Another successful year at Mayflower Park closes its doors as the Southampton International Boat Show ends its 10 day event.
Powered by Borrow A Boat, the Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) closed its doors on a record breaking high, seeing a 5% increase in footfall from the previous golden anniversary edition in 2018.
In addition to an increase in footfall, there was also much more activity on the water as thousands of visitors took to the waves in the various attractions on offer.
Opened by Olympic rower James Cracknell OBE and TV personality Lucy Mecklenburgh, many reports have come through suggesting the 2019 edition was the best show so far.
Out on the waves
Making their return to the show, the Try A Boat and Get Afloat attractions once again proved to be popular assets for the English show. Getting the visitors out on to the water, the activities gave attendees first hand experience of being out on the waves, resulting in strong sales reports from the participating exhibitors.
As well as activites over the water's surface, visitors also made the most of the Try-a-Dive attraction. Comprising of a purpose built dive tank, this facility proves popular every edition and showcases the invaluable experience of combining watersports with yachting experiences.
New to the attraction scene this year, the Quarterdeck provided an advantageous view point to observe all the water based activities. As a waterside dining option, the new attraction made a great impression for its inaugural appearance, and will no doubt be returning for the 52nd edition in 2020.
Boating for the wider market
This 51st edition of SIBS looked to focus on promoting the accessibility to boating for the wider audience.
The diverse selection of 600 marine brands on display certainly made an impact on showcasing the breadth of available nautical product lines. However, the introduction of the Foredeck Stage definitely made up the bigger part of the picture.
Daily talks from speakers such as Tom Cunliffe, Max Liberson and Stokey Woodhall packed out the new facility as a mixture of beginners, owners and industry experts attended to hear the exclusive insights of the industry. Taking a leaf out of the books from other popular yachting events, it's likely the Foredeck Stage will be another staple concept in future events.
Known sailors Pip Hare, Conrad Humphreys, Mike Golding, Dee Caffari MBE, Helena Lucas MBE also attended to talk about their boating experiences.
With such an array of boats, products, services and expertise on offer at this year’s Show, it truly has been a celebration of the fun, lifestyle and excitement that can be had on the water. I am very much looking forward to 2020 Show where we will continue to attract thousands to the water and deliver a great day out for all the family.”
CEO
British Marine
Expanding the motorboat display
With 82 new brands for 2019, SIBS' biggest new brand for the motoryacht sector was the first appearance of Pearl Yachts.
Showcasing their popular Pearl 80 model for its UK debut, the British shipyard raised the profile for the motoryacht display alongside their fellow British shipyards Princess and Sunseeker.
On attending their first SIBS event, Pearl Yachts Managing Director, Iain Smallridge said, 'at Southampton, we have opportunity to come face to face with many of our current and future clients, as well as network with some of the best marine brands in the business.'
It is unclear whether the increased footfall was partially down to the arrival of Pearl Yachts, but the extended collection of motoryachts certainly assisted in making the 51st edition of SIBS one to remember.
The Southampton International Boat Show is due to return for its 52nd edition from 11 - 20 September 2020.
