BUSINESS

Dreaming of the Open Ocean

Naos Yachts hosts biannual open house and sale

By Leah Schwartz

Naos Yachts held its biannual open house and sale at the Marina del Rey Harbor on Saturday, Dec. 10. Twice a year, the premium sailboats and powerboats dealer props selected boats up on shore to display for prospective buyers. “We try to organize little boat shows because, unfortunately, on the West Coast, we don’t have many here in this part of the United States,” said Christine Pernin, Naos’ director of marketing and communication. The show displayed five cruising boats from French sailboat and motorboat manufacturer Beneteau’s Oceanis range: model 30.1, 38.1, 40.1, 46.1, and 51.1. “They’re beautiful, quite luxurious, brand new boats built in France,” Pernin said. “They’ve been sailing in oceans around the world for years and years, they’re very safe. So that’s why we are showcasing them today.” Naos Yachts was founded in Los Angeles in 2009 by offshore racer Charles-Etienne Devanneau, known as “Charly,” who races professionally and has been sailing since he was a little boy in Brittany, France. Naos is the leading sailboat brokerage and dealership on the West Coast, with four offices throughout California and one in Hawaii. Last month, Naos opened its newest office in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to the boats on display during the open house, Naos offers a selection of luxury sailboats from Beneteau sailboats’ First & Oceanis lines, and power boats from Beneteau’s power line, Antares & Flyers. Naos is also the exclusive Californian dealer for Amel Yachts, Wellcraft, Four Winns, Lagoon Catamarans, and Neel Trimarans. For those who are interested in purchasing a boat but aren’t confident in their sailing skills, Naos has a sailing school with an internationally recognized ASA curriculum. They also offer a membership program in partnership with Sailtime that lets patrons take out boats from Marina del Rey, Channel Islands, and San Pedro Harbors. Naos doesn’t just sell boats, but the promise of adventure. Pernin chronicled the voyages of a few customers. “They might be in Panama, crossing to the Caribbean, or going around the Pacific,” she said. “It’s the dream, right? I know some people who go every winter to Mexico, to the Sea of Cortez or even La Paz, which is nice and warm when it’s cold in the Sea of Cortez. So a lot of people do that in the winter.”

Naos Yachts

13555 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey 310-821-8446 naosyachts.com Naos Yachts hosted its winter Open House on Dec. 10 in Marina del Rey to preview the Beneteau Oceanis Range of boats.