Crick was a typical boat show again this year – heavy rain, glorious sunshine and a violent hailstorm just to liven things up… but despite all that, as our video shows, the turnout of boats and boating fans was excellent.
And there was plenty for the crowds to see with 36 boats in the marina – both narrow and widebeam – six displayed on land and some 200 other stands selling everything boaters could possibly want from chandlery items to canalware.
The coveted prize for the most popular boat went to the glorious Shackleton, a reverse-layout 58ft two-plus-two berth semi-trad on a Tyler Wilson hull fitted out by Boating Leisure Services (Heyford Fields Boatyard).
Not surprisingly it sold during the show (you can see it in the video) and it wasn’t the only one. At first count ten boats were sold during three days and other builders reported plenty of serious interest, with many customers making appointments for a repeat visit.
As ever, there was a wide selection of equipment and accessories to keep people intrigued, plus craft and canal society stalls. There was plenty of entertainment, too, including 1980s legend Toyah as the big name act who pulled in the crowds on the Saturday evening, children’s activities courtesy of the Canal & River Trust and, of course, a real ale bar to keep the good humour flowing.
Three seminars from senior CRT management fielded questions on subjects including the difficulty of finding a visitor mooring in London, towpath cycling, boat licence fees and freight on the canals.
All in all this year’s show was a great success and overall, there was a real, positive mood throughout that left visitors and exhibitors feeling that things in the inland boating world are finally on the up.
For a full report on the show get the next issue of Canal Boat magazine, on sale from June 4, and we’ll be looking at 20 of the most interesting boats in more detail plus some of the fascinating new pieces of kit that were unveiled in our August issue, on sale from July 2.
