http://www.ibi-plus.com International Boat Industry | DECEMBER 2015 17
migration of 318,000 last year. Research released on
23 March 2015 suggests that 3.5 million UK adults
participated in one or more of 12 boating activities
in 2014, and this percentage (7.1%) remains similar
to 2013. Participation in ‘any watersports activity’ in
addition to boating stood at 13.1m, a slight decline of
2%. The research also suggests that boating activity
by people over the age of 55 has steadily increased
since 2011, although this could just be a reflection
of the UK’s ageing population. Meanwhile, female
participation in ‘any boating activity’ is joint highest
with the pre-crash figures of 2007.
The period from 2014 to the autumn of 2015 has
also been a roller-coaster for the country as a whole,
with the Scottish referendum in September 2014
very nearly ending the ‘United’ Kingdom. With such
close pre-referendum opinion polls, businesses large
and small expressed their concerns. The defeat of
Scottish independence was followed by a general
election in May 2015. The results clearly showed that
voters enjoyed lying to the exit pollsters, because a
much-anticipated hung parliament didn’t materialise.
Instead, the right-wing Conservative party gained
a clear majority, and divorced itself from a coalition
with the Liberal Democrats.
The immediate effect was for high net worth
individuals to give a collective sigh of relief and begin
speculating on the UK property market again, now
free from the prospect of punishing ‘mansion’ taxes.
The new government also bought in changes to the
pension rules, allowing contributors to liberate large
cash sums. This all helped to create more disposable
income, which often finds its way into boat sales.
“The year started slowly, but is ending really
well,” remarked Adrian Jones of Rustler Yachts. “A
combination of uncertainty about the general election
and a poor summer both held back sales, but things
really began to pick up again at the Southampton
Boat Show.”
BM president Howard Pridding also felt the upbeat
vibe when he toured the Southampton Boat Show
in September 2015. “The mood was very positive,”
he said. “Even during the midweek downpours,exhibitors reported a high standard of enquiries.”
The show recorded a slight drop in the total
number of visitors, down by 2% to 110,000, but this
was largely attributed to the poor weather.
Whilst many of the exhibitors reported good sales
at the show (Sunseeker claimed £35 million in orders
with more in the pipeline) the previous year has not
been good for the main motorboat manufacturers.
Citing ‘economic headwinds’, Princess, Sunseeker
and Fairline all reported trading losses for the
year. Sunseeker and Princess are now embarked
on major inward investment and streamlining
programmes, and are confident of returning to "
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" ADRIAN JONES | OWNER
RUSTLER YACHTSUncertainty
about the general
election and poor
summer held back
sales, but things
really began to
pick up again