Published on: 11 March 2021
The Crick Boat Show is moving online for 2021 and will take place from 24-28 March 2021.
Registration to attend the 5-day Show is free, and the organisers’ aim is to take the key boating elements from the live Show and translate them into a virtual format while retaining the festival atmosphere. The event will draw together businesses in the UK inland waterways industry, boating enthusiasts and all who enjoy our waterways.
The Show will have a curated mix of static content, video, presentations and radio, as well as allowing visitors to interact and engage with exhibitors and the event itself through competitions, radio dedications, 1-2-1 chats with exhibitors, and live video and radio Q&As.
There will be a wide range of exhibitors, including over 15 British Marine members, covering the following areas:
• Boat builders
• Marinas
• New and pre-owned boat sales
• Engines
• Boat covers
• Mattresses and furnishings
• Insurance
• Off-grid energy
• Windows
• Chandlery
• Boating equipment and supplies
Throughout the duration of the Show, visitors will be able to watch exclusive videos from exhibitors and gain insights into the companies who can provide everything needed for a boat and life afloat or a holiday on the water. Visitors can send a message to exhibitors throughout the virtual Show using the chatbot service. In addition, the majority of our exhibitors will be available for one-to-one live chats on the weekend days of the Show. It’s a great way to get everything needed for a boat project or trip.
Virtual boat tours
Visitors will experience virtual guided tours through boats from some of the UK’s top boat builders, and new and pre-owned boat sellers, including a number of past winners of the Favourite Boat in Show award at Crick Boat Show. Hear about what makes each boat unique and find out about the companies that make and sell them.
The popular ‘Favourite Boat in Show’ poll will also be conducted and awarded virtually, with the winner announced on Crick Radio on the afternoon of Sunday 28th March.
Waterways World Seminars and Q&A sessions
Hosted by Waterways World magazine’s Technical Editor, Mark Langley, Virtual Crick’s series of seminars will support both new and experienced boaters. The video seminars are designed to cover the most pertinent questions to consider when:
• Buying a new or second-hand boat
• Designing a new boat or refitting an older one
• Designing, improving and maintaining electrical systems for best performance
• Reducing your impact on the environment with green boating
• Living afloat
• Maintaining your boat, its engine and services, and upgrades and safety
• Selling your boat
Seminars will be available to view ‘on demand’ from 10am on Wednesday 24 March. Visitors will then be able to send their questions for our boating experts (including Mark Langley) and the answers will be broadcast over six live Crick Radio Q&A sessions across the weekend.
Crick Radio
Broadcasting 24 hours a day throughout Virtual Crick Boat Show (and live between 8-11am and 3-6pm on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 March), visitors can tune into Crick Radio through the Virtual Crick portal for:
• All the information needed to navigate the Virtual Show
• Interviews with personalities from the boating world, including Canal & River Trust Chief Executive, Richard Parry
• Live Q&A sessions where questions submitted throughout the Show will be answered by boating experts
• Competitions
• Dedications
• Music – the great oldies from the days of rock & roll, through the 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. Bringing back the good times!
Competitions
There will be over £5,000 worth of prizes to be won at the Virtual Crick Boat Show. Different prizes will be on offer each day and to enter, visitors just need to register for their free tickets, log in each day of the Show and head over to the Virtual Crick Community area of the Show portal. Information on the prizes is available here.
The Virtual Crick Boat Show will open at 10am on Wednesday 24 March 2021 and continue until 6pm on Sunday 28 March 2021. Video content will be available until 23 April 2021
A must-attend event for anyone with an interest in inland boating, full details about the Virtual Crick Boat Show can be found here.