Collins Stewart London Boat Show celebrates its 54th year 11th - 20th January 2008

Get discounted tickets with Busy Outdoors...

London’s largest annual event, the Collins Stewart London Boat Show, will take place at ExCeL - the heart of London’s entertainment district - from 11-20 January 2008. Now in its 54th year the Show promises to offer something for all – from seasoned enthusiasts to boat novices simply interested to discover what all the excitement is about.

The Collins Stewart London Boat Show will welcome some 140,000 people, encouraging visitors to take to the waters sailing, boating and to partake in activities both on and under the water.

On receiving the Trade Association Forum’s ‘Exhibition of the Year‘ Award for the 2007 Collins Stewart London Boat Show Andrew Williams, Managing Director of National Boat Shows (NBS), commented: “The introduction of new features and attractions to the 2007 Collins Stewart London Boat Show resulted in the best overall experience and value for money ratings by visitors in recent years, with 93% claiming that they will revisit the show again. Building on this success, and following a lengthy consultative process, National Boat Shows will be increasing the entertainment and attraction elements of the show even further.”

Main Stage

Located in the centre of North Hall, NBS will create a massive 35m long impressive multi-purpose stage, theatre and entertainment facility which will have a continuous schedule of entertainment, fashion, seminars and experiences running throughout each day. State of the art technology and an experienced production team will make the 2008 show an event to remember. This centrally located attraction may be opened up to cover big-audience events and private evening functions but equally can be contracted to accommodate more intimate, lecture-orientated presentations suited to smaller gatherings.

Additional Attractions…

Anchor Watch

Back by popular demand, the Masterclass on practical anchoring will repeat the crowd-pulling demonstrations which were extremely popular with everyone from beginners to experienced sailors alike at the 2007 show.

Manned by experienced and entertaining instructors – and supplemented with a free colourful information guide outlining the techniques shown – this eye-catching, educational feature cleverly simulates how to overcome the most frequently encountered anchoring problems, both in our own tidal waters and the increasingly crowded town-quay anchorages of the Mediterranean.

Start Boating

This hospitable, salesman-free arena is the ideal place for anyone seeking impartial advice on how to take up boating at its many different levels and contrasting lifestyles. Participating non-commercial organisations will aim to enthuse and educate enquiring visitors on all aspects of boating.

For those considering buying their first boat, owner associations will concentrate on craft at the more affordable pre-owned end of the market. In addition lower priced new products will be available to encourage entry level boating.

The main objective of the “Start Boating” area is to include as much variety as possible so that it truly is a ‘one stop’ shop for visitors.

Deck Games

Deck Games is back by popular demand – but bigger and better – to encourage young people of all age groups to participate in boating by providing a range of stimulating activities that are both fun and educational. Great for the children – and for the parents – this interactive area offers a range of group games and competitions with the opportunity to win prizes.

Classic Boat

The Classic Boat feature is approximately 25 per cent larger than in 2007 to accommodate the anticipated increased interest generated by the inclusion of the much-publicised ‘Cutty Sark’ restoration project – drawing interest from classic boat enthusiasts and the general public.

The area will provide an opportunity for visitors to watch, learn and – most importantly – talk to enthusiasts about classic boats and find out about the traditional skills involved in their restoration.

Supporting the ‘Cutty Sark’ restoration project

Throughout the Show, the Cutty Sark Trust will be working on selected artefacts from the main conservation project. The Trust will be bringing back to life original parts of this famous Tea Clipper, badly damaged by fire in May. Visitors to the Show will get a chance to see a mix of cutting-edge science as well as time-honoured craftsmanship; all supported by regular presentations on the Main Feature’s big screens bringing visitors up to date on the progress of the restoration.

Watersports Zone

To provide a more unified approach, all the watersports exhibitors and related products will be consolidated in a brand new area of the Show. The exhibitors in this section will surround a vibrant, fun and interactive focal point which will reflect the lifestyle offering provided by this important sector of the industry.

Impressive Hydropool Marina featuring Royal Navy Destroyer

Taking advantage of ExCeL’s fabulous waterside setting, the Show will host a Royal Navy Destroyer for the first time in the Show’s history. The Type 42 vessel, stretching up to a maximum of 141m (462.5ft) in length with a beam of up to 15.2m (50ft), will be moored outside on the show’s spectacular marina in the Royal Victoria Dock.

Type 42 Destroyers form the backbone of the Royal Navy's anti-air capability. They are equipped with the Sea Dart medium range air defence missile system, designed to provide area air defence to a group of ships whilst being effective against surface targets at sea. In addition to their role as an air defence platform, the Type 42 Destroyers operate independently carrying out patrol and boarding operations, recently enforcing UN embargoes in the Gulf and the Adriatic as well as providing humanitarian assistance in Montserrat and East Timor.

Also displayed in Royal Victoria Dock will be some the largest exhibitor boats in production while in addition NBS is looking at getting as many visitors out on the waters as possible to enjoy the experience of boating, as well as showcasing spectacular boats, such as Ellen MacArthur’s Extreme 40 seen in 2007.

The Guinness Bar

The Guinness Bar – which now serves wines, spirits and other beers as well as Guinness – will return offering visitors the chance to relax and enjoy a drink after a day at the Show.

Tickets

As well as the features for the Show, NBS has been working on creating added value for visitors. The brand new, flexible Combi-Ticket has been launched this year to offer visitors even greater value than ever before. Visitors can spend two full days* at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show for just £20 in advance or £25 on the door, giving the visitor a saving of £5 over purchasing two separate tickets. The combi-ticket is available now via the ticket hotline on 0870 060 0246.

Andrew Williams, NBS Managing Director, says: “Our combi-ticket deal offers great value and flexibility for people interested in planning a repeat trip.”

Kids Go Free!

Following the success of this great offer at the 2007 Show kids aged 15 and under will once again go free, provided they are with a paying adult. Now joined by the latest combi-ticket deal families can enjoy fantastic value for money when visiting the 2008 Collins Stewart London Boat Show.

Discount tickets and more information:

To buy tickets for only £12 for the London show in January (tickets are usually £15), all you have to do is call the hotline number on 0870 060 0246 or visit our website:

www.londonboatshow.com

armed with the quote ‘Busy Outdoors’ to claim your discount!

Also visit the website for the latest updates on features and attractions, confirmed exhibitors, product launches that will be taking place at the Show and all the information you’ll need to plan your day.