Hot boating summer filling up piers at Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show

“The Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show is more distinctly evolving into a display arena for new products. For example, the new V60 model by the luxury boat builder Princess will make its global debut in Lauttasaari,” says Jarkko Pajusalo, Managing Director of the Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat.

With the West Metro completed, the exhibition site is ever easier to access. Visitors can park their cars at any of the Metro stations, and there is a free shuttle bus connection running non-stop between the Lauttasaari Metro station and the harbour. 

A prize raffle will be held among all advance ticket purchasers for a three-hour Lagoon Charter catamaran cruise off Helsinki. The winner can take a party of up to 12 persons on board.

A record number of fishing boats

The Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show gives good visibility to new boat models, but another thing that comes across clearly at the event is the popularity of new kinds of fishing boats. At the fishing pier of Alandia Marine Insurance located right near the entrance there are as many as 18 fishing boats on show, each equipped and accessorised to a high standard. 

Finland's most acclaimed fishing guides will deliver info sessions on the fishing pier every day. Pasi Tuike of Natural Born Fishers will be the host. Also present will be “pike guru” Antti Heinonen, the Finnish casting champion Touko Liimatainen who also has a hand in the development of Aaltomarine fishing boats, Kalle Konttinen of Alucat, Jyri Kuusisalofrom the Kalastajan Kanava (“fisherman’s channel”) online medium and Jani Ollikainen from Buster’s fishing team.

“The fact that boats equipped for rod fishing have become popular indicates two things: firstly, that there is a growing drive for people to enjoy active experiences in their leisure time, and secondly, that the general approach to fishing is changing. While fishing as a hobby is not as popular as before, there are always new people that are drawn to rod fishing and fly fishing, and these two types of fishing are also bringing corporate clients to the growing number of fishing guides,” Pajusalo explains.

Work demonstrations at Venemestari’s dock

Venemestari magazine’s dock is again part of the Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show. It is situated close to the street food section in the middle of the exhibition area. Daily work demonstrations will take place there, such as renovation of wooden boat parts, replacement of fender strips, polishing of GRP surfaces and season-end maintenance of outboard engines.

Other programme at the dock will include presentations of boating excursion destinations in the Baltic countries and Finland’s capital region and provision of fishing tips. For specific programme details, see www.venemestari.fi.

Food offering expanding at the Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show

The splashes of water at the show and the variety of activities on offer there will strike the fancy of the entire family. The exhibitor stands spread out over a total area of almost 3,000 square metres. The offering includes dinghy sailing, impressive flyboard shows, sailing on a good-sized yacht and motorboat test rides from Kippari magazine’s pier. 

The daily programme features spectacular flyboard performances by Vadim Nekhaev of Extreme-Life and skilful freestyle jet skiing performances by the reigning Finnish champion Pentti Keinänen.

The exhibition area layout was cleared up for the previous year’s show, and this time around the facilities will be given the finishing touches ahead of the event in August.

The street food trailers in the heart of the area add a pleasant touch to the scene, and the event stage has been relocated next to them for this year. Delightful food experiences will be offered by Fat Lizard, The Aleksander's, Treffi Pub & Bistro, Feri's Sausages and Umaijari Sushi, among others. 

“The new street food section got a very positive reception a year ago, and this year the Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show will be worth visiting if just for the food,” Pajusalo touts.

Many visitors will be attracted by the offering of supplies and accessories, particularly owing to the affordable late summer prices. August is also a good time to talk to the sailmakers present about any repair projects in the winter as well as orders for new sails. 

The stage programme will include the Finnish rap star Elastinen sharing his boating experiences on an indigenous Finnmaster craft this summer as well as tips from experts on boating excursion destinations in Helsinki.

Catamarans, monohulls and a state-of-the-art race boat for the open sea

This time there will be more buzz at the Boat-Afloat Show together with a new kind of sailing atmosphere, as the visitors will have a grandstand view of the third and final race in Finland’s Purjehdusliiga (“sailing league”) on Saturday and Sunday. The sailboat pier will feature both catamarans (that are enjoying increasing popularity) and new monohull yacht models. There are altogether nine sailing boats on display at the show.

Two of the new yacht models present are exhibited for the first time in Finland: the Lagoon 40, an all-new catamaran, and the More 40, a charter boat with a sporty feel. The new Lagoon model can be anticipated to increase the already keen public interest in multi-hulled boats, since the boat builder, the biggest and best-known of all catamaran brands, promises improved performance and more passenger comfort both in the interior and the exterior. In Lauttasaari, this new model can be compared with the Lagoon 42, another recent model from the boat builder boasting one more metre of both length and width. 

Germany’s Hanse will be represented by the new Hanse 388, the successor of the very popular 385 model. The French company Jeanneau will exhibit the Sun Odyssey 319, a safe, agile and easy-to-use boat for small families presented already at the boat show the past winter but now shown in its true element. The Danish X-yachts, known for its racing-minded craft, will showcase the Xc 35 that represents a new series of cruising boats. 

Indigenous yacht builders are represented by the classic Degerö as well as EF-Marine that manufactures its EF341 boats at Raasepori; the EF341 has been awarded with the Finnish Key Flag Symbol.

Friends of sailing will also be interested in Ari Huusela’s Imoca60 class ocean yacht, an extremely capable high-tech craft. Huusela will be present at the 2018 Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show to tell about his preparation for the legendary Route du Rhum race from France to the Caribbean starting in three months’ time and about the Vendée Globe solo race around the world beginning in 2020. 

He will take the stage on Friday at 2.30 pm and on Saturday and Sunday at 4.00 pm. 

A wide selection of different-sized new motor boats

Those who are into motorboats will find a record selection of new large-size boats at the 2018 Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show. The Finnish-built Grandezza 37 cruiser will be on show for the first time. Walk-around “SUVs of the Sea” from traditional Ostrobothnian boat builders have generated an international trend. The models present at the show include the Targa 46, the Sargo 31 and the Nord Star 32. The French boating giant Jeanneau will display its new NC 33 cruiser. 

Princess, the UK manufacturer known for its luxury boats, will place three models on show at the pier: the Princess S65, the biggest boat of the event, the Princess V60 making its global debut and its smaller sister model Princess 43. 

Alongside these British craft there will be two luxury boats from the Italian company Ferretti, the Riva Aquariva Super representing a classic design and the Pershing 5X, a 54-foot motor yacht.

The Finnish Bella company from Kuopio will showcase the flagship model of its new aluminium boat line-up, the Falcon BR8 bow rider. The Ähtäri-based Buster will display three of its new models for the season, now for the first time out on the water: the Buster Phantom Cabin, the luxury commuter and flagship model in the line-up, along with the Buster Magnum and the Buster SuperMagnum, the two latest models in the most popular range of large open boats in the Nordic countries. 

Finnish outboard engine boats will be represented, among others, by AMT, Bella, Falcon, Faster, Finnmaster, Flipper and Silver, so there will be a whole lot to see particularly in the most popular class of 5-6-metre open boats. Additionally, a line-up of altogether seven different-coloured Marino Mustang retro boats will be moored at the show.

The fishing pier will have models such as the Apaji 540 Pro, the Falcon BR6 and the Buster M accessorised for fishing. The show will also feature new professional boats: the Arctic Airboats designed for use by rescue organisations and maritime rescue providers and the WaterMate intended particularly for tourist transports. 

The Boat-Afloat Show in Lauttasaari between 16 and 19 August

The 2018 Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show takes place at the HSK yacht club’s marina in Lauttasaari (address Vattuniemen puistotie 1, Helsinki). The exhibition is open between 16 and 19 August as follows: on Thursday 16 August and Friday 17 August, from 12 noon to 8 pm; on Saturday 18 August and Sunday 19 August from 10 am to 6 pm. 

Standard tickets cost €13 in advance and €15 at the gate. Children’s tickets cost €4.35 in advance and €5 at the gate. Group tickets cost €10 per person. Group tickets are only available in advance sales in the online store for a minimum order of 10 tickets. 

To get more information on the 2018 Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show and acquire advance tickets, visit http://www.uiva.fi/

Press conference on Thursday 16 August at 11 am

Media representatives are welcomed to the Helsinki Boat-Afloat Show press conference held at the Blue Peter Restaurant located at the HSK yacht club’s marina (address Vattuniemen puistotie 1, 00210 Helsinki) on Thursday 16 August 2018 at 11 am.

Please register for the press conference at http://www.uiva.fi/media/