London show - your view?

1) Southampton seems to be inhabited by mainly "boaty" people many of whom having small boats. LIBS more of an exhibition for Public to visit with the accent only on new and larger boats.
In comparison with Earls Court, the venue itself is far better, cooler, roomier etc. But the public transport system to get to it is far worse. The food is awful and expensive and there's no buzzing local area for varied wining/dining.
2) i, Improve Public Transport.
ii, Provide more seating areas, both in Guiness Bar and elsewhere.
iii, Provide decent food, easily obtained.
iv, Encourage smaller companies to exhibit.
 
You express my thoughts exactly. As I posted here a few days ago, Earl's Court, whilst cramped, had a great feeling to it. Excel by comparison, is simply awful and I doubt will survive in it's present form.

SIBS is terrific IMHO and a definite 'don't miss'.

EC and SIBS, with their better atmosphere, chandlery stands, greater number of boats etc were the two regular trips for us for many, many years. Now sadly we're down to the SIBS only. Damn shame!
 
The only advantage of LBS is that it takes place when most of us have our boats out of the water.

If you go to SIBS it usually means that you have to sacrifice some time on the boat. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Southampton gets my vote, but why on earth can't they organise pass-outs at the shows? What I'd like to see:

1) Seating areas for when my wallet and I just want a break

2) Pass-outs so I can lug purchases to me car then return for more feverish shopping (big thanks to the CA for looking after my bags last year)
[ QUOTE ]


I've only just found this thread.

I made similar comments a few minutes ago in replying to the "what did we think to the boatshow" thread on PBO. I'm really pleased to see someone else feels the way I do. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I really can't understand the difficuly with Passouts. Over the decades I've attended work related exhibitions at countless locations including NEC, Earls Court and the godforsaken Excel and have always been able to leave and come back later.

I don't know why boatshows should be any different. A simple ink stamp on the hand would suffice, or named tickets, clipped tickets, ticket scanner, card reader, finger prints, eye scanners, full body search, the possibilities are endless but by far the best and simplest option is to make the boatshows FREE ENTRANCE ALL DAY. Now there's a thought
 
Too much charter holiday ,non boaty and large mobo stands
Chandlery stands are too small to browse - try putting on full oilskins
Food too expensive, no real beer (all cold canns or Lager)
Entrance fee too high
Stand staff not well trained ie knew little about products on their stands
Awful commentry or whatever over loud speakers
 
they're all down south!

Earls Court was ok, but it would be neigh impossible for me now as it is a good walk from the stations (links all the way down). Also, I always felt like a shower after a day in Earls Court, very much sick building syndrome.

Went to the first year at Excel, spent a fair amount of the day looking for a RADAR so was rushed for the rest of the show. Got fed up dressing and undressing, well removing shoes, especially as I made a point of taking deck shoes. Slipping around shiny GRP when you have mobility problems is well out of order as is getting damp socks if you go aboard boats outside.

So little seating, we were forced to buy drinks so we could sit down and rest, more seating required.

SIBS is just too far for a day out.

LIBS is nearly too far for a day out.

I have no intention of paying for a crummy b&b to go shopping.

NEC would get my vote, access for anyone north of Watford (there be dragons here) would be so much better.

I did miss the upstairs part of E C though!
 
£1.70 for a bottle of water!!!! dreadfull...

Advice got from loads of stands - Excellent!!!

Purchases - no really good deals - Internet is just as good, BUT at least at the LBS you can see the goods first!!!

All in all it was worth going but the lack of boats is disappointing, strange really when they have all the water just outside. Not nearly as good as Southampton, but hey, it is miserable January and at least it is something to do...

Will I go next year? I always say no, but then somehow one of my friends always seem to cajole me into going...
 
I dont have a problem with Excel or getting there. Drove there yesterday from SW London no problem and parking was fine. Food is overpriced - but isnt it everywhere. This was my 4th LBS and 3rd At Excel, not much new to look at apart from the X35 and Ben' 34.7. Busier than I expected, lots of people walking round with their noses in the show guides not looking where they are going really p****d me off. And people that suddenly stop in the middle of an aisle not thinking someone is behind them. But that happens everywhere too.
Biggest thing for me is the lack of seating areas. I saw so many people having to sit on the floor just to have rest which I think is a disgusting way to reat people who have paid good money to get in.
Purchased - sunglasses!
 
I committed an awful crime at the boat show. After looking at a boat I picked up someone elses carrier bags. 2 hours later I was reunited with my bags but the bags I picked up in error will be mailed to the unfortunate person as thay had already left the show. If that person is reading this I am really, really sorry. Many apologies.
I would like to thank Merlin Electrical of Poole who went that extra mile in reuniting me with my bags. I have used them many times in the past for electrical items but their assistance confirmed that they aren't all just sales people at the show!
 
What can one add??

Excell is a bit out of the way especially if the Silverlink Railway stops running and diversions have to be made via cenral London to meet up with he Docklands light Railway at Bank....Didn t notice it at Paddington ???

Yes agree not enough seating for the public whole are already full of beer and fizz and watching the pennies and oh where are all the fellows selling the wee bits and pieces..

So many big big boats but untill those numbers come up pretty poinless..
The food was a mixture and thank heavens for the RYA lounge, makes the membership worth i and always nice company fore lone visitor.

Seems the raffic directions are no where as good at SIBS which I find a joy as that field in the middle of nowhere is so easy to find and a bendy bus is waiting to whisk me to the door!!!!!!


John
 
First time at Excel. Much better than Earls Court which was always heaving with people - at least you could walk around. However, I agree with most contributors that it isn't a patch on Southampton.
Biggest turn-off was the IPC stand - I was given a severe brush off when I said that I was a subscriber of THREE magazines and told there was nothing for me and no, I couldn't have one of your bags.
Thanks to the wonders of Scuttlebutt I took advice and bought my panini at the entrance. Perfectly edible and priced around motorway service area price. The Guinness was also good.
Some of the people manning the stands were a bit off-hand which lost them some business. Others were very helpful and friendly, even directing me to the opposition for one purchase.
There did seem to be a scarcity of boats, although I never found the outside area. However, there were no queues and I had no problems inspecting them.
Best thing was that I came away thinking that none of the boats was a patch on mine - so that was a result!!
 
...to the people complaining about food prices... When was the last time you went to any large public event? Food prices at Excel are par for the course.... NEC, Donnington World Super Bikes to quote but two...

PS You could also try buying similar any day in Central London...
 
It has all been said, but in the interests of democracy, we were very disappointed with our day at the show last Thursday. If we had paid for our entrance we would have been even more so.

Our journey there was complicated by LT problems and lengthy.

As a sailor, there seemed to be few mid to small cruising boats, and very few dinghies - just wall to wall motor boats. There appeared to be relatively few equipment stands. Presumably they were priced out ..

It is now simply a boring commercial exhibition, with none of the razmataz that we enjoyed at EC (and which they tried to emulate the first year at Excel- but no effort at all this year.). If there is an entertainment or added value, may be you can justifiy a modest entrance fee.

The waterside exhibits were disappointingly few, hard to get at, and as it was cold we didn't try.

All in all, not a valid reason for enduring a further week in the UK away from our boat in Spain! We won't be back, but would certainly visit Southampton again if we are about.

Pay us a visit at http://www.syfuga.co.uk <span style="color:red"> </span>
 
It's all been said, I guess, but we went on Friday so I haven't been able to comment until now. as a show, it is ok if you have a particular aim in mind. There are enough stands where you can get boat show discounts - sailmakers, purveyors of gizmos etc. Definitely not enough chandlery, but Southampton does that bit so much better. Outside in the wind and January drizzle is not a glamorous place to look at boats. Inside, apart form the Nantucket thingies all the sailing boats were identical and huge. I forsee LBS losing the sailing boat side (but not the dinghies) completely in the future.
 
Well, I'll go against the trend and say that I enjoyed Excel, again. Travelling there from Brockenhurst via Waterloo was a doddle, Sw trains, Jubillee line and DLR all on clean, smart trains. Did the same of the way back, I'd find it difficult to beat the 3 hours door to door from Lymington using any other form of transport.

We were there on Saturday and arrived at 10:30, plenty of space to wander about until lunch then very busy. Spoke to several exhibitors who said that it had been an odd show with lots of peeps at first then very quiet the first weekend then had picked up on Weds/ Thurs and had been busy since. Most said that they were taking orders and were happy with the event.

Enjoyed the RYA lounge for food.

I find LIBS very useful for getting up to speed on new developments across the piece and for that the market knowledge was there. The chandlery seemed sparser than normal but personally wouldn't buy anything other than specific specialist items at the show. Although as ever broke the no new toys rule and came away with a pair of boots from a new outfit making boots with a non-slip sole and neoprene legs, should keep the tootsies warm. I reckon.

So, in sum, enjoyed the show, I find the Excel venue a pleasant airy change from the old dank, cramped Earls Court quarters
 
Way too expensive......

Have been to LIBS every year since I can remember, originally in the arms of my parents, through to now with my own kids.....

I was going to take the family this year, but entry combined with fuel and parking would have seen us the wrong side of £100....... sorry, I'm not a tight wad generally.... but thats too much... I'd rather spend that money on some new bits for my boat instead of being told to sod off by exhibitors that don't think I look rich enough to purchase their wares....

I can do all the research and boat gazing I like on the Internet, and then in our marina every weekend.......

Will still go to SIBS though, as the atmosphere is much nicer, and its a good day out...
 
I agree with NAS - this year we didn't go, as the cost for myself and SWMBO to go was approaching £100 before we bought anything - very hard to justify just to look at boats in an over-grown wharehouse. IMHO, the organisers need to look towards events such as IFOS for inspiration - and provide quality entertainment as well as shopping, so it's actually a proper day out. At least EC had the central theme around the pool, which made it all a bit different every year. I've been going since I was a kid, but not anymore.
 
Here's a question - does it need to be in January?

Put it back to - say - late April and the dock outside could be used for demos, water-borne entertainment, etc. Would make it much more appealing.

I appreciate the argument about January being a time when sailors are thinking about the upcoming season, and getting their hind-quarters in gear with thoughts of new boats and kit, but January is also post-Christmas, with the resulting dents in bank-balances so putting it back it might be swings and roundabouts thing. It would also give us two boat shows (LIBS & SIBS) more or less 6 months apart, which might be better for trade than two shows 4 months apart.

Maybe January was originally for the convenience of boatbuilders, so they could begin to flesh out the year's building programme, but nowadays with mass production yachts marketed internationally being the bulk of the new-build market, perhaps this no longer matters as much.
 
I've got mixed feelings about LIBS at Excel

Pro:

a) Well organised venue, easy to find one's way around.

b) Easy to get to by car plus park & ride

Con:

a) A bit soul-less compared to Earls Court

b) Distinctly lacking in boats!

c) It's getting pricey, but I suspect SIBS this year will charge more or less the same as Excel.

On balance, we probably didn't enjoy our visit this year as much as last, without any coherent reason why.

I can see Excel declining into a "shopping mall" , for gadgetry & fashions, which will be a great shame.
 
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