SIBS

[Sailfree]

OK now the dust has settled was it a sucessful show? Were many new boats sold? I suspect that the economic climate must make it v difficult.


I also wonder who is buying new boats. New computer sales suffered once the market got saturated. Has the Yacht market reached saturation?

Cars do wear out but boats are more durable products and I wonder if I am typical of a vast number of current AWB boat owners in that I have the size and type of boat I want but I am more likely to replace or refurbish items as necessary than the £400k cost to replace it with something better. The £400k means its dreamland/lottery win territory as to replace is a luxury that frankly I cannot financially justify when it will still only do the same job.

 

[Fantasie 19]

"111,017 visitors (9% behind 2010) attended the Show over the 10 days"

"David Pougher, Chairman of National Boat Shows added: “Business has been done here at the PSP Southampton Boat Show with steady sales across the range of boats, equipment and services on display. While many exhibitors may not have broken any records, visitors have certainly been buying at a level to what they can afford.....""

Looks like your view is right....

Lots and lots of second hand boats out there at good prices (for the same reason as you describe) I would expect people to be buying and 'doing up' rather than buying new.... and in most cases investing in bells and whistles on their current pride and joy rather than buying even if second hand ...

 

[Sans Bateau]

Agreed, I dont think all those used boats that have disappeared to Europe since 2008 are now being replaced. Also take note of the demise of one or two well established boat manufactures recently.

The day we were at SIBS (Monday) it was very very quiet, even for a Monday.

 

[minkysailing]

"111,017 visitors (9% behind 2010) attended the Show over the 10 days"

"David Pougher, Chairman of National Boat Shows added: “Business has been done here at the PSP Southampton Boat Show with steady sales across the range of boats, equipment and services on display. While many exhibitors may not have broken any records, visitors have certainly been buying at a level to what they can afford.....""

Looks like your view is right....

Lots and lots of second hand boats out there at good prices (for the same reason as you describe) I would expect people to be buying and 'doing up' rather than buying new.... and in most cases investing in bells and whistles on their current pride and joy rather than buying even if second hand ...

Wouldn't trust anything reported by NBS especially attendance figures. General feedback I have be told is very poor sales and that also includes the second hand boat shows running at the same time as the show.

 

[Talulah]

Wouldn't trust anything reported by NBS especially attendance figures. General feedback I have be told is very poor sales and that also includes the second hand boat shows running at the same time as the show.

The attendance figures quoted of 111k will include trade.
Now the 2010 figures were 122k total with 14k trade. Hence 108k public.
Assuming the number of trade visitors is pretty much static then the public visitors this year were 111-14=97k. So the drop in public visitors would be 9%.
Not quite as bad as a 10% drop but it means the psychological 100k barrier has been crossed.

 

[Neil_Y]

The other rope cutter people didn't appear to be there this year so maybe we should have exhibited to fill the gap? However it seemed way to quiet to justify the costs and time of being at a 10 day show.

It's interesting that we've been doing the Southampton boat show for commercial vessels and equipment (Seaworks) for a number of years and it's been growing in terms of exhibitors and visitors every year. It's free to visit and there are no gimmicks or distractions from boat equipment and it's only three days.

 

[Sailfree]

It's interesting that we've been doing the Southampton boat show for commercial vessels and equipment (Seaworks) for a number of years and it's been growing in terms of exhibitors and visitors every year. It's free to visit and there are no gimmicks or distractions from boat equipment and it's only three days.

Please tell more where when etc