Yachts and pleasure craft industry in Poland
After 1989, Polish yachting industry underwent very fast and dynamic development. Poland became one of the world leaders in production of boats and yachts. In the record-breaking 2008, over 22,000 vessels left Polish yacht dockyards.
Polish yachting industry was consolidating between 1990-2012, as regards technology, designs, production methods and flagship products such as:
– luxury vessels produced to customer specifications (9 to over 60 m long)
– luxury catamarans, both sail and power
– large mono-hull power yacht (up to 25 m long)
– middle-sized and small yachts of vessel operators for sailing, on channels, rivers and lakes
– sailing boats, simplicity of operation and very good behavior on water (5 to 14 m long)
– motor boats for weekend trips and angling (4 to 8 m long)
– housing boats
The Polish yachting industry is ready now to build almost any yacht imagined by the owner, regardless of the materials, size and technology. In accordance with centuries-old boating knowledge, wooden yachts are often produced, yet yachts can also be made from aluminum, steel and carbon fibers, as well as from the most popular material, polyester resin with glass fibers.
The range of products of Polish yacht constructors is very wide, several dozens of models, of length varying from 3 to over 30 m. Sailing boats include centerboard yachts, ballasted yachts and centerboard-ballasted yachts, as well as modern solutions, such as hydraulically-powered dagger-boards. They are designed for inshore and inland sailing. Certain wonderful constructions allow sailors to go on ocean voyages on boats shorter than 8 m, or on voyage around the world on boats not longer than 9 m. Bigger construction allow for very comfortable and safe sailing any time and anywhere, in any conditions and at any latitude. Perfect behavior on the water, simplicity of operation and good performance results are the main characteristics of these yachts.
Motor boats, with over 300 different models in the range, include:
– luxurious mono-hulls and catamarans which may successfully compete with world-leading producers
– average-sized vessels that allow for sailing with family and friends, with excellent and comfortable equipment on one hand and everything needed for angling or water sports on the other
– very distinct fishing boats for all possible basins and types of fishing
Transport and working boats constitute a separate category, including among others small ships for tourist transport and working boats for harbors and marinas.
Vessels produced in Poland are successfully competitive, in many segments of the market; both cost-effective boats priced at few thousand Euro and very luxurious yachts the value of which reaches 10 million Euro. Undoubtedly, the most significant part of the production is boats priced between 20 to 150 thousand Euro. The average value of a yacht produced in Poland nowadays amounts to 50-60 thousand Euro and grows systematically every year. The boats produced are renowned in the industry for their high quality and perfect workmanship and finish. Attention to detail and constant introduction of new patterns are definitely the key to success.
The recent years in the development of the yachting industry are particularly interesting, as new technologies of communication and materials blend with each other. The offered construction may thus function flawlessly with the full application of the most modern solutions for motor, navigation systems and electronic systems for yacht control, including wireless technologies, automation and remote control. Materials technologies introduced in the recent years improve endurance and technical parameters, as carbon fibers and new lamination techniques are implemented. These innovations permit constantly to improve performance, as well as functional and aesthetic parameters of new boat and yacht models. On the other hand, precise machining and handmade details assure the buyer of high quality of the final product.
All the above mentioned elements are definitely contributors to the success of Polish products in the international yachting market. Polish yachts were often awarded during international fairs, for inattentiveness and construction. They were often nominated to be the best yacht, sailboat or motor boat of the year.
Polish boating industry consists of several hundreds of companies which specialize in yacht, motorboat or sailboat production. It is a very important branch of economy, particularly important for traditionally less industrial regions. Polish shipbuilding industry naturally concentrates in areas of the strongest boating traditions. 80% of production plants are concentrated in the northern and north-western part of the country.
