Today’s official press day
saw dozens of world, European and UK boat and product launches at the London Boat Show 2014.

TV presenter Suzi Perry
unveiled a hot pink Turbojet 325 from Williams Performance Tenders, which is being auctioned for
charity in aid of Breast Cancer Care.

Suzi said: ‘Today’s
supposed to be the most depressing day of the year, this should
brighten things up a bit.’

The highest bid currently stands at just under £6,000 but organisers hope to raise £25,000 for the charity. Click here to find the auction on eBay.

Spymaster launched its
Underwater Drop Camera, which can provide video and illumination at a
depth range of up to 60m, with images depicted on a portable high
resolution video monitor.

Musto showcased its
photoluminescent technology, which now features on three more of its
collections following positive feedback from Volvo Ocean Race
sailors.

The company also
launched its new ultra-lightweight and waterproof ‘Dynamic’ range,
with ‘vari-stretch’ panelling that will be on sale from April and
includes a smock, jacket and salopette.

Musto also launched the
Dynamic Pro Shoe, developed in partnership with Clarks shoe
specialists, which features a rubber sole for maximum grip, a
water-draining system and light, breathable fabric, saltwater
resistant eyelets and anti-odour treated mesh.

Boatability

The Rivertime Boat
Trust in Berkshire announced ‘Boatability’, a new joint venture with
Bisham Abbey Sailing and Navigation School to enable disabled people
the opportunity to participate in physical activity on the water.

British luxury
motorboat manufacturers Fairline launched the Targa 48 Gran Turismo
and reported that sales were on the up.

CEO Kevin Gaskell also
revealed details of the Fairline Esprit, which he described as a
‘glimpse of the future of sustainable leisure boating’, with emphasis
on re-using and recycling materials and reducing weight to lower the
carbon footprint and enhance engine capability.

Garmin showcased a
wealth of new products to the public for the first time, including
the GPSMAP 800 and 1000 combination chartplotter and fishfinder
units, with 8- and 10-inch displays respectively.

The Garmin Helm
free mobile app and new scanning sonar were among the company’s latest launches, along with a software update
for the GPSMAP and echoMAP series of combination chartplotter and
fishfinder units, which can now share supplemental maps and user data
such as waypoints, routes, and tracks.

Cruising inspiration

Over at the Adventure
Cruising area, Jeremy Wyatt of the World Cruising Club provided
practical advice to visitors considering taking part in the Atlantic
Rally for Cruisers (ARC).

Top tips included
buying a comfort fit lifejacket – ‘If it’s comfortable, you’ll wear
it’, being aware of the responsibility issues of taking crew, how to find quality crew
members on the World Cruising Club website and guidance to
‘definitely sail with them beforehand, either on delivery or on a
night sail – you want to trust them to wake you up’ and
to consider personalities – ‘it’s important you like them.’

Long-standing Old Gaffers Association (OGA) member
Tom Cunliffe gave a talk on the history of the association and
presented yachtswoman Barbara Runnalls with the OGA Gaffers Globe
Trophy 2014.

Grandmother-of-two
Barbara, from Lancing, near Worthing completed a three-month
circumnavigation of Britain single-handed on a her gaff cutter Moon
River last summer.

As part of the OGA’s
Round Britain Challenge, Sussex Yacht Club member Barbara set out in
May from Shoreham and sailed to the West Country, round Land’s End,
to Wales, Ireland and then Scotland. Barbara even managed to have a
minor knee operation without missing out on any sailing days.

She said: ‘I thoroughly
enjoyed it, I made the most wonderful friends and enjoyed the
sailing, it was a lovely sense of achievement. We had a wonderful
welcome wherever we went.’

Attendance figures

This year’s London Boat
Show, which marks the event’s 60^th year, will run until
Sunday, 12 January at the ExCeL centre.

Visitor numbers to the
first two days of the show are down on 2013 figures but advance
ticket sales are strong and look likely to top last year’s overall
turnout by the end of the week.

A show spokesman said:
‘Yesterday’s attendance was 8,840. This was 9% down on last year’s
number. This puts the attendance after two days at 19,272, 8% behind
the figure of last year’s 20,994.

‘Advance tickets
continue to sell well and are 4% ahead of last year.’

Find out more at www.londonboatshow.com

Pictures: Suzi Perry officially launches the pink Williams Breast Cancer Care Turbojet 325; Spymaster’s underwater drop camera; The Fairline world debut of the Targa 48 Gran Turismo; Tom Cunliffe presents Barbara Runnalls with the OGA Gaffers Globe Trophy. Credi: Laura Kitching