Nautical Ventures Group Creates a New Sailboat Division
Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Sailing represents freedom. Freedom to travel on the world’s oceans, freedom to discover faraway lands, and freedom from the confines of ordinary living.
It takes a special person to understand this and Nautical Ventures CEO, Roger Moore, spent 13 years circumnavigating the globe, covering 42,000 nautical miles aboard his 63-foot motorsailor alone with his wife, two dogs, and a monkey. Roger’s voyage was recently captured in a podcast interview titled, An Improbable Journey and was the inspiration that led to this new sailboat division.
Over two years of planning and countless meetings with brand partners have solidified the following builders to take part in this new venture. In alphabetical order:
- Excess Catamarans
- BENETEAU First Racing Sailboats
- Hobie Cat & Sail Kayaks
- Laser Performance Sailboats
- BENETEAU Oceanis & Oceanis Yachts
- Tiwal Inflatable Sailboats
“Market studies are forecasting a solid 22%-unit growth in sales of imported sailboats for 2023,” states Roger Moore. “And of those, 20% will be multi-hulls. So, with all the brands onboard, we have our bases covered.”
The sailboat and catamaran division will be a separate entity from NVG’s powerboat side requiring its own sales staff.
Roger states, “Our current sales staff doesn’t know the difference between a jib sheet and a bed sheet. That’s why we will be employing hands-on sailors who are passionate about sailing, with sailboat sales experience, who can relate to, and service, our sailing clientele.”
Additional considerations call for its own in-water dockage, a dedicated rigging facility, a new sailing school, and an advisory board staffed by highly notable sailing professionals from a variety of marine-related industries. “I’m amazed at the number of people volunteering to be a part of this board,” says Roger.
“It appears as though the sailboat market has been an underserved and a neglected sector. When given the proper attention, combined with the right marketing, I know we can add significantly to our top line next year just from sailboats and catamarans.”
Groupe Beneteau, who builds Excess Catamarans, BENETEAU First and Oceanis ranges sailboats, has been instrumental in helping to kickstart this division. Nautical Ventures Group first joined the Groupe BENETEAU distribution network in 2018 as the BENETEAU outboard boat dealer in Southeast Florida for the newly imported product ranges of Antares and Flyers into the Americas. “The addition of the sailboat business unit is a natural step in Nautical Ventures evolution for providing fun and adventure on the water” notes Don Smith, Vice President of BENETEAU America.
Letters of intent are also being finalized with builders that offer models up to 150’ which will sit at the top of Nautical Ventures sailboat offerings. Plans are in the works to showcase these models at the 2023 Strictly Sail Show during MIBS.
Not to be overlooked are the entry level and competition level brands such as Laser, Hobie, and Tiwal, “Ask a sailor what their first sailboat was and there is a high probability it’s one of these,” claims Moore.
“There is also a strong demand for these brands among yacht clubs, sailing schools, sailing clubs, and racing organizations. We plan to partner with U.S. Sailing and the American Sailing Association and become involved with their outreach to these groups.”
“Putting aside my love for sailing and my personal affinity to this lifestyle, all the signs and market indicators, along with the support from our builders and advisors, have given me the confidence to move forward. Call me crazy, I don’t mind.” Moore continues, “I’ve been criticized for carrying a lot of what we sell, such as yacht toys, cruise ships, electric boats, etc., and they’ve all been successful.”
In closing, Roger went on to say, “We’re not just dipping our toe into the sailboat marketplace, we’re diving in headfirst.”
A statement announcing the formation of this division was made at the recent Annapolis Sail show. The planned launch date for this division, showcasing a new website and complete sales infrastructure, will coincide with the 2023 Miami International Boat Show.