Displaying items by tag: Cannes Boat Show

26th September 2023

Irish Boat Buying Interest Drops at Southampton Boat Show But Increases at Cannes - Brokers

With September's international boat shows at Cannes in France and Southampton in England now over, one of the most noticeable conclusions from leading Irish boat brokers was the increase in Irish interest in boat buying in Eurozone France compared to the drop in interest at Southampton.

Irish exhibitor Gerry Salmon of MGM Boats who attended both shows says he saw a noticeable reduction in Irish buyers on the UK south coast, where the UK market is no longer seen to be as accessible by buyers after Brexit.

Cannes welcomed over 50,000 visitors, with almost 600 yachts on display in the south of France and has become the go-to European Autumn show over the past several seasons, especially with Irish buyers.

Salmon, an experienced exhibitor with over 25 years in the business, put the Irish Autumn boat buying perspective succinctly: "[There was] a noticeable reduction in Irish buyers where the UK market is no longer accessible but an increase at the Cannes Show instead, which was welcomed and overall a good two weeks".

County Wicklow broker BJ Marine at Greystones Harbour were also in attendance at both Cannes and Southampton shows.

"We found Cannes to be a particularly busy show this year, helped no doubt by a number of world premieres for new Beneteau models", James Kirwan of BJ told Afloat.

"With flights to Nice, Cannes is very easy for our Irish visitors to get to", he added.

Southampton certainly saw fewer Irish visitors than in years gone by, but as Beneteau dealers in the UK with our Bangor, Cardiff and Pwllheli offices, it still holds an important place in the BJ Marine show diary, Kirwan said.

The 54th Southampton International Boat Show drew to a close on Sunday, 24 September 2023, and despite the weather causing havoc mid-week, with high winds and driving rain, organisers say exhibitors, sponsors and visitors have heralded the show a success. Covering 70,000+ square metres, the show welcomed over 650 craft, with over 350 boats berthed in the marina alone, an increase of 17% year on year.

This year marks the first full Southampton show after bouncing back from Covid and since last year’s closure out of respect for the Queen’s passing and "the feedback from exhibitors from across the industry has been positive, with many indicating strong sales”, commented Lesley Robinson, CEO, British Marine.

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15th September 2022

Cannes Yachting Festival Celebrates Success of 'Europe's Largest In-Water Boat Show'

The Cannes Yachting Festival closed on Sunday, 11 September, after six 'exceptional days' of business, according to the organisers.

As Afloat reported previously, the Irish participants included MGM Boats, X Yachts IRL and Key Yachting IRL.

For its 45th anniversary, the French show had almost 650 boats (monohull and multihull, motor and sailing boats), including the finest gems of the seas and 135 world debuts, as well as the latest nautical equipment and numerous innovations were revealed for 54,000 French and international visitors to enjoy under the sun of the French Riviera.

“In many ways 2022 will remain unforgettable, not only because we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Festival but mainly because we reached our ambitious objective, which was to exceed the results of the 2019 edition prior to Covid. These very good results echo the latest figures provided by the French Nautical Industries Federation (F.I.N.) on 31 August on the boating industry, which has brightened up thanks to order books filling up. Beyond the results, from the first days of the Festival, we heard lots of feedback from our 600 exhibitors as to how satisfied they were and delighted with the visitor quality, positive sales and wonderful weather. All the indicators were green! We are proud of and happy with these results,” explained Sylvie Ernoult, Director of the Cannes Yachting Festival.

The emphasis now for the European marine trade is on the Southampton Boat Show that opens on Friday, September 16th.

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Cannes Boat Show

14th May 2020

Cannes Boat Show to Go Ahead in September

The organisers of France's 2020 Cannes Yachting Festival, Europe’s largest in-water event, have confirmed that this year’s show will go ahead as planned from September 8-13.

The news was confirmed today by the trade journal, International Boat Industry.

Exhibition staff have been working remotely to ensure the success of the show’s 43rd edition that has grown to become a major player on the boat show circuit.

The show is popular with the Irish Marine industry including brokers MGM Boats of Dun Laoghaire Harbour and BJ Marine of Greystones Harbour in County Wicklow and Crosshaven Boatyard in Cork Harbour, Key Yachting also of Cork and X Yachts on Dublin Bay.

“The aim is to open the Yachting Festival 2020 in such a way as to allow the event to be held in the best possible conditions and in full compliance with the protection of exhibitors and visitors,” Reed said in today’s statement.

More details from IBI here.

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Cannes Boat Show

16th September 2016

Sunseeker Claims Strong £25m Sales At Cannes Boat Show

Sunseeker International powerboat manufacturer has announced strong retail sales at the Cannes Boat Show with in excess of £25m of retail orders (ex.tax) taken and a further £15m expected to be completed post show across a wide range of yachts including the wonderful new Manhattan 52 and the new 116 Yacht.

At this year’s show, Sunseeker launched four new models including the 95 Yacht, 116 Yacht, 68 MK II and Manhattan 52. The business also revealed that it moved back in to profit in the second quarter of 2016 with a forecasted overall return to profit for the full year. The next five years will see a massive £50 million of investment spent across new products, improved shipyard facilities and the continued recruitment of people.

Multiple model launches are set to continue as part of a long term product plan that will see new model introductions across the size range over the next five years including additions to the Manhattan range.

The Cannes show, which is the first of the Autumn season, was extremely busy for Sunseeker with very high levels of visitors to the stand and pre-booked meetings with clients and prospects at a record high, a reflection of the incredible product range from 50-150 feet, first class dealer network and unrivalled after- sales customer support.

Commenting on the strong retail sales figures, Sean Robertson, Sunseeker International’s Sales Director, said: “The Cannes Show has been highly successful and we are pleased to have had such a strong reception to our new models, in particular the Manhattan 52, which made its world debut at Cannes and really stole the show. We will be exhibiting most of our model range at boat shows throughout the world including Southampton and Monaco where we are also expecting strong retail sales.”

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.