Boat Jumbles

[blackfish]

I have just come back from the South Wales Boat Jumble at Margam Park near Port Talbot. They seem to have gone downhill during the eight years or so since I last frequented one. The number of stalls was sparse and I reckon only about half of them were genuinely nautically related. Lots of dubious looking second hand power tools. No clothing or footwear. Not really worth the drive or the £3.50 admission. Better deals to be had online, I reckon. Sign of the times?

 

[Seajet]

Yup, that seemed to be the trend much longer than 8 years ago when I last bothered with one.

There's also the uneasy feeling one may be aiding boat or other break ins by buying some of the stuff too; for that reason alone I don't go.

 

[Alexandro]

The other day I´ve been for the first time to one in Woodbridge. The admission was 2 pounds.
Very, very little. Like 10 stalls or so, but even though I find interesting things.

 

[NickRobinson]

Ebay occupies nearly the same market position - more choice and comparison of prices. I take the point about stolen gear and here, Ebay's feedback and audit trail offers some reassurance.

The boat jumble may score with the atmosphere/buzz of a day out but once the critical mass of stalls isn't there....

 

[fredrussell]

The other day I´ve been for the first time to one in Woodbridge. The admission was 2 pounds.
Very, very little. Like 10 stalls or so, but even though I find interesting things.

Also went to this - dismal! A chap was selling nautically themed books. A hardback copy of a book about a small boat round the world voyage was £45. I've forgotten the title, but thats a hell of a lot for a 2nd hand book.

 

[Heckler]

Yup, that seemed to be the trend much longer than 8 years ago when I last bothered with one.

There's also the uneasy feeling one may be aiding boat or other break ins by buying some of the stuff too; for that reason alone I don't go.

I went to the one in Northwich last year? There was an unshaven scruffy, devious looking man with a scouse accent, flogging weird stuff as in scruffy fenders and easily removeable stuff. He wanted stupid prices for the fenders, he didnt seem to understand their worth. I said no thanks, he got the ump, I felt threatened!
S

 

[Matt341]

I also visited the South Wales boat jumble at Margam this morning and agree that it was pretty awful. I haven't been for many years but remember it being a lot better attended with some pretty good stands last time.

I agree with previous posts, events like this are dying a death due to the ease of online shopping.

I wasn't looking for anything major, maybe a new horseshoe lifebuoy. I noticed a stand at the entrance selling one for £30, it looked around 20 years old and as if it had been at the bottom of the marina for the last 10 of those years. Got home and ordered a brand new one from Force 4 for the same price! Also noticed one guy selling small tins of Hammerite paint for £8, they are less than that from Screwfix where you can be pretty certain that it's un-opened and all the contents are there!

I would be very surprised if they hold the event again next year.

 

[doug748]

I ran a pitch once, all the stuff priced to get rid of it. The best bits
were grabbed by dealers before the gates opened and put on their stalls with a 50 to 100% mark up.

So you can't win. Will be glad to see the back of them really

 

[JClarkes]

For those on facebook here is a new page about jumbles, shows etc....

https://www.facebook.com/EventsAhoyUK

 

[JumbleDuck]

I went to the West of Scotland Boat Jumble at Irvine. Plenty to buy, reasonable prices, good mix of dealers and private sellers, friendly people. What, as they say, is not to like?

 

[prv]

Also went to this - dismal! A chap was selling nautically themed books. A hardback copy of a book about a small boat round the world voyage was £45. I've forgotten the title, but thats a hell of a lot for a 2nd hand book.

That's obviously silly unless there's something very special about the book, which there probably wasn't.

Then again, I've seen books advertised on the For Sale forum here, thought "that looks like an interesting read", and bought a copy from a third-party Amazon seller for a fraction of what was being asked. A lot of old books there for a nominal price of one penny; Amazon automatically add £2.80 for postage and the sellers can apparently extract enough profit from that.

Pete

 

[nigelmercier]

I went to the Kent Boat Jumble last week, it seemed as good as ever. Mrs Nigel told me I was not to buy any more rope, but when she saw the Dockline she changed her mind

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've been to a couple in the last year or so; Northwich, which had quite a few stalls and was well attended with quite a few canal boaters but some good buys; and Gloucester, which had few stalls and not much to buy although I did get an oil extractor pump which I later found didn't work.
One thing I find about jumbles is that the stall holders start to pack up about 1pm although the sale is advertised as being open till 4.

 

[Sandy]

Also went to this - dismal! A chap was selling nautically themed books. A hardback copy of a book about a small boat round the world voyage was £45. I've forgotten the title, but thats a hell of a lot for a 2nd hand book.

Really depends on all sorts of stuff.