The Yachtfestival 365 agency under Managing Director Heiko Zimmermann also organises the Hamburg Ancora Boatshow in Neustadt. The new trade fair in Wedel is intended to once again create an autumn trade fair for skippers. Since the cancellation of the Hanseboot, there has been a gap in the range of events for water sports enthusiasts.
The new trade fair is scheduled to take place from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 September 2023. Up to 100 boats and yachts will be exhibited on the jetties in the eastern harbour and 70 exhibitors from the equipment and services sectors will be open to visitors in pagodas around the hall. There will also be an extensive stage programme on the subject of water sports. It is therefore fitting that the big marina festival will be organised on the Saturday of the fair, with the 51 clubs involved in Wedel, the DSV and the cruising department all taking part.
Third attempt: From the Hanseboot, new edition as the Hamburg Boat Show
The traditional Hamburg boat show Hanseboot was held for the last time in October 2017. In 2018 and 2019, a much smaller successor event, the Hamburg Boat Show, was organised by the German Boat and Shipbuilders' Association (DBSV). This attempt at an autumn trade fair in the Hanseatic city also failed due to excessive costs. The losses of the first two events in 2018 and 2019 were too great and the commitment of potential exhibitors too low for the association to be able to subsidise another new edition.
It is true that the DBSV, together with Messe Friedrichshafen and with the support of Messe Hamburg, had managed to establish a useful and economically attractive exhibition for the industry almost from a standing start. However, the start-up losses threatened to completely erode the association's already limited assets.
Hamburg trade fair in Neustadt
After a break due to the pandemic, the Hamburg Ancora Yacht Festival marked the start of the exhibition season again last spring. This spring, the boat show at the Ancora Marina in Neustadt will once again be open to visitors from 12 to 14 May. Last year, this trade fair was a successful start to the season. The advantage of the trade fair coinciding with the Hamburg Yacht Festival in Wedel in autumn is that water sports enthusiasts can already get inspiration for new equipment purchases.
