Nick_H
Well-Known Member
Popped into the show earlier, as I was passing anyway. I didn't realise it's the Caravan Club day today, so the place was heaving, but the boat hall was reasonably quiet.
I think the boat part of the show is really aimed at buyers of sports boats and small cruisers, and there was a reasonable selection of US boats from the usual suspects, Regal, Maxum, Crownline etc. There was also 2 or 3 RIB stands.
There is one row of larger boats, and I had a nose on some of them, but I think it's of limited appeal to buyers of larger boats, because of course there aren't the other brands there to compare them to.
A few observations. I wasn't overly impressed with the F/L Targa 38, there's a ridiculous GRP beam along the top of the windscreen that spoils your view (which isn't needed as there's no hard top), and the bland interior looked like it belonged in Hall 2.
I quite liked the Cruisers Yachts 33, as it manages to look fairly streamlined from the outside, but huge down below, although that's mostly because it's all open plan. I think I prefer it open plan on boats that size, and the interior looked up-market and inviting in matt cherry.
I'm a big fan of the Sealine 35SC, I think it's their best boat currently. Most hardtops this size have a very small roof opening, and you have to stick your head out of the roof to stand up, which looks slightly comical. You may not like the Sealine's styling, although I think it's great, but it means you get great helm visibility with a big windscreen, full standing headroom at the helm, and a huge retracting roof that makes it feel almost like an open boat. Interestingly this one had the Silvertex vinyl I mentioned in a previous post, and it's very effective, not that you can really tell from this photo. If I was in the market for a 35 footer for extended UK cruising, then this is Gordon Brown (ie. the one eyed get)
There was a Trader 42, a couple of fugly Cranchi's, a Phantom 40 and some other smaller brands, but I didn't look round them. I did at least manage to get an inflatable green alien for my lad, having been too late at SIBS, so I suppose it was worth going. Still, i'd seen all I needed to after an hour, so I left the caravan club to play travel scrabble and sing ging gang gooley gooley gooley without me.
I think the boat part of the show is really aimed at buyers of sports boats and small cruisers, and there was a reasonable selection of US boats from the usual suspects, Regal, Maxum, Crownline etc. There was also 2 or 3 RIB stands.
There is one row of larger boats, and I had a nose on some of them, but I think it's of limited appeal to buyers of larger boats, because of course there aren't the other brands there to compare them to.
A few observations. I wasn't overly impressed with the F/L Targa 38, there's a ridiculous GRP beam along the top of the windscreen that spoils your view (which isn't needed as there's no hard top), and the bland interior looked like it belonged in Hall 2.
I quite liked the Cruisers Yachts 33, as it manages to look fairly streamlined from the outside, but huge down below, although that's mostly because it's all open plan. I think I prefer it open plan on boats that size, and the interior looked up-market and inviting in matt cherry.
I'm a big fan of the Sealine 35SC, I think it's their best boat currently. Most hardtops this size have a very small roof opening, and you have to stick your head out of the roof to stand up, which looks slightly comical. You may not like the Sealine's styling, although I think it's great, but it means you get great helm visibility with a big windscreen, full standing headroom at the helm, and a huge retracting roof that makes it feel almost like an open boat. Interestingly this one had the Silvertex vinyl I mentioned in a previous post, and it's very effective, not that you can really tell from this photo. If I was in the market for a 35 footer for extended UK cruising, then this is Gordon Brown (ie. the one eyed get)
There was a Trader 42, a couple of fugly Cranchi's, a Phantom 40 and some other smaller brands, but I didn't look round them. I did at least manage to get an inflatable green alien for my lad, having been too late at SIBS, so I suppose it was worth going. Still, i'd seen all I needed to after an hour, so I left the caravan club to play travel scrabble and sing ging gang gooley gooley gooley without me.
