Round Britain day 113 Southampton Boat Show

[Concerto]

After a morning of getting some laundry done, it was time to get the bike out and cycle over to the Southampton Boat Show. I went to help set up the Westerly Owners Association stand and rig some banners on a Centaur, their boat at the show.

The access to the show ground is by exhibitors pass, which I did not have. No problem as I just walked in with some people delivering some plants for a stand, despite pushing my bike. So security was not as tight as it should be. That is when you are welcomed to chaos land.


This is the main access road where nothing was moving due to a dustcart emptying the rubbish bins filled during the build up of the show.


As the dustcart kept stopping, progress was slow, everything stopped again just arround the corner


This was just before 5pm and nothing was finished in Ocean Hall


Another view of Ocean hall


Outside boatfolk were certainly not ready


Wow, I did find one stand ready!

When I went on to the pontoon, the gap for boats to access the centre bays was still open, so I had to take a walk down the motorboat aisle. There were still a few boats arriving, including one beautiful Dutch boat with a varnished coachroof being towed in by a rib. The Centaur was told to enter on Monday due to bigger boats arriving later and limiting space on the way in, that was a problem I had last year. Luckily the Centaur owner who lives in the Midlands was able to do this and be at work on Tuesday. Not all Westerly owners are retired, as one person mentioned to me once.

Whilst I was on the pontoon, I should have photographed a large catamaran motorboat that was still being built. There must have been about 20 people working on and off the boat. What caught my eye was a small stack of bare wood doors on the pontoon awaiting fitting along with lots of boxes of bits and pieces. Other boats were getting a final wash and polish.

For anyone who have enjoyed my trip and would like to meet me, I am going to be on the Westerly Owners Association stand J115 in Ocean Hall every day at 2pm for about an hour. If you miss me, just ask on the stand and they will give me a call to see if I can arrange a later time.

 

[Blueboatman]

After a morning of getting some laundry done, it was time to get the bike out and cycle over to the Southampton Boat Show. I went to help set up the Westerly Owners Association stand and rig some banners on a Centaur, their boat at the show.

The access to the show ground is by exhibitors pass, which I did not have. No problem as I just walked in with some people delivering some plants for a stand, despite pushing my bike. So security was not as tight as it should be. That is when you are welcomed to chaos land.

View attachment 143047
This is the main access road where nothing was moving due to a dustcart emptying the rubbish bins filled during the build up of the show.

View attachment 143048
As the dustcart kept stopping, progress was slow, everything stopped again just arround the corner

View attachment 143049
This was just before 5pm and nothing was finished in Ocean Hall

View attachment 143050
Another view of Ocean hall

View attachment 143051
Outside boatfolk were certainly not ready

View attachment 143052
Wow, I did find one stand ready!

When I went on to the pontoon, the gap for boats to access the centre bays was still open, so I had to take a walk down the motorboat aisle. There were still a few boats arriving, including one beautiful Dutch boat with a varnished coachroof being towed in by a rib. The Centaur was told to enter on Monday due to bigger boats arriving later and limiting space on the way in, that was a problem I had last year. Luckily the Centaur owner who lives in the Midlands was able to do this and be at work on Tuesday. Not all Westerly owners are retired, as one person mentioned to me once.

Whilst I was on the pontoon, I should have photographed a large catamaran motorboat that was still being built. There must have been about 20 people working on and off the boat. What caught my eye was a small stack of bare wood doors on the pontoon awaiting fitting along with lots of boxes of bits and pieces. Other boats were getting a final wash and polish.

For anyone who have enjoyed my trip and would like to meet me, I am going to be on the Westerly Owners Association stand J115 in Ocean Hall every day at 2pm for about an hour. If you miss me, just ask on the stand and they will give me a call to see if I can arrange a later time.

Thanks
Fascinating to be experiencing the big build up .
Chelsea ( flower show ) and theatre pre first night not too dissimilar
Good luck with the Centaur set up ?- you’re a bit of an old hand at this by now ??

 

[ashtead]

Pleased to report the boatfolk stand looked far better today but ocean hall was fairly quiet -maybe everyone was queuing elsewhere.

 

[Concerto]

As you might expect, I arrived before the boat show opened. There were a few chores that I helped with on the WOA stand to be ready for the visitors to arrive. Then I went to change out my jeans and into some smart trousers. Returning to the stand I passed this stand just after opening time and work laying a carpet was still being done.



My first port of call was the Yachting Monthly/PBO stand. After chatting with PBO's feature editor it seems I will be writing a series of articles for the magazine. Then I headed to the pontoons. I only went on one boat, that is how unappealing the new boats are to me. I certainly would love to own it as it was a Dragonfly 40 with a price tag of between €650,00 to €850,000 ex instruments, ex Denmark and ex VAT. After walking the rest of the pontoons, I went to the Westerly Centaur and chatted with the owner and a number of visitors. As time was moving on and my stomach started to grumble, I headed for shore. As you can see the pontoons were quite busy.



As I looked at some of the food stalls and could not believe the prices they were asking, so I kept walking. Then on the roadway above the marquees I saw a sign to a food tent behind some stalls. I went in to see what they had to offer and could not believe the prices. A burger or bacon bap for under £5. I decided on a sandwich, soft drink, bag of crisps and a flapjack, all for £4.75. The stall is behind the Safevue CCTV stand if you want cheaper boat show food.

Again time was getting close to me having to be on the WOA stand at 1.30 so I could learn how to use the tech to sign up any new members or sell any burgees or hats. As I walked through the marque I saw the Cruising Association stand so stopped to chat with Sian Cantellow, who signed me up last year. Surprisingly, she remember me having Concerto there last year. I quickly chatted about my trip and showed her a few of the photos from the trip. Looking at the rack of area information sheets, I picked up the Kent Branch and then pointed out I am giving a talk in January about having a boat at the show and the preparation I thought necessary. She was impressed. What a lovely lady.



The hour I was supposed to be on the stand ended up being over 4 hours as it gave the other WOA members who were helping a chance to look round the show. I met some interesting people, some who have read my reports, some just wanting questions answered. They all seemed very happy, especially a Konsort owner who gave me question after question and kept writing down lots of details I provided. He commented it was the best advice he had received on all of the stands he had visited. I was chatting with a past Westerly owner who now has a Halberg Rassey when a colleague said there was a man wanting to say thank you for all the great photos I had posted. So we all joined to chat together and then the photo man said something about my bike. It was just outside the door and he had to go and have a look. Eventually I found out it was none other than ashtead of this parish and I find he now has an electric bike on his Christmas list. Why wait that long?

When the show closed it was time to change back into my jeans and cycle back to Hamble. As I was leaving Southampton, near Ocean Village, I passed a museum I now want to visit.



For those with poor eyesight here is the sign in closer detail.

Many of the early Spitfires were built in Southampton and this museum celebrates this fact.

The trip should take about 35 minutes, but I stopped for some food shopping. I forgot to mention when I arrived on Wednesday at Mercury Yacht Harbour my neighbour across the finger was none other than the boat who is my neighbour across the finger in Chatham. By the time I was back on the boat tonight they slipped the berth after driving down from SE London, so did not have a chance to chat with them.

For me it was an enjoyable day and I am looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[Tomaret]

I had hoped to see you to congratulate you on your voyage and thank you for the posts, but by 1:30 I’d seen all that I wanted to see, had a £10 burger (didn’t see the hidden canteen until after lunch) and wasn’t being distracted by anything I chanced upon so missed your 2 pm appearance. Enjoy the show and the rest of your trip.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Dragonfly 40. This one, I think.

 

[chrishscorp]

Always great to see behind the scenes stuff.
I shall be there manning the WOA stand and the Centaur on the pontoon on Tuesday so if anyone is about do come and say hello. SWMBO may even be persuaded along as she is on holiday, yes Westerly owners that both still work, an increasing number of us....
Roger If you want a motorised trip to a supermarket let us know as we will have transport.

 

[ashtead]

I was thinking the other day as I stood on the pontoon if there was a list of where Centaurs are now?

 

[chrishscorp]

I was thinking the other day as I stood on the pontoon if there was a list of where Centaurs are now?

I had a request for info emailed to me about sails for a Centaur IIRC and enclosed a photo of him sailing past Port Stanley in the Falklands. We have seen a couple in Valetta Hbr, Malta and they are over in the States as well so pretty much everywhere

 

[ashtead]

Has anyone sailed a centaur across the Atlantic?

 

[capnsensible]

Has anyone sailed a centaur across the Atlantic?

Yes. I've got a memory from a good while back, probably 25 years ish of, I think, a yachting monthly article about one.

I found it quite inspirational. Certainly urged me to do it.

Not on a Centaur...... on my Moody 33.

 

[Concerto]

I had hoped to see you to congratulate you on your voyage and thank you for the posts, but by 1:30 I’d seen all that I wanted to see, had a £10 burger (didn’t see the hidden canteen until after lunch) and wasn’t being distracted by anything I chanced upon so missed your 2 pm appearance. Enjoy the show and the rest of your trip.

You should have come over as I was there by 1.30 to allow a member of the team to get some lunch.

 

[Concerto]

Always great to see behind the scenes stuff.
I shall be there manning the WOA stand and the Centaur on the pontoon on Tuesday so if anyone is about do come and say hello. SWMBO may even be persuaded along as she is on holiday, yes Westerly owners that both still work, an increasing number of us....
Roger If you want a motorised trip to a supermarket let us know as we will have transport.

Currently I am winding my ships stores as the journey is near the end, so I am buying the minimum. You would not believe what I can carry on my bike using the rack and backpack. So thank you Chris for the offer, any way we can have a catch up on Tuesday.

 

[Concerto]

I was thinking the other day as I stood on the pontoon if there was a list of where Centaurs are now?

The WOA members handbook lists over 400 Centaurs, Chieftains and Pembrokes (they all shared the same hull design) that are members of the Association, which is is a surprising small number of the 2444 built. It would take some time from the members handbook to trace where these are all now berthed. Today I was talking with a gentleman who keeps his Centaur in Majorca.

 

[mikegunn]

“Also I had a bit of fun on the ASAP stand. Last year a young lady who was organising all of the new water system and Mark who was there for first time, both came aboard as Concerto was on the marina. Well Mark remembered me, but the young lady will arrive on Tuesday. So Mark sent a text that someone was annoyed she was not there as he had a complaint. Then Mark took a selfie of both of us and another workmate. Finally he suggest that due to the problem she had caused, instead of taking 2 days to get from Chatham to the Hamble, it had taken 112 days to arrive. In the morning I should know her reaction, but Mark is not going let on what happened. So on Tuesday I am going to try to be there as she arrives with an angry face. Being a blonde, she is quite gullable and Mark expects her to worry until Tuesday about this problem and to fall for it”.

I’m sorry, but I fail to see the funny side. In my opinion that scheme is both sexist and immature. Such a disappointment In a generally excellent account of your exploits.

Mike

 

[chrishscorp]

Today was certainly busier than yesterday. Walking round the marquees and all the stands on terra ferma, I started to realise there were many regular businesses missing. Here are a few that I wanted to see.
Marina Developments Ltd
Force 4 chandlery
Marine Supermarket
TSC Chandlery
The large marine shoe stand
Marlec wind and solar power

One thing I wanted to check out was a new set of oil skins, but here is only one stand selling oil skins of a brand I have not heard of. So far I have not seen any stands with solar panels.

Thinking about the boats on the pontoons I saw yesterday, there seemed to be far more powerboats than yachts. There were certainly a lot more sailing dinghies and inflatables/ribs. The classic/traditional boat area seemed to be much smaller.

There are far more food stalls than ever before. There were a few areas where they seem to be grouped. The toilets are still Portacabin based but again there seemed to be more. There was certainly a fair number of sailmakers and engine suppliers. Yet there were 4 stands selling mini cube air cooling units.

The show is different from previous years, but I felt it has lost some of its importance.

Force 4 and Marine Superstore neither I believe are going to the show, the size of stand they have are £40k then there is the grief of organising it and getting all the stock there. During lockdown there was no need to do anything as people beat a path to their door and their sales didnt drop so it has told them they dont need to go to that effort and once you have suppliers in that frame of mind its likely to come to a sticky end.
When we were looking for a 32 footer last year I was told by a broker that virtually anything new between 30 and 40 foot would not be coming into the UK for 18 months and this was a result of Covid, disruption to manufacturing staff and same with inbuilt components. They could take a deposit and get me on the waiting list but there was nothing other than a brochure they could show me and this is one of the reasons why boat values have gone up rather than down. If that lack of production has fed through into less actual boats on the water at the show then really the industry needs a kick up the arse.

 

[dolabriform]

I’m sorry, but I fail to see the funny side. In my opinion that scheme is both sexist and immature. Such a disappointment In a generally excellent account of your exploits.

Mike

I agree. I was enjoying your writing up until that moment, but unfortunately you have now ruined my impression of you.

 

[ashtead]

Should anyone reading this be looking for an electric motorboat the photo from the bridge above shows an interesting one between the tan sails built in Emsworth I sort of gathered We had an interesting stop there on Friday . A premium product but just mention in case of interest.

 

[nemein]

Being a blonde, she is quite gullable

But not as ignorant and rude as balding old men apparently.

 

[jac]

. Being a blonde, she is quite gullable and Mark expects her to worry until Tuesday about this problem and to fall for it.

You mainly sail alone i understand