International Model Boat Show 2010

For the first time in a few years I was merely a punter at the model boat show. I paid to go in like everyone else, wandered around and didn't have to spend any time on the stand. There wasn't even anything I had built on display. "Must try harder" as my school reports used to say.

My visit was on the Sunday, the last day of the show. The reasons were twofold; first it's quieter than the first 2 days which makes it easier to see things and take photos. Second, it's Remembrance Sunday which means the two minutes silence takes place during the morning. I personally believe that there is nowhere more moving to hold this important tribute. At a War Memorial or official service, everyone knows the drill and will shut up as expected. In a hall full of people who don't have to be quiet, the fact that everyone does is all the more moving.

Anyway, the makeup of the show doesn't change - it's a mix of trade stands and model boats. Pretty much what you expect really. The traders appeared the same as last year with the addition of a bookseller. The boats, well to be honest I'd seen quite a few of them before. Since I have a terrible memory for this sort of thing that means they really have been along a few times.

It's not that people don't build boats I suspect. The number of boxes walking out of the show would tend to mitigate against that; it's that if you have to travel to the show, you'll probably find the same people from each club will do this. The rest won't see the point or can't be bothered, hence repeated models.

Not to worry, there were some interesting exhibits. I was on a personal mission not to buy any more project what with my nautical output being pretty much nil this year. There was temptation, the Marine modelling stand had a very interesting laser cut wood kit for a Pilot Boat (maybe next year) and on another stand was a large resin Thunderbird 4 which I certainly would have bought if it hadn't been a long discontinued model that the owner certainly wouldn't part with !

Lots of pictures here.