Boat Show 2025

Dunx

Dunx

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Email today from the RYA saying this year the members offer is show tickets for £5. Looks like the days of free entry for members are gone. I’m sure we won’t be going this year, it wasn't that great last year. The show gets smaller and smaller each year and I’m sure the exhibitor fees have risen significantly too. A chicken and egg conundrum.
 
Dunx said:
Email today from the RYA saying this year the members offer is show tickets for £5. Looks like the days of free entry for members are gone. I’m sure we won’t be going this year, it wasn't that great last year. The show gets smaller and smaller each year and I’m sure the exhibitor fees have risen significantly too. A chicken and egg conundrum.
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Could be bad for RYA membership. I suspect a number of RYA members justify their membership based on a free boat show ticket.
 
RYA Membership fee = £59
Cost of SBS as a RYA Member (£59+£5) = £64

Walk in cost of SBS £24.99. (£19.99 if like me you are >60)

I found the 2023 show 'disappointing' and have no plans of returning in my life time.

n.b. until I took early retirement I was a RYA Gold Member.
 
Sandy said:
RYA Membership fee = £59
Cost of SBS as a RYA Member (£59+£5) = £64

Walk in cost of SBS £24.99. (£19.99 if like me you are >60)

I found the 2023 show 'disappointing' and have no plans of returning in my life time.

n.b. until I took early retirement I was a RYA Gold Member.
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I'm a gold member as well, and feel that the rya is losing relevance to me more and more.

I didn't go to the show last year and can't see any reason to go this year at present.
 
I would only go all that way for a reason as the journey & parking is too much of a hassle. I no longer want a new boat & I have all the gear I need. So nothing to buy. I see absolutely no point at looking at boats that are either beyond my means, or not of my interests. As for fingering bits of equipment I do not intend to buy- forget it.
One visit was 2002 & I did not want anything, but ended up buying a new boat. Not sure how that happened. But it was not one I saw at the show anyway.
Then in 2005 I went to get my award for a competition I entered for Musto, so the free tickets attracted me along with a complete set of free Musto sailing kit.
That was it as far as I was concerned
 
I enjoy going on basis we get a pair of free tickets even if car parking plus rations from say M&S extra - new boats of interest are limited but it’s useful to look at what you might be buying secondhand in a few years time. Sadly the stands which attracted Mrs A have now all but disappeared (very sad not to browse the clothing/shoes etc and not in market for many items now appearing) and the catering in show is dire. We might look at a few yachts but as the day cannot be that many years away when we retire to powered twin thrusters etc but it’s probably useful to research slow trawler type boats. That said not that many in market I suspect.
 
I will pass on the land rover - rather like the down market copy cats of Overfinch conversions -loads of embossed name badges on the dash and seats to my mind but certainly if it opens up the world of hot tubs and PADI then opportunities to explore . My diving days might be over but the days of hot tub stretch out before me. A hot tub on board a mobo might be worth exploring I’m told.
 
Dunx said:
Email today from the RYA saying this year the members offer is show tickets for £5. Looks like the days of free entry for members are gone. I’m sure we won’t be going this year, it wasn't that great last year. The show gets smaller and smaller each year and I’m sure the exhibitor fees have risen significantly too. A chicken and egg conundrum.
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....and sure as eggs someone will be along every year saying the show is getting smaller and they won't be going.. :D :D
 
Just bought my SIBS tickets through the RYA.
It's worth it, my daughter and I spend the whole day there lounging around looking at stuff I can't afford at the moment. The show offers aren't what they used to be in the old days but that's internet shopping for you. I thought last year was better than previous years, with less hot tubs, cat food and a few new boating brands if I'm not mistaken. I now have access to the Premier Marinas area which makes me feel 'special' :D
A few times now I've seen an offer which is too good to pass up, also met some really interesting people.


I think RYA membership is worth it for the discount show tickets, insurance and shopping from the likes of Go Outdoors. I think it pays for itself.
 
Maybe my mobo aspirations are too modest if it cannot take the hot tub - the most we can run to currently is a paddling pool in the cockpit filled with hot water for those who like such things - i recall Discovery yachts had a tub where the wheel was but hardly one with jets. These hot tubs on board seem a Florida boating thing I believe(just waiting for a forumite to pop up and say they have one on their Princess though)
 
Sticky Fingers said:
Seems very unlikely
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It's the crap website. If you choose boats, they aren't listed, if you choose manufacturers name, they both show up with several M (marina berth) stand numbers.

Click on "Visitor Information/How To Get Here & Show Map", there are directions but no floorplan.

Fortunately I had a trade ticket last year so could enter the main show area without having to find the public entrance miles away.
 
wonkywinch said:
It's the crap website. If you choose boats, they aren't listed, if you choose manufacturers name, they both show up with several M (marina berth) stand numbers.

Click on "Visitor Information/How To Get Here & Show Map", there are directions but no floorplan.

Fortunately I had a trade ticket last year so could enter the main show area without having to find the public entrance miles away.
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The website certainly is crap, even the buying tickets part.

I’ve not been for years, the boat needs some updates and I’d like to look at a few bits in the flesh, electronics, windlass and traveller system before ordering online.

Tickets seemed expensive, 10 seconds on google and a discount code from Icom later and we were back in sensible money territory.

I have no interest in wondering around boats I’m not interested in or can’t afford and I’m not expecting show bargain prices, hopefully it can manage to satisfy my basic requirements this time.
 
Sticky Fingers said:
Well, I’m the opposite, I love boat shows and seeing stuff I can’t afford and meeting friends and talking boat stuff and buying things I don’t need, so I’ll be going regardless of the cost. A fiver for a day out plus an overnight or two in Ocean Village. Bargain.
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I’m also not sure what’s not to like for a day out looking at boats and chatting to like-minded folks for £5 plus the cost of getting there.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the RYA hasn’t imposed a nominal charge on tickets (and let’s face it, for anyone with a boat, £5 is as nominal as it gets) in order to combat the phenomenon of people applying for free tickets and not using them; thereby both depriving others of an opportunity and causing embarrassment to the RYA - the latter because the organisers of the show will be giving an allocation of tickets (free or discounted) to the RYA in order to generate footfall and custom.

If the organisers see that, year on year, RYA tickets aren’t being used the incentive to continue supplying on this basis will be reduced. A fee might just make people think twice about applying for tickets that they have no intention of using.
 
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