Boat Show

[Sunovabeach 46]

Anyone been to the boat show? Is it any different to other years? Wondering if it is worth going to tomorrow as weather is not the best for fishing.Sunova.

[Fishie 98]

Had a mate go yesterday and he said there weren't many nic nacs for sale like previous years where you could grab a bargain :'( mainly just boats on show

[finatic 1]

Had a few guys pass thru this arvo, said save your money, don't bother to go. Sad that, those stall holders are paying thru the nose to be there & the whole format is screwin' them, parking a joke, entry even more so & a coke at $4.80 what are they thinkin'.Finatic

[Donny 0]

Went to the boat show Friday after work. Don't think I would bother again if it is held in the Convention Centre again next year. Some really nice boats on show to drool over :icon_cool:, but as said above, not much in the way of tackle etc for sale.

[Fishie 98]

I went to Whitworth's Adelaide Boatshow 15% discount off all items sale at their premises at Pt Adelaide and saved a bundle on my Hydrive sportsman hyd steering ... paid $585 and walked away a happy chappy and a lot of other lined up at the cash register with EPIRBs under their arms (must've picked them up at a good price also)Mate went down to Adelaide Shores Marine today and took a Stabicraft for a drive..... seems they had their own show on down at the Ramp also

[Guest dabilda]

Personally I don't go to these type of shows. They are nothing but a money making excercise for an interstate business. Stall holders pay rediculous prices to show their wares, the public then pays rediculous prices to view these wares. Where does all the money go? Sure, some stays at the convention centre, but a MUCH bigger percentage goes interstate. Would you pay an entry fee to use your local shopping centre?? I sure as hell wouldn't and that is all these people have set up.All members here have internet access, if you are after purchasing an item......... use it. Then go to a LOCAL retailer and source the best price. Support your LOCAL businesses and keep your money in SA working for South Australians. Sure, there may be occasions where you can get a better price interstate or internationally, but where is your money going and who are you supporting? Our gov't does enough damage selling our locally grown/mined produce to other countries for 5c so THEY can produce what WE need and WE buy it back for $5.Moral to the story............. Support your LOCAL business, keep your hard earned MONEY in your LOCAL community working for YOU.I've had my gripe, I hope one day someone in this country WAKES UP.

[Ranger 48]

I'm a little confused!I agree with your sentiment "support Australian and buy local" wherever possible, but isn't that what we do at the boat show?Local dealers such as Pacific Marine, Yamaha Pitmans, Binks Marine, etc, etc, all showcasing their wares, and the boat show being the opportunity for us to compare these products all in the one location?Or are you suggesting that we should only purchase South Australian made boats and products?

[Guest dabilda]

I'm a little confused!I agree with your sentiment "support Australian and buy local" wherever possible, but isn't that what we do at the boat show?Local dealers such as Pacific Marine, Yamaha Pitmans, Binks Marine, etc, etc, all showcasing their wares, and the boat show being the opportunity for us to compare these products all in the one location?Or are you suggesting that we should only purchase South Australian made boats and products?

Yes, there are SA retailers there........ after paying their HUGE fee that the larger % of goes interstate and then Mr & Mrs Joe Average pays a fee to view these wares, also a large % of which goes interstate.So why not go to the premises of that local retailer for "free" and see the display set up for all to see during their business hours? Keep their advertising $ here in SA and keep your hard earned $ here in SA.

[Damage 0]

I went today with the missus for the first time ever and actually I didn't mind it. I guess I don't have anything to compare it too. Had fun walking around looking at the boats and dreaming about which boat I'd love to have in my shed. There wasn't much for sale really but I'm saving for an anchor winch at the moment so I didn't really want to spend anymore money than I had to. p.s - Became a member of Sea Rescue Adelaide for half price so I'm pretty happy with that.

[Ranger 48]

Yes, there are SA retailers there........ after paying their HUGE fee that the larger % of goes interstate and then Mr & Mrs Joe Average pays a fee to view these wares, also a large % of which goes interstate.So why not go to the premises of that local retailer for "free" and see the display set up for all to see during their business hours? Keep their advertising $ here in SA and keep your hard earned $ here in SA.

Agreed costs are over the top for both stallholders and public admission, but where and/or how does this money go interstate? Isn't it charged by and going to the Adelaide Convention Centre? Just like Wayville Showgrounds charge for both stallholders and public admission?Yes ya can visit any boat retailer for free, but the difference here is you get to see everything together in the one place to compare brands, specifications and prices, which takes all the running around out of the equation. If you're serious about buying a boat, in the long run, the entry fee isn't really that bad if you're gonna compare it to the cost of fuel and time going from dealer to dealer to dealer around the state, and ya can drive a hard bargain there with all the dealers attempting to outdo the competition.Myself, I didn't go this year, coz I figured I had the entry fee, travel to Adelaide, car parking, lunch, etc, etc, just to see what I've seen every other year, and I'm not intending to buy a boat. If I were serious about making a purchase though, I don't think I'd miss the boat show as a good opportunity for a keen buyer.

[Guest dabilda]

[Agreed costs are over the top for both stallholders and public admission, but where and/or how does this money go interstate? Isn't it charged by and going to the Adelaide Convention Centre? Just like Wayville Showgrounds charge for both stallholders and public admission?

These shows are all set up and organised by a company based interstate, I will do more research and provide their details. Shows like.... The boat show, Building & home ideas show, Sexpo, The home show etc etc are all organised by one or 2 interstate businesses that run the shows in every capital city and a few other major centres. These businesses hire a venue, charge retailers huge fees to set up a stall and then charge the public to view what thay have done. All this money goes to THAT interstate business. The Adelaide Convention Centre DOES NOT organise and put on the boat show. Their venue is hired.Why do you think while in there you have to pay $4 for a can of coke, $8 for a hamburger etc etc.............. This is the way our LOCAL businesses are FORCED to price their goods after paying exhorbitant site fees.Go to the Goolwa boat show on Hindmarsh Island........... a show organised & run by LOCALS for LOCALS............. free parking, free entry, food & drink at prices similar to what you'd expect to pay in any food court in any shopping centre.I have no connection to that show at all, but the differences are plain to see.They make their money by attracting a crowd that spends their money in their LOCAL businesses. No parking fees or entry fees enables the visitor to spend their money with the LOCAL businesses, hence providing an income for THEIR community. For example........ you go there from Adelaide spend a couple of hours at the boat show, have a bite to eat and a drink while there. When you leave the day hasn't cost HEAPS so you hang around, look at a few other places and maybe buy something in one of the local shops or have a meal at a pub. That community has created an event to draw a crowd and set it up in a way that their local business and the community at large WILL benefit from.I personally WILL support that

[Ranger 48]

[Agreed costs are over the top for both stallholders and public admission, but where and/or how does this money go interstate? Isn't it charged by and going to the Adelaide Convention Centre? Just like Wayville Showgrounds charge for both stallholders and public admission?

These shows are all set up and organised by a company based interstate, I will do more research and provide their details. Shows like.... The boat show, Building & home ideas show, Sexpo, The home show etc etc are all organised by one or 2 interstate businesses that run the shows in every capital city and a few other major centres. These businesses hire a venue, charge retailers huge fees to set up a stall and then charge the public to view what thay have done. All this money goes to THAT interstate business. The Adelaide Convention Centre DOES NOT organise and put on the boat show. Their venue is hired.

That's very interesting! I must admit, my own company is a stall holder at many of these shows (pet expo, talk to the animals expo, franchising expo, etc) which have been held at Wayville showgrounds, Morphetville Racecourse, etc, and even I wasn't aware of this.

[Fishie 98]

If the Local companies are happy to pay top fees to exhibit their wares at the local Boatshow why should we deny them and not visit the show. It's their choice to be there and market to the masses on the day. If they didn't think it was worthwhile surely they wouldn't bother.

[okym 0]

I think you will find that the Adelaide Boat Show is actually organised and run by The Boating Industry Association of South Australia in conjunction with the Adelaide Convention Centre.To the best of my knowledge,the interstate company that runs the 4WD and Adventure Show,Home Show etc,has no involvement with the boat show.The same goes for the Caravan and Camping Show,organised and run by the Caravan and Camping Industry Association of S.A.In both these cases the money stays in S.A.That being said,the Boat Show in it's present format is way off the mark and could do with a shift back to Wayville when the current contract expires with the convention centre in,I think,2010,as well as a freshen up.The other problem with the boat show,is that over the years most retailers have spent so much time haggling over prices on electronics,accessories etc the show,with punters like us playing one against the other to get the bargain of the year,that they have just about given up taking it to boat show.Most of that stuff gets haggled down to at or near cost at the boat show.While the buyer is happy,the retailer makes virtually nothing on it.Every boatie and his dog buys at the boat show and nothing gets sold at the dealers shop for the next 3 months.It is a fact of life that retailers need to make profits to stay in business,and those profits need to be made each and every week.If you want to support local business that is great,but check which ones are local.Your large chains like Whitworths,BCF,Anaconda etc all source there stock from central wharehouses in NSW and Qld,all the local Agent's/Reps are bypassed and in almost all cases,get no commission on anything sold by these chain's in our state,not to mention that all the profits go back to the head office state.The only money from these shops that stay's here is the wages of the staff!Sorry for the long winded post,but this is a sore subject with me!

[coonta kinta 1]

Interesting post this one, and cant let a few things go by without adding my comments. Please dont atke any of them as personal attacks, because they arent meant as such, BUTdabilda, based on your comments we should ALL boycott / ignore the Royal Adelaide Show, because very little of the money spent there stay's in the state, even though it provides short term work for hundreds. The stalls and rides are basically run, by others interstate. Sure its an important event for the country folk, which was where it all started, but as for the bags and rides none of that comes from local producers/people so the money leaves the state.okym, I'd question your statement about retailers selling stuff at next to cost during the show. Most if not all the specials you see on boats and motors are supported by the manufacturer. The likes of Yamaha Pitmans, or Pacific Marine couldnt put on such an event without financial support from the business they represent at the show. Its an opportunity for these manfacturers to put their gear out there. Any "special offers" are supported / instigated by the manufacturer. If you see Sports Marine selling a savage with a "boat show special" of upgrading the basic NAVMAN echo sounder to the next level unit. Its because the brunswick group who owned Mercury and Savage (and used to own NAVMAN) have made this upgrade available to Sports Marine. Its not the local retailer doing the deals its the manufacturers themselves.Unless, you've done ya homework and tested a short list of hulls, costed them with the accessories and options you intend to have fitted, IMHO, u'd be nuts to be signing anything at the boat show. Thats what they are for, the hard sell. "M8 I can only give ya this deal today while the show is on not next week, not even tomorrow. Oldest trick in the book. Sure, go have a look, get some ideas, on what you want, whats out there, and how much it costs, then spend the next 12 months testing, investigating, and pricing, so that when the show comes around again. Your armed with the information thats puts YOU in the box seat.

[okym 0]

My comment on things being sold at or near cost related only to stand alone electronics and accessories,not those involved in boat packages,and certainly not motors or boats.Granted,factory/distributor incentives are offered for boat shows,but when you have 4,5 or 6 dealers all offering the same deal at the same show,the nature of the buyer is to play dealer against dealer for the best price and the nature of the dealer is to keep reducing the price to get the sale in order to quit stock.I have seen it done time and again (and had it done to me) over the last 25 years.In the end the dealer that,in essence sells at near cost gets the sale.Those dealers that have stock left after a boat show then sell at or near cost at their showroom to quit stock because they have more units than they need for normal trading.And so the cycle continues with Fathers Day sales,start of season sales,pre-Christmas sales,Easter sales and then it is boat show time again.The only point I will make in relation to boat/motor packages is that SOME deals offered at a boat show are only available at the show or for a week or two after on new units ordered at the show.This allows manufacturers to either quit stock held at the factory or maintain production through the quiet months,not just help the dealer reduce existing floor stock.After the Adelaide boat show comes Sydney,Brisbane,Perth and Mandurah boat shows,all of which are bigger than Adelaide.Remember Australia is a big country and South Australia is,by comparison a VERY small part of the overall market.As an example,around 10 years ago S.A. made up less than 12% of total fishing tackle sales in Australia,and at about the same time there were more registered power boats on the Gold Coast alone than in the whole of this state.Rest assured your comments were not taken personally.You have to be thick skinned to work in the Tackle/Marine industry and if you take too much personally you will go stark raving mad in no time.healthy discussion is always a good thing any way.

[coight 0]

Wow! i Thought it was just something nice to do if the weather is crap.. or mabee to take the family on a boring sunday... ??? ???

[chrish 0]

dabilda ,okym is correct the Adelaide Boat Show is organised by the Boating Industry Association. It is costly to be there only because of the costs involved in hiring the venue.The food outlets are oganised by the convention centre. I will agree with you that there should be more tackle and accessories stands there . You may ask how I know this to be true .Well I organised the Coast Guard site and spent 4 days down there.Can you tell me to which company interstate all the money goes to.chrish