The Collins Stewart London Boat Show will welcome some 140,000 people, encouraging visitors to take to the waters sailing, boating and to partake in activities on the water. 

New attractions:

Main Stage - Powered by Fairline, the new Main Stage will be packed full of spectacular events that are sure to capture your imagination.  Situated right in the centre of the bustling North Hall it will act as a focal point for the Show.  

The crowning glory will be the dazzling Sea Queen Stage Show – an aerial spectacular that will transform the main stage into a stunning sea of blue and green.  The show will be performed by a host of energetic circus dancers and daring stilt-walkers dressed as sea creatures who will perform athletic acrobatics and acro-balance along to an uplifting musical score. 

None of the drama is lost when the stage alternates between the Sea Queen performance and a slick catwalk show featuring big name popular clothing brands such as Fat Face, Musto, Gill, Henri Lloyd and Figleaves.com.

The spotlight will then turn to boating legends Geoff Holt, Adrian Flanagan and Mike Golding who during the Show will take to the main stage to share stories of their daring adventures at sea.  Everyday heroes will be celebrated with representatives from the Port of London Authority and the Marine & Coastguard Agency who will share what a typical day in their lives is like in the ‘Life as a…’ feature. 

Making its screen debut at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show will be Boat Review 2007 – a boating montage of the year projected on the main stage’s big screen.  Boat Review 2007 will bring 2007 to life reliving the highs as well as the lows, the excitement, the drama on the water and the awards our boating heroes have won and lost. 

Visitors to the Main Stage will also get the unique opportunity to hear about the restoration of the Cutty Sark, see the coveted Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year Awards announced on Saturday 12th January and listen to the preparations of the Skandia Team GBR.

Around this exciting hive of activity, visitors will also have the opportunity to catch their breath and sample refreshments at the bar area which nestles alongside the main stage.  Perfectly situated in front of the stage, the spacious seating enables visitors to catch all the exciting features in comfort.

Start Boating - Brought to you by the British Marine Federation and National Boat Shows and in association with All At Sea, this hospitable, salesman-free arena is the ideal place for anyone seeking impartial advice on how to take up boating at its many different levels and contrasting lifestyles. Participating non-commercial organisations will aim to enthuse and educate enquiring visitors on all aspects of boating.
        
For those considering buying their first boat, owner associations will concentrate on craft at the more affordable pre-owned end of the market.  In addition lower priced new products will be available to encourage entry level boating.

The main objective of the “Start Boating” area is to include as much variety as possible so that it truly is a ‘one stop’ shop for visitors.  As such, there will be several owners associations displaying different craft. There will be a 29ft sailing cruiser worth £23-33k provided by the Westerly Owners Association, a 29ft motor cruiser valued at £32k from the Combined Thames Motor Cruising Clubs, a trailer sailer from the Drascombe Owners Association and a dinghy from RYA’s OnBoard.

Watersports Zone - Visitors to the 2008 Show should not miss the new Watersports Zone and the chance to go kite-surfing.  Adrenaline junkie visitors will be able to experience this fun sport in a safe, dry environment on the indoor simulator.   The zone will also celebrate a host of other watersports, including windsurfing, jet-skiing and land-surfing as well as a few new additions to the Show - cat-surfing, a new craze which involves the same principle as kitesurfing but the rider is in a one-man catamaran.

This vibrant, fun and interactive focal point, reflecting the lifestyle offering provided by this important sector of the industry, will be surrounded by related watersports exhibitors and products.

The new Watersports Zone is in association with Mark Warner, the Para Academy, Jet Skier & Personal Watercraft and Sportsboat & RIB.

Andrew Williams, Managing Director of National Boat Shows (NBS), commented: “The introduction of new features and attractions to the 2007 Collins Stewart London Boat Show resulted in the best overall experience and value for money ratings by visitors in recent years, with 93% claiming that they will revisit the Show.  Building on this success, and following a lengthy consultative process, we are confident that by increasing the entertainment and attraction elements of this year’s Show even further, our visitors will get as much, if not more, out of the 2008 Show as they did the year before.”

Additional Attractions…
Impressive Marina, in association with Cowes Online featuring HMS Exeter - Taking advantage of ExCeL’s fabulous waterside setting, HMS Exeter, a Royal Navy Destroyer, will be the very first Royal Navy Destroyer to be present at the Show.  The Type 42 vessel will be moored outside on the Show’s marina in the Royal Victoria Dock. 

The current HMS Exeter has a distinguished history to date having served in the Falklands War (1982) and the first Gulf War (1991) and is credited with being the last ship to engage enemy aircraft with a Surface to Air Missile during Falklands War.  It is also the only remaining serving ship left in the Fleet that was involved in the conflict.

Exhibitor boats and inland craft - Also displayed on the Show’s marina, in association with Cowes Online, will be some of the largest exhibitor boats in production, as well as a new dedicated outside exhibition space featuring 15 inland craft.

In association with Towpath Talk, manufacturers from the inland waterway industry will be showcasing both narrow and wide-beam boats at the west end of the dock.  From the very small to the very large, the inland craft range from the narrow Sea Otter craft at just 9.4m long, right up to the luxury 21.3m long canal boat from holiday company Heritage Narrow Boats.

To mark the start of the Collins Stewart London Boat Show, a flotilla of 15 inland vessels will sail down the tidal Bow Creek directly to ExCeL.  They will start at Bow Locks on the edge of the 2012 London Olympics Park before cruising past Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena and through the Thames Flood Barrier before entering the docks that surround the Excel Exhibition Centre.

The Show’s own Regatta - Don’t miss exciting action out on the Royal Victoria Dock throughout the Show.  There are Thundercat demos taking place for the first eight days and the Carmela Cup during the first weekend.  The second weekend, the Dinghy Weekender, sees the 29er, 49er and B14s Grand Prix on the final Saturday while the action finishes on the last Sunday with the Yachts & Yachting ‘Battle of the Classes’ Pursuit Race.
     
Classic Boat, supporting the ‘Cutty Sark’ restoration project - Sponsored by Classic Boat magazine, International Paint and Old Pulteney, the Classic Boat feature is approximately 25 per cent larger than in 2007.  New to the feature will be the inclusion of the much-publicised ‘Cutty Sark’ restoration project – drawing interest from classic boat enthusiasts as well as other members of the general public.

The area will provide an opportunity for visitors to watch, learn and – most importantly – talk to enthusiasts about classic boats and find out about the traditional skills involved in their restoration.  There will be four examples of classic boats at the feature this year.  The oyster fishing smack Boadicea is the oldest working sail boat in the UK and will celebrate its 200th birthday at the Show.  Mylor Yacht Harbour is providing a 25ft Solent Sunbeam.  Yalton Marine will showcase an 18ft classically styled small open yawl, built using modern materials.  Meanwhile the Classic Motorboat Association will re-introduce its 10’ 10” classic wooden speedboat, Colliwobble, after she first exhibited at the Show back in 1962.

There will also be other working aspects to the classic boat feature, such as sail making or fiddly canvas work.  Jeckells Sails will provide advice and continual demonstrations on sail making while boat building students will build a classic dinghy during the Show.  The feature will also have a lecture area with a host of vocational speakers keeping the area busy, entertained and educational.

Throughout the Show, the Cutty Sark Trust will be working on selected artefacts from the main conservation project.  The Trust will be bringing back to life original parts of this famous Tea Clipper, badly damaged by fire in May. Visitors to the Show will get a chance to see a mix of cutting-edge science as well as time-honoured craftsmanship; all supported by regular presentations on the Main Feature’s big screens bringing visitors up to date on the progress of the restoration.

Deck Games - Deck Games, supported by the Marine Leisure Association and in association with Dinghy Sailing, is back by popular demand – but bigger and better – to encourage young people of all age groups to participate in boating by providing a range of stimulating activities that are both fun and educational.   Great for the children – and for the parents – this interactive area offers a range of group games and competitions with the opportunity to win prizes. 

Activities this year include: ‘Knot In A Box’, children have a choice of three or four knots available to try out; ‘Sail Hoisting’ in a race against the clock participants will compete to see who can hoist the mainsail the fastest; the chance to compete in the America’s Cup grinding competition; a children’s paining competition; and back by popular demand is the ’Rowing Simulator’, guests take a seat on one of the rowing machines facing plasma screens and their progress against one another is tracked for all to see.

Anchor Watch - Sponsored by Blue Water Supplies and Jersey.com and in association with Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly, the Masterclass on practical anchoring returns to repeat the crowd-pulling demonstrations which were extremely popular with everyone from beginners to experienced sailors alike at the 2007 Show.

Manned by experienced and entertaining instructors, this eye-catching and educational feature cleverly simulates how to overcome the most frequently encountered anchoring problems, both in our own tidal waters and the increasingly crowded town-quay anchorages of the Mediterranean.  An informative, colourful information guide - detailing these techniques - will be handed out to visitors providing a handy reference point for any future anchor difficulties.

The Guinness Bar - The Guinness Bar in association with ybw.com will return offering visitors the chance to relax and enjoy a drink within the Show.
          
Tickets
As well as the features for the Show, NBS has been working on creating added value for visitors.  The brand new, flexible Combi-Ticket has been launched this year to offer visitors even greater value than ever before. Visitors can spend two full days* at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show for just £20 in advance or £25 on the door, giving the visitor a saving of £5 over purchasing two separate tickets.  The combi-ticket is available now via the ticket hotline on 0870 060 0246. 

Andrew Williams, NBS Managing Director, says: “Our combi-ticket deal offers great value and flexibility for people interested in planning a repeat trip.”

Kids Go Free!
Following the success of this great offer at the 2007 Show kids aged 15 and under will once again go free, provided they are with a paying adult.  Now joined by the latest combi-ticket deal families can enjoy fantastic value for money when visiting the 2008 Collins Stewart London Boat Show. 

Tickets and more information
To book tickets simply call the ticket hotline on 0870 060 0246 or book online at www.londonboatshow.com.  Also visit the website for the latest updates on features and attractions, confirmed exhibitors, product launches that will be taking place at the Show and all the information you’ll need to plan your day.

* the ticket is for one visitor, giving them the chance to visit on two separate days.  It is not available for two people to use on the same day.  

For more information, please contact:
The NBS Media Team on 020 7632 2432 or email boatshow@publicasity.co.uk

  
Notes to Editors:
• High resolution pictures are available upon request.
• The 2008 Collins Stewart London Boat Show in association with the Daily Mail is organised by National Boat Shows Ltd (NBS). NBS, which also organises the Southampton Boat Show in association with ITV Meridian, is a subsidiary of the British Marine Federation (BMF), the trade association for the UK boating industry.
• Collins Stewart has offices in London, New York, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Dublin, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Tokyo and Mumbai. Collins Stewart is the largest private client stock broking and portfolio management business in the Channel Islands and is one of the UK's leading wealth managers for private clients, trusts, charities and private companies and private companies
• Publications can offer readers £3 off the normal day door price.  To give away tickets in a competition or to arrange the discount, please call the Boat Show team on 020 7632 2432.
• The 2007 Collins Stewart London Boat Show was awarded ‘Exhibition of the Year’ Award at the Trade Association Forum Awards.
• Please be advised that press registration is now available on link http://www.londonboatshow.com/press-area/press-registration/

Getting to ExCeL
• Travelling by road and rail  – ExCeL is located just a stone's throw away from Canary Wharf and with easy access to the Jubilee line
• Travelling by boat – 100 acres of dockland frontage gives easy access. The Thames Clipper service links Central London piers with ExCeL
• Travelling by Air – visitors can travel to London City Airport which is a 5 minute taxi ride from ExCeL
• Parking – with over 4,000 parking spaces, visitors will benefit from the introduction of a flat rate parking fee, charged at £9, as opposed to a prepaid hourly rate

Attention: RADIO STATIONS
o Keep up to date with the latest news from the 2008 Collins Stewart London Boat Show - Breaking boating news; Celebrity visits; key Marine Industry news; business updates from the regions. Regular News Feeds will be available via ISDN (G722), e-mail (MP3 or wav)
o Coming to the Show - why not book a broadcast from our live facility (available from 11-20 January 2008).
o For more information, contact: Tracey Clarke,
Before event 01329 238857 fax: 01329 827728 Email: tc@eventbroadcast.org During Show - mobile: 07768 806699