The Promarine Finance team is thrilled to announce its attendance at this year’s Crick Boat Show, taking place from 27-29 May 2023 at Crick Marina, Northampton.
Britain’s largest inland waterways festival is set to return with a bang, featuring a number of exciting exhibitors, seminars and boat handling sessions, and entertainment for everyone.
For three days, the exhibition transforms into Britain’s largest chandlery as over 260 exhibitors bring together the full range of inland boating supplies and equipment.
If you’re visiting the show, come and speak to the Promarine Finance team, where they will be offering advice and finance for inland boats, liveaboards and ocean going boats.
Stuart Austin, Director of Promarine Finance, says: “The team and I are excited for another year exhibiting a Crick Boat Show. It’s a great show to be attending with lots of variety going on, and a good opportunity to meet with new and familiar faces.
“We’re passionate about helping more people get out on the water with our marine finance services and connecting them with the boat of their dreams in the most affordable way.”
Whether a previous boat owner, a current boat owner, or a novice, we’re here to help. Come and say hello!
Promarine Finance is a leading provider of marine finance. To find out if you’re eligible, get a quote today.
Back in February, Promarine Finance had the pleasure of attending BoatLife Live. The inaugural show took place from 17- 20 February at the NEC, Birmingham.
As the first in-person boat show since Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) 2021, it was a convenient, well-timed event, and run by a friendly and professional team.
Here are our three key takeaways from the show.
1. BoatLife kicked off the season with a small and intimate show
Kicking off the season, BoatLife was a small and intimate show. Companies boasting smaller motorboats, ribs, and a few sailboats were in attendance.
Among the exhibitors were some familiar faces, including Clipper, Bates Wharf, Tingdene, Brig, Grand, Viko, Supra, Boat Exchange, Lakeland Leisure, Gibbs, Aqueduct, Excel Ribs, Boatworld, Rebel Leisure, South West Yachtbrokers, Axopar, Bray, Boatshop, H2O, Horizon, Idealboats, TBS Boats, Northern Powerboats, ABC Leisure, Clearwater, and Waterlodge.
2. The event saw an incredible turnout
In total, 140 companies were involved in the event, and the show exhibited some 120 craft all in all.
This was particularly impressive, given the announcement of severe weather warnings in the lead-up to and during the event. In fact, Storm Eunice caused transportation issues all over the UK.
According to Powerboat & Rib Magazine, by BoatLife day three, several industry-leading boat suppliers had exceeded their 2021 SIBS sales figure.
Several other boat distributors, insurance partners, and British Marine members visited our stand to say hello and try out our boat finance calculator.
3.Although it was in-person, it still catered for those who couldn’t attend
If you were unable to attend due to COVID-19, or were hampered by Storm Eunice, you can find the live-streamed interview with Mark Covell and Stuart Austin on Facebook.
The next BoatLife show will take place from 16-19 February 2023. We look forward to attending! Promarine Finance is a leading provider of marine finance. If you’re thinking of buying a new or used boat or find out if you’re eligible, get a quote today.
The Promarine Finance team is excited to be making waves at the first high-profile boating event of the year in February 2022 with a talk on boat finance.
BoatLife, hosted at Birmingham’s NEC, is a new show set to bring together the biggest brands in marine.
As well as exhibiting at the show from 17-19 February 2022, Stuart Austin, founder and MD at Promarine Finance, will be joining interviewer Mark Covell on the sofa at the show to talk all things boat finance.
Join Stuart at the BoatLife Live Stage for ‘An Introduction to Boat Finance’ at 2pm on Friday 17 February.
Stuart will chat to Mark about changes to the marine sector since the 2008 financial crash; provide an overview of the boat finance process, and outline the involvement of the lender.
Stuart, who founded Promarine Finance more than a decade ago, said: “During the pandemic, while people were unable to travel abroad, exploring the UK’s waters became a popular alternative.
“A lot has changed over the past few years, with several lenders exiting the market, liveaboard vessels growing in popularity, and boats appreciating in value for the first time.
“In our experience, boat ownership has been rapidly growing in popularity, and we want to help more people realise their dreams of buying a boat of their own.”
After the talk, there will be a chance to ask any questions you have about the boat finance industry or securing a marine mortgage of your own.
Stuart added: “Marine finance is an affordable way to get out on the water, whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned boater. And more importantly, it helps buyers do so in a cost-effective and easily manageable way. We want to educate boat lovers on the options they have.”
You can find Promarine Finance at stand G60 from 17-19 February at The NEC, Birmingham.
For the Promarine Finance team, and many other exhibitors and attendees, this was one of the first in-person events they’d attended in almost 18 months.
This year, Stuart and the team were more involved than ever before, with two Foredeck stage appearances, including providing a seminar on marine finance and sitting on the ‘Buy a Boat’ panel.
So, what did the team take away from this year’s event?
1. It was a busy show for boaters
The show was inundated with boaters from all over, looking to shop around, upgrade their vessels, or even purchase a boat for the very first time. It’s safe to say that the boating community has sorely missed in-person events — and was excited to be back.
2. COVID-19 restrictions didn’t put off serious buyers
While restrictions have eased, there is still, understandably, some uncertainty around large-scale events. SIBS ensured attendees provided proof of a negative lateral flow test, taken 48 hours prior to the show, so guests could be comfortable and safe. Attendees were happy to comply with this rule, and the new safety measures did not put serious buyers off.
3. Deals can still be made at in-person events
The shift to online purchases over the past 18 months has been vital — and there is certainly still a place for it. However, we were pleased to learn that a good, old-fashioned deal can still be made in person. This is great news for the industry as a whole.
4. Pre-approved finance enables buyers to confirm and secure their purchase
If you’re looking to finance a boat, then getting the finance pre-approved (before you start shopping for your dream boat) will help you secure your purchase — and speed up the overall process.
5. Demand is up, and so are prices
Delays in building, shipping, and transportation of goods have caused prices to skyrocket in a number of industries, and the marine industry is no exception. Plus, an increase in staycations has meant a rise in demand for boats — both new and second-hand. For the first time ever, the boat prices are appreciating.
6. It’s more important than ever to have a full, pre-purchase survey
With the growing popularity of used boats, a pre-purchase survey is a must. Buying a boat should be a well-considered decision, and inspecting the boat should be a key part of that.
7. Part-exchange (PX) deals can be made
Fantastic news for existing boat owners: if you’re looking to upgrade your boat, we now offer part-exchange directly and through our broker partners. Get in touch and we can help find the right solution for you.
8. We saw more existing customers than ever before
It was fantastic to see so many Promarine customers stop by our stand to say hi. Helping to make their boating dreams come true is what it’s all about — so we were pleased to see more than ever before, at this year’s event.
9. We need a bigger stand!
A quick wander around Southampton International Boat Show will open your eyes to a number of impressive, creative and attention-grabbing stands. With the entire Promarine team out in full force, and tons of interested visitors, we quickly realised that a bigger stand is a must. Watch this space!
10. Competition is changing
The marine finance industry has seen a lot of changes over the past few months, with some of our previous competitors exiting the market, others falling behind the curve, and some new competition on the horizon.
Promarine Finance is a leading provider of marine finance. To find out if you’reeligible, get a quote today.
Stuart Austin, director of Promarine Finance, hosted a talk at Southampton International Boat Show 2021, which offered the event’s visitors an introduction to boat finance.
Stuart discussed how the marine finance sector has changed since the 2008 crash and gave a summary of the marine finance process as a whole, including flexibility, early settlement, and the overall involvement of the lender.
According to Stuart, who started out as a commercial broker 30 years ago, a lot has changed in the marine finance industry since Promarine Finance was launched. He said: “The current climate has seen several lenders exit the market in recent years, liveaboard vessels rising in popularity, and for the first time ever, boats are appreciating in value. We think it’s important that future boat buyers know that they have options.
He added: “Marine finance is a simple way to obtain something valuable and spread the cost across monthly payments that suit you, so that it becomes affordable. At Promarine Finance, we help like-minded people get the right boat, without the cost being the most defining factor.” The talk was streamed live on Facebook for viewers who were unable to attend.
Southampton International Boat Show returned this year after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic and holds a special place for Stuart and his team of five passionate boaters. Promarine Finance, which celebrated its eleventh anniversary during this year’s event, was launched at the show in 2010.
Stuart said: “It’s great to be back at face-to-face events this year, particularly one that is such a significant part of the history of Promarine Finance. We’ve been able to help a number of customers to get afloat over the first three days and we look forward to the remainder of the show.”
Watch the talk below
Promarine Finance is exhibiting at Southampton International Boat Show on stand EO14. Watch the talk in full!
