New Boat Show in February 2022 at the NEC Birmingham

[Concerto]

There is an announcement today that there is going to be a new boat show at the NEC, Birmingham in February 2022. 45% of the space has already been booked so it looks like it wil go ahead.

NEC to host new boat show - Marine Industry News

 

[lustyd]

It’ll be good to have a winter show again, and even better that it’s not in London!

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Should be well supported. What's it like up north ?

 

[laika]

Should be well supported. What's it like up north ?

 

[Laysula]

Should be well supported. What's it like up north ?

Not called the grim north for nothing.

 

[st599]

Seems a silly time to have it, they'll be luck to get their Carnet cleared from Düsseldorf in time. Companies will have an interesting choice - massive show or NEC.

 

[Concerto]

Seems a silly time to have it, they'll be luck to get their Carnet cleared from Düsseldorf in time. Companies will have an interesting choice - massive show or NEC.

Travel to the show and back in a day (for most visitors) or book a flight and a hotel room in the EU at a far greater cost in time and money? If not looking for a new boat, then I doubt many will choose Boot over NEC. If we really think about who visits a boat show, only a very small percentage will be actively looking to buy a boat. Most of us like looking at new boats, possibly considering them a potential purchase in the future when they start entering the secondhand market. Generally most boat owners are looking at equipment for updating their current boats. Doing this at Boot would be expensive and probably have exactly the same main suppliers, but with the added difference of no longer being part of the same free trade area.

 

[Skellum]

It’s also where a lot of the charter companies and sailing holiday operators do their business for the summer season.

 

[Daydream believer]

It’s also where a lot of the charter companies and sailing holiday operators do their business for the summer season.

So we can expect 35% canal boats & BBQ equipment with a sprinkling of plastic chairs & umbrellas with pineapples painted on them
Then by the time 10% is made up of paddle boards & wetsuit supplies, another 25% of Sunseeker et allia we can have the rest filled with expensive RIBS that no one wants, one chandler taking a risky punt & possible a few sailing clothes stands ( look for the dolly birds). Raymarine & Co. selling electronics, with staff who do not have a clue what the stuff does, other than make pretty pictures on a screen. ( Seems to attract the punters though )
Back in 2001 I bought my oak dinning table & chairs at LIBS. Excellent buy. Worth going.
Wonder if there will be any sailing boats - Probably something about 70 ft that no one can afford, but all comment on knowingly== as if??

 

[longjohnsilver]

I recall going to a boat show at NEC about 30 years ago. There weren’t many boats on show, and iirc it only lasted a year or 2. Hopefully this will be better supported.

 

[laika]

Travel to the show and back in a day (for most visitors) or book a flight and a hotel room in the EU at a far greater cost in time and money? If not looking for a new boat, then I doubt many will choose Boot over NEC.

I think st599's post you quote was about the convenience of the show's timing for exhibitors rather than visitors, ie 2.5 weeks after Boot. Wasn't that one of the issues for the London show? i.e. Boot was bigger, better and attracted more people so if an exhibitor had to pick one, they'd go with Boot. However the London show was much closer to (overlapped?) Boot and 2.5 weeks would seem to be plenty to shift a stand (not that I know anything about events management).

Boot would still be a great trip if researching a purchase rather than actually making it: all the major manufacturers are there (unlike the latter days of the London show). A really big show you need at least a couple of days. Making a weekend of it and travelling the night before means you don't miss the first couple of hours with travelling. Moreover I could get from a desk in canary wharf via city airport to an air b n b near Messe Düsseldorf in a similar (maybe less) time than it would take me to get to the NEC

The friend I've been to Boot with for the past couple of years isn't bothering next year because of the hassle of importing purchases (ie supporting Concerto's view here), but I'm presuming if they're big enough purchases the supplier will send them VAT free for VAT to be paid by the courier on import. Having said that the lack of UK sailing schools, holiday providers, marinas etc. would make Boot less attractive than a big UK show for many. Not sure I'll be trekking up to Birmingham next year: maybe the following year if forumites declare next years' a success.

 

[Bru]

"the show has space for boats up to 45 foot" according to the blurb

So that's most new narrowboats ruled out and at least half the seagoing yacht and motorboat market

I suspect it'll be a crock as far as serious boaters are concerned

 

[DJE]

"the show has space for boats up to 45 foot" according to the blurb

With masts up to 15 feet tall!

 

[laika]

"the show has space for boats up to 45 foot" according to the blurb

I just noticed the preceding bit:

occupying three halls and over 20,000sqm, the show has space for boats up to 45ft.

So that's 1/10th the size of Boot and 1/3rd the size of Southampton. The attractiveness of a train trip to Birmingham is diminishing.

 

[st599]

I think st599's post you quote was about the convenience of the show's timing for exhibitors rather than visitors, ie 2.5 weeks after Boot. Wasn't that one of the issues for the London show? i.e. Boot was bigger, better and attracted more people so if an exhibitor had to pick one, they'd go with Boot. However the London show was much closer to (overlapped?) Boot and 2.5 weeks would seem to be plenty to shift a stand (not that I know anything about events management).

Boot would still be a great trip if researching a purchase rather than actually making it: all the major manufacturers are there (unlike the latter days of the London show). A really big show you need at least a couple of days. Making a weekend of it and travelling the night before means you don't miss the first couple of hours with travelling. Moreover I could get from a desk in canary wharf via city airport to an air b n b near Messe Düsseldorf in a similar (maybe less) time than it would take me to get to the NEC

The friend I've been to Boot with for the past couple of years isn't bothering next year because of the hassle of importing purchases (ie supporting Concerto's view here), but I'm presuming if they're big enough purchases the supplier will send them VAT free for VAT to be paid by the courier on import. Having said that the lack of UK sailing schools, holiday providers, marinas etc. would make Boot less attractive than a big UK show for many. Not sure I'll be trekking up to Birmingham next year: maybe the following year if forumites declare next years' a success.

Indeed, 2.5 weeks is very tight, de-rig, pack, German Customs to get the Carnet re-export stamp, transit, UK customs for the Carnet re-import stamp then set up the stand again.

 

[MoodySabre]

The attractiveness of a train trip to Birmingham is diminishing.

I like train journeys but the destination is a bit suspect.

 

[johnalison]

I recall going to a boat show at NEC about 30 years ago. There weren’t many boats on show, and iirc it only lasted a year or 2. Hopefully this will be better supported.

I remember going to a show called something like 'Caravan and Boat show' at the NEC. It only had about two cruising boats, one of which was an early Sadler 29. We were half looking out for a boat to move up to and the boat didn't impress me much, which was probably because in the early prototype the cockpit bulkhead was vertical and took space from the galley. We bought a 29 a couple of years later in '87, so this would have been around '84/85 perhaps. I don't see Birmingham attracting the trade or crowds that London or Southhampton have.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

There probably won't be anything that won't go under a motorway bridge on a low loader.

 

[Daydream believer]

I like train journeys but the destination is a bit suspect.

Apart from the London underground, I have not been on a train for years. The local station rarely has a ticket desk open ( so I am told) .I tried once, but buying a ticket in 2014 to Inverness on line confused me so much I gave up & rented a car.
On the underground, back in 2005 I wanted to get on the UG at stratford. There was a large board which totally confused me. Fortunately some girls from the office I was working at came along & sorted it for me. I do not have a clue what to do, so avoid it like the plague. Do not feel safe in crowds anyway.

 

[JNKScot]

Apart from the London underground, I have not been on a train for years. The local station rarely has a ticket desk open ( so I am told) .I tried once, but buying a ticket in 2014 to Inverness on line confused me so much I gave up & rented a car.
On the underground, back in 2005 I wanted to get on the UG at stratford. There was a large board which totally confused me. Fortunatelly some girls from the office I was working at came along & sorted it for me. I do not have a clue what to do, so avoid it like the plague. Do not feel safe in crowds anyway.

Much simpler now on London Underground; use your contactless credit/debit card to get onto platform at one end and to get out at the other end; been like that for about 10 years.