London Boat Show

[SteveHall]

I've just got back today, and I have to agree!

I didn't get anything, and i was done within a few hours - that included a £3 bottle of water. Didn't see any real bargains, and no one seemed to want to knock more off for cash.

Did get a tour round the new sun seeker 'High Energy' and that was very impressive.

This is the text I sent to a friend who wanted to go!

"Not the best to be honest. A few dinghy stands, a few chandlery stalls. Lots of big power boats (drool) and a few ribs. Nothing outside really, a few old tugs you can go on, and a few big boats that are invite only."

[Exe treme]

Thanks for the heads-up on the show. I was contemplating a trip up from Devon but will give it a miss.

[Nasher]

Was going to go this weekend, having given it a miss last year, but have just been told it's now only one half of the centre not both sides.

Plus the usual garden furniture stands and other non boaty type stuff is taking up a good proportion of the space anyway.

Is this all true?

Roll on Seawork, one of my favourite shows.

Nasher.

[SteveHall]

All true!!

Only one side, nothing much on the water, and plenty of none boating related stuff.

I was tempted to buy the bird house with built in CCTV but thought at 25knts the birds would fall out!

[Exe treme]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Was going to go this weekend, having given it a miss last year, but have just been told it's now only one half of the centre not both sides.

Plus the usual garden furniture stands and other non boaty type stuff is taking up a good proportion of the space anyway.

Is this all true?

Roll on Seawork, one of my favourite shows.

Nasher.

I have spoken to my local Honda dealer that was at the show, and he confirmed that only half of the space is being used this year, and that footfall is much lower.

I cant find many images of smaller boats (sub 10m) at the show either. Even the official show site only has 5 pictures on its images page.

[gotchiguy]

Half is actually being a bit generous :/

Last year at least they filled an entire half and also used the extension hall at the west end of the centre where Princess revealed their new 80 footer I think. Certainly nothing quite that big this year. In previous years they have used those extension areas to have full size swimming pools for watersports but even that wasn't there this year. I don't think a single outboard manufacturer was represented this year in an independent capacity.

And that's after Suzuki were title sponsor a couple of years ago.

Southampton is a lot better, it's just a pity they don't have the same facilities as the ExCel centre.

[Nasher]

Thanks guys, looks like we'll be saving our entry fee again this year.
It's a shame really as we've enjoyed it in the past.

I can see how the organisers are caught in a downward vicious circle involving numbers of visitors, exhibitors, and renting space.

As I said, I'll look forward to Seawork, but also the Beaulieu Jumble and Southampton later in the year.

Nasher.

[Exe treme]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Half is actually being a bit generous :/

Souns like a drastic change since my last visit in 2011, and it only entertained for a few hours then. I guess other exhibitors will follow suit, which can only result in one outcome, can't it?

Southampton is my choice too. Its about half the distance and offers a full day out with loads of smaller craft on the water. It was particularly memorable for me last year, as I signed up to one of the new Highfield ribs.

[Trimix]

I went and also found it underwhelming. I went round probably 3 times in a couple of hours.

This time I only spent £3 on some glue, haveing bought a boat at the Southampton show I have to cut back a bit

I was there on Sunday and one of the exhibitors said it had been quite all Saturday. For pretty much all of Sunday it was also very quite. Great if you need to spend time looking and chatting, but there was not much to look at.

There were a few empty stands and at least two of the corners of the hall were empty !

I wont bother going again.

[SteveHall]

Forgot to mention. Was handy if you wanted to demo some electronic cigarettes.

[C2 RIBS]

Audionation-UK Ltd these shock and waterproof IPad covers new for this year-

These at the show were great and have show discounts ,

[paulbrown22]

I did just pop in Monday evening to visit a few exhibitor contacts, and then meet up some Sea Cadet colleagues for dinner.

Must say the entire place looked dead (admittedly it was an evening), and the show itself was fairly small, even compared to last year. I walked as quickly as I could between the specific stands I was going to see, and didn't even bother to do a complete tour of the hall it looked so uninspiring!

A shame when you consider both halls used to be packed full. I personally wouldn't bother to go unless you live very close by, have a free ticket and some spare time that you can't find another use for!

[falcon0310]

Agree with Paul
When I was young I go up earls court 8 times in week, haven't been in three years what's the point ?
Can't afford new and the net taken over
I say be no more in the next five years

[matt h]

I went a few years ago.. it was a pig to get too.. everything was in excess of 30k. very limited clothing and snobby sales peopled.. i give it 2 years!!

[jumpinjack]

Was going to head up this weekend for a look- reading these reports don't think it's worth the trek or expense from Southampton. As someone rightly said, the net has taken over!
I still think the Liverpool show would be a better option than excel? Excel too close to Southampton yet Liverpool would attract the north, Scotland and Ireland??
I do have a friend who works for Sunseeker- he reckons they sell more boats at London than Southampton, apparently the properly wealthy can fly into London City, have a look, do a deal and be away again?

[indaba1991]

I was there today - the Guinness stand was great!!! Then I bought the most expensive torch on the planet. I am there again tomorrow so please god save me from such madness! Guinness does something strange to normal men - has it got hormones in it?

[Max...]

I have hugely fond memories of going to the the Earls Court show every year in the 80's - the real heydey of the show, massive back then and packed to the rafters with every sort of boat in all disciplines with massive windsurfing and waterskiing sections, canal boats, sailing, ski boats, huge amounts of kit for sale and the brilliant central water feature. Packed with crowds too. That was a *real* boat show, sure you could dream on the big yachts but so much of it was aimed at the common man or water sports enthusiast with a few hundred or thousand to spend.

We went to Excel about 10 years ago and it was bad enough then (seemed a showroom for city bankers and foreign millionaires to buy their Sunseekers and not much else). Can't imagine what it's like now with so much money floating about owned by a select few...

[indaba1991]

Originally Posted by Max...

I have hugely fond memories of going to the the Earls Court show every year in the 80's - the real heydey of the show, massive back then and packed to the rafters with every sort of boat in all disciplines with massive windsurfing and waterskiing sections, canal boats, sailing, ski boats, huge amounts of kit for sale and the brilliant central water feature. Packed with crowds too. That was a *real* boat show, sure you could dream on the big yachts but so much of it was aimed at the common man or water sports enthusiast with a few hundred or thousand to spend.

We went to Excel about 10 years ago and it was bad enough then (seemed a showroom for city bankers and foreign millionaires to buy their Sunseekers and not much else). Can't imagine what it's like now with so much money floating about owned by a select few...

Its ugly - and!! Not one good vodka bar in sight. Do you remember Nikitas near Earls Court?

[Black]

I've a friend in the dinghy game, he reckons foot fall is down on last year again!

But.... the customers that are coming are there to buy, haggling not tyre kicking.

Good for them!

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Audionation-UK Ltd these shock and waterproof IPad covers new for this year-

These at the show were great and have show discounts ,

what were the discounts like?