Having started his Absolute dealership in Hong Kong by ordering a 45 Fly that arrived in 2014, Thomas Woo has helped develop awareness of the Italian builder in key Asian markets over the past decade.

Thomas Woo founded the Absolute Marine dealership in 2014

In 2013, Hong Kong-based Thomas Woo stepped aboard the Absolute 45 Fly, then making its global premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival, and was awed by its space-to-overall-length ratio – due in no small part to Volvo Penta’s third-generation IPS (inboard propulsion system) with joystick controls, which seemed an alluring part of the model’s appeal, along with its high-quality materials and understated elegant design.

Already a yacht broker, the draw was enough for Woo to order a unit. When the boat arrived in Hong Kong the following year, he launched Absolute Marine, which has become the Italian shipyard’s dealership for Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China and Singapore.

A decade on, a little after Absolute Marine exhibited the Navetta 52 and 64, and 56 Fly at the 2024 Hong Kong International Boat Show, as well as the Navetta 58 at the Taiwan show (both events being held from November 29-December 1), Yacht Style asked Woo about the perception of the brand in his region.

Over the past decade, how has awareness of the Absolute brand grown in your distribution region of Greater China and Singapore?

We’ve taken delivery of more than 80 Absolute yachts in Hong Kong since the first one arrived in 2014. Only a few have been sold in Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China. The Absolute brand is pretty well known by Hong Kong-based boaters, but not so much in the rest of Asia.

The Absolute Navetta 64 on display at the 2024 Hong Kong International Boat Show at Club Marina Cove

You began with the 45 Fly, then continued to distribute the Flybridge line, while also selling Navetta models. What is their specific appeal for owners in Greater China?

Absolute is well known for its use of space and large windows. As you enter an Absolute yacht, it always feels much more spacious than competitor models of similar length. Owners like this aspect.

Back in 2014, the brand introduced a side door by the lower helm that allows easy access to the bow. This remains one of the signature features of all Absolute Flybridge models.

Also in 2014, the shipyard introduced the first Navetta 58, which won many awards for its ability to cruise steadily in rough seas, and it could do this while travelling at speeds like those of a planing-hull boat. Its unique vertical-bow styling captures a lot of attention visually, and helps increase fuel efficiency by increasing the yacht’s waterline length. Also, it allows more space inside the bow cabin.

In 2017, Absolute introduced a semi-vertical-bow Flybridge – the 58 Fly – and this almost-vertical bow design became another Absolute signature that slowly migrated into the entire model range, again allowing a much more spacious bow cabin that has a forward-facing bed and large windows.

Absolute Marine displayed yachts at late-2024 boat shows in Hong Kong (pictured) and Taiwan

This, together with another new feature – the Infinity Cockpit with configurable seating arrangements and sliding, high-low foldable cockpit tables – are part of its unique styling. Plus, the brand is great value for money, which should help capture potential clients from the Greater Bay Area [in southern China, bordering Hong Kong to its north].

Do you see, or have you heard from other Absolute dealerships and owners in the region, that the attributes of the brand that appeal to Greater China also apply to other markets in the Asia-Pacific?

These competitive qualities will attract clients in other Asia-Pacific areas, just as they have done across Europe and in the US.

How do Flybridge and Navetta orders compare in Greater China, and is there interest in the Coupé line?

So far for China, I would say it’s a 50-50 split between Flybridge and Navetta orders. We’ve only had a few enquiries for the Coupé over the years and are yet to sell one. Boats with flybridges are always in much higher demand than the Coupé, as most clients look for more on-board space.

An Absolute primarily attracts clients that look for value, so the Coupé is not so easy to sell, in my market and generally. That’s also why Absolute only offers one Coupé model [the 48 Coupé].

How did the late-2024 Hong Kong and Taiwan boat shows go for you?

We had good shows in Hong Kong and Kaohsiung, and managed to get more people to understand and appreciate high quality and designs of Absolute yachts. To be on board an Absolute is the only way to truly understand how spacious, and amazing, it really is.

Absolute Marine has been receiving interest in the Navetta 70, which premiered in Cannes last September

Over the past decade or so, which has been your most in-demand model?

The Navetta 58 is our best-seller, and we’ve sold a total of 10 units. It has been just right for these owners due to its size for berthing, onboard space, style and performance.

What does the current Absolute delivery timeline look like?

To order a brand-new Absolute, it will usually be a two-year wait, and popular models will be longer.

How is your brokerage business for Absolute models?

Second-hand Absolute sales are going well, and the brand’s yachts keep their value well, too.

Is the upcoming 70 Fly an exciting prospect for your region?

It’s a bit too early to comment, as the first 70 Fly is due to debut later in 2025, but we’ve had a lot of interest in the new Navetta 70 that premiered at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2024.

What other Absolute regional news is there for 2025 and beyond?

To help promote the brand in the APAC region, we brought the 56 Fly to the 2025 Thailand International Boat Show in Phuket with the help of Lee Marine, our new Absolute dealer in Thailand. In April, we will debut the brand-new Absolute 52 Fly and Navetta 53 at the Singapore Yachting Festival (April 10-13).

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