SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW-were you bored?

[Malabar]

I object strongly to the way that visitors are herded around these days at SIBS. Firstly, you can no longer get into the show from the Town Quay entrance; I guess they do that to force you to walk past the stands on the other side of the road (how very Ikea?) which is fine except for my SWMBO who broke her leg a few months ago and struggled to get over the bridges. Second, I object to the only exit from the pontoons being right at the Mayflower end so if you happen to be meeting somebody for lunch on shore at the Town Quay end, you have miles to walk. Once again, I guess they do this to force you to walk past the stands in Mayflower Park but why aren't all 3 walkways two way for visitors as well as exhibitors? It would just make it so much easier and more relaxed
I wasn't very impressed by the lack of exhibitors either. Very few foreign boats and it looks like SIBS is going the same way as LIBS and becoming nothing more than a showcase for the Big 3 mobo builders and not a lot more. Time to amalgamate SIBS and LIBS methinks; the UK can't support 2 international boat shows. Yes I agree with the OP on pricing of new boats. I know I have just spent a lot of money on a used 63 footer but I was shocked to find that had I spent the same money on a new boat, it would have bought even less than I thought. Maybe the sticker prices are just the starting point for negotiations down to a sensible level?
My boat of the show? The Fleming 58. Now this is one boat worth every penny of its elevated asking price. They've answered pretty much all of our criticisms of the Fleming 55 by making it a foot beamier and designing in a midships master cabin. Now this is one boat in which I'd happily sail off into the sunset. Surprised to see the Hardy 62 from last SIBS still being punted for sale on a no reasonable offer refused basis; this is fundamentally a great boat but with some shortcomings that could be put right by an experienced owner working with the factory
And yup, I was surprised as well by the lack of visitors on Preview Day

Today, Monday, visitors holding tickets were being allowed in at the Town Quay entrance after 10 am. Before that it was exhibitors only.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Today, Monday, visitors holding tickets were being allowed in at the Town Quay entrance after 10 am. Before that it was exhibitors only.

I tried to drop my wife off at the Town Quay entrance at about 1pm on Friday Preview Day before parking the car but she was refused entry despite explaining that she had suffered a broken leg a few months earlier and could not walk long distances. Maybe those visitors you saw entering via the Town Quay entrance were VIP guests because I saw a few VIP courtesy vehicles from the likes of Fairline parked outside?

 

[paultallett]

To relieve the boredom and do something unexpected...

We bought a boat.

It was only a small one and took a while to get anyone interested but we did eventually sign a few forms. And we paid the deposit today.

I think some of the sales people are so unused to selling boats that they've lost a bit of heart and think that every enquirer is just a time waster.

But the food options are much improved. Even good stuff for the veggies.

Garold

Congratulations........ Don't keeps us waiting, we need details

 

[Garold]

Congratulations........ Don't keeps us waiting, we need details

Beneteau antares 8.80 with x2 150hp Suzuki outboards.

Brand new, ready to go, with bits like bow thruster and gps. For the price of a moderately well equipped German family car.

We just fancied something that would make for simpler and easier boating.

Good value.

Outboards should be reliable and use a similar amount of fuel to equivalent diesel.

Outboards allow shallow water exploration and beaching. Without reliability issues of sterndrives.

Small enough at 8.8m to get in any anchorage, marina, or harbour, even if we arrive late.

Fast enough for a dash to Poole on a nice Saturday afternoon to return on Sunday after anchoring in Studland overnight.

Enough accommodation for the two of us for a few days.

We just need heating, extra battery and an inverter.

And I want to try dry stacking to eliminate the bad weather anxiety that I feel whenever there is bad winter weather and I'm stuck in the office.

Drystack is a bit more expensive than I thought though.

Cheers

Garold

 

[Cozzy]

Beneteau antares 8.80 with x2 150hp Suzuki outboards.

Brand new, ready to go, with bits like bow thruster and gps. For the price of a moderately well equipped German family car.

We just fancied something that would make for simpler and easier boating.

Good value.

Outboards should be reliable and use a similar amount of fuel to equivalent diesel.

Outboards allow shallow water exploration and beaching. Without reliability issues of sterndrives.

Small enough at 8.8m to get in any anchorage, marina, or harbour, even if we arrive late.

Fast enough for a dash to Poole on a nice Saturday afternoon to return on Sunday after anchoring in Studland overnight.

Enough accommodation for the two of us for a few days.

We just need heating, extra battery and an inverter.

And I want to try dry stacking to eliminate the bad weather anxiety that I feel whenever there is bad winter weather and I'm stuck in the office.

Drystack is a bit more expensive than I thought though.

Cheers

Garold

Congratulations :encouragement:

 

[paultallett]

Congratulations again....... Sounds superb, hope you have some great times on board.

When do you get her??

 

[Cozzy]

Had a good time all day on sunday.

Saw some interesting new boats - English Harbour Yachts 27 and the new Sealine 330 were of particular interest though also really liked the Prestige 420 and the Merry Fisher 855. Did a bit of creaming on the SS 86 Yacht and looked at some very interesting saily stuff.

Thought it was better than past years, good choice of food for lunch and never felt i needed to sit down.

Phew

I was getting nervous reading the bad vibes as the tickets, hotel etc are not inexpensive

 

[Garold]

Congratulations again....... Sounds superb, hope you have some great times on board.

When do you get her??

The boat is a display boat at the show and hasn't yet been completely PDI'd so maybe a week or two after the show I guess.

Just in time for the really bad weather!

G

All subject to SGB finance approval.

 

[rwoofer]

Saw some interesting new boats - English Harbour Yachts 27 and the new Sealine 330 were of particular interest though also really liked .... the Merry Fisher 855.

The very 3 boats I was most interested in as a potential upgrade. My dreaming was on the Princess 98 MY. Apparently the owner spent £1M on furnishings alone.

 

[gjgm]

It isn't just boats though, there are dozens of other stands. Had a good talk about hobs,AIS, tenders,charting,trim tab hardware, etc.
We looked at a few saily boats just to see what you get, and I was a bit surprised how little room there was below on the more performance ones. I suppose you can actually fit into those berths at 6ft, but two of you would be kicking each other all night.
Hardly looked at any mobos-Windy, a couple of Princess, that was about it.
One thing is that I seem to be getting to an age where the show staff I know seem to be retiring ! Looks like I am going to have to get to know some of 19 year old ladies.

 

[dragoon]

I tried to drop my wife off at the Town Quay entrance at about 1pm on Friday Preview Day before parking the car but she was refused entry despite explaining that she had suffered a broken leg a few months earlier and could not walk long distances. Maybe those visitors you saw entering via the Town Quay entrance were VIP guests because I saw a few VIP courtesy vehicles from the likes of Fairline parked outside?

We had someone with us who is disabled and cant walk far - we asked for a pass at the entrance which allowed us to bypass the bridges and cross the roads as a group. It also allowed me to pick the group just along from Town Quay.

 

[kcrane]

It isn't just boats though, there are dozens of other stands. Had a good talk about hobs,AIS, tenders,charting,trim tab hardware, etc.

One thing is that I seem to be getting to an age where the show staff I know seem to be retiring ! Looks like I am going to have to get to know some of 19 year old ladies.

Hard life Gavin, but if anyone can do it you can...

PS - I also spent more time than usual talking to people away from the boats about fridges, plotters etc. The preview day was really quiet and we got plenty of attention from sales people who were not yet tired.

PPS - Princess kindly provided parking in the Holiday Inn car park and then a guide across the road into a side gate near the pontoons, so we avoided the bridges until we went back to the big halls.

 

[jfm]

Congratulations Garold on your new boat. Sounds very nice and a bit of a bargain. Look forward to pictures!

I enjoyed the boat show. I had a bit of a boat show weekend: Southampton Friday preview day, Cannes Saturday, Southampton again Monday. Yes the herding of people over to the sunseeker side was a complete pain, though with help from your boatbuilder it was possible to avoid this (Fairline in my case took me to their car park for a quick exit, involving no bridges)

FWIW, Cannes is similar on the herding point: you have to enter at the east side and walk through the inside exhibition hall, even if you just want to see the boats outside, which is quite a big diversion, but with help from your friendly boat dealer you can get in through a side gate.

Anyway, I didn't think the Southampton show was at all boring if you like boats, and it was well worth going to imho. Weather was great too. I bought some stuff

At Cannes I had a detailed look inside the Delta 80/88 and this was an incredibly impressive machine in many respects. I'll post on the other thread about it. I haven't ordered one yet but it is still high up on my wish list if I could get them to agree some mods

 

[Nick_H]

... it is still high up on my wish list if I could get them to agree some mods

Like 450 of them

 

[FirstMate II]

Went over on Sunday and Monday , my first time ever at a boatshow and thoroughly enjoyed it and the weather helped the boats that impressed me were the Targa 32 and the Antares 30 loved them both now if only I could win the lotto

 

[z1ppy]

Hoping to go saturday for a few hours.

Have a few boats i would like to see but more to see people and talk boats for a while!

Our budget doesn't stretch to a new boat right now but we are perhaps getting closer to being boat owners again.

i have my ticket for tonight tho so if my Euromillions numbers come up then will let you know!!

 

[RogerRat]

Had a good time all day on sunday.

Saw some interesting new boats - English Harbour Yachts 27

I really liked that little boat too, very roomy for its length aaand it looked a serious off shore boat, very nice. I believe that's their first one. I hope they do well. There were some really beautiful little sailing boats in the first park that had been lovingly restored as well. I just love wooden spars and clinkers.

If you like boats, sail, motor of any size. It's impossible to get bored. I only spent Saturday there and I saw only a fraction of the offerings and I missed out on Sunseeker for the first time and the only Princess I looked at was the 56 which was very cool as you'd expect.

The side stands were plentiful and I found a great deal on some 18mm mooring lines for winter replacements. Even bought a set of glasses, plastic but indestructible, looked and felt like glass but safe.

Once you get in amongst the boats, time flies and then you meet old friends and talk 'bolloats' in a hospitality suite and the day's gone.
I wish I had the time to go for more than a day really.

So did I get bored?
No chance.:encouragement:

Good day, good show all round but I agree on the access bridges.:ambivalence:

RR

 

[jfm]

Like 450 of them

Tee hee! Actually it's the depth of the mods not the number of them. Like a whole new moulding for the flybridge deck, because what they have just doesn't work in the Med unfortunately. It is waaaay too small and feels it as soon as you get up there. Dave Marsh might say it suffocates easily. The interior was close to flawless and very appealing. The aft cockpit deck was stunning due to (a) clever choice not to eat up aft deck space by making the saloon overly large (like Princess 78+82 for example) and (b) the forward raked windscreen allowing the lower helm to be very forward. You could easily have 10 or 12 people dining on the aft deck and a separate dance floor. The "450" mods would be more like 50, involving little details would be easy fixes. Eg crew cabin access (stairs needed), horrid chequer plate in a rather dark engine room, clumsy and ugly bimini design, the wrong anchor for the Med, dumb things like airco seawater discharge way above sea level so your neighbours in port will hate you on quiet evenings, and so on. Easy fixes of course. But the fundamentals, the things that really matter, were very impressive indeed. All plywood, down to the doors on the kitchen cupboards, was veneer/ply/rigid foam/ply/veneer sandwiches, to save tonnes in weight. Pretty awesome stuff and very desirable. Ultimately then you're left with the problem of that flybridge. If it weren't for that I'd already have placed a deposit on the next slot, which is perhaps hull 5 or 6 (I'm not sure). It even fits on my berth! Just about every design feature up there is, just in my opinion of course, a big mistake. They need to start again with the whole moulding and take the fly windscreen forward and the aft overhang aft. The furniture layout is all crammed in to a tiny space and there's no way to have a decent lunch up there. Perhaps they'll change it at some point but right now a customer wanting it fixed would have to pay fully for the re-tool and reclassification which is just a big burn up of cash.

 

[Chamaerops]

The very 3 boats I was most interested in as a potential upgrade. My dreaming was on the Princess 98 MY. Apparently the owner spent £1M on furnishings alone.

Already thinking of moving on from the MF645?
We were at the show Friday, Sunday & tomorrow. We will also probably go a further couple of times. Lots of boats, food, sun and free beer thanks to MDL.
We keep passing by the Merry Fisher 855 show boat as ours is still a couple of weeks away from finishing build in France. However, I am being tempted by the Elan Power 30 .... maybe next year.

 

[Greg2]

The Elling is a great boat, and hope you read up the Elling owners club cruise, they went across the Atlantic to the USA all on single engines at 7knts and no reported problems, it took them just over 2 weeks

Nope, I haven't seen that. I'll have to look it up. Very impressive boat......love the video of the MD strapped into the helm seat whilst they prove it can turn turtle and then self-right. His brightly coloured tie moving around with gravity is very funny!