4/9/2026
You don’t need to own a boat or arrive with years of experience to enjoy time on the water. At Southampton International Boat Show, there are plenty of ways to have a go, build confidence and discover where boating could take you next.
Every boater has a first time. It might be a few wobbly minutes on a paddleboard, your first turn at the helm or a conversation with someone who can explain, without the jargon, how to turn “I’d love to do that” into something you can actually do.
While there are spectacular yachts and serious cruising boats to explore, getting afloat doesn’t have to begin with a major purchase.
Start with a paddle
If you have never tried a watersport before, The Lake could be one of the easiest places to begin.
Rockley Watersports will be running paddleboarding and kayaking sessions throughout the show, with equipment provided and qualified instructors on hand. If what lies beneath the surface appeals too, the Andark Dive Tank offers another opportunity to try something different.
The important part is having a go. You don’t need to buy the kit first or commit to a course.
Experience a boat from the water
Looking around a boat tells you a lot. Feeling how one actually moves tells you something different.
Try-a-Boat gives visitors the chance to get onto the water with experienced skippers and crews, with a 2026 line-up spanning sailing boats, motor craft, RIBs and accessible powerboating. Participating craft include sailing yachts, a Highfield 700 Sport RIB, UKSA J/80 and Wetwheels experiences, subject to availability.
Learn before you buy
You don’t need to know everything before you start. Visitors can speak to organisations including the Royal Yachting Association, Hamble School of Yachting, Broad Reach Sailing, Rockley Watersports and Chieftain Training about courses, qualifications and ways to build experience.
The right starting point depends on what you want to do, so begin with a simple question – what would I like to do on the water?
Make safety part of the journey
Confidence on the water comes from having the right knowledge and equipment.
The RNLI is Southampton International Boat Show’s Charity of the Year for 2026, with water-safety experts at the show offering practical advice. Equipment specialists can also explain essentials such as buoyancy aids, lifejackets and communications equipment.
If you’re new to boating, this is the place to ask the questions that can sometimes feel too basic elsewhere.
Find people to go boating with
Buying a boat is only one route onto the water. Clubs, training centres, shared-boating schemes and sailing organisations can help newcomers build experience, meet people and access boats without immediately taking on all the responsibilities of ownership.
Talk to clubs and associations, ask what happens after your first course and find out what opportunities are available close to home. Explore the exhibitor list here.
Ready for a boat of your own?
If trying things turns into something more serious, Southampton is also an ideal place to explore ownership.
More than 250 boats will be displayed in the show marina, while the wider event features more than 500 watercraft. Alongside larger yachts and motorboats, visitors can explore RIBs, compact day boats and smaller craft side by side.
One interesting 2026 debut is the Mini Fisher Classic, a lightweight leisure craft combining retro styling with modern technology.
But think beyond looks. Where will you keep it? Will you trailer it or need a berth? What will it cost to insure, maintain and run?
For some visitors, the next step may be buying. For others, it could be a course, a club or simply more time on the water.
Your boating journey can start here
At Southampton International Boat Show, someone could be taking their first paddle strokes while, elsewhere, a family tries a RIB and a new sailor asks about their first course. They are all part of the same boating world.
If you have ever thought, “I’d like to do more of that”, come and find your starting point.
You don’t need to know where the journey will end. You just need a way to get afloat.
