I think YBW got a raw deal...

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B175Chris

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Firstly, I have to say i went to the show today and thought it was brilliant!

However, I took a while to have a look around and ended up taking just over 200 photos /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif (I'll post a few tomorrow evening to avoid wrecking the surprise for those who are going tomorrow) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

"This is the year", I thought. Signs everywhere - 'Marine Hall sponsored by MBM!', I'm thinking that the IPC/YBW/MBM stand will be on a massive platform somewhere near the marina, where I might have to use a secret forum handshake and be ushered away into a VIP area where white-bearded forumites would be spinning olde sailinge yarnes whilst sucking on old wooden pipes.

As I turned towards the marina, signs on the floor "YBW! Stand 1024!!!!"

I get there.

Loking at my floor plan, this is the place!

But errrmmmm..... where is it?????????

"hey, look, hidden behind that hull!"

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Ummm...... yeah.....

Please tell me I didn't just completely miss it?

Chris
 
Was that it?

I saw it when I went to steal the cushions from the Sealine parked behind it and decided that it must have been a satellite promotional stand, so I passed it by.

I hadn't realised they had moved the marine stands and I had to walk the gauntlet of teeth glinting slick haired caravan, motor home and mobile home salesmen to get there.


Wanna buy a motor home?

used-car-salesman.jpg
 
Same with everything in this life, and especially with stand space at the NEC

You get what you pay for!

So they are obviously tight gits.
 
It was a tough decision - A stand or Fish and Chips from the NEC restaurant...

The staff went hungry /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The show was very good, in my opinion, I was just worried I;d missed the stand....
 
Almost as bad as the insurance brokers!!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to notice, they look saddened by life, as if their wives have just walked out on them and taken the kids, they have a mortgage piling up and can;t pay the bills, that sort of thing - maybe people see them looking forlorn and buy a motorhome to try and contribute towards their childrens' diminishing trust fund /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I had to walk the gauntlet of teeth glinting slick haired caravan, motor home and mobile home salesmen to get there.


Wanna buy a motor home?



[/ QUOTE ]

We didn't manage to sneak past them and ended up spending a huge chunk of the kids inheritance on a very nice motor home.

Whilst I was reeling at what we had spent my husband reminded me that had it been an equivlent spec boat it would have cost squillions more

Don't think the Motor home guys had a great show. Lots of tyre kickers I think. We got an excellent part exchange on our current camper van and you cannot believe the "FOC" extras that we negotiated. Everything from a full tank of diesel, DVD, TV, Status Ariel, Reversing Camera, to knifes, forks, plates, glasses, pots and pans. They even threw in a breakdown pack which alarmed me slightly.

When we had finished there was not one extra left on the list that we did not have - plus a few other things as well.

All negotiated with a very nice young man with not a slick hair or glinty tooth in sight.

The place was really busy and when we stopped by at the Trader stand on our way out Tony Chappel told us that it had been a superb show and he had booked for next year on the strength of the enquiries and leads he had received.

Now, if I could have got the same deal on a Trader 42 as I got on my Motorhome...........................

May
xx
 
Now, if I could have got the same deal on a Trader 42 as I got on my Motorhome...........................

***************************************************

Sorry May, wait for it ...!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now, if I could have got the same deal on a Trader 42 as I got on my Motorhome...........................

***************************************************

Sorry May, wait for it ...!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't worry Honey, I have broad shoulders. Trench is dug, tin hat is on and sandbags are pulled up.

I was feeling brave as I had two glasses of Moet with breakfast this morning (just finishing off last nights celebratory bottle you understand)
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
May
xx
 
I thought the show was pretty good as well, though like you I did search for a while for the MBM stand.
Unfortunately got lost on my way out and almost had a nervous breakdown trying to escape from the motorhomes in general and the Towsure stand/store in particular. The latter contained a ghastly throng of overweight and sweaty folk trying to negotiate the narrow aisles. Was going to buy a couple of items but decided I just had to get out of there.

The only thing, boat wise, that I thought was lacking were some river craft.
I'd go again and had pleasant conversations with a number of sales folk on various stands. One brand that I'd never heard of before was Polar - very tidy sports fishers from the USA.
 
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. The latter contained a ghastly throng of overweight and sweaty folk trying to negotiate the narrow aisles.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes - that was us.
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
May
xx
 
Interesting reading....

The stand was not originally here it was somewhere else, the idea of being by the marina was a good one on paper but in reality gets a little lost under the bow of the Sealine.

As for being a tight git, I will show you how much a simple stand is then you can accuse us of being tight.......

Sorry you thought we were going to be all guns blazing with a massive stand but there is not the space or the budget (or the need) for that! watch this space though as this show will be a grower.....

Appologies for any bad English I cant actaully see the screen I am writing on so I am typing htis blind!
 
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watch this space though as this show will be a grower.....

[/ QUOTE ]
I am very aware of that.

But they must never be tempted to charge for parking on top of the £14 quid entry. If they do that, I won't go.

There was another show a couple of years ago at the NEC. When I arrived the parking fee was £7.

It took them ages to move the traffic so I could turn around and leave. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I dont know what there stratergy will be in terms of parking fees but knowing the audiance that visits here (mainly caravans / motorhomes) I cant see them paying for parking and if they dont come then they dont have a show. My guess is it will be free next year.
 
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I dont know what there stratergy will be in terms of parking fees but knowing the audiance that visits here (mainly caravans / motorhomes) I cant see them paying for parking and if they dont come then they dont have a show. My guess is it will be free next year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trouble is, the greed gets to them all in the end.
 
Hi Chris

We went yesterday too and thought it was much better than last year but i couldnt find the MBY stand and there wernt as many swindlerys as usual either. We have been going for over 6 years now and doubt they will ever charge for parking.
Lets hope it gets more support and the boaty bit gets bigger.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Looking forward to a potential two halls of boats next year!!

Made me laugh that it was free parking for us yet anyone going to the Free (and extremely crap, might I add) french property exhibition, had to pay 8 squid!
 
[ QUOTE ]

Made me laugh that it was free parking for us yet anyone going to the Free (and extremely crap, might I add) french property exhibition, had to pay 8 squid!

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark my words and you Kipper, if they think they can get away with it, they will charge for parking one day.

I have attended many exhibitions at the NEC and always check on the NEC website to see if there is an exhibition with free parking. Sometimes means I have to walk a couple of hundred metres more, but 6 to 8 quid is better in my pocket than theirs.

Don't forget, I am the cheapskate who wouldn't pay the M6 toll charge last Wednesday.
 
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