I wonder what I will write in my February issue of Boating Business? Will it be ‘Astounding success of new-look LBS’? Or will it be ‘So what happens now’?

One thing is certain: National Boat Shows, the British Marine Federation and the industry non-execs on the various committees have done a huge amount of work between them since the last London Boat Show.

There was a tremendous response when those at the top asked for opinions from the industry. They listened to everything – the good, the bad and the ugly. The ‘Day & Night’ wash-up meeting was one of the most crucial this industry has held. The gloves were off and no punches were pulled. A lot of hard talking was done. And a lot of home truths were aired.

And while most exhibition industry observers would expect changing a top flight national exhibition to take a good two or three years, NBS and the non-execs have done a fantastic job in under a year.

Out of the ashes of the last London Boat Show, we stand a damned good chance of having a show that at the very least will slow the slide in attendance and, at the other end of the scale, could start to move the show back up the attendance slope.

The last time I tried forecasting the attendance at the London Boat Show it cost BB a crate of champagne when the 2004 gate was 213,500.

So how about we’ll do the same if NBS comes up with 150,000 this time around? That’ll be a welcome increase on last year’s sad figure.

And – between you and me - I think the Collins Stewart London Boat Show in association with The Daily Mail has a very good chance of getting close to that figure (provided the M25 doesn’t get closed, or some other malfunction stops people getting there).

This means, of course, that BB will be more than happy to have to buy another crate of bubbly. Wouldn’t that be a nice way to start 2007?

If we don’t have to buy the bubbly, we won’t get too far down in the dumps. It would be nice to see an increase in attendance, but if it’s around last year’s 140,000, I – and, I suspect a lot of others - will be more than happy.

I have a good feeling about this show. The work has been done. Tim Pyne’s creativity has brought some intriguing features to ExCeL and loadsamoney has been spent on the promotions campaign.

There are loads of new boats and new products, lots of things for people to see and lots of things for people – from small kids to big kids – to do.

There’s even an America’s Cup boat there: BMW ORACLE is putting USA-61 onto the BMW exhibition stand, located in the North Hall on N425.

And don’t start on about how difficult it is for people to get to ExCeL. That’s simply not true. You tell all your South Coast friends to get on the train and forget trying to drive. Anyone who messes with the M25 deserves all they get in my book.

If I was driving to ExCeL, I wouldn’t start from the South Coast. Canning Town, maybe. But certainly not anywhere south or west of London that involves a trip round the M25.

But by train, your customers and friends will find the trip from Waterloo to ExCeL is exactly the same number of underground changes and stops as it was to Earls Court. Just tell them all not to change at Canary Wharf for the DLR – wait until they get to Canning Town.

However, if you can’t persuade them to let the train take the strain, there’s a new car park this year under ExCeL, called The Undercroft. It has its own entrance straight up into the Boulevard.

When you look at it closely, there’s nothing to stop the show being a success.

Well that’s not quite right, is it? Because the show is all about presentation. And it’s not only the show designers, stand designers and advertising creatives who are in the front line on this.

The 600+ exhibitors have to step up to the plate and take over now. We have the classy show with some classy features. We have the classy stands. We now need all those customer-facing people to be the nicest, most welcoming people in the entire United Kingdom from January 5 to January 14.

Let’s see those smiling faces. Let’s hear every one of the same old questions answered as if it’s the first time that question has ever been asked.

Put simply, if we don’t all give this show our very best shot, everything done this year will have been wasted.

And that would be a pity. Come on everyone – I really do want to have to buy NBS another crate of bubbly. Help me have to do it!

The last word on the 2007 show goes to Andy Williams, MD of NBS. ‘After months of planning we’re all really pleased with how the Collins Stewart London Boat Show looks,’ he told me. ‘It's been a busy year for us. Everyone has pulled out all the stops to get here and we’re now looking forward to entertaining the public.’

 

The Collins Stewart London Boat Show in association with The Daily Mail features

Boulevard features

Jargon Free Boats

There will be eight boats in the boulevard, each with their owners, who will be there to talk to people in plain English – this feature does exactly what it says in the title and offers newcomers and non-boaters a jargon-free introduction to boating.

The boats in the feature are a Westerly, a Cornish Shrimper, a National 12, a Cadet, an RNLI D Class, a Mastercraft Ski Boat, a Personal Watercraft and a Warrior Boat.

 

Fog Tunnel

Partners: Raymarine and Yachting Monthly

A feature designed to put the visitor into a fog and show them all about radar and navigation technology.

The write-up says visitors will be provided with real-life solutions, tips and advice. But how will they re-create the terror felt by the crew in a small boat as the thump of massive diesel engines and the ripple of a towering bow wave appear to come from all around the boat… And what about that sudden appearance of a sheer wall of rusting steel and rivets…?

The ladies will be pleased to hear the fog in the Fog Tunnel will be produced using water based smoke simulants to create the appearance of fog.

It will be dispersed in bursts of 10 seconds so it won't be a heavy fog as, due to Health & Safety, people will still need to be able to see from one end side of the tunnel to the other.

It’s similar, says NBS, to the preferred method used in theatre and musical productions to create fog like effects.

 

Giant Knots

A creative way to give people somewhere to sit down, with the usual knot suspects lined up (but no Granny knot as far as I can see). Visitors can find out about the knots and how to tie them from the BMF & RYA stand at the west end of the Boulevard.

 

North Hall features

UKSA Deck Games

Sponsor: UKSA; partners: Dinghy Sailing and Laser

The UKSA’s Deck Games are designed to help children get fit for sailing, teach them how to hoist a sail and rig a boat as well as allowing children to race against each other in a variety of activities. The activities include Spot the Difference; the Rig it Race; Hoist the mainsail; Get in it to win it in one minute; Feel a fitting; Gypsy moth simulator; Knot-off and Concept 2000 Rowers.

 

Anchor Watch

Partners: Sailing Today, Lewmar and Boatshed.com

This feature is likely to attract many ladies who find themselves trying to understand unintelligible screamed instructions from the cockpit.

A Heath Robinson-looking gantry affair rides over a trench of sand on rails to simulate a number of different anchoring procedures, including freeing an anchor fouled by another boat’s chain, using an anchor ‘chum’ and setting up a chain cable with rope stoppers for a peaceful night’s sleep on the hook.

I think it has the hallmarks of being a winner.

All we’ve seen so far about Anchor Watch are spidery sketches. This shot of the gantry under construction shows it will be a pretty substantial bit of kit when it’s all finished and clothed.

 

Inland Waterways

This year, the Collins Stewart London Boat Show has teamed up with Crocus, a Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist, to provide specially grown grass for the feature to bring an extra taste of the countryside (it says here). 

This feature was meant to have one of the two ‘towers’ where visitors can get above the rest of the show and take a look around. However, budgetary considerations came in when BW stopped subsidising the feature and there were some physical considerations with how the tower would actually fit into the feature.

Exit one tower…

 

Classic Boats Feature

Partners: Classic Boat and Old Pulteney

Making a welcome return, the Classic Boats feature has four boats on the stand, including Nereis, originally built by Dan Webb in 1936 and now the restoration project of editor Dan Houston. Also on the stand is Cole & Son’s 1911 Tarana, being brought back to life by specialist restorer Gweek Quay Boatyard.

Also on the stand will be Donald Campbell’s original, restored Jetstar Bluebird, James Lawrence Sailmakers demonstrating traditional sailmaking skills, rope making with Des and Liz Pawson, John Greenaway demonstrating caulking and wooden mast making demonstration from Collars.

All this, with Old Pulteney whiskey samples as well. Another popular attraction, I feel.

 

South Hall features

Guinness/Tanqueray Bar

I was never happier than when Beefeater Gin was on offer at the Guinness Bar in Earls Court because I am not a Guinness drinker. So it’s nice to have an alternative back again in the shape of Tanqueray Gin.

 

Greens at Semaphore Restaurant

The show has partnered with Simon Parker Bowles’ Green’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar to create ‘Green’s at the Semaphore Restaurant’.

Parker Bowles and his head chef will be creating a menu exclusively for the show that will (it says here) be quintessentially British. By that, it means featuring a daily selection of fresh fish and shellfish.

Hmmm. What about those who are not really fond of fish, I wonder?

This is the second feature where visitors can get above the show as they wander around the drinks area.

 

Engine Race

Partners: Practical Boat Owner and Volvo Penta

This feature isn’t a training session on how to rebuild an engine, says NBS. It’s about an entertaining race to perform certain tasks correctly with the emphasis on FUN as well as education.

Competitors can pull on paper overalls and try to remedy four common faults that can stop a diesel engine at sea - clean out the seawater strainer; change the impeller; change the primary fuel filter and change the drive belt.

Volvo Penta technicians will show visitors the correct procedures and offer useful tips on how to get their engine started.

 

The Sky Sports Theatre

Sponsor: Sky Sports

Partners: Classic Boat, Motor Boat & Yachting, Motor Boats Monthly, Practical Boat Owner, Yachting Monthly, Yachting World and ybw.com

Top experts and personalities in the marine world will be giving demonstrations, advice and fascinating insights into their lives each day of the show. There should be some amusing anecdotes for all.

 

rightboat.com marina

Sponsor: rightboat.com

The marina takes up a quarter of a mile of dockside for more than 50 craft from luxury sailing yachts to motor yachts, associated tenders to fishing boats and RIBS to day sailors.

 

HMS St Albans

The last of 16 Type 23, Duke Class frigates, HMS St Albans offers the vertical launch Seawolf system, her Magazine Torpedo Launch System (MTLS) for underwater defence and a helicopter which, as well as having the ability to drop torpedoes, can carry depth charges and Sea Skua anti-ship missiles.

So what else is going on at ExCeL? For a start, Tacktick is celebrating 10 years of wireless products, having launched the world’s first wireless, digital, solar powered compass, the Tacktick Race Compass in 1997.

I remember asking Clive how long he thought it would be before the rest of the industry caught up. He reckoned he might have a three year lead…

The Cockpit Theatre is now the Sky Sports Theatre and sounds an interesting feature, promising demonstrations and talks from a variety of people.

Olympic medal winners Shirley Robertson and Ben Ainslie will be talking about their sailing success and their preparations for the Beijing Olympics.

There will be, it says here, practical advice and demonstrations from ex-British military personnel - including Special Forces and security services - about how to stay safe at sea. And retired lighthouse keepers talk about their experiences, which should bring some humour into the proceedings.

Tom Cunliffe will be presenting an irreverent look at the changes in seafaring between 1969 and 2006, from sailors with holes in their oilskins, no radios, no liferafts to fully-kitted out boats, well-educated skippers awash with technology – how has life at sea changed?

BB and PBO contributor Peter Poland will be speaking about the appeal of the smaller yacht, while designer Nigel Irens will be offering his insights in to the intricate, high-tech world of modern boat design.

IPC’s marine awards at Old Billingsgate lasted only one year. It was a fantastic venue with fantastic food and wine. But the finances were perhaps not quite in place.

However, IPC has some new awards this year, sponsored by ShoreGuard. The Motor Boat of the Year Awards 2007 will be presented in association with Motor Boats Monthly and Motorboat and Yachting.  

The presentations take place on Monday January 8 at the Savoy Hotel in London. I wonder if there will be more UK manufactured boats in the awards this year?

NBS has partnered with the 24-hour broadband channel Sail TV to attract global audiences throughout the show.

Sail TV will produce regular features and newsworthy items filmed throughout the show that will be shown on the bespoke Sail TV player every evening at www.sail.tv

And don’t forget the show is now to be referred to as: The Collins Stewart London Boat Show in association with the Daily Mail. In addition, NBS tells us the marina should be referred to as the: Rightboat.com Marina Showcasing Exhibitors & Feature Boats.

There’s also a full programme of technical events planned. On the opening day of the show, the BMF Technical Department will host the latest round of networking events in the Motorsport to Marine programme which will see over 30 motorsport companies visiting the show to explore opportunities for collaborative ventures, new markets and sharing technical expertise.

This event has proved popular at the last two Southampton Boat Shows and has already led to several new members joining the BMF and cross sector projects between marine and motorsport companies.

The London event will open with a short seminar to introduce the two sectors: BMF members wishing to take part should contact Adrian Waddams at awaddams@britishmarine.co.uk

The Technical Day will be on Wednesday January 10 from 1030 to 1800 in South Gallery room 29 (formerly Waterfront room 29).

The programme for the day covers technical regulation and standards, reports on RCD compliance from Trading Standards, flatpack boat interiors, composites research, motorsport cross sector opportunities and lean manufacturing case study.

The Technical Day is one of the most popular B2B events at the show and BMF members are recommended to reserve a place as soon as possible.

The second Friday will see the inaugural meeting of the Technology Strategy Group which will be focussing on making the most of research and funding opportunities from the UK and EU to tackle technology issues facing the industry in the future.

The first meeting is open to all BMF members and will be followed by a composites research steering group meeting for those companies who have signed up to this new project the BMF is sponsoring at Southampton University.

For more information on the TSG or the composites project please contact Nik Parker at nparker@britishmarine.co.uk

To reserve a place at any or all of the technical events, please contact Carole Abel at cabel@britishmarine.co.uk