Growler Boys @ Southampton Boat Show 2011

[Graham B]

With a silly o clock start to make the flight down to Southampton it was up at five and off to the airport.
After some brekkie it was a bit of a frenzy with it being both Micky's and my first ever boat show. We had a set list of boats we wanted to view and questions to ask and it was a bit of a frenzy at first before we settled down to a mere sprint!
The first one on the list was the Marlin 6:



The boat is gorgeous but just not layed out correctly for our needs cabin wise. The finish is spectacular and hence the price tag that fits.

Next up it was the Arvor 215:



A lovely boat but the inboard engine still scares us! Well laid out and at a good price.

Next up was the Pirate 21;


A fantastic boat that was laid out spot on for angling but a little sparse if I had to pick a fault. The beam was also considerably smaller than the others we looked at.

After this it was one I had never seen before, the Parker 660:



What a boat! I fell in love with this one, the finish was high end and probobly a bit posh for us and a fishing boat that will be covered in fish guts!

Last up it was the Quicksilver Pilothouse 640:


I loved it and we had a good look all over/under and around her.

Some other photo's from the show:


Not much fishing space on this one!

Too much on this one!



HMS Bulwark:


A foldable Boat!



No good for fishing this one!



The sounder we have picked for the wish list on the new boat:



All in all a cracking couple of days at the show and on the lash! The electronics were great as were the live displays, I tried raw oysters for the first time and they are not for me!
The electronics/clothing if I am honest were more biased toward the wafi side but still great. The info we gained on sounders alone was fantastic. One area the show could benefit is the placement of a few stalls for us smelly anglers! We do buy boats/pay marina fees as well! There was nothing at all regarding fishing gear, equipment etc? I don't know if the stalls have been there in the past but due to the recession aren't now??
All we have to do now is secure a deal if possible on the right boat that we have picked. The Quicksilver Pilothouse 640. I would love the Parker 660 but the difference in price is too much to swallow and the only contender that ticks all of the boxes for us is the 640.
Worst scenario we keep Grolwer another year but watch this space! I have the full blessing from Senior Management ( The Wife ) to get a new boat so I am not going to hang around long in case she changes her mind!
I must admit we spent an age hanging over the marina walkway handrails watching the mullet! They were huge!
Maybe a trip off this weekend before fishing the Amble club match on Sunday

Graham.

[boatangler33]

great post and pics graham,looks like yous had a great time down there! far to much choice though looks like youve made a good choice chris

[boatangler33]

great post and pics graham,looks like yous had a great time down there! far to much choice though looks like youve made a good choice chris

[easyfish1]

we took the same tour lol, all the boats in one place fantastic show, totally agree with what you said about the marlin 6 and the pirate 21, shame the quicksilver wasn't on the water tho, been good to see it wet,

my senior management wasn't as agreeable as yours, but then, i did ask her to sell the house !

good choice on the 640, hope you get a good deal

if not, there's allways london boat show in january....weekend away (again).............

[The Jester]

Great report Graham , that 640 looks well with you at the wheel, go for it mate

[Kev1n]

Nice one, you go all the way to Southampton for a boat show and end up looking at mullet. They’ll drive you mad trying to catch them.
Some lovely looking boats there, you must have been like a kid in a sweet shop.

[Norman]

Graham, Mickey ....... fabulous post lads .... did you make a final decision, it sounded like a pilothouse 640 but I've not seen a post saying when its arriving good luck lads, once again great stuff.....


norm

[oldessox]

Hi lads , looks like you had a good time , I'd have gone for the marlin 6 as a first choice for myself but the cabin layout is all wrong for anything but single handed and the wife decided she wanted to come with me sometimes , My next choice would have been the parker 660 pilothouse , what a boat , but last year no one had bought one , they were brand new and untried or tested and I didn't want to be a guinea pig
My final choice was the quicksilver 640 , perfect fishing boat , big enough cabin to accomodate guests and a nice balance between cruiser and fisher
As we all know though , when it comes to spending our hard earned on something for the weekend , others often have the final say and i ended up with Eleda I wasn't sure I'd bought the right boat for a while , but I'm in love with her now and would only swop her for 725 which is simply a bigger version .
I'm sure a 640 would suit yous down to the ground , they are perfect fishing boats with just enough refinement in the cabin to make you comfortable without having to worry too much about the fish guts and muck
Make sure you get a good deal though , I've got a feeling boats might be a tad difficult to sell over the next year or two with good deals to be had
Happy boat hunting

[Graham B]

Hopefuly the post detailing arrival/ordering of a 640 will be next week sometime!
There is still a bit of bargaining and playing off dealers to do yet. Honestly for us on a budget nothing comes within a country mile as the 640's are a good eight - ten grand cheaper than anything else after you have done the sums.

I know what you mean about the Parker Ray, she is gorgeous but as you say I haven't seen one and the price as shown is for the boat with an 80hp engine, once you get the bigger engine that we would want she is 35k before electronics. The cabin area is only a berth and a half as well, it wouldn't be my idea of fun kipping in her!
Had a good look at the coppercoat stand, even if it lasts five years as oposed to the stated ten it will be a huge plus and a lot less hard graft in sanding and re-coating!
The Marlin 6 just didn't feel right allthough a lovley boat, I had thought that would be the one to confuse us but it wasn't it was the Parker. The cabin area just doesn't work.
The sounders we looked at and mainly the furuno looked a cracking bit of kit, simple to use which suits me especialy! A big 7 inch screen so you can see it out of the wheelhouse and dual display 50/200 but the price tag of just over a grand is still a bit scary. I know it is the most important bit of kit fishing wise but the jump from the mid range ones to the bottom of the higher end seems to double the price of the units!
Have you been off Ray? I was all planned for a Saturday morning jaunt until my eldest laddy came running accross after football training on wednesday beaming that he had been picked for the team for the first time!!!! The only downside is that the match is on Saturday morning! No choice really! The fishing stays on hold and looking at the forecast and the first round of Northerlies due midweek, is that it for the season?
Amble Club match and shore fishing on Sunday night for my hit of fishing though looking on the bright side!

Graham.