When was your first visit to the Southampton Boat Show?

[capnsensible]

First one was 1969.

First one I went to was 1976.

How about you?

 

[Concerto]

Sometime in the early 1970's. Still remember going in a reefer jacket and tie, but with deck shoes. There was a winching test on a cigarette stand and see if you could beat Chay Blyth's time to tack the boat. I took off my jacket and tie, and had a go. I was not pleased with my effort as the cockpit moulding was slightly strange to me. I was a couple of seconds slower than the fast time for that day, but still several seconds faster than Chay Blyth's time. The dolly bird keeping times thought I was going to be slow until she saw the deck shoes. Still got the badge they gave out to those who beat Chay Blyth's time.

 

[Wansworth]

Went to the one that displayed kelsalls “sidewinder” at the entrance and they still. had army pontoons......1970?

 

[Quandary]

About 76 too, we had won the British Airways Trophy at Bangor in our Trapper 300 (it was a light weekend) and the prize was a pair of return air tickets from Belfast.

 

[rogerthebodger]

1977/78

Drove down to the show then picked up a dingy kit from somewhere in Southampton and tied it to the door handles of my maxi as I did not have a roof rack.

 

[[70521]]

2018.

 

[johnalison]

1973. We had ordered our new Mystere from Langstone Marine in the summer. We were told that our boat would be their boat show example, and that it would be red. It was fun seeing it there but we felt very protective when we saw other people going over it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

First one was 1969.

First one I went to was 1976.

How about you?

1988, with my research supervisor. In the days of the shuttle bus from a field somewhere north of Southampton, and of end-of-season bargains. Both distant memories now.

 

[JumbleDuck]

1973. We had ordered our new Mystere from Langstone Marine in the summer. We were told that our boat would be their boat show example, and that it would be red. It was fun seeing it there but we felt very protective when we saw other people going over it.

I actually went over my boat at the 1986 London Boat Show, but didn't buy it until thirty years later.

 

[halcyon]

1988, with my research supervisor. In the days of the shuttle bus from a field somewhere north of Southampton, and of end-of-season bargains. Both distant memories now.

May have seen you, we used to had a stand back then.

Brian

 

[Hacker]

1983. We took both our inshore lifeboats over and moored on the outer pontoon. Managed to get quite a few bargains for the boats plus a huge discount on a new full wetsuit (in those days we wore wetsuits under our all-in-one outer suits).

 

[Sandyman]

First one was 1969.

First one I went to was 1976.

How about you?

Did you complete your Part 1 skimmer qualifying course ??

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Sometime in the 1960s! Can't recall exactly when, but late 60s.

 

[zoidberg]

Not the first time, but in about 1983 I brought a Dedrek Kelsall 40' cat round from the Hamble and moored it in among the derelict wood piles just off what is now Mayflower Park...... then rowed ashore into the show.

The security nightwatchmen had no orders, so they were quite happy with us coming and going for a couple of days....

 

[Kukri]

Last year.

Harken furler, Monitor windvane, Raymarine stuff...

Don’t think I can afford to go again this year..