The Boat show in pictures.....

[Guest]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30750494

 

"The UK is a key player in the global leisure boating industry, generating revenue of £3bn, and is the base for a number of world-renowned brands, including Fairline Boats and Sunseeker."

[Peter X]

How the other half go boating, eh! I loved the quote about one luxury boat:

 

Details can be changed. One visitor to this Sunseeker model said: "I like it, I just don't love it. We'd have to split the cabin in two and the cushion covers are, well, eurgh."

 

Still, I suppose when you pay that sort of money for a new boat you can kind of assume the hull and engine will be good and concentrate on the real essentials. Maybe some enterprising person with a sewing machine should contact Sunseeker and offer to subcontract cushion cover making with a wide range of designs.

[Guest]

Peter X, on 10 Jan 2015 - 12:13 PM, said:

How the other half go boating, eh!

Indeed. There was a time ISTR that a few narrowboat builders used to pitch up at the boat show but I can't seem to find any amongst the exhibitor lists this year. I guess they have been squeezed out by costs, as it must cost a fortune to have a stand there.

 

It now seems to be almost exclusively lumpy water stuff.

 

I do like this Broom though.

 

http://www.londonboatshow.com/2015/boats/boat_profile_page.aspx?objectid=35544

 

 

[blackrose]

I've been to the London Boat show a few times. I got free tickets from Gary Peacock (a boat builder and former forum member) a couple of times.

 

As well as all those luxury boats they also have some inland waterways boats and some of the same stalls you see at Crick.

[frangar]

I'm afraid there hasn't been any inland waterways craft there for a few years apart from some smallish grp stuff....since the move to excel the chandlery side has reduced a fair bit as well....I used to go regularly as a birthday treat but decided a couple of years ago that it wasn't really worth it...a shame as I enjoyd looking round some of the bumpy water stuff but it's a lot of money when there's nothing really useful there.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Scholar Gypsy]

I'm afraid there hasn't been any inland waterways craft there for a few years apart from some smallish grp stuff....since the move to excel the chandlery side has reduced a fair bit as well....I used to go regularly as a birthday treat but decided a couple of years ago that it wasn't really worth it...a shame as I enjoyd looking round some of the bumpy water stuff but it's a lot of money when there's nothing really useful there.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

Don't forget the three narrowboats from St Pancras Cruising Club - tied up near the Cable Car.

 

I went this afternoon and bought a few gadgets for my trip across the Wash. I would have bought smoke & flares, but they are not allowed to stock them there!

[frangar]

Don't forget the three narrowboats from St Pancras Cruising Club - tied up near the Cable Car.

 

I went this afternoon and bought a few gadgets for my trip across the Wash. I would have bought smoke & flares, but they are not allowed to stock them there!

A few years ago they had loads of interesting boats outside on the dock that you could look over...Massey Shaw the old london fire boat...and a steam tug...thames sailing barge etc....was ace......they have also had navy frigates which you could have a tour of....sadly they don't have them anymore.

 

I do miss some of the smaller more interesting suppliers that you used to find there.

 

Cheers.

 

Gareth

[blackrose]

I'm afraid there hasn't been any inland waterways craft there for a few years apart from some smallish grp stuff....since the move to excel the chandlery side has reduced a fair bit as well....I

 

That's odd because I went to Excel and there was loads of chandlery.

 

I saw quite a few Dutch-style barges on show that were moored outside, but that was several years ago so perhaps they don't do that anymore.

[frangar]

Whilst there are/were chandery suppliers at excel they seemed to get less every year...and nothing like how many used to be at Earl's Court.

 

Last time I went to excel even LeeSan weren't there....and they used to go to every show going!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[OldGoat]

Whilst there are/were chandery suppliers at excel they seemed to get less every year...and nothing like how many used to be at Earl's Court.

 

Last time I went to excel even LeeSan weren't there....and they used to go to every show going!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

Bring back Earl's Court (due to be bulldozed this year - to build millionaires housing...). The back of the first floor was stuffed with chandlers and the rest (happy days)

 

The current organisers have priced the small firms out of it. Southampton show is better for them.

 

Leesan were always staunch supporters - due to Chris Coburn using it to keep in touch with his boaty friends. The new owners take a more pragmatic view.

 

Who wants to travel to the 'back' end of London in freezing January. Time was when the show filled the whole of Excel plus the annexe. Now it just barely fills half a hall.

[frangar]

Bring back Earl's Court (due to be bulldozed this year - to build millionaires housing...). The back of the first floor was stuffed with chandlers and the rest (happy days)

 

The current organisers have priced the small firms out of it. Southampton show is better for them.

 

Leesan were always staunch supporters - due to Chris Coburn using it to keep in touch with his boaty friends. The new owners take a more pragmatic view.

 

Who wants to travel to the 'back' end of London in freezing January. Time was when the show filled the whole of Excel plus the annexe. Now it just barely fills half a hall.

The only plus of excel is its location for me...an easy trip in from my land base in Essex...other than that I agree with everything you have said...a real shame.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[KenK]

My wife and I went to the Southampton boat show courtesy of our daughter who works for one of the very posh marinas at Sandbanks on the south coast. The boats are expensive enough £6,500,000 for the 28M Sunseeker but then you have to factor in the running cost, according to one of the salesmen estimated 10% of the purchase price a year. That boat had 15,000 Litre fuel tanks, range on a tankful 350-500 miles. Just to make you feel better about your mooring costs, 35 foot boat in the marina £19,500 per year.

 

How the other half live.

 

Ken

[Sea Dog]

My wife and I went to the Southampton boat show courtesy of our daughter who works for one of the very posh marinas at Sandbanks on the south coast. The boats are expensive enough £6,500,000 for the 28M Sunseeker but then you have to factor in the running cost, according to one of the salesmen estimated 10% of the purchase price a year. That boat had 15,000 Litre fuel tanks, range on a tankful 350-500 miles. Just to make you feel better about your mooring costs, 35 foot boat in the marina £19,500 per year.

 

How the other half live.

 

Ken

 

Filled up a jerry can at Falmouth before sailing to the Scillies a couple of years ago - the pump read £650.00 after the last Sunseeker had stopped for a splash and dash, and it wasn't even a big one. Lovely boats in their way, but it strikes me that many of those who have enough money to own them spend too much time at work to get much use out of them.

[Naughty Cal]

 

Filled up a jerry can at Falmouth before sailing to the Scillies a couple of years ago - the pump read £650.00 after the last Sunseeker had stopped for a splash and dash, and it wasn't even a big one. Lovely boats in their way, but it strikes me that many of those who have enough money to own them spend too much time at work to get much use out of them.

You can get a lot of boat for your money if you buy a used one.

[Sea Dog]

You can get a lot of boat for your money if you buy a used one.

 

True, especially a couple of years or so ago. Buying it is just the start though, eh?

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

Don't forget the three narrowboats from St Pancras Cruising Club - tied up near the Cable Car.

 

I went this afternoon and bought a few gadgets for my trip across the Wash. I would have bought smoke & flares, but they are not allowed to stock them there!

 

found some pictures: http://www.canaljunction.com/news/narrowboats-london-boat-show/1892

Edited January 24, 2015 by Scholar Gypsy