Cruisers heading to the Southampton International Boat Show this year will find one stand doing something a little different: rather than pushing product, the Cruising Association is putting its members' collective sea-time on display.
The CA's stand, H244 in New Wave Hall, is running a series of themed days through the event. Each day shifts focus to a different strand of cruising, from motorboating and Channel crossings to Europe's inland waterways, the Mediterranean, and the technical and regulatory issues that can trip up skippers.
Got a question about VAT, HVO and marine diesel, lithium batteries, travelling with pets, lobster pot entanglements, or the paperwork required for cruising in Europe? That's the territory covered by the CA's Regulatory & Technical Services group, known within the club as RATS. They'll be on hand for one-to-one chats at the show, and for those who miss the Friday session, RATS returns on 23, 24, 25 and 26 September.
Thinking about buying a motorboat, or planning something longer than a weekend away? The CA's Motorboat Section will cover what to weigh up when purchasing, maintenance, and preparing for longer cruises, along with new cruising destinations. There's also word of a planned Motorboat Section cruise-in-company, plus weekly Motorboat webinars running every Tuesday through November.
For those with the Mediterranean on the mind, whether dreaming of it or already cruising there, the CA's Mediterranean experts will run through the latest regulations and requirements across the region, along with the extensive resources available to members. The Section's annual seminar is set for 14 March 2027.
Channel Day brings a heavier calendar. The Annual Channel Seminar is set for Saturday 30 January 2027, with the First Channel Crossing session the next day, Sunday 31 January. A Summer 2027 cruise-in-company rally to France is also in the works. Non-members can book the First Channel Crossing Seminar during the show at a discounted £27, including buffet lunch and refreshments, and that offer doesn't require show attendance to redeem.
Inland waterways get their turn too. Europe's rivers and canals stretch to some 30,000 km of navigable water, and the CA's European Inland Waterways Section will share practical, first-hand advice on routes, waterways and destinations for anyone considering taking their own yacht or motorboat inland. Show-goers on 22 September can download a complimentary digital copy of *An Introduction to the European Inland Waterways*, worth £19.95.
The CA Crewing Service also features, matching skippers short of crew with sailors keen to build miles, develop skills, visit new destinations or simply go sailing. It spans UK coastal cruising and offshore passages through to Mediterranean adventures and destinations worldwide.
Membership comes with a 20% discount for show visitors, and there's a prize draw running throughout the event, giving the stand one more reason to draw a crowd among the show's usual sales pitches.
