LIBS lots of negativity

Re: LIBS lots of negativity

Just back. Saw a few old chums, who I'm pleased to say are wearing worse than I am. The show seems a better than last year, improved atmosphere and reasonablish food. Don't seem to be as many exhibitors though.

Best exhibit. HMS St Albans, certainly the most interesting, and probably the most expensive to boot.

Ugliest, the big Sunseeker.
 
We went Saturday and really enjoyed it.

We spent ages on the sealine stand getting the full treatment from the new Cardiff dealer who live on his yacht a few berths down from our boat!

We did not get time for the "events" but I would have liked to.

Bought a few bits and pieces, however was a bit dissapointed with the lack of chandleries and the "unusual" stands selling stuff you had never thought of.

Never did find what we really wanted which was the clear plastice non slip covering Yachts have on their saloon tables!

I still resent the time it takes to get across London to the venue though and I prefer Southampton apart from the weather!
 
Not that negative really Clive, most people seem to have enjoyed it.

Compared to posts re previous years' LIBS it sounds quite positive.
 
Very mixed reaction from exhibitors though. I would say of those I spoke to yesterday, and there were a few ,80% were not happy. I didn't think it was as busy yesterday as I've seen it in previous years, but was told that in fact it was very busy in comparison to other days. Monday was described as a disaster by almost everybody.

It was easy to get around yesterday and food prices were not bad. A lot of the smaller exhibitors I think will not do it again. One (fairly) big company, who did not exhibit this year but put it's staff on other stands said they were glad they'd not booked for 2007. It cost them £55k in 2006.

Mixed reaction from sea school exhibitors. A couple said it was better than 2006, but a number were not impressed.


I did hear that one boat manufacturer has booked for next 10 years.
 
The show content itself is always great, what boat enthusiast could fail to have a good time in a building full of boats.

However I haven't gone this year because I hate Excel and the location on the wrong side of London. I used to go every year to Earls court and most years to SIBS, I will probably go to the NEC Boat and Caravan show this year instead, which is a bit sad really /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: LIBS some positivity

I went on the first Friday and thought it was good.

Fairline had a clever new stand with a whole new upper deck thing.

Had a nice tour of the Sunseeker 37m, Snapper (Eddie Jordan's). I was intrigued to see whether/how they would raise their game in building a yacht this size and I gotta say I think they have done a remarkably good job. My impressions are based just on a quick look round so a but limited but the build quality really did feel good. Not Feadship/Huisman but certainly as good as the other 37m builders. Joinery was generally excellent, except they still still used some Magnet kitchen cupboard hinges, ugh. Big boat nav gear, nicely installed. Excellent GRP moulds. It was a shame to see teak decks on a boat that size made up from the same 50mm planks they use on a Manhattan - doh! (They did have kingplanks so someone at Sunseeker realised they needed something better than on smaller boats, but they didn't think to use wider planks). I was offered an engine room tour but had to decline because needed to catch a flight, sadly. But overall, it was a very impressive job and I think Sunseeker are to be congratulated in making #1 of a boat of this size that doesn't feel like they are out of their league

Turning to much smaller stuff, Avon were exhibiting the 4 stroke jetrib 320. I've been told since that the engine is the same 125hp Weber that Williams use, and that Magnum had lots of trouble with. Anyone know if this is true?
 
Re: LIBS some positivity

Absolutely agree...I spent most of Friday on board The Snapper and I too was impressed by how Sunseeker had stepped up to the Big Leagues with their 37m (see the March issue of Boat International for more details). As you say, it has proper big-boat kit on board such as the Tjssen monitoring system, an the build quality is as good as most of the stuff at that size. Nice to see a British company pulling up a chair at the top table with the Big Boys.
 
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