BOAT SHOWS
Words by Lia Ditton
Paris  
Boat Show 
The annual “Salon Nautique” at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre
in Paris, is a water-lover’s dream. Three sizeable hangers provide over
150,000 square meters for the display of boats and boating technology,
making it one of the largest boat shows in Europe.
he first ‘halle’ is devoted
T
to Sail and Tourism with
exhibits of everything from
heavy duty sail boats to
marine ecology and the environment.
This year there was even a car fuelled
by water! ‘Motornautisme’ is the name
of the second hall containing power
boats and all things power boat
related, while the third space show
cases equipment; electronics and
deck gear, engines, rigid-inflatable
boats, spas and swimming pools.
With a phenomenal 268,800 visitors
recorded to have walked through
the doors, this year saw only a 5%
downturn in attendance. Of these only
6,900 were marine professionals, 1,450
were journalists and 1,200 exhibitors
representing 1,400 stands. 400 hundred
of these stands were enterprises new
The Mahe 36 was part of an impressive presentation from Fountaine Pajot
to exhibiting at ‘le Salon.’ It seemed
that despite the impending financial
exhibited. Professionally lit from beneath, customers in an economic downturn! The
depression, Europeans were still keen to
the catamarans were shown as if beached Lagoon to be seen, was the 380 and while
find a way to go on enjoying their sailing
on a bed of sand and surrounded by exotic at the Annapolis or London shows you
passion.
plants suggestive of Caribbean climes! can somewhat gauge the potential buying
interest by the number of punters queuing
In the multihull arena, Lagoon and
Unusually, Lagoon had only the one boat. up to step aboard, Paris is too busy to tell.
Fountaine Pajot head quarters were
Rather than promoting other catamarans
decked out with the usual pomp.
in their range, the rest of the Lagoon The Catana 41 was first launched at La
Fountaine Pajot had the ‘Salina 48’ and
area was given over to a rather luxurious Rochelle in September but was the only
‘Mahé 36’ sailing catamarans on display,
‘Lagoon Owner’s’ lounge! Boat shows new cruising model on show. It therefore
as well as the ‘Highland 35 Pilot’ and
interminably lack comfortable places to caught the public’s attention and deservedly
‘Trawler’ power cats. Fountaine Pajot
sit down, so no doubt this was a huge so.
marketing this year was all about selling
hit, at least with Lagoon’s club of existing
that dream! While this did make us
owners! Maybe they have decided it is
chuckle, the boats were superbly well
easier to sell to existing rather than new
22  MULTIHULL REVIEW : JANUARY 2009
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