THE vast hall of Shanghai Exhibition Centre became a port for showy yachts from April 8 to 11. The cool, exquisite and expensive machines that berthed there attracted thousands of people with the shared dream of one day heading out to sea in a boat.

　　The 250 exhibitors from top shipyards and international luxury yacht manufacturers made the show the largest of its kind in Asia.

　　The exhibition of pricey boats was an indicator of the growing popularity of yachting in China. Yacht brands such as Ferretti, Bayliner and Sunseeker may soon join Rolls Royce, Porche and Cadillac as household names for those with a taste for high living.

　　The debut of the F1 motorboat race, held on the Yangtze River last year, helped spark people's enthusiasm for boating and water sports.

　　The exhibitors were happy to find so many people crowding around the boats who could actually afford the price of the expensive machines. The Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported that 90 per cent of the exhibitors received orders at the show.

　　"When I participated in my first yacht exhibition in the city in 2000, my friends thought it was a stupid thing to do because few people had any interest in yachts at that time," said Shen Dawei, from Jingyang Automobile and Yacht Company.

　　The rising demand for yachts showed Shen had been right to ignore the negative advice. Over the past five years, Shen's company has sold more 70 yachts from more than 30 brands.

　　Yachting has become part of the luxurious lifestyle pursued by the rich in China. Shen's customers are mainly successful businessmen between the ages of 25 and 45.

　　"They like sports events and Western lifestyles. They work hard and try to maintain a high quality of life," said Shen.

　　"Foreign brands are their first choice. They usually pay cash."

　　"When I told my friends I had been tired of golf, they told me to try yachts," said Wang Tianhao, a businessman from Taiwan. "They said it was the most fashionable sport in Shanghai now."

　　Yachting has become the newest - and the most expensive - leisure activity among rich Chinese and Shanghai-based officials from international organizations.

　　Fun on the water

　　With the significant development of yachting facilities along its coastline, lakes and rivers, China has seen a rising numbers of pleasure boats. Since the first yachting club was established by a foreigner 100 years ago in Shanghai, the number had risen to more than 130 by 2003. In 1997 there were only 30.

　　The American Mercury Club, located on East China's Taihu Lake is one of the largest in China.

　　The club has 144 berths, about 400 registered members and about 30 private yachts.

　　With a membership fee of more than 130,000 yuan (US$15,700), it is not likely that many ordinary people will apply for membership in the club.

　　"Only the rich, especially billionaires, can afford a yacht in China," said Xue Hua, an employee in a local bank. "I do not think I will buy one in my lifetime. It is out of my reach."

　　"Yachts will become another object of consumption after apartments and automobiles," said Xu Peihua, an expert from Fudan University.

　　"Boating will become an important leisure activity in the future. It will help people develop a new and fashionable lifestyle," said Xu.

　　Additional opportunities

　　The local government is taking steps to encourage the new activity. Shanghai will build five marinas by 2010, at the mouth of the Yangtze River, on Dianshan Lake and along the coastline. The marinas near the downtown will have berths for about 10,000 yachts by 2010. Presently, most private yachts berth in Suzhou or on Taihu Lake.

　　The 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai will create additional opportunities for the yachting industry. Shanghai aims to rebuild itself as a town on the river. The rivers winding through the city should have been cleansed of much of their rubbish and waste water by then.

　　The waterways linking Shanghai to neighbouring Suzhou and Hangzhou should also be available to recreational sailors in the future.

　　A large amount of money will be required to clean up the river and the city also plans to invest 6 billion yuan (US$724 million) in building yachts and yachting facilities.

　　The number of yachts could reach 1,000 by 2010 and even

　　10,000 by 2020, according to the city's plan concerning the 2010 World Expo.

　　There are plans to build China's largest yacht docking facilities on the coast of nearby Zhoushan Islands. With its island scenery and fishing grounds, Zhoushan aims to transform itself into a yachting centre for Shanghai.

　　Nanjing, another important city in the Yangtze River Delta, plans to build yachting facilities along its riverfront, including a five-storey complex to be used for yacht exhibitions, conferences and other recreational events.

　　Southeast China's Xiamen City will build an international yachting centre able to berth 900 yachts. The project will include entertainment facilities and a five-star hotel.

　　The first training class for boat operators is scheduled for late May. The first class of 20 will learn how to operate luxury boats on the Yangtze River, with successful graduates receiving licences to operate boats on the nearby waterways.

　　Experts have expressed concern about the competence of private boaters to navigate the Suzhou and Huangpu rivers, which are already crowded with ships, ferries and barges.