London Boat Show

We won't.... there today

But heads up about eating. At LIBS you have to go out the hall for eating and you can get back in.... So instead of the rip off food in Excell take a walk outside. We found a lovely Italian cafe Cafe Bonnane just past the Nisa shop to port as you walk out the west entrance.
 
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Well I had a good walk around Yesterday and spoke to all the Sail Makers I could find.
Came up with a good deal from Kemp Sails for a full battened main in Vectran cloth.
Looking forward to trying it out in the spring.
 
What really winds me up about the boat shows is that you have to buy a show guide to get a stand map. Whatever happened to the guides PBO used to publish.

I did spend some money at the show but could have done that just as easily online. Not been for 5 years and I wont be going back.
 
Tomahawk said:
We won't.... there today

But heads up about eating. At LIBS you have to go out the hall for eating and you can get back in.... So instead of the rip off food in Excell take a walk outside. We found a lovely Italian cafe Cafe Bonnane just past the Nisa shop to port as you walk out the west entrance.
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Best onsite option is probably the RYA lounge.
 
CLB said:
A genuine question. When you decided to go, what were you hoping to get out of it?
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Specifically the main aim was to find suitable foulies and a lifejacket for my cousin who's got the sailing bug

Very limited range of foulies available and and even more limited range of lifejackets. Basically a total bust

One a broader note, far too many totally irrelevant stands, nothing at all to do with boats
 
Bru said:
Specifically the main aim was to find suitable foulies and a lifejacket for my cousin who's got the sailing bug

Very limited range of foulies available and and even more limited range of lifejackets. Basically a total bust

One a broader note, far too many totally irrelevant stands, nothing at all to do with boats
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I went had had a very good day out especially for £7.50. I think some people expect too much or just like to have a moan
 
Bigplumbs said:
I went had had a very good day out especially for £7.50. I think some people expect too much or just like to have a moan
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One stand with a moderate selection of foulies plus the Musto stand also with a limited range.

Two stands with a very modest selection of lifejackets plus a couple of others with a single range on display

For the last Sunday of the show, the place was, compared to previous years, dead. Car park half full, hall half empty.

Barely a handful of yachts on display. Absolutely nothing on the water outside

Etc

Even by Excel standards, the show is a shadow of its former self

I wish it wasn't so because Southampton is at the wrong time of year but even with free tickets (and we had to pay for some of ours), with the travel and parking costs, not to mention the eyewatering cost of a round at the bar, it's simply not worth bothering with

If that's a moan so be it.
 
We all really enjoyed the show, ended up ordering brand new mattress' and saloon cushions and covers which we had no intention on!

Got to look at a few shiny new boats, and convinced ourselves we are more than happy with ours.

I find it hard to believe anyone can complain for £7.50 a ticket. We spend a good 6 hours or so there :)
 
Bru said:
£7.50 a ticket x 4 = £30
£20 parking
£23.50 for four drinks :0
A 140 mile round trip

£73.50

Bought a book for £7.50
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I went in a group of four too
£0 per ticket = £0. (A mix of RYA and other freebies, there seemed to be plenty on offer)
£15 parking = £3.75 each
£0 for drinks (I am at a boat show, not a pub)

£15

Bought nothing, but a good and cheap day out. :D
 
I really do think they've lost the plot.
When the economy failed in 2007 - they should (I believe) have focused on the boating and marine industry's survival and success - rather than trying to perpetuate tired formats.
1. Charging people in the current climate to go shopping is bonkers
2. ...so there need to be other reasons for going to the boat show
3. ...as manufacturers ebb away, one of those reasons (gawping at the latest Rassy, Oyster, Island Packet etc) is almost gone
4. It's no cheaper than the internet
5. It could be v good for information gathering on a major purchase but the show is organised to make that hard; not easy.
6. Parking costs as much as the boat show ticket
7. Food is expensive and not v good
8. Because many people drive, the social side of the boat show is less to the fore than when in central London (and I'm an Essex boy so Excel is not bad for me)
9. Far too few other reasons to go...

Answer: Not sure there is one - but I'd make it free to attend, organise the whole hall differently and lay on some added value content.
 
Bru said:
One stand with a moderate selection of foulies plus the Musto stand also with a limited range.

Two stands with a very modest selection of lifejackets plus a couple of others with a single range on display

For the last Sunday of the show, the place was, compared to previous years, dead. Car park half full, hall half empty.

Barely a handful of yachts on display. Absolutely nothing on the water outside

Etc

Even by Excel standards, the show is a shadow of its former self

I wish it wasn't so because Southampton is at the wrong time of year but even with free tickets (and we had to pay for some of ours), with the travel and parking costs, not to mention the eyewatering cost of a round at the bar, it's simply not worth bothering with

If that's a moan so be it.
Click to expand...

Yup that is indeed a moan. As I said we enjoyed it. Lovely day out. I would agree the parking is a bit steep at £20
 
Can anyone explain the relevance of the electronically operated grand pianos to boaters? And a Helicopter? Not to mention seven grand tree trunk table (Marked down to £5k) which must have weighed a load... Garden "huts"?
 
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