SBS - One spare ticket

I went today. Perhaps I am not best placed to comment having done it for 20 odd years as an exhibitor and in the industry BUT.

Why go ?

Buying a boat ? Cannes last week. Cheaper (if up north) and far more pleasant.

Shoes and clothing ? Yes BUT is it cheaper or do you feel like you have a deal as it’s the show?

Booze? Guinness stand ? Not been a true Guinness stand in years. Yes they have moved it but ?

Food ? Don’t be fooled it’s the same guy owning the whole lot ... he was running the coffee stand today.

I WANT to go but cannot find a reason why. Not just SIBS but exhibitions as a whole.

Oh and making the most of the 43 quid train ride home...

Maybe it’s an age thing ?
 
You know what don’t get me wrong but

My wife as I earn very good money, many times over the national average.

But

We were late to kids, late to property enjoy holidays and have the odd car.

The only day boat for the Thames that suited us was 60k..

The only boat that slightly resembled what my folks had when I was a kid (Fairline 27) was 200k

An open tin launch with a 5hp was 5k

To me that's either unreachable or insane.

No wonder the whole industry is in a strange place.

And this is coming from someone who works the biggest stand and has access to the biggest yachts at Monaco Yacht Show but owning a boat at entry level in the UK is all but a distant dream.
 
You know what don’t get me wrong but

My wife as I earn very good money, many times over the national average.

But

We were late to kids, late to property enjoy holidays and have the odd car.

The only day boat for the Thames that suited us was 60k..

The only boat that slightly resembled what my folks had when I was a kid (Fairline 27) was 200k

An open tin launch with a 5hp was 5k

To me that's either unreachable or insane.

No wonder the whole industry is in a strange place.

And this is coming from someone who works the biggest stand and has access to the biggest yachts at Monaco Yacht Show but owning a boat at entry level in the UK is all but a distant dream.

If you really want something bad enough you generally find a way of getting it, so my guess is you are bored with the whole thing having been in it for a long time.
 
Maybe I don't want it bad enough or no one was willing to sell it to us hard enough! ..

Hats off to Val Wyatt marine though. Smallest boat and maximum effort. ....

But I suspect you are missing the point about those who appear to be able to afford it but every day life gets in the way despite earning good money.

However I am very respectful of the fact that life is more important than money to you in particular.
 
Maybe I don't want it bad enough or no one was willing to sell it to us hard enough! ..

Hats off to Val Wyatt marine though. Smallest boat and maximum effort. ....

But I suspect you are missing the point about those who appear to be able to afford it but every day life gets in the way despite earning good money.

However I am very respectful of the fact that life is more important than money to you in particular.

WOW
Sounds like you have many pots to pee in
 
Many.

Can I offer you one ?

If I come away as a ‘qualified ‘ buyer financially but can’t afford it then where does that leave the industry?

That’s an industry problem and not mine.

Ask the folk with the 200k basic first time boat why they were not selling any ?

Then ask the paddle boarders why they are selling loads ?

It’s a massive shift and it’s obvious that beginner motor boat ownership is in decline
 
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Many.

Can I offer you one ?

If I come away as a ‘qualified ‘ buyer financially but can’t afford it then where does that leave the industry?

That’s an industry problem and not mine.

Ask the folk with the 200k basic first time boat why they were not selling any ?

Then ask the paddle boarders why they are selling loads ?

It’s a massive shift and it’s obvious that beginner motor boat ownership is in decline

No it's ok I am sitting on mine.
Agree market in decline but there are still buyers at Soton show
 
And I agree. But not new buyers and certainly not new to the market.

That said in Cannes it was a different story. But then again why would a med based boater come to SBS to buy a boat ?

We need to stimulate the UK market with affordable boating and if that affordable boating is more than a Ford Focus the the Uk market is in the poo.
 
When few more of us fall off our perches the industry will be forced to look for new blood, in the meantime they seem to be filling slots with the likes of us !
Having said that when I do lose my grip it will create a new large boat buyer in my son, probably a 65ft fly or thereabouts & more likely than not from BCU, life goes on.
 
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Inheritance that’s a different ball game and one I will also join. Be that good or bad.

But that’s not a long term solution to the crazy prices of entry level boating sadly.
 
Inheritance that’s a different ball game and one I will also join. Be that good or bad.

But that’s not a long term solution to the crazy prices of entry level boating sadly.

So what do you think an entry level size / price boat is, Surely its whatever the buyer can afford / wishes to spend.
 
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An entry level car ?

What do you think ?

200k on a new (basic) four berth boat is insane ?

20k on a 17 ft Thames launch okay ?

5k in an inflatable and 4hp ?? No insane !

What ever way you look at it the average (not banker or bonus kid) 40 year old living in London with a good salary cannot get into boating on a decent scale.

We argue this point every year.

Like housing it’s out of sync.
 
Boating has never been a poor or indeed average man’s pastime.

Have a look around at trying to buy a motorhome. The base vehicles roll off a production line 25 an hour and the components are pennies but still a van based camper will set you back £50-60k and a caravan on the back of a luton chassis 60-80k plus.

The small volume and hand built nature of boats means a decent sized family cruiser sub £200k ain’t happening :)

The motorhome you park on the drive and it has almost zero on cost. The boat needs a marina at 6-10k plus per year and a plethora of other costs.

Henry :)
 

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