Beaulieu BoatJumble ...what is happening

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gary3029

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was it just me or is the boat jumble turning into a large car/van boot sale. Granted there were a minority of stalls that sold quality second hand gear, but on the whole I had to search between total c**p and stalls selling new tea towels etc. I got a few bits but I expected alot more boat jumble there. Also how can they justify £7.50 for fish and chips!! I think beaulieu next year will be off my boat jumble list
 
Going the way of most Boat Jumbles by the sound of it. Been off my list for many years - too big, too expensive, little worth buying.

Most 'Jumbles' nowadays seem to be mostly traders getting rid of surplus stock at near normal retail prices anyway, and with a bit of luck without consumer comeback if things go wrong.
 
In One Word "eBay" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
More choice time to give the item all the looking at you need and delivered to your door.
"Simple"
Our "NBJ" last month was a wash out all thou it did not rain on the day only half the stalls most of them where packing up by 1230. and not many bargains to be found. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Hello there. . . I have never been to the boat jumble, and had pleasant ideas of a great place to find good bits. Why I write is to say that I am new into the boat game( restoring a Royal Navy Fast Motor Dinghy-1953), but before, I used to build and race old MGs. I had a stall at the Autojumble in September for about 20 years, but the event steadily turned into a poor shadow of it's former self. . .ie- very few real private enthusiasts. . . .specialist professional stalls who had sucked up all the bits from us, . . divided into stalls for each section. . .and set the prices.-to suit them of course. Add to this the rubbishy trash stalls, kids model stalls etc etc, and it became no fun at all. Believe me we had had great times, but I'm afraid that was the end of the post-war clearout, and everything now has an official price. You might as well cruise the ebay or the professionals in their shops. . . .OR. . . . .make it yourself !
to answer your query Gary. . . . .that's whats happening.
sad but true.. . .it's even worse in France. believe me.
 
I went once 13 yeaqrs ago, to get a load of bits and pieces, mainly winches and stuff, to re-rig my boat, havent been back, it was great then, but by accounts of my mates rubbish now, with very few "bits" of interest to me or my mates, they have stopped going.
 
Yes what you say is very true.
I have a friend who is an "Alvis" fanatic, I take him in our horse box to the "Alvis International" with bits for his one and only annual stall to sell. We have been to many Auto Jumbles all over the country him looking for Alvis, me looking for boaty and Ford "D" series bits and they are all going the same way.
"Newark auto jumble" used to be very good but now even it's a waste of time and to expensive.
So eBay becomes the leveller.
 
Some friends of mine have dismissed Bealieu as 'for tourists' for ages, and persuaded me to go to Essex Boat Jumble instead this year. In truth, I thought there was even less on offer at Essex, but I bought two Swallows and Amazons books (in my favourite editions - the early paperback Penguins with the schematic drawings on the front cover), and an oil lamp (for the sitting room!). So not that nautical - but good fun, and it's small enough to run into people you know and have a catch up. Ebay may have a bigger economy than Kuwait (apparently that's actually true), but boat jumbles are still much better fun, esp if you combine the drive home with a good pub supper somewhere...
 
We tried Essex BJ after giving up on Kent BJ. Essex was even worse - 75% professional stalls and 25% rubbish. No atmosphere and ridiculous food prices.

Sad cos a trip to a BJ was something to look forward to
 
Well I'd beg to differ, to some extent. I got myself a brand new Waeco fridge kit, swindlery price in excess of 400 squids, for 135, a tilley for 10 and some reasonable bins with a compas thingy in for 25.

Yes, there's a lot of crap, but if you have a good eye and a bit of patience, it can yield some good stuff. I say crap as is in both 'reduced' or 'jumble offers' new stuff that is actually about normal rrp (take a few catalogues along to compare if in doubt!) and people selling broken navlight lenses, an assorted box of used brass screws and the bowl from a pre-war baby blakes...

But I think this is part of the fun of it. Really not that impressed by ebay, not much cheaper than online swindleries, and if you're looking for something unusual, you have to be very patient and very lucky - bit like jumbles really, but without the mud.

oh and the food prices they can justify by the fact that so many people buy it! that's economics for ya... personally I take sandiwiches and treat myself to an over priced tea if I'm feeling flush. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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