SIBS 17

[zoidberg]

I came and went. First impressions....

Conspicuously fewer exhibitors; empty sites. Clusters of ex-YBW editor types and long-in-the-tooth contributors hanging around the stands with 'prosecca' glasses on offer. The YBW magazine stand itself forlorn and near-deserted. Lots of exhibitors talking to other exhibitors. Jimmy Green Marine has a smart new display-stand, as has GJW Insurance. Those people from Liverpool very friendly and enthusiastic - with their fine sun-terrace overlooking the boats - as were the 20 or so cheery youngsters from RNLI/Poole handing out advice and smiles.

The sun shone until mid-afternoon, when a rainstorm caught us far out on the pontoons, by the big multis. Scurrying back towards the nearest entrance, past lines of mobos, it was noticed that the blokes were all sheltering inside the boats, under cover, leaving solitary ladies standing out on the pontoon to guard the leaflets..... in the rain.

Wackiest demo was on the Nauticalia stand, where a youngster was stood in a water-filled glass 'aquarium', wearing a pair of waterproof sox.

Untrained and ill-briefed security staff at two of the gates were clearly spooked by the news of a London Tube bomb. That didn't make them any more vigilant or inspect any backpacks - just conspicuously more bossy and obstructive to ordinary visitors. Where do they get those jobsworths?

Was it worth £27 per adult ticket?

 

[Whitelighter]

My word, people pay for a ticket still?

 

[horatio_nelson]

Was busy yesterday. Lots of fantastic boats to ogle. I'm on one of the "try a boat" yachts if anyone wants to come for a quick sail. Jeanneau 30.

 

[bedouin]

I was there yesterday and certainly enjoyed it - fine weather (I had left by the time the showers came in) - not too many people and the exhibitors happy to talk. I spent 4 hours there that felt like enough - but I think I would have been disappointed had I paid for a full price ticket, or travelled down just to see the show.

That said it was noticeably smaller than previously with fewer exhibitors. Many fewer sailing boats on show and most that were seemed to be the larger models. I walked past rows of 40-50 foot boats with wide sterns and lowered transoms none of which interested me in the slightest.

 

[BelleSerene]

Another year, and sadly the same story. Surely when an exhibition keeps shrinking, the point comes when...?

Worth £27 a ticket?: of course not. To be fair, there are enough promotional codes around for anyone with any wit to buy a ticket for £12. There again...

 

[Seajet]

The British sailing industry needs a wake-up call.

The London show has been dead for years - you couldn't pay me enough to visit the soul-less, difficult to get to and decent boatless Excel again - and now any new punter visiting SIBS will think sailing is just for the very rich, a myth the media are happy to promote.

The sailing magazines who put these forums up are going straight down the tubes, partly because printed media is failing, but also because they fail to connect with their die-hard followers, instead featuring fancy big new boats few of us are interested in let alone can afford - and fence sitting ' mustn't get sued ' reviews.

We need a real boat show, with dinghies and smaller cruisers - this may well involve secondhand boats - as well as the silly expensive new large jobs; no sailor worth their salt didn't do their time first on dinghies, and people on moderate incomes need to know there's a way to realise their dreams without a lottery win.

 

[bedouin]

We need a real boat show, with dinghies and smaller cruisers - this may well involve secondhand boats - as well as the silly expensive new large jobs; no sailor worth their salt didn't do their time first on dinghies, and people on moderate incomes need to know there's a way to realise their dreams without a lottery win.

Up until recently I would have said SIBS was that. Used to have a very good range of smaller cruisers. trailer-sailors and the like - not to mention dinghies.

This year they were conspicuous by their absence - unless I missed it there were no Lasers there at all.

There was still plenty going on - it is still much better than the London of the last 10 years - but it is worrying.

For the industry to drop London and put all its resources into Southampton would be understandably - for both to be declining is worrying.

 

[guardian]

Can see SIBS at its present rate of decline happening every other year unless of course the Giles' and Tarqell' who seem to inhabit the industry wake up and do something. That said given this country' history in almost all avenues of doing too little too late to save anything i shalln't hold my breath. For the first time I find myself actually agreeing with something SJ has posted - the industry seems so out of touch with your average boat owner where any kind of media is concerned its no wonder theres a feeling of inevitable decline about the place.

Pick up a PBO from 25 years ago and one from today, the difference is incredible, a symptom of a culture in decline not just sailing..................................

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Can see SIBS at its present rate of decline happening every other year unless of course the Giles' and Tarqell' who seem to inhabit the industry wake up and do something. That said given this country' history in almost all avenues of doing too little too late to save anything i shalln't hold my breath. For the first time I find myself actually agreeing with something SJ has posted - the industry seems so out of touch with your average boat owner where any kind of media is concerned its no wonder theres a feeling of inevitable decline about the place.

Pick up a PBO from 25 years ago and one from today, the difference is incredible, a symptom of a culture in decline not just sailing..................................

+1

 

[Grumpybear]

Can see SIBS at its present rate of decline happening every other year unless of course the Giles' and Tarqell' who seem to inhabit the industry wake up and do something. That said given this country' history in almost all avenues of doing too little too late to save anything i shalln't hold my breath. For the first time I find myself actually agreeing with something SJ has posted - the industry seems so out of touch with your average boat owner where any kind of media is concerned its no wonder theres a feeling of inevitable decline about the place.

Pick up a PBO from 25 years ago and one from today, the difference is incredible, a symptom of a culture in decline not just sailing..................................

Yer but who is the average boat owner? New boat owners and old boat owners seem to come from very different age, profession and income groups. The industry will follow the money, and those of us who sail smaller, older boats on limited budgets are simply not a profitable market any more. If there were thousands of people all over, say Europe demanding new versions of smaller, traditionally designed world girdlers and prepared to pay for them the builders would produce them.

 

[Seajet]

As I see it we have two choices;

as an owner not wishing to buy another boat, I could take selfish delight in less people cluttering up the place.

But as an enthusiast I have always been delighted when introducing / instructing newcomers to sailing, the main reason I dislike singlehanding is that I want to share the experience, turn round and say ' wow isn't this great ! '

I've seen the British aircraft industry destroyed by accountants who didn't know an aeroplane from an aarvark - quote " If washing machines prove more profitable we'll make them ", the financial figures involved were too huge for sensible people to defy; that is not the case with boatbuilding, a decent place in the UK could make proper small boats now if given the incentive.

It has always been my dream to run a boatyard in Cornwall ( or the Isle of Wight ) and employ the many skilled people there with a decent salary; it's not too late to stop the ignorant accountants turning such places into an irreversible ' Chelsea On Sea ' for a quick buck while living in ghastly places like London.

 

[guardian]

Yer but who is the average boat owner? New boat owners and old boat owners seem to come from very different age, profession and income groups. The industry will follow the money, and those of us who sail smaller, older boats on limited budgets are simply not a profitable market any more. If there were thousands of people all over, say Europe demanding new versions of smaller, traditionally designed world girdlers and prepared to pay for them the builders would produce them.

Fair comment GB regarding boat building & the economies of scale / profit argument but certainly with the mags they'll be all but dead within a couple of years following that line of thinking. That said demographics has a hand in all of this & i'm genuinely interested to see how this all plays out over the next ten years, might even get a reasonably priced marina berth at some point................................and then again maybe not

 

[BelleSerene]

It has always been my dream to run a boatyard in Cornwall ( or the Isle of Wight ) and employ the many skilled people there with a decent salary; it's not too late to stop the ignorant accountants turning such places into an irreversible ' Chelsea On Sea ' for a quick buck while living in ghastly places like London.

Any impression of Chelsea-on-Sea is about a street and a half deep and along half a mile of the island's coastline. Hardly the defining character of the Isle of Wight - unless, of course, your only experience of it is to turn up by boat, frequent the bars and clothing-brand shops, and set sail again. Oh, I see.

Anyway, go for it: industries are so unthinking these days, aren't they; there's no entrepreneurialism left in Britain, and the finance industry is hardly looking for any financially viable relocations to invest in. After all, if these companies would just bother to employ all those skilled and work-hungry people of Wight and Cornwall, they could build such a successful business!

How did you acquire this insight of business opportunity? Don't risk it by sharing it with us masses: live your dream.

 

[Seajet]

I have knowledge of both places from many years staying inshore, not just visiting by boat; however you sound like the universal accountant who ' knows the price of everything, but not the value of anything. '

 

[[2574]]

not too late to stop the ignorant accountants turning such places into an irreversible ' Chelsea On Sea ' for a quick buck while living in ghastly places like London.

Like many do you too are shooting the messenger. It is up to capital providers, investors if you like, to decide whether or not they wish to invest capital at marginal or negative returns. Those that wish to invest cash at negative yields to preserve an uneconomic industry are either to be admired or pitied depending upon the individual circumstances of the investment.

 

[Grumpybear]

Like many do you too are shooting the messenger. It is up to capital providers, investors if you like, to decide whether or not they wish to invest capital at marginal or negative returns. Those that wish to invest cash at negative yields to preserve an uneconomic industry are either to be admired or pitied depending upon the individual circumstances of the investment.

Listening to some of the mouthpieces of the west country tourist industry, preserving an uneconomic industry is the duty of "Government".

 

[Seajet]

Maybe but in my experience shooting ' the messengers ' - with their salaries - first would be a good step in the right direction !

NB Accountants do not MAKE anything...

 

[Talulah]

Currently sitting in the RYA members lounge.
Several products I hadn't seen before. One stand selling fire extinguishers. A light weight alternative to the heavy and cumbersome traditional extinguisher. Very appealing because no servicing required.
Calibra marine had some nice rechargeable emergency lights that can also be used as power banks for your phone.
Andaark had a brand of clothing I hadn't heard of but their drysuit looked very practical. My Musto drysuit is in need of replacement so this alternative was appealing as much cheaper and better thought out.
Orsa Marine had some interesting products. Easy rope for stern to mooring plus boat hook.
Dryrobe looked great for anyone trying to keep warm on those nightly crossings. Makes a change from trying to keep warm in a sleeping bag.
Danvolt had a new range of solar panels by Sunbeam Systems. Tough flush being the product I was interested in.
So so far quite a good day.

 

[AIDY]

Currently sitting in the RYA members lounge.
Several products I hadn't seen before. One stand selling fire extinguishers. A light weight alternative to the heavy and cumbersome traditional extinguisher. Very appealing because no servicing required.
Calibra marine had some nice rechargeable emergency lights that can also be used as power banks for your phone.
Andaark had a brand of clothing I hadn't heard of but their drysuit looked very practical. My Musto drysuit is in need of replacement so this alternative was appealing as much cheaper and better thought out.
Orsa Marine had some interesting products. Easy rope for stern to mooring plus boat hook.
Dryrobe looked great for anyone trying to keep warm on those nightly crossings. Makes a change from trying to keep warm in a sleeping bag.
Danvolt had a new range of solar panels by Sunbeam Systems. Tough flush being the product I was interested in.
So so far quite a good day.

What no research in the Guinness bar

 

[Seajet]

A work colleague of mine once went to the proper London Boat Show; on his return he asked " Were they giving away Guiness free at that stand ? It seemed awfully popular ! "