SIBS: the Good, the Bad & the Ugly

[Koeketiene]

SIBS today (21/09) with a list of people & stands to see and speak to.
Other half in tow to curb my enthusiasm or my sarcasm as required.
Good boat show weather: dry and not too hot or too cold.

The Good

1. Darglow: could not have been more helpful or generous. Greasing nipple for our feathering prop FOC. Were very grateful for our feedback on their product (Darglow Featherstream: best thing since sliced bread).
2. Webasto: helpful, informative and to the point. Eber: eat your heart out.
3. Penguin: as above - the man knew his onions. Did not waste his time on glib sales talk. Price was a pleasant surprise too.
4. the IPC stand: if Richard Shead comes on here later to say that he was busy, I can confirm that he was. Impromptu forum get-together and IPC supplied beer & plonk flowed liberally. Nice to meet up with old friends and put faces to names of the new ones.

The Bad

1. BMF: you charge people several pints of beer for the privilege of coming shopping and then you want to charge them another couple of pints for a map? I don't think so.
Luckily this was not the first time we did SIBS. Everything was still pretty much where it had been on previous occasions.
2. M-E-S: if you don't know the answer to a question don't change the subject and try to sell me something else.
3. Furuno: I know my electronics are no longer considered 'state of the art', but when I ask a question about an older bit of kit (still works fine, thank you) don't point me to all singing, all dancing new kit. That is not what I asked.

The Ugly.

1. Gazebos, garden furniture, jacuzzis, ... at a boat show... really?

All in all: a very good/productive day - I'm glad we went. Other half made approving noises on the way back too. And judging from the leaflets/brochures she picked up the boat needs a new mattress too.

 

[Sandy]

What a great post

 

[Sailfree]

Bruntons - good info & anodes for Variprop.

Penguin - good info need to replace taps that are going rusty! 9yr old!

Really pleasing thing was that we are still happy with the architecture of our 9 yr old boat and difficult to find something we prefer better. Appreciate that may be unique to us with our set of compromises. WE would swap tomorrow for the southerly 47 though! Thought Bavaria had come a long way and are far better now and even better value IMHO but otherwise disappointed by the majority of production boats.

Interesting conflict of info though

Southerly - underfloor structural frame is SS for durability surprised when I said I thought Arcona and X boats were a galvanised steel frame.

Arcona - asked about frame - Galvanised - ? about why not SS they replied its too brittle!!

I personally don't like egg box inner mouldings bonded to outer hull to provide strength. I prefer GRP ribs bonded against outer hull. Told by Dufour that no one does the egg crate is now all partitions now glassed in and grp ribs glassed in and no longer just rely on a bonded inner mouldings. Not going to buy any new production boat but wonder what the truth is.

Enjoyed the boat show but considering last weekend weather was surprised at what appeared to me to be low numbers for the this the last weekend.

Relayed Info - after boat show closed mid week the Sunseeker stand re-opened to receive a potential buyer and his 8 person bodyguard entourage. Ordered a £16m boat so some happy people at Sunseeker!!

 

[robmcg]

Agree with the Darglows stand. Spoke to the guy who builds the Featherstream props and he was concise, fair and told us everything we needed to know and some. He is obviously an asset to the company. We also came away thinking of getting a proper mattress- must be an age thing! Had a cursory look at the new boats but they all looked a bit too much like a wipe clean apartment for my particular taste. I think I would struggle to find a 'new' boat I would be willing to part with money for.

 

[Sandy]

WE would swap tomorrow for the southerly 47 though!

What even though they went belly up, then stitched their suppliers up and the taxpayer too boot?

 

[Sailfree]

What even though they went belly up, then stitched their suppliers up and the taxpayer too boot?

Get it straight Most capitalist countries operate a bankruptcy /chapter 11/administration system that if the company gets into financial difficulties they are allowed to draw a line under it and administrators can review the company and salvage what is economically viable without the burden (that may cause a venture to fail!) of the debt.

This gives the best chance of the business continuing and protecting jobs. What would you prefer - shoot the management , sack the employees and burn down the factory and its stock.

I would unhesitatingly agree with you if the management had been profligate with the companies money and took more out of the company than was their due.

Nearly all successful millionaires have had a bankruptcy or financial failure/difficulty in the past including Richard Branston!

 

[bigwow]

I had every intention of going this year until I checked the train price, I still feel faint!!

 

[Highndry]

Nearly all successful millionaires have had a bankruptcy or financial failure/difficulty in the past including Richard Branston!

Is he the pickle magnate?

 

[Wandering Star]

Nearly all successful millionaires have had a bankruptcy or financial failure/difficulty in the past including Richard Branston!

I bet that left Richard Branson in a bit of a pickle.

 

[Sailfree]

Is he the pickle magnate?

yep and his brother can't spell and owns an airline!!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Penguin - good info need to replace taps that are going rusty! 9yr old!

I have always had good experiences dealing with Penguin. They are nice people.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Get it straight Most capitalist countries operate a bankruptcy /chapter 11/administration system that if the company gets into financial difficulties they are allowed to draw a line under it and administrators can review the company and salvage what is economically viable without the burden (that may cause a venture to fail!) of the debt.

Perhaps fewer companies would get into financial difficulties if it wasn't quite so easy to walk away from obligations to the tax payer and to suppliers.

 

[Sailfree]

Perhaps fewer companies would get into financial difficulties if it wasn't quite so easy to walk away from obligations to the tax payer and to suppliers.

Your point has no relevance in a period of austerity, lower new boat sales and financial difficulty for most prospective purchasers. It would prevent many entrepreneurs from ever attempting to start a business in a country that has such rules.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Your point has no relevance in a period of austerity, lower new boat sales and financial difficulty for most prospective purchasers. It would prevent many entrepreneurs from ever attempting to start a business in a country that has such rules.

There is certainly a case to be made for state support for startups, but I fail to see why it should only be available to those who are prepared to indulge in dubious financial engineering.

 

[Ru88ell]

Agree with the Darglows stand. Spoke to the guy who builds the Featherstream props and he was concise, fair and told us everything we needed to know and some. He is obviously an asset to the company. ...

+1

 

[Koeketiene]

I think I would struggle to find a 'new' boat I would be willing to part with money for.

+1

Open transoms, twin wheels (even on modest sized boats) and rectangular portholes seem to be all the rage.
Fugly.

 

[gerry99]

MarinePod chap very knowledgeable and helpful as were the folks at Standard Horizon, Selden and Penguin. If Richard Shead is reading this, Yes, your stand was fully manned, no blinds down and everyone being attended to. I was going to take a pic but my crew were keen to move on to a bar

Tried to engage with someone on the Raymarine stand without success. I was really surprised by the lack of visitors compared to previous years. At 10:30 the show ground was fairly empty, you could walk the aisles in the halls with ease and watch lots of standholders with crossed arms (body language for keep away), reading newspapers and doing stuff on their iPads. The show felt quite empty up until I left at 15:30 but for me that was great because it was pleasurable to move around and to get to see everything

 

[JumbleDuck]

+1

Open transoms, twin wheels (even on modest sized boats) and rectangular portholes seem to be all the rage.
Fugly.

But my dear fellow, one cannot, simply cannot, sail without spacious aft cabins, hot and cold running water, showers, and all the other comforts of a medium sized caravan. If you want your boat to look nice you simply haven't movd with teh times. Why, you'll be telling us next that you still use sails.

PS There's nothing wrong with rectangular portholes. Oval ones, on the other hand, are a mark of Cain.

 

[sailorman]

Agree with the Darglows stand. Spoke to the guy who builds the Featherstream props and he was concise, fair and told us everything we needed to know and some. He is obviously an asset to the company. We also came away thinking of getting a proper mattress- must be an age thing! Had a cursory look at the new boats but they all looked a bit too much like a wipe clean apartment for my particular taste. I think I would struggle to find a 'new' boat I would be willing to part with money for.

The 5 blade MaxProp was a masterpiece in engineering, good enough to put on the sideboard.

 

[Sailfree]

+1

Open transoms, twin wheels (even on modest sized boats) and rectangular portholes seem to be all the rage.
Fugly.

I have often wondered why people like a MAB compared to a AWB but I must be partially joining their ranks as I don't like the latest boats with the features you mention nor internals including doors that are a laminate covered sheet of ply (albeit marine ply) with sharp corners - all like MFI furniture.

Perhaps it's time for a new category MAB, classic AWB. (Say years 1995 to 2004 approx) and new AWB's.