Been to the Show yet?

[david_e]

Have you seen anything really interesting/exciting? Any unusual things that are a must see/visit? Visited any particularly awkward/obnoxious stands to avoid. Feed it back for us poor souls who can't get there till next week-end, thanks.

 

[tony_brighton]

Going on Sunday - expecting it to be exactly the same as last year - not enough boats, too much 'kit', way to many people, not enough facilities! Can't wait till they move to the Docklands when it might turn into a really useful show like Southampton.

Still if I get surprised by something new and interesting I'll pass it on.

 

[Guest]

Why the whinge about too much kit? I'd have thought that most boat owners are interested in improvements for their boat rather than wasting the salesman's time looking at boats they could not possibly afford.

Also, your're missing the point of the whole thing. It's a midwinter fix for salt water junkies and a chance to catch up on the gossip. Loll about in the Guiness bar long enough and you will meet every sailor you've ever known.

 

[Gerry]

Yup - just got back.
The place wasn't that busy and even found places to sit down from time to time!
What's new? The Hallberg Rassy 43 claims to be but to be honest I didn't find it very exciting. More of the same really. Interesting to talk to the computer communication nerds on the upper floor.Their prices still seem to be way too high and the specifications alittle woolly. Possibly still need to wait a bit until they really get their act together. Lots of software for sale but the domes still too big for a 40 footer.
Easier to get on board the upmarket boats than the plastic fantastics! Sign of the times? Oyster very friendly and happy for us to sticky beak for as long as we wanted-kids dragged us round the Fairline motor cruisers where we were given our warmest welcome ofthe day! Told the kids o dream on or marry for money!
Lots of stands still don't have enough informed sales assistants- really frustrating to try and discuss technical issues with somebody who usually answers the phone-I know they have to field the punters but it felt somewhat 'thin' this year.
Must sees include Kingfisher and Ellens first liveaboard from which she upgraded to a portakabin!
Loads of boats this year but all very similar apart from the makers name and the colour of the upholstery!
Partner delighted to accost an unsuspecting Tom Cunliffe and wax lyrical about his book on celestial navigation! Tom was charming if a little bemused by the attention from a middle aged groupie.
Highly recommend the sausage,mash and onion gravy in the Terrace restaurant- they even had plenty of seats.
Didn't seem to be so many 'offers' this year but after the first three hours I fall into a bit of a daze so maybe I just missed them all.
If you are going enjoy. Ny the way don't be tempted by the Tesco carpark its £25 just a bit further on Homebase comes in at a tenner!

 

[BrianJ]

Gerry... do you have any www sites for the "Lots of software for sale but the domes still too big for a 40 footer."
Would like to see what is on offer .
BrianJ

 

[Gerry]

Only picked up one card of quite interesting company with web site www.marinecomputing.com they seemed to have some more innovative ideas when speaking to them but I haven't looked at their site yet.There is a site for the boat show I think it is www.thebigblue.com you might find some more there.

 

[Gerry]

Sorry Brian the site for the show is www.bigblue.org.uk

 

[Guest]

We went to the show today ,I took one look at the official parking prices £16.00 a day . We carried on up the same road and payed £1.00 per hour for the first four hours then £1.50 per hour which took us up to 1705 .£7.00 is a lot better than £16.00. The official car park is opposit E/C/2 park on left side futher up pay at machines,and buy a nice icecream at £2.50 ago !!.
Re the show ,not impressed tons of cloth's stalls hardly any proper chandlers !! .
We did get three 150n automatic life belts ,they were £34.95 each from Compass .

Not that we went to look at posh boats but some had damage which I just find amazing that they were being shown like that. Still makes no difference to us as you cant beat an old tug because you can work em hard and not worry about breaking em
Mick

 

[david_e]

Thanks for the note Gerry, keep them coming everyone. As for parking, well we (me & SWMBO) are taking the train. At £30 each return from Yorkshire it sounds cheap compared to just the parking, never mind the petrol and stress etc! It is our first show for over 20 years so we are looking forward to it! Anyone got any feel for the type of special deals on Yachts available, are they special or token offers?

 

[coliholic]

We went yesterday by train and apart from a bit of a delay, it all went swimmingly well and easy. Oh and buy your boat show ticket at the train station with your train ticket. £9.50 instead of £11 and no queuing to get in, dead easy. Oh and watch the tube journey. we normally take Piccadilly line from Kings Cross to Earls court direct, but you can't do that this year, Piccadilly Line doesn't stop at EC for some reason, so we did Victoria line to Victoria, then District line to EC. Just check your route carefully.

Show is much the same as ever, but enjoyable none the less amd we went on just about every boat we wanted to (stinkpotters though, didn't try the raggy ones, can't see the point of 'em but that's another story). Actually I found some of the sales people on the boat stands really good. Had some good sales techniques tried out on me and as a salesman myself I really appreciate being sold to properly. Agree with the earlier comments about the electronics though, some of the demonstrators weren't too clued up on their product knowledge.

If you go regularly it's easy to say, "oh same old stuff", but what do you expect, a new range of boats that you've never heard of at half the price of the competitors? If that were the case, the magazines would be falling down on the job by not telling us about them before hand, so we're always going to be seeing the same exhibitors, but for me that's half the fun. In your case since it's been a while since your last visit it should all be really exciting.

Wasn't too busy on Friday and I would think that next week when the schools are back, will be even quieter. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

[david_e]

Thanks for the tip about the tube. I might just take a few minutes to go aboard a MB to see what all the fuss is about! My only trip for many a year was on board something of about 18ft, a small cabin and a bimini type thing, on the Thames this summer with some colleagues from work. It had a single pot diesel which really was a stinker! The trip was quite pleasant though, set of from a hotel at Reading and went up stream through a few locks constantly supping all the way. Stopped at a pub after an hour or so which was pleasant, then carried on to Goring where we disembarked outside George Michael's gaff into another pub then another pub and can't remember much after that!

 

[coliholic]

Ah well if that's your expereience of stinkpotters I can understand your lack of affection. Take a stroll round the Princess, Fairline, Sunseeker, Sealine etc stands and go on some of their boats. Then come back here and tell me honestly if that's not how you'd like to go boating, then get your wife to tell the truth;-)

 

[Guest]

Train

Going on saturday Bham to Euston arrive 9.15, leave london 21.55 £17.50 for 2 adults and 3 kids. Booked Virgin trains on the net. Probably be my best bargain of the day. Unless they're on strike.

 

[Guest]

Yes for the first time in seven years.

Why do they bother taking boats to London? There isn't enough room to display them, surely nobody is stupid enough to to buy one without trying it out on the water. And if they are buoy bother of going to London anyway?

Compared with Southampton the organisations, looks like a second-rate show in a banana republic.

The I hope it is only this year and when they move to the Docklands it will be better but somehow I doubt it .

-{)>

 

[Guest]

Re: Rip off

It's over priced awkward to get to if you live out in the sticks and it always gives you a headache .Every time I go to Earlescourt the air con gives me a head ache even when I did the doomed classic car show there it was just the same .
Mick

 

[david_e]

The truth, the whole thruth, and......

Ok will do, can't guarantee that the wife's version will be the truth though!

 

[ponapay]

Re: Train

Going on Tuesday, £35 return from Aberdeen by air, Plus tube fares).

Time to spare (used to be go by air) now its in atrain you share (the horrors)

ponapay

 

[tony_brighton]

It wasn't a whinge as such - but its meant to be a BOAT show; usually there really arent enough boats to make it interesting. Yes all the equipment manufacturers are there and its worthwhile talking to them and yes you can get some good deals but the chaos and overcrowding makes it very unpleasant.

Of course if you want to keep your saltwater fix going you could leave the boat in commission - had an excellent sail to the Folly a week ago.

 

[tony_brighton]

Went yesterday - never seen it so quiet! Must be a sign of the times. No queing for tickets, places to sit in the eateries (which have improved over the old chip joints). Still not much interesting in the way of boats (too limited a selection becasue fo space/cost restrictions - Southampton will alwyas be better).

Offers seemed very limted this year. Some deals to be done on plastic fantastics but this tends to be deals on 'extra kit packages' rather than discounts. Charter holidays only offering 5% boat show discount excluding all their 'extras' - outboard for the dinghy, diesel etc. Didn't see any signs of over-capacity usually evidenced by last minute deals.

There seemed to be far fewer chandlers this year - maybe they've gone out of business? - and hence you have to work hard to spot the bargains.

 

[Guest]

Couple of small items that impressed me.
1) Small stand upstairs mand by Germans selling 'super' glue. The glue was not normal super glue but set instantaneous, bottle once opened had a shelf life of 5 years, unlike normal super glue.
2) Small stand upstairs selling amongst other things the 'Gel planer'. Impressive but very expensive at £1250 less 10% + vat.

No real offers anywhere. Offers on new boats is always the same - i.e. free nav pack or similar.

Regarding chandlers etc. Still cheaper to buy online.
For upholstery bits visit Haywood and ? just at the top of the escalators.