Thursday is the big party night at Southampton Boat Show; we’re more than half way through the ten day waterside extravaganza and it certainly feels worthy of a celebration. The show this year is proving interesting, exciting and (for Key Yachting at least) extremely worthwhile, which is great news. It seems that the weather for the remainder of the show (it closes at 6pm on Sunday) is set to be kind to us and so if you have not already paid a visit you should certainly plan to come along to catch up with what is happening in our sport.
Key Yachting is exhibiting five boats on the marina here this year. Our berths M341 to M345 are in our usual spot on the seaward side of the marina with a super view of the action out on Southampton Water.
J Boats new J/111, fresh from victory in lass 2 at Cowes Week, has attracted a huge amount of attention here, which is not in the least bit surprising. The J/111 really is the only proper ‘race boat’ for sale at the show this year and so it is understandable that she is pulling in the crowds. The fact that the J/111 we have on show also happens to have an extremely flashy mirror finish to her hull has also contributed to her being the centre of attention, just as you would expect from any other self-respecting super model! Joking aside, the recent publication of the International J/111 Regatta Schedule has encouraged a few more orders from buyers in the UK and further afield.
On the other hand, the J/97 we have at the show is resplendent in a rather fashionable black and silver livery, what the fashionistas would describe as ‘understated chic’ and she too is a head-turner. Our featured J/97 is from 2011, and she sports wheel-steering as opposed to the standard tiller. Her owner is moving up a couple of J Boat sizes in to a J/122 for next season and so this black beauty is actively for sale. Another J/97 was a class winner at the recent Dartmouth Regatta and so it’s not surprising that we have enjoyed plenty of interest in her at the show.
The third and final J Boat at the show this year is a modern classic in white: the J/100. This 30 foot express day-sailer is sleek and narrow and perfectly formed. She is well worth a look. It should not be forgotten that the J/100 is, in the words of her designer Bob Johnstone, ‘the best looking J Boat yet’ and she also happens to be an absolute joy to sail. The J/100 we have here is set up for shorthanded sailing and benefits from a Hoyt self-tacking jib system which makes life extraordinarily easy if sailing solo or double-handed. However, she also has a huge cockpit and so however large your entourage there is ample room for all.
From Grand Soleil we are featuring the Grand Soleil 45 and the Grand Soleil 43 Open Transom at the Southampton Boat Show. The GS43 OT is the sportier of these two models and her track pedigree is superb, having slotted in class wins offshore in the Fastnet Race earlier this year and inshore at the IRC Nationals and Dartmouth Regatta. She may well be a ‘racey chick’ but the Grand Soleil 43 OT has depth of character and breeding. She has twin wheels, just the right amount of teak, beautiful lines, a bright, contemporary interior with three large cabins and two heads.
Our Grand Soleil 45 is the epitome of the classic performance-cruiser, exquisite in her timeless Italian styling and classic in design. The Grand Soleil 45 is one of the best selling models that Grand Soleil have ever built and is understandably very much in demand. The GS45 we have at the show has teak decks, three cabins, an ‘L’ shaped galley and two heads. She will deliver results whether you are blue water cruising, club racing or crossing oceans. She really is a thing of beauty, she looks the way a sailing yacht should.
As usual, a number of exhibitors are using the show’s ‘Try A Boat’ feature to give visitors the chance to get out on the water and experience sailing, or indeed motor-boating for themselves. It will not surprise you to learn that the two Key Yachting boats which are available to sail here, J/80 Sportsboat and the J/111 have been extraordinarily popular with visitors. The J Boats look great too of course, kicking up their skirts, burning up and down Southampton Water leaving the bigger, heavier cruising boats standing still or sliding sideways in their wake. It’s an absolute pleasure to watch from our marina berths and we have the ideal viewing platform there. It’s great to hear the feedback too: it seems that everyone who sails the Js for the first time at the show wants to come and tell us all about it, which is most gratifying and makes the ten days at the boat show all the more worthwhile.
Please do come to the show over the next three days if you possibly can. There are plenty of tickets available online or at the gate and the weather looks like the final weekend will be a real treat. The navy arrived today in HMS Bulwark, heralded by an eleven gun salute and there really is plenty to see and do this year.
So come and say hello to the team at Key Yachting and if there is a specific boat in which you are interested please just let us know and we will do all we can to ensure that you have ample time to view without the need to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you and we will be genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to show you around.
