This year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show was marked by a huge success, attended by an increased audience of 111,963 (+2%). Visitors enjoyed the event, got out on the water, talked to boating experts and personalities, and importantly, spent money.
PSP Southampton Boat Show 2013
Marine companies were cautiously optimistic coming into the Show, hopeful of capitalising on the good weather of the summer. And many were pleasantly surprised by how much business they did. In addition to actual sales there was a lot of interest and genuine enquiries which gives businesses plenty of leads to convert over the coming months.
More than 600 exhibitors, from 22 countries around the world, took the opportunity to showcase their boats and products on this global stage. More than 120 new boats made their debut – whether to the World, Europe, UK or Show visitors – whilst hundreds of products and services were also unveiled, from electronics to engines, clothing to marinas.
Murray Ellis, Managing Director at National Boat Shows said: “This year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show has been another world-class event. Visitors have enjoyed their day out with us and a good number have taken the opportunity to try different types of boating and watersports. Seeing marine businesses making sales here confirms this Show as a strong selling platform; people visit our Southampton Show to buy boats and this has been very evident this year.”
Frank Dixie, Managing Director at PSP added: “We have had a really successful sixth year of sponsorship and are delighted to have been heavily involved in all aspects of the Show. This has paid dividends for our business and we have secured a number of promising leads and deals over the 10 days. We are already looking forward to next year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show, which will once again be a world-renowned event.”
Sales highlights from the first days at the PSP Southampton Boat Show include:
Two Fairline Squadron 78s – on the opening weekend
A Broom 35 Coupe – Saturday 14 September
Four Merryfisher 755s – by Wednesday 18 September
Sunseeker 40M – Wednesday 18 September
4.8m Ribquest RIB – Wednesday 18 September
A Stingray 235 – Friday 20 September
Wider highlights from the PSP Southampton Boat Show:
– More than 10,000 visitors took the chance to go on – or in – the water at this year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show. Kids learntdinghy sailing and stand up paddleboarding with Rockley while visitors have chosen their choice of craft fromTry-a-Boat, satisfied their need for speed withSuzuki’s RIB rides and travelled in style on thePrincess Platinum Boat. Geoff Holt MBE has taken visitors out on WetWheels, Act!ve Nation has introduced families to canoeing and kayaking whilst serious sailors have taken on the two new challenges offered by the Global Challenge sailing Experience and Artemis’ Go Solo experience. Andark got people under the water by teaching them the basics of scuba diving
– The Show’s feature boats wowed the crowds, with unique craft such as Bessie Ellen, one of the last surviving West Country trading ketches; Phoenicia, a reconstruction of a Phoenician/Mediterranean trading vessel; and two round-the-world Global Ocean Race yachts
– Boaters have developed their boating skills and learnt new ones here at the Show, with a variety of attractions designed to give a greater understanding of sea faring techniques, such as navigation and speed with Skipper Skills, safety information from the Safety Zone, and Berthing and Boat Handling with the RYA Active Marina Experience
– The Wooden Boatbuilders’ Trade Association(WBTA) demonstrated live an array of traditional and modern construction methods, with constant crowds throughout the Show
– Personalities and dignitaries at the Show included: Top Gear’s Richard Hammond launching Sunseeker’s three new models, the Manhattan 55, the Sport Yacht 68 and the Sport Yacht 80; boating personalities Geoff Holt MBE, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Shelley Jory-Leigh and Dee Caffari; the celebrity cast – including Lesley Joseph and Brian Conley – from The Mayflower Theatre’s aptly themed Christmas pantomime ‘Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates’; the Premier of the Cayman Islands and the Sheriff of Southampton; seven MPs and one Lord, including Mike Thornton MP for Eastleigh, who has the highest concentration of BMF members in his constituency; endurance swimmer Anna Wardley and British No 1 Ski Cross champion Emily Sarsfield
The UK marine industry will next gather together at the London Boat Show in January at ExCeL London. Running from 4-12 January 2014 the Show will be celebrating its 60th edition.
Next year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show will take place from 12-21 September 2014 and will host the start of the Global Ocean Race and its Race Village.
Exhibitor quotes:
Ancasta International Boat Sales, Ashley Overton (Sales Director): “Not only is there a feel good factor, but after several years people are putting hands in their pockets and spending money. Sales have been good; we’re up on last year, on both power and sail boats”
Lombard, Ian Braham (Head of Lombard Marine): “We’ve been delighted to see that enthusiasts are still so keen on boating with the level of enquiries into marine finance at this year’s Show very encouraging and up by 10% compared with the 2012 Show. This year Lombard Marine has seen an increased uptake in funding of leisure boats which has grown by 26% in the first half of 2013 to the same period in 2012.”
Fairline, Oliver Winbolt (Head of Marketing): “Fairline has enjoyed another exciting and successful PSP Southampton Boat Show. This event is one of the highlights of the international show season, with the relaxed on-water environment giving our guests a real taste of what the Fairline lifestyle has to offer. Sales have been strong, with some models now sold out until the middle of 2014. Fairline would like to thank the BMF and National Boat Shows team for their continued hard work and we look forward to returning next year with an even greater presence.”
Seaward Marine, Mike Burnham: “We are delighted with the Show and our decision to bring an additional third boat. We have sold a brokerage boat and a new build during the Show and have numerous leads to follow up over the coming weeks. We will be recruiting additional staff next week as a result of the business that the Show has generated.”
Fuel Cell Systems, Karen Sperrey (Operations Director): “It has been a great show for Fuel Cell Systems with enquiries up by 150% on last year so we have already re-booked our stand for 2014.”
Wifi on board, David Walker (Owner): “We launched the company here and we’ve doubled what we expected to do. We’ve had really positive responses and have sold 40 units here. We look forward to coming back next year and building on our boat show experience.”
Brig Inflatables, Leon Petersons (Director): “It’s been a very slow start but with our brand the Show is a wonderful platform. Now in our third show, we’re now accelerating and the interest in our product has been absolutely outstanding. We’ve sold many many boats and have had so many leads and will continue to sell from these for the next year. We’ve certainly done as well as the last two years for lack of sun! We’ve introduced inflatables for the first time this year, sold loads and had an outstanding response.”
Piranha Ribs, Nick Edgington (Sales Director): “The Show has been better than last year. We have had more interest and collected more contacts this year so the potential is much better. I think the market is more buoyant and there is more confidence so we are hoping there will be more sales from the Show. We have generated a lot of interest and that is what the Show is about for us. We will be back next year definitely.”
Hydropool, Mark Lee (International Sales Director): “The Show has been really good. We have sold 26 hot tubs and five swim spas so it has been a good Show for us and we are up in sales over last year. We are very happy to continue our relationship with National Boat Shows and we look forward to the London Boat Show in January.”
Suzuki, Rob Cooper (Sales & Marketing Coordinator): “The Show has been really good, we had a great start. We have seen an increase in the number of enquiries on our stand and down on the berths. In terms of sales and enquiries taken it has been better than last year and we are signing up for next year.”
Princess Yachts International, Chris Gates (Managing Director): “We have been very encouraged by the positive start to the 2013 boat show season which has continued at a successful PSP Southampton Boat Show. We have received excellent feedback on our three new models launched at the show, the Princess 43, 88 Motor Yacht and V48 which has driven a strong amount of interest not only in these new models but across ourentire range resulting in strong retail sales from the UK and an international audience.”
Dean & Reddyhoff, Russ Levett (Marina Manager Portland): “We have enjoyed a steady Show, having welcomed a large percentage of our existing berth holders to the stand. We’ve also signed up some new faces on our Boat Show 2+ year deal and will be back in the same place in 2014.”
TR Fastenings Poole UK, Jerry Howe: “At TR Fastenings Marine Divison based in Poole, we have received over 45 genuine leads from UK manufactures looking for supply solutions. It’s great for us to follow up next week. There’s been more activity this year, more desire to review current practices.”
Williams Performance Tenders, Mathew Hornsby (Sales Director): “We have had a tremendously successful week at Southampton this year, and most notably a high level of trade interest. This probably reflects the better times that some of the larger boatbuilders are enjoying, and we have been very pleased to see such positive sentiment around the show in general.”
Sunseeker International, Sean Robertson (Sales Director): “Despite inclement weather, the PSP Southampton Boat Show has turned into a successful Show with sales achieved across the whole size range from the Portofino 40 through to the 40 Metre Yacht. Although now overlapping with other European shows, the PSP Southampton Boat Show continues to draw both UK and International clients to view the UK builders latest innovations.”
Seatrack, Peter Scholfield (MD): “It’s the first show in three years where I’ve come away feeling optimistic. This is from the interest, the quality of leads and the sales. I get the impression that people are willing to spend money again – they’re no longer sitting on their wallets!”
Neptune Navigation Software, Sandra Emptage (owner): “The quality of customers has been very high. It’s an indication that something’s happening that’s encouraging. We’re very pleased with the leads and sales.”
Flexisail, Richard Pierpoint: The Show has been surprisingly good despite the weather and the total number of enquiries. We are 20% up on last year’s sales, and more business is yet to float through. We’re very pleased.”
Habitent, Christine and Brian Hamilton (Directors/Designers of Habitent): “This will be our third year and with our improved location it’s radically improved takeup of our product. We’ve had a really good show regardless of the weather! We hope to be bringing another product to the show next year. We’re very pleased to be here and think we’ll be back next year.”
Mastervolt, Nick Holland (UK Marine Sales Manager): “I think it’s been a good Show – certainly the second half of the week. I thought before that the Show would be good. The second Saturday was a great day for us. In terms of quality people, this has been better than the last two years. We have really good quality and interested potential customers. My gut feeling is I think we’ll get good business from it. We’ve already booked and will be back for next year. Things are starting to move now – boatbuilders have had a really good show and it’s all pointing to a bit of a shift in the marketplace.”
Tim Taylor from Stowaway Foods said: “The show was a great success for Stowaways with over 2000 people sampling our products with an overwhelming favourable response. The sampling resulted in the sale of thousands of pouches and many people placing bulk orders. We are already busy fulfilling orders for the Middle Sea Race and the ARC.”
Richard Bates, Bates Wharf: “We came away with 14 boats sold with orders and deposits across the board. All our large boat inventory was sold at the Show off the stand, Bayliner were in multiples and we did a large Fairline also off the stand so I could not have been happier really. We now have to do all our chasing and I expect to close a great deal more in the next month as a direct result of the show presentation and leads generated as a direct result.”
Hannah Floyd, Scanstrut: “This was an excellent Show for us. With both the Scanstrut and Lifedge brands on our stand, it was great to be able to meet both trade and public customers in one place. In addition to visitors from the UK, we had a number of customers from countries as far afield as Australia and Dubai. It was exciting to also unveil our new range of Lifedge waterproof cases for iPad and iPhone at the Dhow. These have had some great feedback and we head back to the office buoyant and excited about the coming year.”
