Final countdown for the All Wales Boat Show
The celebratory festival of all water-based activities will be held over three days at Conwy Quay Marina. Sunny intervals are forecast for the first day of the All Wales Boat Show today.
Practical Boat Owner: The Met Office predicts sunny intervals and eight knot winds for the start of the three-day event, which runs from Friday 30 May until Sunday 1 June at Conwy Quay Marina.
This year’s show will be officially opened by the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates, and organisers are promising an action-packed event.
Exhibitors will include sailboats manufacturers Hanse and Delher, luxury motorboat makers Sunseeker Yachts, Fairline and Sealine, cars from Rolls Royce, Bentley and McLaren and motorbikes from Harley Davidson.
At the other end of the spectrum, there will be Stand Up Paddleboarding, coracles and bath-tub racing.
Bargain hunters can enjoy a boat jumble, held each day of the event, from from 10am to 3pm at Conwy Harbour, plus a daily Used Boat Show from 10am to 5pm.
Due to popular demand, the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Active Marina Experience is returning to the All Wales Boat Show.
The Welsh Yachting Association (WYA) will be offering visitors a chance to refresh their boating skills and gain top tips from expert instructors, with free on-the-water and shorebased workshops in partnership with Celtic Cruising & Snowdonia Sailing School and Hill Dickinson Commercial Law Firm.
Workshops will run Friday to Sunday and will provide real hands-on experience. Spaces are limited and weather dependent. Register at stand OT1 or book in advance by contacting the organisers.
Action-packed challenges
Also up for grabs is a place in the Guinness Book of World Records at the World Bathtubbing Championship.
The race will take place on Sunday 1 June and the time to beat is 1 minute 26:41 seconds over a 50 metre course across Conwy Marina – set last year at the All Wales Boat Show by Tony Bain.
Another highlight for visitors at this year’s show, will be the opportunity to try flyboarding with expert instructors in the safe waters of the marina.
A flyboard is a type of water jetpack connected by a long hose to a powerful jet-ski through which gallons of water are pumped at high pressure. The device can lift riders up to 15 metres in the air.
Show history
The All Wales Boat Show was established in 2008 and previously ran in August for four years at the Faenol Estate in Bangor, attracting more than 100 exhibitors and on average 3,500 visitors per day.
Last year, the show relaunched under new management and was held across Conwy Quays and Deganwy Quays marinas.
The 2014 event is being held over three days instead of five and located on a single site on the Conwy side of the estuary instead of being split over two locations.
Davina Carey-Evans, managing director of show organisers Sbarc, said: ‘The backdrop for the show is stunningly beautiful and the location just off the A55 is perfect in terms of accessibility.
‘Things are coming together extremely well and it promises to be a fantastic event which will provide a foundation for building on the potential of the marine sector in creating wealth and employment.’
For tickets visit www.allwalesboatshow.com or call 0844 561 1816
