2015 London Boat Show

[LondonRascal]

I thought I’d share with forumites that I had an email from Richardson’s advising the fact they will be exhibiting their Broadsman cruiser at the 2015 London Boat Show

 

That is great news and be a way to have a looksie on board and visit numerous other stands and nose about the latest offerings in the world of boats.

 

I skipped this year’s boat show but attended the 2013 one and enjoyed that, and for sure will be heading along to next years. 

 

It is on between the 9th and 18th of January at Excell in London Docklands.

 

For those not in London, having a look online at hotels you could get two nights at the Holiday Inn express in Limehouse from £174.00 and perhaps make a mini break out of it and see London. www.hotels.com

 

Tickets and information about the show can be got from their website: Tickets and Show Information

 

 

[deebee29]

Thanks Robin

I got that email this morning as well... I always fancied a look at this show

David

[Baitrunner]

One of the few joys in my work life - working at Canary Wharf when the boat show is on. A half days leave and a cheap mid week ticket (£10 - although just bought them and since been offered a pair of freebies ). 15 mins on the super duper DLR and i'm there.

 

I shall be there on the 14th Jan with a mate and without the wife - I wonder if she will cut up my bank and credit cards before I go    

 

I shall no doubt be looking at the shiny long things with a point at one end and a twirly thing at the other end which are designed to empty bank accounts in a flash and continue to do so for the duration of ownership  

 

Here's to the next Lotto numbers

[C.Ricko]

if you are lucky you could win tickets on our Facebook! 

 

you could also win a holiday while you are there! 

[NeilB]

Will you be there much Clive?

 

Our London show stand is mainly a dealer stand so I'm only there a few days setting up and breaking down.

5th and then 8th for set up, 9th to ensure its all going smoothly then back down on the 18th/19th to pack up.

 

Over the first weekend there is a classic car show which I may have to inspect for a few hours! 

[SweetKingfisher1]

I have ordered our tickets for the 2015 London Boat Show. I just hope it is a lot better than 2014, because this years Boat Show was a load of rubbish  . A lot of the interesting stands were missing  . There was one stand from this years show, which turned out very lucky for me    . It was to entered your details to possible win a trip to LondonDerry / Derry for the Clipper Race 2014. I win and we went to Derry + a Beach Boys concert    .

 

Has anyone heard what the verbs are on the London Boat Show 2015  ?

 

Regards

Marina   

[JennyMorgan]

Marina, the general feedback for 2014 was pretty poor. 2015 just has to be better if the show wants to attract folk, and a lot better if it wants to survive.. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Marina is correct,we first returned to the boat show in 2009,Mainly to get Alan a be-lated christmas present(a gps).He got a gps and we brought our first boat Shetland 4+2,little kingfisher.The show was very good.It seems to have slowly gone down hill since.It is also close to the German boat show,Perhaps that does not help.Still we will see how it goes,We will go to the horning boat show anyway.What ever show it is good or bad we seem to spend money.

 

 

Ian

[C.Ricko]

Hi Neil,

I have to set the boat up on the 20th of this month and make sure everything is there for the folks to set up, I will probably be knocking about the first weekend which may get distracted by the cars for at least a little while! 

I don't think I will be on the stand much but will be touting mouldings a bit to decent builders...

[NonTecky]

Im not sure but I think I read somewhere that one of Len Funnels boats will be there too?

[JawsOrca]

I used to so look forward to LBS, when it was at earls court it was brilliant (even not owning a boat) it was relaxed you could walk around the boats without feeling intimated. The excel started well, the inland section and restoration was very interesting and it was relaxed too. We had a gap from going for some years and reluctantly returned last year (although I ended up with free tickets somehow) and it was shameful, embarrassing and it felt more like a market (and badly organised at that), the salesmen on the boats where clearly bored and fed up and demanded to escort us around every boat even a shetland 4+2! (And I enjoyed picking every tiny defect out whilst they were doing a really bad sales pitch!).. (Although sheerlines "kingfisher" was amazing and the best boat we saw).   The (nice couple of) sales men we were talking to said its been really bad, is full of london bankers who aren't spending and it's clearly marketed to the wrong market now.  We got nothing from it even though I was trying to get ideas for bits for the boat and left after and hour and half I think.

 

I was offered 2 tickets for a tenner this year but no thanks its a waste of a day and I'm not going.  Good luck though to the norfolk companies that go.. I really hope it's much improved (It really can't get any worse!). I had friends who went to southampton show and they had a brilliant time so maybe will try Southampton next year...

[Baitrunner]

The Southampton and German boat shows seem to be the big ones now and no doubt where the big sales are made.

 

I did only visit on a whirlwind tour this year as I wanted to buy a few specific items, which I got - but I must make sure I keep an eye out for a conservatory and some patio furniture next year!! Parts of it have become an upmarket boot sale. But if they pay for their pitch, I guess they can sell anything. Shame the sponsors don't try and restrict who can have a stand to keep it focused.

 

The evening I went it was a music competition between some of the stands to see who could make the most noise.

 

I will be looking for a Princess 72 next year - looking for it I said - doubt they will even let me on it!      

[NeilB]

The organisers have carried out another revamp for this years show, I've heard it's pretty much sold out but it's only using one of the halls.

I hope they manage to reverse the decline in numbers, we shall see....

[LondonRascal]

I think being London it will be less about sales and more about a show. 

 

A lot of people will of course travel and not just be from the southeast, and amongst visitors will be those looking for a specific thing but these days unless you are looking for a boat – be it a large one or a dinghy where you can actually see it, touch it and make a purchase much of the products on offer are obtainable from many different suppliers so their stand may well just raise their brand awareness rather than produce more sales ‘on the day’.

 

Let us say you wanted an new Chart Plotter you’ve looked about what would be suitable but you want to see a couple you’ve short listed ‘in the flesh’. 

 

Are you going to go along to the show and see them demonstrated and make a purchase there and then, or will you make your mind up as to what model or manufacture you want based upon having some hands on time and expert advice at the show – then go and compare the ‘show price’ with the best price you might be able to get online through a third party supplier, even if it is shipping from the other side of the world? Might you use this to negotiate a better deal at the show, or walk away and spend your money elsewhere for the same product..?

 

It is almost as if exhibitors feel they must attend even if the year before and the year before than have not been great for them – this year might be the good one or we have to go because such and such competitor is regardless as if it will be worth all the cost and effort in new sales.

[Labrador]

[quote

It is almost as if exhibitors feel they must attend even if the year before and the year before than have not been great for them – this year might be the good one or we have to go because such and such competitor is regardless as if it will be worth all the cost and effort in new sales.

[C.Ricko]

We are going to show and not so much of the sell, there is no show offer except the 5% we have at present. 

We won't just have a boat there we will  have a separate stand and will be promoting the area as a whole, the customer can then decide who they come with...

 

Come and have a look, we are up the corner by the Americas cup challenge...

[NeilB]

We are very close to the entrance this year, is'nt the Guinness stand in one of the corners.....

[C.Ricko]

We are close to BAR.

unfortunately it stands for Ben Ainsley Racing!

[BroadScot]

We are close to BAR.

unfortunately it stands for Ben Ainsley Racing!

Oh not SIR Ben Ainsley then?  The bloke thats gonna drive a rag n stick and pinch the Americas Cup? I amaze myself at my yachting knowledge at times

 

Iain.

[JennyMorgan]

Is that 'might' or is it 'will' pinch the America's cup? Whatever we do the Americans will probably introduce a new rule to make a UK challenge just that much harder, or impossible. Just like they did when a Lowestoft beach-boat challenged them!

[Oddfellow]

We're going for the first time in years. Mostly to take a good look at equipment suppliers for things that will be useful in planned projects. I didn't much enjoy the last boat show that we went to. It must have been at least three years back and the first time we had been to Excell. In fact, the last time I was in that dock, I was at a Jean Michelle Jarre concert,

 

I didn't warm to the Excell show, it seemed very different from Earls Court (where we went quite regularly, but then we lived a lot closer).

 

Looking forward to going though.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Ah, the Americas cup, that debacle where people with more money than sense take part in because they have the foolish idea the Americans will allow them to win it.

 

I watched the last one where their opponents only need 1 win out of 8 to take the cup, and then look what happened........... suspect or what,?.

 

The yanks will NEVER let anybody win the Americas cup, look what happened when New Zealand won it with their winged keel boat. The yanks do their usual thing of inventing a rule that never existed, then try and get it back through their corrupt court system.

 

 

 

 

As for the London International Boat (?) Show, ........ I went to the first one in the Excel centre and swore i`d never go again, which i`ve stuck to to this day. I`d only go if i got free tickets, and even then if i had nothing better to do, and we were going to Kent to see family anyway.

 

The sad thing is, the Southampton show is going that way too, but i often get free tickets for that, as does Karen father (with his connections in the super yacht trade) so it only costs us a ticket in the nearby carpark.

 

When we went this year, it seemed very spread out and with a lot of people selling hot tubs, summer houses, patio furnature etc etc, but we did see the odd boat and chandlery stores. To be honest, while walking around the pontoons, i think i could count the number of boats i thought looked nice, and that i`d actually like that fitted my purpose, i could count on the fingers of one hand. Still, it did`nt cost us anything to get in, and the day was made complete when we got accosted by a couple of shifty looking fellas trying to sell us some teak furnature, come on fellas, you know who you are ................. :naughty: .

[Polly]

Agree, not a patch on Earls Court, no atmosphere.

[SweetKingfisher1]

I use to go every year back in the early sixties to the boat show at Earls Court, only because my mum use to work for a fibreglass company making parts for boats, so it was the company's outing of the year . For what I can remember it was a fun day    , but a long day.

 

So, to be going to the boat show now for my / our needs is very funny. My mother would be laughing at us now  . Here's to you mum  .

 

Regards

Marina   

[C.Ricko]

I went down and set up Broadsman yesterday...