Talulah
Well-known member
It’s a question of who hailed it. By what metrics? A single stand could hail it as their best ever but I suspect many more stands may have had a different view.
Personally I didn’t go.
Is the Southampton Boat Show going to be cancelled?
- Thread starter Concerto
- Start date
Personally I didn’t go.
BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo
Well-known member
I thought pretty much each boat show was, according to the PR statements, the best ever.
If numbers were down then that was explained away by the better quality of those that did attend.
If numbers were down then that was explained away by the better quality of those that did attend.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
The boat show though pleasant enough is of increasing irrelevance to most normal sailers. The boats become ever bigger and less affordable, even though I must be earning pro-rata 3 or 4 times what I earned in early adulthood. I only went to check out the various trade stands for chart plotters and sails. Nice enough but could have done most of my research by email etc
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
It may have been 5% up on 2018, but the trend has been relentlessly downwards. After all, 2017 got 106k, 2016 got 109k, 2015 got 110k, which was 2% down on 2014, and back in the mists of time 2005 got 123k.
A well-known forumite used to assure us every year that the London Boat Show was doing better than ever, as number of halls reduced, aisles widened and jacuzzis proliferated on its way to oblivion. I hope Southampton survives.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
When I started going to Southampton in the late 80s it was a smaller, cheerful show where there were lots of bargains to be picked up as retailers shed stock for the winter. It's still a fun afternoon out, and useful for talking to manufacturers, but I haven't seen a real bargain there for years.
russ
Active member
I rarely look over or even read about the boats I could never afford both at shows and in boating magazines.
Sell very little at very high prices or here's a thought, why not lower prices and sell more.
I'm sure there would be a greater foot fall at the shows if bargains were to be had.
Sell very little at very high prices or here's a thought, why not lower prices and sell more.
I'm sure there would be a greater foot fall at the shows if bargains were to be had.
misterhino
New member
I think they use the same accountant who used to do the figures for the soviet five year plans!
matt1
Well-known member
I wonder if it is cancelled in 2020 whether it will ever go ahead again, at least in the same form? With the relentless shift to online and massive costs for exhibitors I wonder if some will realise they didn’t miss much in 2020 and not book again. Xyaxhts / Beneteau et al are all hosting virtual “shows” online at the mo. If you really want a new boat you can drive to Hamble any weekend and go round all the major brands, taking your time and getting more airtime with the sales folks. It would be a brave dealer that decided to buck the trend and cancel their upcoming show attendance.....but if that is forced on them through cancellation in 2020 and they realise the benefit....who knows?
As other have said, there is already a trend to smaller local shows for real buyers
As other have said, there is already a trend to smaller local shows for real buyers
flaming
Well-known member
I assume you mean me... But that's somewhat revisionist... All I was actually doing was pointing out to people who said "It doesn't even fill Excel any more" that Excel itself had expanded about 40% and the Show's footprint was barely changed at all... I never said it was doing better than ever, because it wasn't, it was however nothing like as bad as you would think from reading these forums.... I went to the last few Shows, and although they didn't have anything like the number of boats of the past, they were still decent ways of spending a rainy day in January..... I often find it harder to justify a trip to Southampton as I could be sailing...
What killed London was the additional costs to the exhibitor compared to Southampton. For example the majority of the UK marine industry, and just about all the major dealers, are located within an hour's drive of Southampton, so there is a much reduced need to put staff up in hotels. And then it's also a lot cheaper to motor your boat round from your offices on the Hamble, or in Poole, and tie it up to a pontoon for the week than it is to lift your boat and get it trucked to Excel.
As a result, even though there were plenty of companies who made it work for them, there were also an ever increasing number who looked at the cost and either decided it wasn't worth it, or simply couldn't afford the cash flow hit in January for the hope of sales later in the year, because even if you sell 4 boats at the Show that you wouldn't have done, you won't see that money for months, but you've had to reach in your pocket for hotels, meals, staff overtime, extra staff, the costs of getting your boats to the show and back, the cost of stand build and of course the cost of the space at the Show....
Selling boats is a tough, tough game now, and it's very unlikely to get any easier. Fewer and fewer companies have cash to burn.
Agree totally that the Chandlery game has changed totally with the advent of the internet. And that to stay relevant any Boat Show needs to make the change from a "Shop" to a marketing opportunity. And the great difficulty is getting that message across to the exhibitors. I still see far too many stands that look like industry networking stands, and not "come see this cool tech we have, and see why you want it on your boat. Play with it here and then order it online later." Demos, demos, demos.... The stuff you can't do online as well. And don't get me started on exhibitors who spend all week sat at the back of their stand on their phones whilst people walk past, and then lambast the Show on social media for being a rip off and they didn't meet any customers....
flaming
Well-known member
And to answer the OP's question, the final decision will be taken in July. I would think that if at all possible they'll go ahead. The Show really is very important to a lot of UK marine businesses, so British Marine will really want to put it on if at all possible.
Concerto
Well-known member
I really do want the show to go ahead and understand all the points you have raised. Being prepared for the event is a positive way to look forward to our future, rather than allow Covid-19 rule our lives for the next few years.
Personally I have been looking forward to showing my Fulmar Concerto on the Westerly Owners berth in the show. Having spent the past 5 years trying to get her to a condition like she was new in 1980, but with improvements to her safety equipment and sail handling. In September she will be 40 years old and will not look out of place with many of the shiny modern boats. For me it is not just a quick trip from the Hamble, but from the Medway, so does require a little more planning. My wife is looking forward to me being away for about 3 weeks as I shall be staying on board during the show so I can talk to anyone who wants to come on board.
Showing an older boat at the show is a reminder that very few of the people who go boating can afford brand new boats, but can have nice boats that generally support the equipment side of the marine industries. Boat shows are not just about selling new boats, but supporting other marine businesses like chandlery, electronics, sailmakers, yacht charters, marinas, brokerage, etc.
If the decision is taken to cancel the show, then you will all have wait an extra year to socialise at the show, but do not worry Concerto will also be there a year later.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
No!
burgundyben
Well-known member
And I am looking forward to seeing her be it this year or next.
doug748
Well-known member
That's it. Very little chance of me driving 300 miles, in the season, for a day out.
.
Concerto
Well-known member
You will be most welcome.
Sharky34
Well-known member
But will overseas buyers come?
flaming
Well-known member
I can't remember the exact numbers, but when I worked for NBS, overseas visitors were a very small proportion of the total. I wouldn't think that would factor into a decision to go ahead or not.
Sharky34
Well-known member
They might be a small proportion in numbers, but what about buying capability?
flaming
Well-known member
Probably more significant, but like I say I don't see that as being a factor in the decision to go ahead or not with the Show.
Sharky34
Well-known member
I didn't say it was a reason.
