London Boat Show 2010

Another year, another London Boat Show, but did this one have something special, the magic X-Factor?

Well in a literal way yes, because one of the "stars" was someone called Olly Murs who I'd never heard of but apparently was runner up in the TV show the X-Factor. He sang something, not sure what as headed off in the opposite direction but I noted a number of young women hurrying towards the stage so maybe he is an acquired taste.

On another stand where they were trying to sell very expensive Italian speed boats there was another show, this time models and lingerie. Why no photos the blokes out there will ask? Well partly it seemed rather sad in the huge aircraft hanger of ExCel but also because the models were just inhumanly skinny. Someone give them all a square meal please.

A more acceptable form of entertainment was on the Princess stand where there was this DJ and saxophone player:

It seemed much quieter than normal. One stand I talked said it had been dead in the first few days blaming (quite understandably) the snow and difficult travel conditions.

I dropped in as I always do to the On Deck stand where I have an annual will I do Antigua week discussion with Simon "oh hello, I recognise you" but this year it was all over as apparently they are already full. BVI is an alternative and in this month's Yachting World as being fab sailing but that would involve getting organised and so to be honest less likely. But they are talking of hot boats for Cowes week so will keep an eye on my inbox (now its working).

Then went off to Neilson and SunSail to ask some questions for my nephew who's got to the age when he's thinking of summer jobs (they grow up so fast) before getting to the book shops and authors doing a meet and greet.

Always like this bit and could say hello to Lisa Copeland again. I met her at the show last year just before went off to Venezuela which she had sailed so had an interesting chat and this year got another of her books, this time Comfortable Cruising.

While I'm sure it will be a wonderful winter escape to warming waters was a bit sorry as felt, in these credit crunch times, unwilling to expand my reading to a second book and so turned down the tempting sounding "Ice Bears & Kotick: Rowing at the top of the World".

This tells the story of how Peter Webb and friend decided to row around Spitzerbergen in a 17 foot classic wooden boat:

Clearly this was an act of insanity, particularly when the local wild life decided to say hello, poking its nose through their tent:

But its on my list and definitely looks like a good read.

Dropped in on the Navionics stand to ask for VMG and proper waypoints and apparently they're in the plan but not considered urgent as the chart app for iPhone is considered a "social tool". Hmm... not my view of what navigations all about but then it does have a facebook feed so maybe I've judged it wrongly.

And that was pretty much it.

I do enjoy a wander round but there was less buzz than many previous years. If however you had money and an idea what to spend it on I'm sure you'd get an absolute bargin from vendors desperate to sale.

Me, I even said no to a second book!