Southampton Boat Show - 2023

[colhel]

I went to buy some new lifejackets but came out with a rope cutter. Chris on the Darglow stand explained his product much better than the pictures show and although expensive, I've had so many close calls with lobster pots that it looks a good investment on the likelihood vs outcome of picking one up (esp at night) scale.

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They have a ready made DIY install kit to fit saildrive boats without any prop mods needed.

Designed and manufactured by a good friend of mine just outside Salisbury.

 

[Greg2]

We have a few mixed feelings about this years edition of the show - it seemed there were alot of regular faces missing but some great new ones - especially kayak sellers and it is so good to see access to the water being considered at all levels - however, we had a couple of poor experiences, firstly the very angry man from British Marine ordering people off the pontoon, yes we know it is for safety, but he was incredibly rude and overly aggressive. And secondly, given that it was such a quiet day, we had a very extremely rude Princess representative (Although another young chap called Nathan profusely apologised) whose gambit was 'unless you are really in the market to afford such a boat, these are not open for public viewing,' that was it, no 'I'm really sorry but this is a customers boat' or anything like that - just a very arrogant comment! we overheard him telling someone else something very similar - if this is Princesses approach, then, stuff it, there were alot of other boats in that class (It wasn't an 80ft boat, merely a 45!!) Sorry, but meeting these two individuals in quick succession absolutely spoilt what was otherwise a good day

Poor service isn’t limited to boat shows unfortunately. We were on the south coast last night to meet with friends and this morning dropped into a nearby brokerage office (a larger outfit with offices at various locations) as they have a yacht listed that I have looked at online and it caught our eye (long story) so thought we would have a look at it. Walked in - both brokers inside ignored us and continued doing whatever they were doing on their computers. I paused in case they were in the middle of something - no acknowledgement so I said ‘good afternoon’ to get their attention. It worked but not exactly a welcoming attitude and it felt as though we were intruding. I enquired about viewing and was asked if we had an appointment, which we didn’t, and we were asked to come back in half hour. No real engagement or enquiry about our interest, which would have revealed that we were not just ‘fender kickers’ and if we find the right thing we might just buy it (we were in Wales at the weekend looking at a another boat).

Perhaps we should have called in advance but we are used to most brokerages being fairly accommodating. Not unreasonable to ask us to come back if they were fully committed but whilst one chap apparently had an appointment the other didn’t appear to. SWMBO, who was pretty miffed about the encounter, observed that perhaps staffing the office to turn other potential customers away was more important than facilitating a viewing. Anyway, as there are other offerings on the market and we were ready to leave for our next destination after a viewing we decided not to hang around a windswept marina.

We are off to the show on Thursday and are looking forward to it!

 

[Habebty]

Went today, weather a bit pants, Liked the GT325 a lot. Fit out had a quality feel to it and justified the price after looking at the cheaper end of the market boats. Bought a new 290 in 2004 but couldn’t afford a new boat now!! In general, lots to see at the show compared to when I last went 2 years ago, but be aware the main entrance is a bit hidden as I found out when walking to the usual place to get in!

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Similar experience with Ancasta at Mylor when we were dead keen to buy something ASAP. Pretty much guaranteed that we went elsewhere, which we did, and found something perfect just a couple of weeks later.

 

[Greg2]

Similar experience with Ancasta at Mylor when we were dead keen to buy something ASAP. Pretty much guaranteed that we went elsewhere, which we did, and found something perfect just a couple of weeks later.

Same company as my experience today.

 

[wonkywinch]

Similar experience with Ancasta at Mylor when we were dead keen to buy something ASAP. Pretty much guaranteed that we went elsewhere, which we did, and found something perfect just a couple of weeks later.

Exactly our experience in May this year. Had to cancel a visit but our "reprimand" had us not bothering to travel the 500 mile round trip to view a boat we were told would sell the next week if we didn't turn up. It's still for sale and we bought another through another agent who could not have been more helpful.

If the vendor realised how Ancasta were letting genuine buyers slip through their fingers they would be pretty angry. The agent had my name, phone number & budget for a boat but did nothing with the info. I don't like pushy sales techniques but the complete absence of any calls from the salesperson makes me wonder how they do any business.

Our interest was the DS41, curious if it was the same boat!

 

[colind3782]

After a short career as a sales rep, I worked in retail for a while and I was blown away by the fact that people would walk in the door wanting to buy something! Given that basic premise, they usually left happy with something I had sold them. These dodgy brokers really need to realise that not everyone is a tyre kicker. They may not sell a boat that day but if they give the potential client a good service, they will tell their friends. If not, they will tell everybody!

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

We had a good day yesterday, definately better show than 2 years ago, didn't go for some reason last year - no prizes for guessing why
As for 'what boats are worth looking at?
Everyone was polite on all stands we visited, although didn't go to Princess. The quality of build appears better than a few years ago with some interesting ideas down below.
Still have reservations about the wide open spaces in main saloons with no hand holds, the sales person saying it didn't matter as the galley and heads are adjacent to the companionway and you can clip on to the cooker crash bar?
My son was not impressed with the angular hull on the Bavaria, not just the very marked Chines, but the moulded toe rail and cabin side, he felt it had been designed with a ruler.
Rustler 57 looked beautiful, dark blue hull and cream topsides, didn't try go on board, that is beyond dreams.
The one that I was pleased to see exhibit were GT yachts with the new 325. Nice clean lines, well thought out layout, deck and below. Finish was a level above the Benjenbav, as is the price, space below for 32 foot was good, the company owner was very open, welcoming and informative. The boat is No 1 and still a work in progress but the standard of finish exemplary and the few rough edges in design are being addressed. No connection with the company just wish a British manufacturer well entering the smaller 30 foot market with a quality semi bespoke boat, fin or bilge, possibly appeal more to older buyers downsizing?

I like what you have said generally there - the quality of build does seem alot better - I saw this with both Fairline, and Galleon. I would say that the entry prices of boats are freaking ridiculous and so it was good to see a wider range of day boats / ribs / smaller craft this year - there is a huge middle gap in the market and it is clear the larger players are more geared to cycling their customers into larger and newer craft.

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

After a short career as a sales rep, I worked in retail for a while and I was blown away by the fact that people would walk in the door wanting to buy something! Given that basic premise, they usually left happy with something I had sold them. These dodgy brokers really need to realise that not everyone is a tyre kicker. They may not sell a boat that day but if they give the potential client a good service, they will tell their friends. If not, they will tell everybody!

I am very clear, I am not in a new boat market but am very much in an upgrade trade in market - if they sell a new boat, there has to be the market underneath to hold the traded / sold vessel. Having been in sales myself, never ever, pre-judge anyone, you just do not know who they are or what their intentions.

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

Sadly the biggest purchase I did make this year (Again) will be arriving in three boxes from Shawbury!!!

 

[MY littlebirchwoo]

Poor service isn’t limited to boat shows unfortunately. We were on the south coast last night to meet with friends and this morning dropped into a nearby brokerage office (a larger outfit with offices at various locations) as they have a yacht listed that I have looked at online and it caught our eye (long story) so thought we would have a look at it. Walked in - both brokers inside ignored us and continued doing whatever they were doing on their computers. I paused in case they were in the middle of something - no acknowledgement so I said ‘good afternoon’ to get their attention. It worked but not exactly a welcoming attitude and it felt as though we were intruding. I enquired about viewing and was asked if we had an appointment, which we didn’t, and we were asked to come back in half hour. No real engagement or enquiry about our interest, which would have revealed that we were not just ‘fender kickers’ and if we find the right thing we might just buy it (we were in Wales at the weekend looking at a another boat).

Perhaps we should have called in advance but we are used to most brokerages being fairly accommodating. Not unreasonable to ask us to come back if they were fully committed but whilst one chap apparently had an appointment the other didn’t appear to. SWMBO, who was pretty miffed about the encounter, observed that perhaps staffing the office to turn other potential customers away was more important than facilitating a viewing. Anyway, as there are other offerings on the market and we were ready to leave for our next destination after a viewing we decided not to hang around a windswept marina.

We are off to the show on Thursday and are looking forward to it!

I can guess the company!! hey were selling one of my old boats once and I made a call - They were so dismissive and when I told them I was the previous owner, they changed their tune - too late... on a different note do you know anything about the H42 in ipswich (Foxes) for sale?

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Every time I have to ‘break out another thousand’on our 2006 34 footer I remind myself to go to the SBS. The prices for new boats with their plastic decks and Ikea cabins are eye-watering. Makes me feel better again, for a while.

 

[Greg2]

I can guess the company!! hey were selling one of my old boats once and I made a call - They were so dismissive and when I told them I was the previous owner, they changed their tune - too late... on a different note do you know anything about the H42 in ipswich (Foxes) for sale?

The H42 is ‘Meridian Star’ which was moored at RNSYC for years. Owned by someone with a bit of money and looked after by a former RNLI chap. Don’t think it went too far during that time. Unusual inasmuch as it has a hydraulic passerelle fitted.

 

[Greg2]

Exactly our experience in May this year. Had to cancel a visit but our "reprimand" had us not bothering to travel the 500 mile round trip to view a boat we were told would sell the next week if we didn't turn up. It's still for sale and we bought another through another agent who could not have been more helpful.

If the vendor realised how Ancasta were letting genuine buyers slip through their fingers they would be pretty angry.

Our interest was the DS41, curious if it was the same boat!

The vendor of the boat we were interested in viewing (a Najad) has already reduced the price so I guess it isn’t attracting the right level of interest. I think they would be distinctly unimpressed to think that someone who was interested enough to make a point of dropping by to view it left without seeing it. Had we viewed the boat it may or may not have been of further interest to us but as we don’t live close by we will never know. Interesting that there appear to be similar tales about different offices of the same company.

We are viewing other possible options tomorrow and then the show on Thursday, when the weather will hopefully have improved a little
.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Last minute Mrs M and I can’t go and I’ve got two spare tickets if anyone is interested.

Edit. Tickets now gone.

 

[henryf]

Spent a day and a half at the show. Managed to get on board everything we wanted to and had some really high quality interactions with staff across a multitude of manufacturers.

Great to be able to touch and feel stuff in the flesh, asked a few technical questions and ended buying a new boat.

So a good show

 

[jac]

Last minute Mrs M and I can’t go and I’ve got two spare tickets if anyone is interested.

PM Sent

 

[steveeasy]

Poor service isn’t limited to boat shows unfortunately. We were on the south coast last night to meet with friends and this morning dropped into a nearby brokerage office (a larger outfit with offices at various locations) as they have a yacht listed that I have looked at online and it caught our eye (long story) so thought we would have a look at it. Walked in - both brokers inside ignored us and continued doing whatever they were doing on their computers. I paused in case they were in the middle of something - no acknowledgement so I said ‘good afternoon’ to get their attention. It worked but not exactly a welcoming attitude and it felt as though we were intruding. I enquired about viewing and was asked if we had an appointment, which we didn’t, and we were asked to come back in half hour. No real engagement or enquiry about our interest, which would have revealed that we were not just ‘fender kickers’ and if we find the right thing we might just buy it (we were in Wales at the weekend looking at a another boat).

Perhaps we should have called in advance but we are used to most brokerages being fairly accommodating. Not unreasonable to ask us to come back if they were fully committed but whilst one chap apparently had an appointment the other didn’t appear to. SWMBO, who was pretty miffed about the encounter, observed that perhaps staffing the office to turn other potential customers away was more important than facilitating a viewing. Anyway, as there are other offerings on the market and we were ready to leave for our next destination after a viewing we decided not to hang around a windswept marina.

We are off to the show on Thursday and are looking forward to it!

Hi Greg,
Have to live with it. It’s the sick society we live in here in the UK. There is a complex pattern to it.

After 10 years of messing around with the boating crowd I can count on one hand the ones who have that sort of sad misserable look down at you attitude. Mostly yard owners and a couple of sad misserable old men that had nothing better to do than put a person down.
Where I find myself currently now just makes me smile that people can be so utterly misserable in life not knowing how lucky they are. Just makes me laugh to my self now.
Steveeasy

 

[MikeB.]

We have a few mixed feelings about this years edition of the show - it seemed there were alot of regular faces missing but some great new ones - especially kayak sellers and it is so good to see access to the water being considered at all levels - however, we had a couple of poor experiences, firstly the very angry man from British Marine ordering people off the pontoon, yes we know it is for safety, but he was incredibly rude and overly aggressive. And secondly, given that it was such a quiet day, we had a very extremely rude Princess representative (Although another young chap called Nathan profusely apologised) whose gambit was 'unless you are really in the market to afford such a boat, these are not open for public viewing,' that was it, no 'I'm really sorry but this is a customers boat' or anything like that - just a very arrogant comment! we overheard him telling someone else something very similar - if this is Princesses approach, then, stuff it, there were alot of other boats in that class (It wasn't an 80ft boat, merely a 45!!) Sorry, but meeting these two individuals in quick succession absolutely spoilt what was otherwise a good day

Sadly that is typical of Princess at boat shows, even the tiny boat show they had in Ocean Village Princess stay had the same attitude with one boat on display. I would never even consider buying a Princess because of this, and tell the story to anyone considering or praising Princess.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

I kind of sympathise with them for the policy. But there’s no excuse for being rude about It.

Most of their line up is way beyond the pockets of us mere mortals, but we’d all like to have a sneek perk at how the other half lives. A constant flood of curious onlookers would take some shine off the boats and crowds might deter serious interest from the one or two visitors who are seriously thinking of buying one.

Plenty of other great stuff to look at. Transworld Yachts and other dealers with high-end stuff are unfailingly polite and accommodating.