Join World Boating Day!

Organisations in yachting, sail training, any kind of waterborne leisure activity, can still join World Boating Day. Participation is free, the specific date is an invitation for companies and clubs to host an event and share under the umbrella of this worldwide initiative. Halfway April, 39 companies and organisations had registered their event at the World Boating Day website.

Afacan explains the reasons for this global day:

“World Boating Day is still a relatively young initiative, first launched in 2024. 2026 will mark its third edition, and we’re already seeing strong momentum in terms of both industry participation and international reach.”

Are companies that organise an event on WBD actively promoting it as an annual moment?

“Yes, very much so. One of the key ambitions behind World Boating Day is to establish it as a recognised, recurring moment in the global boating calendar. We’re seeing participating companies increasingly embrace this, not just as a one-off activation, but as something they plan for and build into their annual communications and engagement strategies.”

The Superyacht Life Foundation is a driving force behind World Boating Day. What is its purpose in this context?

“At its core, the Superyacht Life Foundation exists to open up the superyacht industry and tell its story in a more accessible and transparent way. World Boating Day plays a central role in that. It’s about creating a coordinated moment where the entire boating industry collectively opens its doors, whether physically or through storytelling, to showcase the people, skills and innovation behind it. It moves the conversation beyond perception and gives a broader audience a clearer understanding of what the industry really represents.”

Does the event add value for participating companies?

"Absolutely. For many companies, it’s a unique opportunity to engage with audiences they wouldn’t normally reach, whether that’s media, local communities or future talent. It also allows them to position themselves within a wider, global narrative, rather than communicating in isolation. There’s a collective strength to World Boating Day that amplifies individual efforts."

How is Metstrade involved, and what effect will this have?

“The involvement of Metstrade is incredibly valuable, particularly in broadening the scope of World Boating Day beyond superyachts into the wider boating and marine equipment sector. It brings additional visibility, credibility and reach, and helps connect different parts of the industry under one shared initiative. That kind of alignment is exactly what will allow World Boating Day to continue growing as a meaningful global moment.”

Brand Marketing Strategist Merle Eggink from Metstrade adds:

“The concept of World Boating Day is very important for the boating industry. Despite the fact that Metstrade is one of the driving forces to promote World Boating Day, we have never been able to host an event ourselves. Our show is in November and we exhibit only supplier products and no complete boats and yachts. We still want to contribute, to present a positive image of leisure boating. As an industry platform, we are constantly pushing for sustainability, equality and innovation in this sector. Showcasing local initiatives around the world is a very positive way to showcase the positive impact of this industry. This is how this sector is: worldwide, locally engaged and close to their customers.”
 

“The Metstrade team will take a tour of the Amsterdam Canals on World Boating Day. We expect to experience the joy, the value and the sustainability of being on the water this day. We will be in the boats of Plastic Whale, boats that are made from recycled plastics that have been ‘fished’ out of the very canals that we are cruising. And we will be fishing for stray plastic waste that is in the canals ourselves. Plastic Whale has set up a sound recovery and re-use program for plastic waste. Also this initiaitve is not a big global action, but a small scale, positive influence at local level that has proven to result in clean canals and promotes recycling by having a fun day. This is what World Boating Day aims to communicate. As Metstrade, we wholeheartedly support that.”