Once again it's 10% down on last year.

[Toutvabien]

Met a major exhibitor from LIBS out shopping yesterday and he suggested that attendence is, once again "10% down on last year". Now I recall this being the PR spin on the show for the last couple of years at least; given that the show has only been open a couple of days is it just a question of the PR folk being lazy and wheeling out their previous interpretation of events, or in a couple of years time will only 3 people be going to LIBS?

When I went on the Tuesday last year the place was almost deserted. I cannot see how the London Boat Show, international or otherwise, justifies it's existence any longer. The traditional justification of picking up cheap kit is long gone, the vast majority of the affordable yachts all look vitually identical, the interactive attractiions are fairly mundane, facilities and activities for children almost non existent, but maybe I am just being a sad old git. I have been to the boat show for the last 25 years, but cannot be bothered in2010, and I only live half an hours cycle ride from Excel.

 

[haydude]

I do not see the point to pay to enter a shopping mall whatever the size the goods are.
If they made it free and near home I would probably consider a visit. Between a day sailing and a day on the road to visit a boat show I always prefer a day sailing. And should the weather be so bad that I cannot sail, there is always plenty left behind to do at home, because I have been sailing most of my spare time.

 

[Boat44]

Personally I dislike Excel. I have been two years now (not this) and certainly wont be going again. Absolutely middle of nowhere (Would only take me about 2 hours longer to get to Cannes!) Horrible, soleless place with no atmosphere, other than a bunch of poor suckers stuck manning their stands.

It is closer to a trade fair than a boat show and we just had METs the other month!!

And as others have said, no real bargains or discounts any more. Soton is far better for that, or the internet!

Whilst numbers maybe down, what is more important is the amount of money spent at the show. That's the far more interesting metric.

Still, on a plus side I suppose you can get the undivided attention of a sales man.

 

[jpcarter30]

[QUOTE
When I went on the Tuesday last year the place was almost deserted. I cannot see how the London Boat Show, international or otherwise, justifies it's existence any longer. The traditional justification of picking up cheap kit is long gone, the vast majority of the affordable yachts all look vitually identical, the interactive attractiions are fairly mundane, facilities and activities for children almost non existent, [/QUOTE]

Have to agree. I went on Saturday and enjoyed it but I go to pick up the odd bargain and mainly to get the ear of people selling stuff that I may be interested in. It gives me a good opportunity to ask the questions I haven't got time to ask and to see the kit 'in the flesh' so to speak. I'll then buy online, as more than one stall advised me to do!

 

[wotayottie]

I cannot see how the London Boat Show, international or otherwise, justifies it's existence any longer. .

Promoters income from tickets plus income from stand rental plus catering > costs of running the show. If it doesnt, then there will be no show next year. Simples.

It's a handy opportunity to see / talk to some of the more one off suppliers dealing in things like boat heating or toilets or the sailmakers.

 

[Saguday]

You always get the same moans and complaints every year

We went there and enjoyed it, more chandleries etc than normal and there were definitely deals to be done (we did a couple and came away happy) and having the time to talk to a couple of key companies about a certain major secret project which may soon be feasible for us was the bonus of the whole event. I thought there was plenty to rummage around and have a look at. Met up with many friends and had some good chats and laughs with various stand folk all in good humour generally, even met Ben Ainslie who seems a very pleasant chap.

Not as many actual boats as usual but we got to see the ones we wanted to and a couple we wouldn't normally have gone on. Attendance is down, but this weekend it wasn't surprising what with the cold weather, a major recession and 7 sodding bits of engineering work going on on the underground to make the travel that bit more challenging. Sunday defo busier than Saturday imho.

Only a loonie would expect numbers attending an event like this in the middle of a recession to stay the same or grow, lets be realistic and not use it as an excuse to whinge on again and again, it's bad enough putting up with the **** being written and said about the weather in the media.

Anyway, it's a free country if you don't like it don't go, we made the effort (5 hour journey) stayed the night and turned it into a weekend mini-break, kids happy, got our mid-winter boaty fix and came back with some nice kit and some good new leads. Job done, we'll go again next year and we'll also go to SIBS, which is our favourite.

Personally, I didn't like Earls Court, too old and scruffy. So there

 

[Wandering Star]

You always get the same moans and complaints every year

I agree with the whole of your post! I went on Friday and it was great, numbers possibly down for same reasons you gave. I enjoy the show tremendously, it's an annual pilgrimage for me as is SIBS and as was Earls Court.

If you're looking to buy stuff it makes life easier especially for stuff which is usually sold boxed up in chandleries whereas at the shows you can often see it set up and working as well as cuddle it if you really need to. Whilst I'm not so mean minded as to ask, I'm sure if you were spending big bucks with one supplier and you did ask, the supplier would be pleased to refund the cost of admittance in return for a sale.

But most people (I think) go for the entertainment value and for the opportunity of seeing the stuff on display - well I certainly do, and I don't begrudge the entrance fee at all, it's a fine show and a lot cheaper and much more fun for a sailor than a day at Alton Towers for example!

Cheers, Brian.

 

[Moodyjim]

Absolutely with you 100% flobber

 

[Saguday]

I agree with the whole of your post!

Blimey! Do you?

Well, anyway, the boat shows are the only time I get to see Jimmy Green Marine in all it's glory arrayed for my viewing pleasure, and that other place that sells all the rope which I can't resist, and mailspeed marine stuff everywhere, and Blue Water supplies from Jersey who always have interesting stuff to poke around at, and we got to go on that nice new Oyster 575 and the rather interesting Ovni never been on one before and we bought a super new pair of binocs plus there's tons of saily clothing for my missus to browse through as well as that amazing cooker from GN Espace that gimbles every which way now she wants one of those thank you Mrs Fullcircle very much and say hello to the folks at the YBW stand with that nice Mr Shead who fed us jelly babies 'cos he wasn't allowed to give us gin and all the east coast crowd who turned up for a natter and Sam Llewellyn always good for a chat even if I do have to buy one of his books every time I see him and of course we got to pay our homage to the IP465 still our favourite makes us all nostalgic for our liveaboard cruise and our friends in the states and thus we plan the return of our beloved boat from far off america by talking to the delivery people who were conveniently available nearby too and I did a very silly thing and bought a couple of inflatable kayaks 'cos we've been looking at them for years at every boat show and at this one we really did get a good deal so went for it now can't wait for warmer weather to try it all out and go sailing again which is what a mid-winter boat show on a grey cloudy cold London day is supposed to get you all excited about after all isn't it?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Shame that your usual supplier of full stops wasn't there this year.

 

[Toutvabien]

I think you miss my point, I have been a strong supporter of the boat show for 25 years, I always looked forward to it as a treat after Chistmas, sometimes visiting 2 or 3 times in the course of the show (usually spending a good few quid on each visit), and have never questioned my sanity as I struggled through snow and plagues of locusts to get there. All of the positives that folk set out above are ones that I recognise, but I suspect that it's continued existence requires more than a few hard core loyalists to keep drinking Guiness with their mates.

I do not get the sense that they get as many dreamers or tyre kickers through the door any more, none of my non boat owning mates go any more. If a few more former loyalists also stop seeing the virute of it, how low do attendances have to fall before it does not work as a commercial enterprise?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Sunday was apparently deadly quiet, Monday busy, today (Tuesday) was certainly very quiet when I was there. Maybe they know I'm coming, and stay away.

 

[dunedin]

I dropped past on Monday - seemed very quiet, and certainly very few sailing yachts to see (timing hardly ideal just after the VAT rate went back up).
Whilst the tickets etc may cover the organisers' costs, these do not cover the exhibitors' costs. Just hope the sales revenues are sufficient and none of them go under due to the high costs of attending.

PS Always a good annual yawn when softie southerners moan about making the huge extended journey along the DLR to the wilderness of east london. Goodness, almost as dangerous as venturing north of Watford. Must need expedition levels of planning ;-)

 

[Poignard]

Thoughts from a boat show

Like 'sleepy hollow' today but a pleasant day-out for all that, especially having been given a free ticket and it costing me nothing to get there. Although I was bitterly disappointed that the Evening Standard was not giving away umbrellas this year.

Learnt the advantages of gaff-rig from an East Coast sailing fisherman near the CB stand, especially the use of a 'tricing line' to quickly reduce sail area. He reckoned it would also work on a Bermudan mainsail (if loose-footed).

The Guiness was good, especially as a pint of it unexpectedly came free with a subscription to CB, also a 1/2 day on a classic boat in Suffolk.

The baguette I paid £4.50 for was a rip-off.

 

[Poignard]

Must need expedition levels of planning ;-)

Not at all, as a DLR employee said when asked the way: "Just follow the beards"

 

[Ubergeekian]

Sunday was apparently deadly quiet, Monday busy, today (Tuesday) was certainly very quiet when I was there. Maybe they know I'm coming, and stay away.

I was there this (Tuesday) afternoon. The North Hall (Fairline and other vulgarity dominating) was as good as empty. The South Hall had a reasonable number of people, but not even near busy. As far as I could see they could easily have got away with one ticket seller at the entrance.

The "show" in the corner was embarassing - when I passed the "What's Next, Skipper?" performance they were gamely putting it on for, as far as I could make out, six people in the audience.

My prediction: it will be dead in a year or two.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I dropped past on Monday - seemed very quiet, and certainly very few sailing yachts to see (timing hardly ideal just after the VAT rate went back up).

Wasn't the Bavaria stand tiny? Two full sized boats and the 22 foot thing, tucked away in a corner. Either they really didn't expect to sell much or they are still in financial trouble ... dammit, Cornish Crabbers had a much bigger presence and they make as many boats in a year as Bavaria do in a bank holiday week.

 

[mcframe]

It's a handy opportunity to see / talk to some of the more one off suppliers dealing in things like boat heating or toilets or the sailmakers.

<nodnod>

Big plusgood to Nick@Merlin - OK we could have tried to sort out electrics over the phone, but it would have been harder to show the (iPhone) pics and join-the-dots on my nascent wiring diagram (and find a change to one of the published BEP .pdf files) and point at samples of AWGs.

I used to buy clothes and books and holidays and stuff at boat shows; then one year, I didn't buy *anything* - later that year I bought a boat...

 

[2700]

We went last year. Got international free visitors pass, great, could come and go as you like and free.We stayed in the Novotel opposite and dropped off our purchases as and when.
Spent about €4000 on the whole thing. Enjoyed it immensely.
But this year___No free international tickets. No euro for London.
Were going to Boot at the end of the month. Dinner and ticket to show included.
Been on to the German Chamber of commerce this morning and got a e-mail back within the hour with details of catalogue hotels etc. Were booking as I speak
(Who knows I might even post a few photos if Possible)

 

[Twister_Ken]

I remember reading that a Hallberg Rassy is the most 'desired' yacht by UK sailors. HR is not at LIBS this year but was at SBS last September. Writing on the wall?