Boot Dusseldorf

Spent Saturday and Sunday there.

Sunday was better as it was less busy. Personally speaking it was easier to spend quality time looking on boats at SIBS as there are fewer visitors. One boat we looked on had so many people you could barely move and many times you felt rushed. TBH I would never buy a boat at any boat show anyway as I need way more time to get under the skin of it, so I suppose we were at least able to get an outline impression of lots of boats. I suspect there were more saily boats there that at SIBS (felt like there were anyway). The size of the MOBO's in the hall had to be seen - incredible even if that's not your thing. Oh....and the overpowering smell of resin as you first enter the hall :-)
 
laika said:
* We weren't allowed on any boats without making an appointment which meant keeping a calendar of where you had to be when. Sometimes this was more than 24 hours later (the ovni). I don't actually mind this if it avoids everyone wasting time queuing but it was a bit disappointing when your appointment came up and there were *still* too many people looking round at once. The Garcia they wouldn't let me make an appointment and kept saying "come back after xx o'clock" where xx always increased to yy whenever I went back (never did look round that boat).

* The dealers representing suppliers are obviously German so not local to us in the uk: Some people might like to arrange supply and fitting of new toys rather than being referred to the uk distributor"
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A friend and I were first time visitors over this weekend.

We chatted to Jimmy Cornell on the Garcia stand and he said you must have a look at the boat, so we told the young lady at the rope line that Jimmy had sent us and were let in immediately. I was surprised that a boat built to withstand high latitude sailing was laid out internally for two couples. With the white leather and double berths with no lee cloths it seems to be set up for a life moored in the Med. It’s up to the buyer, of course, but I was intrigued as to the thought process.

We had no problem getting into any boats on Sunday. Can’t decide whether my dream boat is a Django 9:80 for the Solent or the Southerly 480 for the Med. I might have to have one of each or stick to my 30 year old Dehler.

We spent some time talking to UK reps on the stands of the big builders but were left singularly unimpressed by most of what they offered. It seems that you really do get what you pay for and given what I’m prepared to pay I wouldn’t like it.

I was successful in persuading the seller of a device to keep the heads sweet to sell for UK delivery at the takeaway price, but I think he sensed that it was an impulse buy, and if I’d walked away with the intention to buy online he’d have never heard from me again.

The “bargain” I picked up were LED nav lamps which seems to be about 60% of the online price in the UK but who knows whether the quality is the same.

I was in part amused, and in part bemused by the British stand that had a ships bell that was rung as we walked by. I said that in my Yacht Club that meant drinks all round, but was told that it was a “totty alert” which we had just missed.

Anyway, I tend only to visit Boat Shows for a fix, rather than to buy, and would no more buy a brand new boat than a brand new car, and I have to say it was one hell of a fix. I’m not sure that the the hotel room with bunk beds was my best idea, but it kept the cost down, and the room was no smaller than the cabin my mate and I have shared on a cross channel ferry. Air miles picked up most of the travel cost. All in all a good weekend and one to do again, but probably not next year.

I wonder whether the Germans have a boat jumble that outshines the now defunct Beaulieu to the same extent as Boot outshines the now defunct Excel. That might be worth a trip, more suited to my budget.
 
matt1 said:
Spent Saturday and Sunday there.

Sunday was better as it was less busy. Personally speaking it was easier to spend quality time looking on boats at SIBS as there are fewer visitors. One boat we looked on had so many people you could barely move and many times you felt rushed.
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I was there Thursday and Saturday. Saturday much busier than Thursday. Wish I'd done the halls in a slightly different order. Left the diving hall to Saturday and could barely move because there were so many people. By contrast the holidays/charter halls were not overly crowded on either day. Managed to get on all the boats I wanted to - X-yachts, Dufour, Arcona, Dehler etc. - without needing to book a viewing, but did have to queue for a while (X-yachts especially).
 
Angele said:
I was there Thursday and Saturday. Saturday much busier than Thursday. Wish I'd done the halls in a slightly different order. Left the diving hall to Saturday and could barely move because there were so many people. By contrast the holidays/charter halls were not overly crowded on either day. Managed to get on all the boats I wanted to - X-yachts, Dufour, Arcona, Dehler etc. - without needing to book a viewing, but did have to queue for a while (X-yachts especially).
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The quietest days were Tue Wed Thur when it was very pleasant wandering around the various halls. Didn't buy anything at the show in the end but it was good to be able to talk to people on the stands and gather ideas.
 
Barbican said:
The quietest days were Tue Wed Thur when it was very pleasant wandering around the various halls. Didn't buy anything at the show in the end but it was good to be able to talk to people on the stands and gather ideas.
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Did you get to have a really good look around your boat without queuing?
 
Mister E said:
Did you get to have a really good look around your boat without queuing?
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Haha - Best time to look at the boats was before the show opened! Mine was good, there are few things to finish during commissioning but I was very pleased with the outcome - It was the first time I'd seen her "whole".
 
We visited on Wednesday and Thursday: it’s the first I’ve been back there for about 25 years.... It hasn’t really changed much, it does what it says in the tin. It’s vast and covers just about any water bourne activity.

We crawled over a few boats, no queuing involved either day and no pressure to move on. Found a few gadgets and gizmos that were interesting but didn’t buy: not solely because of transport problems but also because show prices didn’t offer enough of a bargain. Easier to order on line having seen the item in the flesh. I did buy a new dive computer (that was one of the rare show bargains to be had!) and the Admiral splashed out on new dive booties and a knife.

We stayed in an apartment we picked up off booking.com for a song. 45 minute tram ride away from the Messe, hence its bargain price but it was warm and comfortable. Be a good base for a longer stay, as it was fully equipped for self catering.

Düsseldorf itself hasn’t changed all that much since I was stationed there for 3 years in the nineties. We both love the city and will be going back in future years.
 
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