  play host to private, invitation-only entertainment and hospitality for future members and Marina  guests to discover the premises and facilities soon to be available.  

The Jeddah Yacht Club’s architecture has been carefully designed to stimulate the senses and offer its  members a rich, marine-inspired atmosphere where they can enjoy the numerous social and nautical  activities available. Its mast-and-sail-themed 5,000sqm club house, located by the entrance channel of  the Marina, is a beacon, a lighthouse that welcomes visitors to Jeddah’s shores. 

In addition to panoramic views of the city, the Jeddah Yacht Club boasts a feast of facilities for its  members, which include restaurants, a wellness center, a business center, lounges, concierge services,  sailing and nautical activities. Its Beach Club, operated by a team from world-renowned Omnia Club,  features an infinity pool with glorious views over the Red Sea.

Another first in Jeddah, the Jeddah Yacht Club will welcome the Jason Atherton restaurant. Famous to  gastronomes from London to Shanghai, Mykonos to St. Moritz, this Michelin Star-rated chef is instantly  recognized for his cool artistic creations that evoke memories from other times and other places. 

QUOTES: 

Mohideen Nazer, Director Parks & Resorts, SELA: “We’re delighted that the world of yachting now has  its first home address on Saudi Arabia’s Red coast. All the teams have worked very hard to give birth to  this great Marina and magnificent Club House in record time. This is a small step in our contribution to  the realization of Vision 2030 for the Kingdom, but it is nonetheless a major first step to turn the Red  Sea Coast into a compelling destination for yachting aficionados to enjoy our amazing cruising grounds”. 

Oliver Rees, General Manager Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina (from January 2022): “JYC Marina and the  Jeddah Yacht Club will be a perfect home port for private yachts, but also a great place to meet, enjoy  sailing and water sports and revel in the quality of services we have on offer. It will also be a gateway to  the wonders of the Red Sea, and we are confident that this fantastic new facility will rapidly become a  prime waypoint on the global yachting map.” 

It was just over a year ago that the 10^th Anniversary Edition of the Singapore Yacht Show (SYS 2020) was the first of the major international yacht shows to have to postpone its annual event due to the arrival on the global stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. How the world has changed – some think irreversibly – since then…

Exactly six weeks to go to the third scheduled opening, the SYS organizing team at Verventia are devastated to have to share that, on the advice of the show’s major stakeholders, including our principal exhibitors, a decision has been made to postpone what is now effectively SYS 2021 to later in the year.

While the organisers totally accept that the Safe Management Measures still currently imposed on business events in Singapore are necessary and clearly effective, after much deliberation they have concluded that it will be too challenging to stage SYS to the satisfaction of exhibitors and sponsors for the moment.

The consensus of opinion is that the show should be delayed until the advent of the global vaccination programme forces the retreat of the virus and facilitates the re-opening of borders, such that a near-normal SYS – so important for awakening the massive latent yachting market in Asia – can be properly staged. Realistic and practical new dates will be agreed with industry and government stakeholders alike and will be announced as soon as possible.

Verventia CEO Andy Treadwell remains resolutely positive and ever-optimistic: “Obviously this is something that nobody wanted – least of all us, from a commercial point of view. But the same forces that have taken away the shows, freezing marketing budgets and whole businesses like ours, have at the same time created an unprecedented boom in boat sales and a massive uplift in the industry – and, in my view, in its future, especially in Asia. So I don’t think it’s a time for complaining or despairing at all – the whole leisure boating industry, including its supply chains, eco-systems and universes, are currently doing, or will soon be doing, very well indeed out of all this and the undoubted global economic boom that will surely follow.”

As to the future, Treadwell continued: “We have to slightly re-think our business model, maybe, but everyone I’ve spoken to is totally supportive and wants us to continue developing our plans for the region – which we are doing entirely in consultation with the industry. Thailand’s government have finally rewarded our faith and shown that they believe in this industry and its future, and we believe that the rest of the region will follow suit eventually. We are consolidating the three regional shows and planning major changes in how we operate, so as to keep the boom going in the context of the new norms. We will be making some big announcements soon!” www.sgmarineguide.com

While these digital nomads have been enjoying their newfound time on the water, they quickly grew tired of having to constantly monitor how much energy they had left in their lead-acid battery bank. They wanted to feel as safe as possible when miles offshore as well as focus completely on relaxing and exploring. We recently spoke with Bonita and Yoshi about what it was like to make the switch to living off-grid full-time on their boat and why they transitioned to RELiON RB100 lithium batteries.

Did you have to substantially limit your energy use to transition to full-time off-grid yacht life?

Yoshi: “Before we installed our RELiON battery system, and when we were still relying on AGM batteries, we definitely had to limit our energy use. We thought that was normal since we downsized to living on a boat. However, since we’ve upgraded to more reliable, lightweight and long-lasting RELiON lithium batteries, we’ve been able to power a second fridge, which means we can sail for longer periods of time. We also can now safely sail at night knowing we can send and receive radio signals. This was always questionable with our AGM batteries, as we were having to constantly sacrifice powering one device in order to power another device. With RELiON batteries, the sky’s the limit, as they charge in half the time and can be discharged much more deeply, which results in far more usable energy every day.”

Bonita and Yoshi’s yacht is now powered by three robust, energy-dense RELiON RB100 lithium batteries, 540 watts of Solbian flexible solar panels, 340 watts of rigid solar panels, a 600 watt Victron Energy inverter, and three Victron Energy MPPT Smart Solar charge controllers. They’re also planning to install the new Victron Energy CerboGX smart touch screen display for ease of monitoring the entire solar-plus-storage system. This energy system powers two refrigerators, lighting, fans and navigation as well as all of Bonita and Yoshi’s work equipment, including two laptops, cameras and drones.

Why did you switch from lead-acid batteries to RELiON solutions specifically?

Yoshi: “We needed to have more reliable power, as we’re 100% dependent on solar and the batteries when we’re in the middle of the ocean. Our lead-acid batteries were simply not handling the constant strain we would put on them daily and they eventually died after just eighteen months. We tried our best to take good care of the lead-acid batteries, but when there were cloudy days and we had to meet work deadlines on our laptops, the system would quickly drain just from charging our laptops. We’d then have to run our boat engine to charge the system, and I didn’t like doing this, both because of the fumes from our diesel engine and the unnecessary wear and tear on our engine. Thanks to RELiON batteries, we finally feel safe and secure knowing we have power, and thereby navigation and the ability to work, at all hours – day or night.”

What would you tell a friend interested in living off-grid on a yacht?

Yoshi: “The second most important factor to consider, other than your sails, are your batteries. If you choose RELiON lithium batteries, I guarantee your life will change for the better and that you won’t regret it. We’re ecstatic with how much more power we now have. Since installing the new RELiON battery system, we don’t have to pay attention to the amount of power we use, as we have peace of mind knowing that there is always enough power to meet our needs. We’ve learned that lithium batteries are actually more cost-effective in the long run because they last so much longer and require far fewer replacements.”

After successfully dropping in RELiON RB100 lithium batteries to replace their lead-acid battery bank, Yoshi and Bonita have been able to sail over 10,000 nautical miles offshore and visit eight different countries by sea. Thanks to their reliable and long-lasting RELiON energy storage system and solar power, they now have the confidence to embark on their longest journey yet – sailing to Africa by crossing the Indian Ocean. Follow along with their sailing adventures on YouTube.