Yikes! We’re already half way through the 2012 Tullett Prebon London Boat Show and it feels like we’ve barely started. The Key Yachting team are all fighting fit and as fresh as proverbial daisies; astonishing really, given the rapid pace of business here this year.
Before you ask or leap to peculiar conclusions, I can categorically state that our mental and physical wellbeing is not down to a new found interest in Ashtanga Yoga, a fat-buster exercise routine or organic health-food products. On the contrary, our renewed energy and enthusiasm is due in part to the recent expansion of the Key Yachting team (more on that later in this email) and largely because of the simple fact that we are thrilled with the quality of the product we are selling. All five of the shiny new ships that we have on exhibit here at the show are being displayed on The Boardwalk in the South Hall at London ExCel. And yes, we have already sold five new boats whilst we’ve been at the show.
We always knew that the Grand Soleil 39 would be a crowd-puller for us here in London. After all, she is the first of her kind here in the UK. Having watched her progress whilst she was in design, then through her build and finally the launch at the Genoa Boat Show we were always confident that she would be well received in the UK. What we had not anticipated was just how hungry the UK market is for a performance cruiser of this class. The GS39 is the smallest boat in the range by Grand Soleil, the perfect entry-level yacht for Grand Soleil and by crikey she’s a stunner!
The J/111 is without question the raciest boat at the show, and as such, she has pulled an eager buying crowd on to The Boardwalk. You may recall that the first J/111 in the UK was on show here just one year ago: that was hull number 6. Just twelve months down the line and the next order for a J/111 will list hull number 69 on the paperwork. She’s an absolute diamond and she continues to deliver the race results which will keep her at the top of the racing sailor’s wish list for 2012 and beyond.
Next door to the J/111 on The Boardwalk is the J/80. Nineteen years old and still looking foxy, the J/80 remains the Sportsboat of choice for the discerning (speed-junky, adrenaline hungry) yachtsman. The fact that the 2012 J/80 World Championship will take place in Dartmouth, Devon in June is obviously appealing to sailors from a variety of other classes but the interest in her is as diverse and varied as ever and we are delighted to say that we will have new owners to welcome to the class once the boat show is over.
What’s 35 foot, races in forty boat one-design fleets and puts mile wide smiles on the faces of all who sail her? Well. I hardly need to clarify really, but for those of you who have been asleep on the start-line for the last ten years I’m talking about the J/109, of course. The popularity of the J/109 never ceases to astound me. Everyone who comes by the stand seems to have a J/109 story to tell. ‘I crew on one of these’, ‘My son races one of these’, ‘My mate would love to buy one of these’, ‘My daughter married a man she met on one of these’ (!) are all common anecdotes relating to the inimitable J/109. But still my personal favourite and the most frequent comment remains ‘We were passed by one of these…’
MJM Yachts (a range of high-tech, fuel efficient motorboats from the J Boats family) is a new brand for the Key Yachting portfolio and a welcome addition to the fleet. The MJM 29z is the smallest model in the range but foot for foot I suspect that she has accrued more attention here than any other motorboat on exhibit. The ladies and gentlemen of the motor-boating press have been paying their respects to the MJM 29 virtually incessantly since the show opened and so I am confident that you will read all about it throughout the spring editions of the magazines! Should you wish to size her up for yourself now is the time to do it; she’s resplendent on The Boardwalk and we look forward to showing you around.
If you do decide to make a trip to the show there is plenty here to see. The Outdoor Show which runs concurrently with the main event opens tomorrow and so your boat show ticket will deliver more bangs for your buck from here on in. Tomorrow night (Thursday) is late opening night and so if you are London based you should be able to get here after work and stay until 9pm should the mood take you. You will also have the opportunity to meet Annabel Shove, who joined our sales team just before Christmas and also Kim Vasey of Plymouth Yacht Brokers who will now be acting as a sub dealer for Key Yachting in the Westcountry.
Annabel joins us to work primarily with the Grand Soleil brand. She knows the industry well and has proved her sales ability and customer focus elsewhere in the industry. An active cruising sailor and boat owner, Annabel has accrued her Grand Soleil product knowledge as fast as a GS39 downwind in a blow. We’re delighted to have her as part of our team.
Kim has been selling boats since 1988 and sailing for much, much longer! He moved from Hamble to Plymouth to set up Plymouth Yacht Brokers and his extensive racing experience includes huge amounts of one-design racing and more recently a hugely successful double-handed offshore campaign in a J/105. Kim is really excited about our product range and it’s great to have him on board just as the Westcountry gears itself up for a full-on sailing year.
That’s a wrap from me for now. We really hope to see you here at the show. Happy new year to you all.
