8 things you need to know about Poole Harbour Boat Show this weekend

The event is completely free of charge for the public to enjoy and has been organised and operated by Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC).

The show will open to the public at 10am, with an official opening commencing at 12 noon on the Saturday, where PHC’s chairman Richard Lacey will formally cut a ribbon at the Boat Haven.

So, here's the 8 things you need to know ahead of the show...

Which boat companies will be showing off their vessels?

Sunseeker, Fairline, Windy, Stingher Ribs, Bayliner, Sealine, Beneteau and Legend Yachts will all be displaying their prize boats and yachts.

Any other must-see boats on display?

Yes. There will be exclusive access to tall ships TS Pelican and Stavros S Niarchos. On Saturday, Pelican will be open from 10am-5pm and Stavros will be open from 12-6pm. 

And on Sunday, the opening times for Pelican are 10am-2pm and for Stavros 10am-6pm. 

Will there be any water-based activities taking place?

Visitors can enjoy on-the-water activities, courtesy of the local yacht clubs. To give you a taster, there will be R19 dinghy taster sessions, an RNLI rescue demo, a rib slalom competition, a tug and pilot boat demonstration, and yacht and dinghy races. 

Is there anything else besides boats at the show?

Indeed. There will be entertainment on the ‘Sunseeker Sessions - Great British Performance’ live music stage, which will include local bands The Dorset Wrecks, Bonsai Pirates and Empire Affair.

And Saturday evening will also be rounded off with a free firework extravaganza off Poole Quay.

Will anyone famous from the boating world be making an appearance?

Paralympic Gold Medallist, Helena Lucas MBE, will be making a special guest appearance at the show on Sunday to meet and greet visitors. 

 Helena is Britain’s first-ever Paralympic sailing gold medallist and she will  be on the live music stage from 11am to talk about her nautical career and, of course, showcase her gold medal.

Will there be any activities for younger children? 

There will be plenty to keep the kids amused, as face painting and children’s rides will be operating throughout the weekend.

How do I get there and where do I park?

Plenty of parking is available throughout the town, with frequent bus and train services into Poole town centre. Poole Quay Boat Haven marina is located on The Quay, BH15 1HJ. You can view a map here. 

Will the weather be any good?

There will be sunny intervals on Saturday with the chance of a light rain shower between 10am and 4pm and highs of 14C. Sunday will be cloudy with sunny intervals.