FROM fabulous floating palaces to the dinky dinghies, the CW FX London Boat Show flies the flag for the Hampshire's marine industry.

The huge nine-day ticketed event at the ExCel London, which finished yesterday, attracts thousands of people.

Many come to marvel at the razzmatazz of the sleek super-yachts built on the south coast.

But others were coming to do some serious shopping as the British marine sector reports a buoyant market after years in the doldrums.

Dominating the exhibition is the star of the show – the glitzy and shiny Sunseeker International stand.

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It was here the boat show was launched last week with former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger (above), the girlfriend of Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.

The company makes luxurious vessels of between 40ft and 155ft, all tailor-made for the conspicuously wealthy.

Potential customers were sipping premium champagne as they were shown around the super-yachts favoured by the rich and famous.

Smooth salesmen finalised deals in rooms resembling the flashy interiors of the yachts on sale.

But then you would expect VIP treatment when you are paying eye-watering prices.

Smaller models start at a relatively affordable £350,000 – the average cost of a house in Hampshire.

Then you have the simply named “28 metre” yacht which costs a mere £5m.

Dwarfing them all is Sunseeker’s flagship model – the 155ft Super Yacht, the ultimate toy for the ultra rich.

One was recently snapped up Formula One mogul and BBC presenter Eddie Jordan for £32m.

Many of these multi-million-pound deals are struck in boat shows such as those held in Southampton and London.

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Bryan Jones (above), from Poole-based Sunseeker International, said: “This is an important opportunity to show that range. It is our shop window.”

Unlike buying a luxury car, there are no large showrooms for yachts. So for the south coast marine companies – big and small – the boat show is their big chance to sell.

Bringing the Sunseeker yachts to the ExCel London is a Herculean task that takes three weeks and starts before Christmas.

Smaller yachts are transported by road, the larger ones go by sea. Once there, the glamorous stand is constructed around the massive boats.

Mr Jones: “It’s a lot of work and effort but it is the right thing to do for our business in order to achieve a number of sales to support our employees.”

Mr Jones was tight-lipped about how many were sold, citing commercial confidentiality. But he said that so far, the firm was “conservatively pleased” and confident about the future with the economy recovering in the US and huge potential in China still to be exploited.

While the firm, which employs 2,000 people, has been bought by Chinese owners and recently made 300 job losses, it is committed to keeping manufacturing in Britain because of the reputation of the country’s marine sector.

He said: “We are quintessentially a British product and proud of our heritage. That is part of the allure and part of the brand.”

But while Sunseeker has the highest profile there are hundreds of other brands on the south coast, employing thousands of people.

Following the financial crash of 2008, the UK’s thriving marine sector experienced years of turbulence.

But the tide may be changing.

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Howard Pridding, chief executive of the British Marine Federation, said: “The UK leisure and marine industry has continued to grow and create new jobs, in spite of the challenging environment for exports created by the weakness of the eurozone.”

This is being reflected in the footfall at the boat show, which is up six per cent on the previous year.

Mr Pridding told the Daily Echo this was translating into more sales.

He said: “We are seeing people from all over the world attend. London and Southampton rank at the top in terms of boat shows of the world “We have some iconic British brands and people who come here to buy them.”

Despite some major economic headwinds from abroad, he said demand from UK-based sailors was improving as consumer confidence recovers.

For the third consecutive year, the industry posted growth in 2013/14, with the total revenue of the UK leisure, super-yacht and small commercial marine industry totalling £32.93billion.

And Mr Bidding said that the south coast, in particular Hampshire, was reaping the benefit.

He said: “Hampshire is one of our pre-eminent centres for our industry, without a doubt. It is the most important region for us in the industry.”

In terms of exhibitors, Hampshire had more than any other county or city, with 70 laying out their nautical wares. The county’s most high profile stand belonged to the Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), which this week received royal approval from the Princess Royal.

Currently based in Whiteley, the America’s Cup team are preparing to move in the summer to a multi-million pound base in Portsmouth after winning financial backing from the Government because of its potential to stimulate the marine sector in the Solent by becoming a design and training centre mecca.

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Mark Chisnell (above right with Sam Fletcher) , from Ben Ainslie Racing, said: “If you are going to have a business for a high technology sailing sports team, it has to be somewhere in the Solent. It is the centre of the marine industry in the UK.”

It is hoped the £12m new base, which will employ about 90 people, will create an ocean racing hub in much the same way Formula One has done in the Thames Valley.

On a wider level, it is hoped the former HMS Daedalus site will attract new marine sector jobs as well as waterside land on the former Vosper Thornycroft site.

But all this would not be possible without training a skilled workforce.

And key in this is Southampton Solent University’s art yacht design and facilities at the Warsash Maritime Academy.

Its stand saw a 5.9m catamaran (see below), with a cutting-edge hydrofoil system being built in real time during the course of the show.

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Henry White who was building the catamaran in real time.

 

FACTFILE

The maritime and marine sector accounts for over 20 per cent of the Solent region's Gross Value Added (GVA), and five per cent of private sector jobs.

The UK leisure marine sector generates £1.3bn in exports for the country every year, and contains globally recognised brand names in motor and sailing yacht manufacture, and equipment manufacture.

The Solent area itself is home to 1,750 marine related businesses and the marine sector within the Solent sub-region has been calculated to generate a total GDP of £5.5bn per annum, around 27 per cent of the total value of the Solent economy, supporting around 77,000 jobs.

The Port of Southampton currently contributes almost £1bn to the UK economy every year, including £714 million for the Solent region and supports 10,590 local jobs.

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Alex Newton from RS Saling.

Hampshire boat builder RS Sailing is riding a wave of success thanks to its innovation.

Based in Abbey Park in Romsey, the company is a leading designer and manufacturer of sailing and dinghy boats and exports 70 per cent of what it produces.

It has increased its turn over by 20 per cent during a stellar year last year.

Part of its success is because of its new dinghy, The RS Aero, which on won the Yachts & Yachting 'Dinghy of the Year' Award at the show.

The firm has also developed a boat for people with a disability.

They employ 28 staff and are currently looking to recruit two more for its workshop to cope with business.

Technical director Alex Newton (above) said: “We decided to spend the time when it was relatively hard to develop, knowing when things got a little easier we would have some new products.”

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ONE firm that would give a good indicator of the state of the marine business says business is looking up.

Marineware, which is based in Southampton next to the River Itchen, is a provider of boat paint and other maintenance material which is now looking for a bigger warehouse to cope with demand.

Jamie Smith Above, from the firm's technical sales team, said while business is not at the high water mark of 2004, it is on the up and that is because people are out sailing their yachts.

He said: “It has been a good year, quite encouraging. A yacht is a luxury item and they always follow the economy. We are seeing a lot of resurgence in the industry.

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GOSPORT based Crewsaver International has survived the recession and looking to exploit the revived leisure market.

Based in Gosport since 1957, the company makes life jackets, rafts and other survival equipment and employs 70 people in roles that include design, manufacturing, packing and sales.

Commercial manager Matthew Bridge (above)  said the downturn in oil prices has hit the firms' customer base in the North Sea oil industry for now.

But he was positive about the leisure sector this year as overall the British economy picks up.

He said: "That's fantastic news for us because it means people have more money to spend on their toys.

"We are putting a huge amount of work in this sector."

Mr Bridge said people do not realise how important the Solent region is to the marine sector.

He said: "It's hard for people who live here to understand but it really is the centre of everything in the sailing world."