SOUTH AFRICAN CATAMARAN’S SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH AT THE MIAMI BOAT SHOW
BY MARY-CLARE TOMES
Earlier this year, South Africa quietly emerged as the world’s top producer of luxury catamarans. And the launch of the HopYacht 30 at the recent Miami International Boat Show made quite a splash, despite its whisper-quiet motors.
This all-electric pocket catamaran manufactured in Cape Town, South Africa, was one of the busiest boats on the show, with people lining up to get onboard. HopYacht has been described as “a catamaran that has ripped up the rulebook and come up with a (r)evolutionary concept: for the first time, a combination of comfort and livability has been brought together in an ultra-easy-to-handle boat just 30 feet in length.”
Designed for bay-to-bay and short island hops and fitted with a mast lowering system, the HopYacht 30 is ideally suited for the Great Loop and many other waterways across North America.
With twin electric motors requiring virtually no maintenance and a unique single sail rig, charter yacht operators also saw HopYacht as the answer to reducing downtime and operating costs.
While most catamaran builders are producing increasingly larger yachts, usually accommodating 6-12 berths, the design team at HopYacht has prioritized couples. This often-overlooked market segment can now enjoy an easy to manage yacht, even for single-handed operation, without sacrificing the luxury features and finishes found in larger catamarans.
The HopYacht concept, created by co-founders Paul and Mary-Clare Tomes, reflects their extensive sailing and chartering background. This is evident in the exceptional quality of life provided in this compact catamaran, highlighted by features like the island queen-size bed!
Visitors at the Miami Boat show were impressed by the clever use of space: “It’s a condo on water”, fully equipped with a very appealing price tag of under $300,000.
The Miami launch proved immensely successful for the HopYacht team, with orders signed at the show and a surge of enquiries spanning from Panama City to Iceland!
Keith McVeigh has been appointed as the HopYacht USA distributor, based in Fort Lauderdale. Keith brings seven years of sales experience with Leopard Catamarans, also built in South Africa, providing him with the firsthand insight into helping clients transition to a simpler sailing lifestyle. HopYacht emerges as the premier choice, addressing this demand for downsizing.
Join the HopYacht Team at the Annapolis Boat show in October, and step aboard the new HopYacht 30. But come early to avoid the crowds we experienced in Miami!
