As seen in Autogridz Magazine: Autogridz November 2014

An issue ago we delved into Pen Marine and touched a little on their, frankly, exhaustive knowledge on yachts. The learning curve is very steep, and even after exploring Pen Marine’s shipyard and multiple cups of coffee with the detailed Mr Oh Kean Shen and his passionate daughter Ms Oh Shi Lin, the team at Autogridz have barely breached the waves of seafaring and all the indulgences it has to offer.

From the fibreglass layers of hulls to the unfathomable customisation options of its interiors, it seems that the more we knew, the more there was to know. The ownership experience is exceptional to each buyer, and a comprehensive knowledge is required to advice each individual, hence the familiarity and ease by which Mr Oh delivered information.

And it isn’t just the volume of information he conveyed – it was the manner as well. As a head of the leading name in pleasure boating in Malaysia, he was surprisingly friendly and forthcoming, and this is undoubtedly one of the keys to Pen Marine’s success. Potential patrons and partners that go to Pen Marine are met with this affable, personal nature, and the dedicated team at Pen Marine are more than eager to enlighten them, just like they did us.

It is with this attitude, a desire to bring more awareness to the yachting industry in our country as a whole, that the team at Pen Marine decided to organise the biggest yachting event in Malaysia: Nautical Lifestyle.

Nautical Lifestyle 2014 will be located at Straits Quay, Penang, with a focus on educating and instructing a wider audience on the different aspects of yacht ownership, the seafaring lifestyle, and the countless finer details of these crafts.

According to Mr Oh, learning about yachts and boats is always daunting for the uninitiated, simply because one does not know what one does not know. The purpose of Nautical Lifestyle is to provide a platform that is welcoming to all, and then learning about these exquisite vessels is simply a matter of asking the right questions.

According to the team, the first three questions that should always be asked are the yacht’s size, the type of its hull, and the horsepower of its engine – all of which are very relatable to automotive enthusiasts.

Moreover, to introduce the public to the usually discreet world of pleasure vessels, Pen Marine has arranged for a handsome Princess 88 Motor Yacht to be moored at the Straits Quay Marina.

It’s a beautiful name, Princess. Is there a more apt name for a company that makes beautiful yachts?

The number in its name designates the length of the craft, 88 feet (26.82m), and it is classified at a superyacht. Vessels can range from 39 feet, all the way up to more than 150 feet; the biggest yacht that Princess makes is has a length of 130 feet.

As for the Princess 88, it is moderate in size; a perfect in between, and Pen Marine has wisely selected it to go on show for the event.

What about those three essential questions? The first is answered, and interestingly, the Princess 88 has a hybrid hull that makes it ideal for long-distance comfortable cruising and speedy port-to-port travel; it has a top speed of about 30 knots (55.56km/h). As for its engine, there are three options available. They are all diesel variants, and come in pairs – the most powerful pair pushes out 2 x 1925hp.

Owning a yacht isn’t stratospherically expensive either. The Princess 43, for example, starts at RM2.4 million; that’s about the price of a Bentley Continental, or a Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta. It is still a level of luxury to which many can only aspire, but it isn’t as unattainable as buying a plot of land in the middle of Manhattan.

It really is a case of the more you know, the more you don’t. What exactly is the hull made of? Why are the engines so powerful? And why is the yacht made specifically at 88 feet? You’ll have to find out more from the Pen Marine team at Nautical Lifestyle, as we will.

Nautical Lifestyle 2014 will start on the 21st of November (Friday) and will continue through the weekend until the 24th (Monday). Straits Quay in Penang will host the event, and its beautiful waterfront will house the Princess 88, as well as the many yachts that will bring its owners to the event.

There will be more than just gorgeous boats at the event as well. Nautical Lifestyle brings together various other renowned names from a myriad of other industries. Hap Seng Land will present its premium new development, Nadi Bangsar, and Amee Philips will also showcase their exclusive jewellery.

McLaren Kuala Lumpur will have an exhibit of their amazing supercars throughout the event, and finally libations will be contributed by Luen Heng F & B, who represents brands like Stella Artois and Dalmore. It is a lifestyle event, after all, and Pen Marine has brought together many more names and brands to make this event truly unforgettable.

We will have more of Pen Marine and the many nautical names under its umbrella, like Princess, Grand Banks, Leopard Catamarans, and Heesen Yachts on our pages in the coming months as we continue to explore the world of pleasure boating. Nautical Lifestyle beckons, and we’ll definitely be in Penang in November, where we’ll delve deeper to learn more of these splendid ocean-faring vessels.