China's water sports industry buoyed by affordable luxury

A yacht is displayed at the 21st China (Shanghai) International Boat Show, April 7, 2016.

Hangzhou Winner Kayak Manufacturing Co Ltd has been serving this relatively new segment since 1995. For long, exports were its mainstay, contributing 95 percent of annual sales revenue. Its customers are based mainly in North America, Europe and Australia, and its distribution offices are in Canada and Germany where water sports are popular.

China presents many challenges to water sports. The quality of waters in many parts of China is considered imperfect for such activities. Then there are difficulties like ordinary private sector sports management skills and inadequate storage facilities for water sports equipment like kayaks. That's not all. Even if consumers are willing to spend money to have a high-quality lifestyle, quick or timely delivery of things like kayaks has not exactly been the hallmark of Chinese manufacturers.

But all that may change now, according to Hangzhou Winner Kayak. The company sees a slow but discernible rise in interest in water-based activities among lifestyle-conscious Chinese consumers. In response, the company has moved its headquarters from Ningbo to Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, to be closer to its potential customers and distribution network.

"Kayaks are very affordable now for ordinary consumers. One can get a good kayak for about 1,000 yuan ($154) to 2,000 yuan. Maintenance is also easy. The user only has to wipe it dry and clean each time and the kayak can be in a good shape for 10 years. It is really economical, compared with bigger fishing boats, let alone luxury yachts that cost more than 10 million yuan apiece," said Mei Yuan, sales manager of Winner Kayak.