Libs, a brokers view

[jonic]

At last it's over. 10 days of standing up all day, staying up too late and punting the odd yacht.

The view from this side of the fence is that numbers seemed down on some days, but Saturday was manic, and the quality of visitor was very high. People seemed generally very well informed and were asking very specific and detailed questions. Sales down in some areas but up (a lot) in others. More interest and sales in the larger yachts (42ft plus) with most paying in cash and not with a marine mortgage.

Had the odd daft question /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif, but not many at all compared to other years.

Hello to the forumites who came to say hello and see the boats /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[beancounter]

[ QUOTE ]
and the quality of visitor was very high. People seemed generally very well informed

[/ QUOTE ]

Our act obviously fooled you....

Good to meet you John, and thanks for the help & advice.

 

[steve_cronin]

\"Paying in Cash\"

Well yes, the Baby Boomers are coming into their inheritances in this decade so enjoy while you can; the dark gloom of a Brown's Britain loometh ever nearer and as we know, being a deciple of the late John Smith he doesn't see why "...we think we were put on this earth to enjoy ourselves". Asset tax (Conspicuous Opulence Tax) will be with us before long.

Besides, even the ones with no inheritance were probably "arranging their own finance" by re-mortgaging their peoperties and using spare equity to get a loan at a FAR lower interest rate than that charged by Lombard, HSBC Barclays etc.

Steve Cronin

 

[cookjwm]

Busy enough on your stand on Friday not to be able to get at either you or Graham all day...and the Hanse and Jeanneau stands also packed, but my impression was with existing owners getting in the way of us genuine punters(!), at least thats what happened on Hanse stand ,just we got into conversation an owner barged down below to tell everyone he was there and took over conversation. We left....

 

[jonic]

Hello Cookieboy

I thought I saw a fleeting view of you amongst the throng. Friday was our busiest (sales) day, any luck with your sale yet?

 

[cookjwm]

coming on right now ,thanks. Got any polars for the shoal draught.....?

 

[TonyTitch]

I guess that if you're in the sort of market where people pay cash for 42ft yachts, the show suited you. For those of us with somewhat less cash that went there to find specific bits of equipment it was even more a disappointment than last year. The boats afloat were merely a repeat of the types on show inside, and the only one to visit was an ageing Royal Navy frigate, one of which is there every year.
The downhill slide continues, and I doubt I shall go again. Southampton's still ok though.

 

[jonic]

Just going over to Lymington, but I'll get them over to you this afternoon. Graham had a great show, boat wise, but some scallywag stole his laptop from the stand /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Adrian]

[ QUOTE ]
existing owners getting in the way of us genuine punters(!),

[/ QUOTE ]
Hope that wasn't me! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif, But it is nice to be recognised by the salesman, "Oh hello Mr X", Hanse are very good at this.

 

[jamesjermain]

[ QUOTE ]
The boats afloat were merely a repeat of the types on show inside, and the only one to visit was an ageing Royal Navy frigate, one of which is there every year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Errr? Delphia, Fountaine Pajot, Discovery, Prout, Dufour 525, to name but a few, all outside but not inside.

For what it's worth I thought this year's show was good and a lot better than last year. I even lost weight thanks to all that walking from one end of the halls to the other!

 

[jonic]

[quote

For what it's worth I thought this year's show was good and a lot better than last year. I even lost weight thanks to all that walking from one end of the halls to the other!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto

Except I put it all back on again in the evenings /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]
the only one to visit was an ageing Royal Navy frigate, one of which is there every year.


[/ QUOTE ]

Ageing /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

HMS St Albans was only launched a few years ago?
Exactly what did you expect?

 

[rickp]

A few less dents? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rick

 

[Emjaytoo]

[ QUOTE ]
For what it's worth I thought this year's show was good and a lot better than last year. I even lost weight thanks to all that walking from one end of the halls to the other!

[/ QUOTE ]

Add me to the list. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Koeketiene]

Only two skippers I know never had any accidents: one never left his berth and the other was a terrible liar.

 

[john_morris_uk]

One of the challenges of a Type 23 Duke Class is that they have multi thousand horsepower in ahead and only a fraction of that in astern!

I can bore you with the details why.

How do you know it wasn't another vessel colliding with the Frigate anyway?

I saw the QE2 nearly take the bows off a Destroyer in New York a few years ago when the D was parked up alongside. Broke a few lines and the brow ended up in the dock. I know because I was driving another vessel at the time without a doctor and I was trying to get on board to see the D's doc...

 

[cookjwm]

Waited politly for ages on the pontoon to get on the Delphia but the chap was too busy on his phone -saw someone else just climb on and get ignored ....do I really want one? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[steve_cronin]

MY loss of weight....

..I put down to the war-time-like precautions of taking down all (well, MOST) of the stand numbers. Where exhibitors had replaced the basic, organisers banners there was no numeric ID put up it's place. Trying to get around by the use of an exhibitors' list was almost impossible. I trudged up and down, getting often totally dis-orientated - firms with multiple stands didn't help in this respect either! Never did find Baseline Marine Products, which is a pity as they usually have something useful. Maybe they weren't there.

For the first time in amny years, I didn't buy a YM subscription. Well, since you now tack them on to the tail of the current agreement, I reckon I'm set up until almost next year's show, what with the three free copiesfrom way-back and the several substitutes for missed issues I have in credit.

I'm eager to see a test on the SP Cruiser: is there one in the pipeline?

Steve Cronin

 

[nicho]

Re: \"Paying in Cash\"

[ QUOTE ]
Asset tax (Conspicuous Opulence Tax) will be with us before long.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a wind up of yours Steve, or a leak of Browns' vision for the future? I would feel a bit daft asking with any other government, but with this robbing mob, nothing would surprise me!

 

[Sailfree]

I wanted to see Delphia but they shut early on Thursday!