Modern boats have just about everything onboard, from the latest technology to help navigate rough waters to entertainment facilities. (JP/Stevie Emilia)

For those of you who are bored with racing with your flashy sport cars or jetting around the world to play golf, maybe it's time to consider getting a yacht.

People might have different reasons for buying a boat and setting sail off into the sunset -- be it for a romantic getaway, adventure or to get some privacy.

Family bonding was the reason behind 45-year-old financial advisor Jeffrey Kwan's decision to buy a Chaparral Signature 350 cruiser, an elegant and spacious craft with a side-entry main cabin and an adult-size cabin that can accommodate up to six adults.

"I was looking for a diverse lifestyle, something which can take me away from the hectic city life. And more importantly, I bought the boat for my family," he was quoted as saying in the Boat Asia supplement.

And the boat has changed his lifestyle -- just as he wished.

"My family and friends have been able to bond because we now spend quality time on the boat," said Kwan, who was planning an excursion with his loved ones to regular boat haunts like Tioman in Malaysia and Phuket, Thailand this year.

"Previously, there were many unknown boating grounds to me. Now, I have so much fun discovering them," Kwan said.

For Herman Ho, managing director of Boat Asia's organizer TMX Show Productions, boating reminded him of his old but fond memories from his university days.

While navigating his Lady Kim on Singapore's waters, he recalled the day he purchased his first boat from a family friend at S$1 -- simply to make the deal, and the change of ownership, legal.

The boat was old and in poor shape and he only got to use it for less than a year before having to scrap it to pieces. "But I love boating, that's why I bought this boat," said Ho, who named his new boat after his wife.

For Tim and Chemine Peters from the U.S., their head-turning sport yacht Sea Ray 44 Sundancer, which they bought in May last year, serves as weekend getaway.

Having lived on lakes and owned boats when they were back in Texas, the Peters are used to a waterfront lifestyle. But still, the parents of two teenage boys say they head for their boat every chance they get, even if it's only to sit on it in the evenings and on weekends, or to take their boat -- fondly named Mi Amante or Spanish for "My Lover" -- out on the open water.

"There are lots of rivers and many places to explore, you can even get lost! It's also a great place to fish and the water is gorgeous," Tim said in the Boat Asia supplement, adding he also took his boys out on special "guys fishing trips" where they enjoyed deep-sea fishing or just dropping and casting.

Boating has also charmed Sharon Friberg, TMX's director of public relations. She said she had been looking for a boat of her own for sometime, simply because both her and her husband love the sea.

"When you set sail out to the sea, you can spend quality time with your family. There's no computer games or other (distractions)," said the mother of a three-year-old daughter. "It's a family investment."

-- JP/Stevie Emilia

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