Hundreds of appointments at MDL’s South Coast Boat Show

The South Coast Boat Show guided by Raymarine has been deemed a great success by both organisers and exhibitors, with nearly 700 appointments taken during the three-day show.

Over 50 sail and power brands were on display in the water at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina at the weekend, while the land-based exhibition area showcased smaller boats and supporting services such as ancillary gear, finance and insurance.

The show was one of the first boat shows to take place in a physical format since the start of the pandemic.

“The South Coast Boat Show has been a great start to the 2021 boat show season,” says Al Wood from Multihull Solutions. “Our appointments were fully-booked throughout, allowing us to showcase Dragonfly trimarans in a relaxed and exclusive environment.

“While online resources are invaluable, there’s no substitute for spending time onboard. The show has been a great success for us, with a contract signed plus a number of new clients eagerly anticipating exhilarating trial sails. We look forward to returning next year.”

Ancasta International Boat Sales’ marketing director, Will Blair, says: “It was great to be able to get customers physically back onto boats again after so many months with no boat shows.

“The process to ensure visitors and staff were kept safe worked well and overall it was a successful weekend. The format of the South Coast Boat Show is one that is here to stay, focusing on buyers who appreciate the time and space to really explore their new yachts without queues and distractions.”

“We worked closely with local stakeholders to ensure that the show could go ahead in a safe and secure manner,” says Tim Mayer, director of sales and marketing for show organiser MDL Marinas. “The event taking place, and its success, is a big boost to the leisure marine industry and will give confidence to marine companies and the general public that other shows and events planned for later in the year will also be successful.”