By Isle of Wight Observer
A & S Whitewood
Good weather on Friday welcomed visitors to the Southampton International Boat Show at Mayflower Park. It runs through to September 22 and is the 55th edition.
Cherry Godfrey Insurance, which has a branch in Newport High Street, were running a competition to guess the number of cherries in a jar to win the prize of a hamper as well as giving information on marine and other insurance.
BVD Marine, based in Bowcombe, were showcasing their Coastworker boat, Seaspray Dories and its micro boat tender which has now amassed 1,033 sales. Last year the company celebrated its 60th anniversary.
Boat Folk Marinas, which has a presence in East Cowes managed by Mike Townshend, were highlighting the fragility of seagrass meadows and the plight of seahorses who shelter in the seagrass.
Meanwhile, MGL marinas were offering their customers a breakfast bap and a pint of Guinness to welcome them to the show.
Island Ribs, a member of the IW Chamber of Commerce, is based at Somerton Industrial Park and at the show could be found on the Marina.
In August, 18 year old Harry Besley completed a Round Britain challenge in an eRib in just under 32 days, starting and finishing in Lyme Regis and passing through the Solent this was a great voyage for this young adventurer.
Raising money for Southampton Children’s Hospital,where many Island children receive treatment,”Light The South” has had 40 large eight foot tall lighthouses and 40 little lights on view in Southampton and Cowes. Some were decorated by Island schools. An auction to sell off the lighthouses will be held at 6.30pm on the September 20 at SIBS.
Just off the pontoon area of the show, which showcased some 650 vessels, multi Jet Ski Freestyle World Champion Jack Moule demonstrated his prowess aboard his vessel.
Yachtmarket.com, a previous title sponsor of SIBS, showcased its new customer relationship management system called Stantia. It was 10 years in development and replaces its previous system, Octopus. This new system developed by the Yachmarket IT Team will be of great interest to Yacht Brokers as it matches potential customers to available boats for sale.
A hybrid Austin 12/4 car called Sheila was originally built in 1924 and was rebuilt in 2004/2005 with the back of the car having a boat body of Honduras mahogany planking copper riveted onto an ash frame. It made an unusual attraction alongside the many boats.
Sunsail, one of the partners supporting Cowes Week, is celebrating 50 years of this sailing holiday company. A celebration cake was cut to not only mark the 50 years but to celebrate the winning of the award for environmental awareness which is presented at the show.
There were several new boat/product launches and Mercury Engines showcased the latest models which cut emissions or are electric. Most companies are aware of the environment and sustainability now.
British Marine have a sustainability award. Sunsail and The Moorings secured the top spot for the second consecutive year, thanks to their comprehensive Ocean Promise initiative, which has led to significant reductions in the environmental impact of their yacht charter operations. In 2023, they extended the use of electric outboard motors across numerous Mediterranean bases. Boatfolk took second place, praised for their efforts in raising environmental awareness and championing sustainable boating practices.