Southampton Boat Show

About the 2017 Southampton Boat Show

This year's Southampton Boat Show show was held on 15-24 September 2017. Thousands of vessels from both the UK and overseas attended, with many of the premier boating brands and attractions on offer for all.

Alongside information from our crew of dedicated advisers on how we can help protect your boat, and potential discounts on cover, our stand featured a virtual reality version of a sailing regatta game.

We also had an outdoor deck overlooking the marina, where you could join us for a glass of prosecco in the sunshine throughout the afternoon, and a cup of tea or coffee in the morning.

2016 highlights

We spoke with attendees and staff to find out what their favourite things were at the 2016 event. Here are their highlights...

RNLI fundraising

Promoting their 'Kit the Crew' campaign, the RNLI actually had two points of contact in order to raise money for this worthy cause. Their friendly staff were full of knowledge and walked us through why raising money this year has been so important to them.

We all know the RNLI do fantastic work but we didn't realise just how important their kit can be until we heard these statistics:

• RNLI rescue crews are all volunteers

• Lifeboat crews rescued 8,727 people in 2015

• That same year they saved the lives of 368 people

• A single helmet (part of essential kit) costs a whopping £280

If you get to speak with the RNLI you’ll be absorbed by their sheer passion and we guarantee you’ll learn something new. So make a beeline for their stand this year.

Most unique stand – Ribeye

Last year, Ribeye created a unique space on their stand with something for everyone. There was entertainment for children and a bar for adults, with an expert team to help you with any technical questions. Also launched in 2016, their new model RIB, the PRIME EIGHT21, was on display with a sleek new design.

Best day

The second Saturday is usually the most eventful at Southampton Boat Show and therefore the most popular day for visitors. In 2016, we saw a world record broken; the largest ever ‘human image of a boat’ was created by members of the public. 

Fantastic penultimate day at Southampton Boat Show! Today we did an amazing WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT, watch the video to find out more! #SBS16 pic.twitter.com/007jDfAhBZ — SouthamptonBoatShow (@SotonBoatShow) September 24, 2016

Also on Saturday, the Red Arrows took to the skies above the show in a spectacular display.

Princess Yachts

This beautiful stand caught our eye - and not just because of the stunning yacht. This display from Princess Yachts included 2,050 windmills, representing the 2,050 craftspeople who worked on the boat in Plymouth.

Boat insurance from Towergate

For information on how we can help protect your boat see our boat insurance page or call 0344 892 1987 to speak to a specialist adviser.

About the author

Adam Summersby is a respected leader with 11 years’ varied experience in niche personal and commercial lines insurance, including caravan, site operators and excess reimbursement, with proficiency in leadership, sales and account management.