The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS) 2010 opened to loud praise yesterday in its stunning new home of the UAE capital’s Yas Marina. The show has a line‐up of 30 of the world’s most impressive superyachts and some 140 exhibitors representing international megayacht industry. The show is tipped to be one of the top three superyacht shows along with Monaco and Fort Lauderdale.

There was also an announcement at the show of the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC)  impressive marina projects. The yacht show is being held on Yas Island between February 25-27, 2010. The show is featuring TDIC's four marinas, two of which will be located in its developments across Abu Dhabi city - specifically in the Eastern Mangroves and in Al Bateen Wharf.

Saadiyat Island's marinas, the Marina Village on Saadiyat Beach and Saadiyat Marina were also displayed proving Abu Dhabi's committment to the marine leisure industry and marina tourism.

Saadiyat Marina will have berths for more than1,000yachts and visitors will have access to cafés and chic boutique arcades.

Marina Village located in the Saadiyat Beach District, will open as a 83-berth marina in 2012.

A 31m-long motorboat powered entirely by the sun, the PlanetSolar, is set to embark on a circumnavigation in 2011.

She was designed by PlanetSolar and built by Knierim in Kiel, and is claimed to be the largest solar-powered boat in the world.  The 500 square metres of solar panels will cover almost all the upper surfaces of the boat, which, together with her wave piercing technology, should enable her to cruise at an average speed of 8 knots.

Seatrials are expected to begin in late March, and she is scheduled to make her 40,000km voyage around the world via the Panama and Suez canals piloted by a two man crew in 2011. The voyage will begin and end in the Mediterranean

Source Knierim yacht Club in Kiel

Sunseeker has announced that they will hold an open day at their poole headquarters on the 26th, 27th, and 28th of February between the hours of 10 and 4

The list of boats on display during the boat show include;

NEW 48 Portofino

52 Manhattan

54 Predator

60 Predator

60 Manhattan

74 Predator

108 Predator Special Edition

88 Yacht

74 Predator

70 Manhattan

Experienced Sunseeker sales, brokerage, service and sea school teams will also be on hand to assist and advise guests on purchasing, owning and enjoying a Sunseeker motor yacht.

Sales Director, Christopher Head: "We are looking forward to introducing guests and visitors to Poole the benefits of Sunseeker ownership at this unique Pre-Season Open Weekend. As a company, we pride ourselves on being specialists in every aspect of boat ownership - whether our clients opt for a new or pre-owned Sunseeker motor yacht, we will work closely with them to ensure that their Sunseeker purchasing and ownership experience is second to none."

for more details on the show click here

The multi purpose training facility designed for the Royal Yachting Association at Osprey Quay, Portland has been officially handed over.

RYA Portland House will be the centre of performance sailing in the run up to and during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is the latest stage in the development of Osprey Quay where an investment of £40 million will transform the former Royal Navy Air Base. The marina and sailing facilities will provide future generations fantastic facilities in the Portland and Weymouth area.

Simpson Bay Marina on the island of Sint Maartens is World Marine Guides latest Caribbean marina to be added to our growing list.

This tropical island is split into French and Dutch sides with Simpson Bay Marina being in the Dutch part on the southern side if the island. The marina is roun by the IGY group and is a modern facility offering excellent and safe berths.

For more information click here

If you have more information on this marina contact nick@worldmarineguide.com at www.worldmarineguide.com

Located in the 180-acre Haulover Park in North Miami Beach, Florida Haulover Point Fuel Dock and Marina has been added to the World Marine Guide list of American marinas.

This location is a highly sought after destination point, it is the closest marina to the inlet and also has some of the most spectacular fishing in the United States. For more information on this marina click here

Thank you to Daniel Lane for submitting the marina.

Punta Lagoa Marina has been added to our new location on Spains Costa Cantabrica and Gallega.

Punta Lagoa Marina is a new and modern marina nestled into the hillside of Parque de la Guia that offers most services that a visiting yacht requires and it is just a few kilometres drive to the city of Vigo. The city is the largest in Galicia and is a renown centre for art.

To read more on this marina Click here

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) has already signed up its 150th entrant even though it doesn't start until November. The ARC 2010 currently has an upper limit of 215 yachts, which is likely to be reached in April, due to the restrictions of available berths in Las Palmas Marina, Grand Canaria. This years ARC will be the 25th proving it to be a popular way to cross the Atlantic from the Canary Islands.
 
Commenting on the popularity of the ARC, director of World Cruising Club, Andrew Bishop, said: "The ARC is special and for many cruising sailors it is the "must-do" event on their cruising calendar, whilst for others it provides the inspiration they need to help them achieve their ambitions to set off bluewater cruising."

Read more on the ARC 2010 at World Marine Guide

Bridgetown port marina has been added to World Marine Guides growing list of Caribbean marinas. Barbados, often the first landfall for yachts after an Atlantic crossing, it is also a great place to visit for yachts cruising the Lesser Antillies.

The marina has most facilities and there is a very well run yacht club. Bridgetown has all the shopping needed and great entertaiment for crews from rum shops to high class restaurants.

Abu Dhabi is to increase the number of yacht berths and marinas as part of its long term tourism strategy. Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority made the announcement ahead of the second Abu Dhabi Yacht Show set to take place in March.

The plan is to create approximately 45 marinas of various sizes, in the anticipation that in the future there could be as many as 10,000 recreational craft in the emirate. Currently there are about 1,600 berths available in six marinas.

Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan said, "Marine leisure is expected to play an increasingly important role in advancing Abu Dhabi's tourism growth. This is a very natural lifestyle for us as Abu Dhabi is blessed with over 400km of coastline, over 200 islands and a rich marine life".

Some of the biggest projects in Abu Dhabi have marina components and a large development in the pipeline aims to turn Mina Zayed into a super-yacht marina to be known as Marina Zayed.

source www.abudhabiyachtshow.com