Boat & Caravan Show

[whisper]

Anyone been?
Is it any good?
Should I go on Thurs pm.?
Is there a chandlery there - need to buy Tide Plotter and pilot?

BEWARE of paying by Debit Card at the entrance. I did that last year and had the card cloned. Within 48hrs had £6200 "removed" from my account!!!!

 

[ian38_39]

Not been yet this year but will be and have been the last 4.

As an offshore boater I don't think I would travel huge distances for it, there are a few boats there but maybe one or two from Sealine, Fairline, Princess, in the 40' range through the dealers rather than the builder though, Sunseeker did put something around 60' there a year or two ago and Regal and the likes put a few decent sized boats in, Broom usually have one as well.

The rest of the stuff is small bow riders or sports boats in the up to 20' class, maybe an Arvour or equivalent fast fisher a few ribs and a decent selection of inflatables.

There will be a spattering of those things with wooden sticks pointing up but really at the starter end and the rest are small sailing dinghy's, canoes, and the like.

Chandlery is not that well supported but Mailspeed are usually there with some good show offers, bought a chart plotter for £280 last year and a Navman VHF, the saving was the equivalent of getting the VHF for nothing against shop prices, Jimmy green normally has a stand and their will be a selection of clothing and books but have found that to be more centred around inshore stuff.

The rest of the hall will be inland stuff to do with the Broads and the canals.

For us it is 10 minutes down the road from home and a place to spend an enjoyable half day chatting to the brokers and dealerships while getting our fix of saloon leather and new GRP smells (maybe one day we will have leather and cherry in our saloon)

My summary would be great way to spend half a day but don't expect Southampton in the Midlands, the show does seem more social than sales orientated so you get more time with the stand staff.
Oh and try not to look in any of the other halls, why people cant park outside I don't know but you will see loads of vans in them. sometimes worth a walk round the indoor car park as travellers set up stalls and sell boating stuff for a fraction of the price, think they call it camping and caravanning equipment, maybe that is so the organisers don't think they are competing with the real boat equipment sellers.

 

[Nick_H]

I planned to pop in for an hour yesterday as I was passing the door, but there was a 2 mile queue on the motorway for the NEC exit, then would have been queueing into the car parks as well, so I didn't bother. I don't know if the queues were for the caravan and boat show, or if there is another big show on. It was the opening morning, so the queues may be better now.

 

[nicho]

Anyone been?
Is it any good?
Should I go on Thurs pm.?
Is there a chandlery there - need to buy Tide Plotter and pilot?

BEWARE of paying by Debit Card at the entrance. I did that last year and had the card cloned. Within 48hrs had £6200 "removed" from my account!!!!

We went yesterday. It's a very big Show, dominated by Hall after Hall of motorhomes and caravans. Just one Hall is given over to boats, but it is displaying mainly the smaller end of the market (16' to 23'), RIB's etc. Though there a a few larger boats as well on the walkway - I seem to remember a Sealine SC35, and couple of Haines river cruisers, and a Nimbus 42, an Atlantis 435 and Aquanaut 43 and that's about it.

I don't remember seeing a Chandlery as such, though there were many smaller stalls selling "gadgets". Dinghys, liferafts etc were all on display.

By the way some of the motorhomes are pretty spectacular, and if you want to wind up Jeremy Clarkson, there are loads of caravans to buy. A friend or ours owns the Swift Group, one of the biggest caravan manufacturers around, and it's amazing what you can buy for £20K!! Such luxury - almost tempted for apres boat!

We paid cash 'cos there was a massive queue for Credit card payment, and inadvertantly (honest) jumped the large queue we hadn't noticed, incurring the wrath of one old chap who was most incensed!! Oops......

 

[Richard Shead]

That just about says it all.

We went yesterday. It's a very big Show, dominated by Hall after Hall of motorhomes and caravans. Just one Hall is given over to boats, but it is displaying mainly the smaller end of the market (16' to 23'), RIB's etc. Though there a a few larger boats as well on the walkway - I seem to remember a Sealine SC35, and couple of Haines river cruisers, and a Nimbus 42, an Atlantis 435 and Aquanaut 43 and that's about it.

I don't remember seeing a Chandlery as such, though there were many smaller stalls selling "gadgets". Dinghys, liferafts etc were all on display.

By the way some of the motorhomes are pretty spectacular, and if you want to wind up Jeremy Clarkson, there are loads of caravans to buy. A friend or ours owns the Swift Group, one of the biggest caravan manufacturers around, and it's amazing what you can buy for £20K!! Such luxury - almost tempted for apres boat!

We paid cash 'cos there was a massive queue for Credit card payment, and inadvertantly (honest) jumped the large queue we hadn't noticed, incurring the wrath of one old chap who was most incensed!! Oops......

We are exhibiting there with Motorboats Monthly (between the stairs) and the above description is just about bang on.

There are a few chandlery stands there as well as lots of other bits and pieces that may come in handy.

If you are looking for a large boat show displaying a vast array of different boats and live a long way from the NEC then this is not the show for you.

But if you are open to looking at Caravans, Motor homes, static's as well as all the kit that goes with it and of course a selection of craft and run about's then it's a great day out.

I met 5 people yesterday all new to boating looking for advice that want to buy and had money in their pocket, so there are people that make the effort to see what's there.

It's not for all and if its not for you don't criticise it (and I am not for one minute saying you are!) it is however a must day out for many families.

The MBM team are on the stand till Friday then I will be up there from Friday through till Sunday so do come along and say hello.

Cheers

 

[nicho]

We are exhibiting there with Motorboats Monthly (between the stairs) come along and say hello.

Cheers

Damn, missed you - why didn't you wave?

 

[Richard Shead]

Prob on coffee break!

Damn, missed you - why didn't you wave?

If only.....

 

[arawa]

Went yesterday and spent several hours there. The boat section is, as others have said, not large but it was interesting to look over some canal boats – although I have no intention of ever buying one! Some chandleries but nothing at all on the scale of LIBS or SIBS – although there seemed to be a very wide selection of inflatable dinghies to browse over. Most of the stands in the boat hall were quiet so those manning them had plenty of time to give advice and there was room to look at things. There were plenty of seats in the food and drink areas in this hall with no queues.

The caravan halls were very different. We thought it would be good place to get a low-wattage kettle, melamine plates etc, and it probably was but the aisles were heaving and it was just about impossible to look at many of the stands. The food areas were standing room only with big queues.

 

[kcrane]

I went to look at outboards and for that it was excellent - Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha one after another, each fastened to the back of a demo RIB, so we could check tilt mechanism etc. It was very quiet as we went at 3:30pm onwards but by then it was snowing rather heavily. It meant we got plenty of attention from sales chaps.

Biggest boat there is a Targa 47 (special show offer £550k), then a few 40ft's and canal/river boats.

There are a couple of large halls with caravans and motor homes.

There were a couple of small chandlery stands and the usual displays of outdoor hot tubs (what is that about?).

 

[Philiz]

We've been today and would say everybody is pretty much spot on with the descriptions of the show, not a lot there but worth a visit if you don't have to travel far or have free tickets . Convinced myself into buying one of the Avtex tellys everybody has been raving about,got a good deal too I thought, if anyone is after one.

 

[whisper]

We've been today and would say everybody is pretty much spot on with the descriptions of the show, not a lot there but worth a visit if you don't have to travel far or have free tickets . Convinced myself into buying one of the Avtex tellys everybody has been raving about,got a good deal too I thought, if anyone is after one.

Had nowt to do this (Weds) pm so went and spent about 2 hrs there. Didn't go out of the boating hall.
Seemed a better variety of boats than last year - spent quite a while on the Paragon 31. Very interesting comparison with the Targas with which I'm familiar.
Nice Nimbus also, along with some interesting new "sports fishers. I was also looking at open launches for using on the river and perhaps the sea. Dutch "slooeps" were really classy but horrendously expensive - like £30k+ for something about 19ft long
Very limited stock at the various "chandleries".
On the whole a worthwhile afternoon.

Called at MBM stand to accost Stewart with the words "Tony Chappell" but he wasn't there - probably doing an article on a campervan (only joking).

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I will be up there from Friday through till Sunday so do come along and say hello.

I dropped by the MBM stand yesterday and demanded to see you Richard and also demanded my free lunch. But apparently both were unobtainable.

I did buy a beef sandwich for £4.50 though and a chart plotter from Mailspeed Marine.

I was almost seduced by the Fifth Wheel Company, but managed to shake off the desire to write a large cheque and was content to just give the motor homes a look over. Who would ever think of spending so much money on something that spends most of its time parked up.

 

[RIN]

Popped in today, there were more there boats than I was expecting, but mostly small to medium size - biggest around 42ft (not counting narrow boats or dutch barges)

Best of the bunch was the Paragon 31

It felt really secure on top and had doors to the indoor helm on both port and stbd sides

Beautiful wide side decks and that super looking all round windscreen

The only drawback apart from the £220k asking price (includes masses of teak, bowthruster, heating and winch )was the disapointing forward cabin, it was both low and narrow. Side decks v space in cabin is always a compromise, but I could not stand up in the cabin so that rules it out for us (well that and the £220k) The other boat we like was the Aquador 26, would really have liked to see the 33 but it was not at the show
Popped in to say hello to Neil and Claire on the MBM stand, then set out to look for some chandlery bargains, only Jimmy Green and Mailspeed there (and with small stands) so did not get fender stocks or combined boathook/broom and other stuff that we were looking for. However Towsure had a huge stand in one of the halls and they had a lot of stuff there that would be useful on the caravan side of boating if you are going.