Yachts, an expensive favorite boat of the rich to sail for leisure and sport activities, are now made in Ho Chi Minh City for export.
The shipyard, located by the Saigon River in District 7, is run by the Corsair Marine International Company.
A representative of the company said that five yachts are currently under construction, and will be exported to the US, Germany, France and Holland. Each of them is around 12m long and up to 10m wide when stretched out. The sea craft comfortably contains room for 5-7 people.
The yachts are very popular in the sailing community for their versatile operation. Despite its price amounting to hundreds of thousands of US Dollars, no one knows that they are “Made in Vietnam”.
“We are proud to be builders of such expensive yachts, and long to see Made in Vietnam boats docking at international beaches”, said Tran Huu Hanh, a worker of the company.
Since the beginning of 2009, Corsair Marine International has produced six yachts for American and Australian customers.
Jame Gus, an engineer, said that an average yatch in the US costs at least US$ 250,000, while it costs only half that price if it is built in Vietnam. At present, the five yachts built in the shipyard were commissioned at prices of US$ 50,000-90,000 each.
It is hard work to make one yacht, especially those for racing, because of strict technical requirements. In addition to a requirement of running smoothly on water, a yacht needs a very solid hull to stand against external collisions while it looks charming and attractive.
The boat hull is always the most important part in the building of a yatch.
The secret is how to combine composite materials with carbon fibers, said Engineer Jame.
Carbon fibers are soft, but once mixed with composite and several other chemical substances, they will give a solid but light structure, he added.
Vietnam has been a favorite destination for many international yacht racing tournaments. However, the sport is still new to the country, but is expected to receive a huge promotional boost when Made in Vietnam yachts become available.
Source: TN
Translated by Hoang Anh