China's water sports industry buoyed by affordable luxury

Models pose at the opening of the 21st China (Shanghai) International Boat Show, April 7, 2016.[Photo/VCG]

In China as elsewhere, yacht buyers tend to be affluent company owners, the so-called rich second generation, she said. They buy yachts to entertain their customers or show off their wealth.

But most kayak users are young people who love outdoor activities. "As passion for sports and health rises among the Chinese, the number of kayak users will likely rise. Now is the time to invest in this sector," said Mei.

She may well have a point. This year's boat show saw a number of inflatable boats. Bigger ones (length: 3.6 meters; width: 1.74 meters) retail for about 7,000 yuan each.

Weihai Noah Yacht Co Ltd participated in this year's boat show and demonstrated its inflatable boats. According to Gao Wei, sales manager of the company, outdoor activities such as weekend fun on inflatable boats represent a "cool and chic" lifestyle.

And they present a good business opportunity, you may want to add. Weihai Noah Yacht's 2015 turnover rose 30 percent on the back of robust domestic sales, a contrast to the past when exports reigned supreme.

"For some of our inflatable boats, the bottom is made up of three aluminum alloy boards. The body of the boat is inflatable. Therefore, the user can easily pack the boat in the trunk or into a fishing bag. Most of our users have bought it for the purpose of fishing. Unlike the bigger boats, the most attractive point of inflatable boats is the price. Of course, there is no trouble of maintenance or management," she said.