London Boat Show

[MERMAID137]

Hi,
we went to book a holiday and got a great deal on the Neilson stand, about £140 cheaper than booking online and very knowlegable staff. Did not spend much elsewhere but enjoyed a walk around.
Steve & Sue

 

[windpipe]

Just returned from the London boat show and while i thought the show was a bit quieter then usual i still managed to have a look at some great boats. This year i managed to get myself onto the big Sunseeker stand which i have not been on before, very nice but certainly out of my league.

There are the usual manufacturers there and some new ones, Oyster and Southerly always worth a look plus a few of the smaller models also caught my eye. Also a good selected of used boats outside so don't forget to check that out. An amazing 20 year old Swan out there plus 2 Oysters and some rather large Sunseekers which i didn't even bother approaching.

So what are we all thinking, Will the show survive?

 

[richardbrennan]

Went yesterday and was dissappointed. Very few sailing boats, worthwhile "boat show offers" seem to have dissappeared, got there at 1300 and could have gone home by 1500 if we had not booked dinner at the Yi-Ban chinese restaurant (very good) in the evening. What made the greatest impression was the lack of people; it was scarely quite and we even had a choice of tables to sit down at and have lunch; that's the first time in living memory for me! I doubt it will survive in it's present form unless Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess are selling an awful lot of boats!

 

[windpipe]

Yes there definitely less people, would be interesting to hear what the actual attendance figures come out at compared to last year. I guess it's the smaller stands that will suffer the most with less people, they guy selling shoes and small chandlery stuff. I managed to get some discounted tickets but i think the gate tickets are £25, ridiculous.

 

[millbeach]

£15 to park car.....

Myself and the wife visited on Sunday.
Been a few times now, and is def getting smaller.

Nice Jeanneau stand this year, very impressed.
Must admit it seemed like the Ideal Home Exhibition Show. less and less boat chandlery stands about.
Think we paid £14 each for tickets, paid £15 to park the car, which is an utter discrace in these hard times.

Bought some rope ( only 2 stands selling it this year ) so ofset a few quid.

Will go again, but will wait a few years, as price and quality of show is some what poor..IMHO.

 

[nigelmercier]

Not nearly enough boats ...

I thought there were too many! I didn't go there to look at boats, so I didn't.

 

[colind3782]

Went yesterday with two friends and we were very disappointed with the show. I haven't been for seven years and I was surprised to find more staff than visitors. Even the Guinness bar was relatively deserted and the one question I wanted to ask was answered by "I don't know the technical stuff, here is a leaflet with our website address".

I'm glad I went so I know not to bother in the future, if there is one for the LIB. And if I wanted to look up stuff on the webternet I could have done that without a 200 mile round trip.

Unimpressed.

Southampton it is I guess.

 

[Seajet]

Even the Guinness bar was relatively deserted

I remember after a novice chum went to Earls Court, he asked me afterwards " were they giving that Guiness away free ? I couldn't get near it to find out ! "