Southampton Boat Show 2022: Tickets?

I’ve been going to the boat show every year for the past 15 years. £31 for a ticket and no free one from the RYA? **** that. Last year it was barely worth the train fare even with the free ticket
 
I am extremely disappointed that the RYA are not giving their usual free ticket to members, but it is clashing with a school reunion in Fort William (something to do with us all being 60 this year) and I shall be heading north.
 
I got the free ticket last year but never attended mainly as I wasn't happy with crowds and covid.
If I was after New expensive kit paying to visit would possibly be worth it, but just to look and see whats new, etc I'm not to sure about value for money. Is this because I have got used to the rya giving tickets to members for the last how many years ?
 
Boathook said:
Is this because I have got used to the rya giving tickets to members for the last how many years ?
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Prior to free tickets just about everyone was giving discount codes which made a ticket not much more than a tenner. Inflation may be bad but prices haven’t gone up 3 times in the 5 or so (?) years of the free RYA ticket era
 
I used my free RYA ticket last year and at the pre covid show. Reasonable day out and fair price but the BOGOF deal is pointless- we have family membership so both get a BOGOF deal but would have to pay £32 for us to both get in.

no thanks. Not actually looking for anything so no Need to go.

I think the organisers have misread this. Surely the people you want to encourage are the ones likely to buy from the exhibitors and in the past I have often seen something that I didn’t know I needed.

much of that trade will drop I suspect
 
It’s a shame that the costs are this high, SWMBO has been the one most keen over the last 7 years to go and we make a weekend of it as it’s 5 hour drive down, but she has just decided not worth it this year, I bet she is not alone,
 
Daverw said:
It’s a shame that the costs are this high, SWMBO has been the one most keen over the last 7 years to go and we make a weekend of it as it’s 5 hour drive down, but she has just decided not worth it this year, I bet she is not alone,
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It’s a 20 minute red jet ride for us, and at that price, we’ll probably have a trip to Ikea instead.
 
Biggles Wader said:
I suspect the attendance will be very poor and this will end up being the last boat show for many years if not forever.
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Isn’t it always the “best show ever” even if they have to give away tickets to local schools to bring the numbers up?

£32 is probably less than many of us spend on getting there. It’s certainly less than I spend at the average show: In fact considering some of the big ticket items I've placed orders for there I may be approaching what the SBS wiki page says is the "average" spend of £880pp over the years. So it's probably a bit petty fussing over the £20 difference between what they're charging and what I think is reasonable. But it seems I can at times be petty...
 
If you’re looking for a deal on a new boat, £32 each is small beer. It’s a bit different if you're planning on goofing off at the latest kit, and rummaging the rope end sales.
 
If you’re looking for a deal on a new boat, £32 each is small beer. It’s a bit different if you're planning on goofing off at the latest kit, and rummaging the rope end sales.
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I'm sure if you are really serious about buying a new boat the dealer will even rustle up some free guest passes! However are there actually deals to be done there, either on boats or on kit? e.g. if there were seriously good offers I could be in the market for 4x foulies, and maybe 4x L/Js, perhaps a PLB. Are there really deals to be done now? I assumed it would all be much the same as internet prices now?
 
Recent shows would indicate that Force 4 and Marine superstore have better offers in January. Though our current foulies were bought at the show, and need replacing. It was some years ago, they’ve done very well.
 
laika said:
Isn’t it always the “best show ever” even if they have to give away tickets to local schools to bring the numbers up?

£32 is probably less than many of us spend on getting there. It’s certainly less than I spend at the average show: In fact considering some of the big ticket items I've placed orders for there I may be approaching what the SBS wiki page says is the "average" spend of £880pp over the years. So it's probably a bit petty fussing over the £20 difference between what they're charging and what I think is reasonable. But it seems I can at times be petty...
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If 0.1% of attendees buy a £880,000 mobo then thats the £880 pp spent. Given that 80-100k people attend and that several boat builders conclude sales there ( and indeed sails) then i would love to know what the typical spend is, excluding the sale of boats.
 
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