Dress code for the boat show?

iangrant

iangrant

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Going to the boat show this morning. What should I wear?

Oilskins?
Blazer, tie and slacks?
Sandals and a beard?
A loose fitting dress?


Ian
 
Couple of years back there was an article in one of the mags about sales guys at the shows ...

One couple went to view a pricey boat and salews guy literally ignored them - so they bought the competing boat !! Why did he ignore them - he went by appearances and decided they couldn't afford it ....
Another sales guy kept insisting on talking to another couple - only to the guy .... but it was the wife who was the sailor !! Didn't matter how much they told the guy ... he still kept directing his talk to the guy !! Another lost sale ....

First impressions are dangerous .... and to be honest I do fall foul of it sometimes .... you see a Hooray Henry in Blazer and slacks - club logo on pocket etc. and the "Cap" .... oh here comes the Snob !!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Well you\'d be noticed anyway.

Very true about dress code being deceiving. I know a chap quite wealthy, walked into a BMW garage to buy a new car. He was wearing his fishing clothes. A salesmen approached him and rudely requested him to leave the showroom.
The guy sent in a written complaint, the salesmen lost his job and now works for Tesco's filling shelves.

The guy now drives a brand new Merc.
 
Clothes maketh man ....

Close friend of mine drove an old 244 Volvo ... regularly ended up in ditch going the few 100 yards from pub to his caravan in friends field.
People in pub who didn't know him used to sneer / avoid him as he was not exactly the most best dressed man about !! He was clean and respectable though.

The truth was : He'd been fleeced by 3 divorces, and had most things now in his sisters name ... he ran a very successful Renovating company who bought old houses, renovated and then sold on ... He sold the first Million pound house in the area .....
He had all sorts of private memberships of Horse Clubs / Racing Stables etc. - used to frequent with the best at Newmarket etc .....

Yep - clothes and accessories / outward appearance can be deceiving .....

His local claim to fame ?? He used to sponsor the Village Sports day every year .... on his own !!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Couple of years back there was an article in one of the mags about sales guys at the shows ...

One couple went to view a pricey boat and salews guy literally ignored them - so they bought the competing boat !! Why did he ignore them - he went by appearances and decided they couldn't afford it ....
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Oh, but doesnt that piss you off ? The pita sales guy never knew what commission he lost, the management never knew what a banker they were employing ? Given that sort of treatment, if it is something I have a genuine interest in, I ask to see the manager and make the point - sometimes doesnt work, tho, when the pita IS the manager !! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I ask to see the manager and make the point - sometimes doesnt work, tho, when the pita IS the manager !!

[/ QUOTE ]
Even more reason to avoid that boat - perhaps a comment to the manufacturer might be the only solution in this case.
 
It will be interesting to see if I notice any difference in attitude this year if I manage to revisit some stands. On one visit I will be in motorcycle gear and 2nd visit probably scruffy/casual boaty!

I have noticed a general improvement in approach though. About 8-9 years ago a salesman ( I was later informed he was a Director) for the Hunter channel boats said to us in a very condescending manner " I would not dream of taking you on a test sail yet until you are more serious". The comment was justified on what we had said but the attitude not justified. Unfortunately for him we made a snap (rather than a serious) decision to buy a new boat a few months later and remembered how courteous the person on the Dufour stand was so bought a new Dufour. 3 years later we replaced it with a bigger Dufour, therfore potentially it was 2 new boat sales lost. I still dress scruffy at weekend (I have to wear a suit and tie weekdays!) but I believe the sales peoples attitude is more "everyone is a potential buyer" now.
 
I would have thought if you were going for a big motor cruiser or similar, a fair amount of bling or the "ghetto-fabulous" look with full length furcoats would start to interest the salesmen with all the new money about.

Lottery or otherwise!
 
It doesn't matter, you'll still have to take them off before going aboard. So slip on shoes will be easiest.
So make sure that the socks wil impress the salesman.
 
Surely it goes without saying, around the show, brown clompy shoes with deck shoes in a bag for craft inspections and black Oxfords after six o'clock for drinks in the club tent and dinner over at the Clubhouse. Life is so simple when we have a few rules. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
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