The SA Boating Industry has a total worth of over R1.2-billion per year and grew at an average rate of 10 % per year between 1995 and 2005.

Boatbuilders in South Africa:
• There are 82 boatbuilders in the country of which 73% are based in the Western Cape. Other manufacturing hubs are the Durban area and St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape.
• The three largest manufacturers, based in Cape Town, represent over 60% of the market, both in terms of turnover and volume.
• These manufacturers each employ over 100 staff members. There are also at least 12 companies employing less than 50 staff members each.
• 4 200 people are directly employed by the boating sector and in excess of 4 000 are employed indirectly.

The three most dominant companies in the local sector are:
• Robertson and Caine, a charter catamaran manufacturer, both power and sail
• GUNBOAT, a high tech composite performance catamaran manufacturer
• Southern Wind Shipyards, a semi-custom monohull sailing yacht manufacturer

Products:
• Catamarans, both power and sail, are the South African industry's largest export sector. Export catamarans range in size and scope from the basic 30-foot charter version to the much anticipated, high tech GUNBOAT 90 (due to be launched at the end of 2009)
• South Africa manufactures 28 % of the world’s catamarans, in the sizes ranging from 30- to 40-feet
• South Africa also manufactures and export large monohulls, RIBS, sportfishing vessels and kayaks and canoes.
• Southern Wind, one of the country's premier yacht manufacturers, represents about 10 % of the world’s semi-custom monohull sailing yachts of 100-foot and over
• Local companies are leaders in the field of light commercial and patrol vessels, supplying craft to the Middle East, the New Zealand Navy and many African countries.
• We also manufacture a wide range of ski boats and runabouts. They are very popular in the local market. Manufacturers within this sector are consistently expanding their production lines to meet growing customer demands.

Export markets:
• Our largest export markets for catamarans are the USA and the Caribbean, especially the British Virgin Islands. We are the preferred catamaran supplier to the two largest charter fleets in the world, The Moorings and Sunsail.
• South Africa also exports to the Middle East, Europe, Africa, South East Asia and Australia.
• We are also exploring new markets, including South Korea, China, Croatia and Thailand.

Imports:
• We import primarily large powerboats and motor yachts, over 25-foot.
• The most popular brands are Princess Yachts, Cranchi, Bavaria, Sunseeker, Mustang and Rodman.

These figures were compiled in 2005. The Cape Town Boatbuilding Industry is in the process of researching new statistics and will release these in the next few months.

Contact info@ctbi.co.za for more information.