INTERVIEW – WANG DA-FU
For an exclusive group of travelers the only Louis Vuitton case or trunk carried is a special-order item.
A PERSHING 72 IS A STRIKING PURCHASE IN ANY PLACE. IN CHINA, IT’s A US $5 MILLION SHOWSTOPPER.
For Wang Da-fu, president of Shenzhen Visun Real Estate, a property development firm, it’s an indication of things to
come.
But Wang’s obsession with the sea didn’t begin with a Pershing. Yachting is a hobby that has captured his heart and attention
for sometime – before the Pershing, he owned two other yachts. More than ten years ago, Wang, together with his friends,
experienced the joys of yachting in Australia. “At that time, I was all curiosity, lying on the deck with my friends, waiting
for the sunset. As the sun approached the horizon, the sea and the sky were no longer one colour. We could see the boundary
between them clearly. And the moment of the sunset is an unforgettable sight.”
As a result of that moment of clarity, Wang became one of the earliest yacht-owners in China. He purchased a Sea Ray
and Regal, which satisfied his newfound yachting passions for the time being. Like many people in his position, time is
the big issue. When his schedule did permit an indulgence in boating, he would go to Hong Kong, where the cruising conditions
were suitable to him.
Doing a few casual circles at sea, sharing simple food with friends, lying on the deck sunbathing or fishing – these
were the pleasures of boating that were so enticing to Wang. The Regal brand, which is geared for family use, was somewhat
small but did the job.
As his understanding of yachting increased, the desire to own a dream yacht became more pressing. With that in mind,
Wang set off on buying trip to Europe that most can only dream of. He went to Germany, France, Italy and the UK in search
of his ideal yacht. Finally, he saw the Pershing 72 and the search was over. “I fell in love at first sight,” he says.
“Before I met Pershing 72, I had tried a few other brands – British, American, Australian – but I couldn’t find that
feeling. Its (the Pershing 72’s) outward appearance seized me immediately, being so fashionable and so modern, not to mention
its capability and speed. It can only be designed by those who really understand yachting.”
Price is not the only thing making a Pershing so exclusive. If you place an order now, it won’t be delivered into your
hands until 2010. And that’s probably why Wang’s Pershing 72 was such a focus of interest during its brief stay in Hong
Kong, an excellent natural harbour where luxurious yachts are the norm. That was certainly pleasing for Wang.
