Today was our first visit to the Beaulieu Boat Jumble. A mixture of a lack of successful purchases at previous boat jumbles and the daunting thoughts of traipsing round the largest UK boat jumble event of the year, fighting for bargains, has always put us off. This year, we thought we'd risk it.
We'll definitely be back next year!
Looking back on the difference between our experience today and previous experiences, a favourite phrase of an old colleague comes to mind - the 6Ps - Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance...
So, what did we do differently this time and what tips do we have for fellow boat jumbling bargain hunters?
A boat jumble is like a car boot sale, there's a mixture of professional stalls selling their wares and private individuals having a clear out, but you'll only find boating stuff.
There are literally hundreds of stalls across two large fields.
Sounds like a nightmare? Traipsing round fields, fighting off other boating enthusiasts to get to the real bargains. That's what I thought too. However, compared to other jumbles, I found this one quite sedate. Busy, but with enough space not to feel like you have to start crawling through others legs to get a look in.
We had this same problem today. We saw what we needed but we had no idea what the item retailed at. We gave it a miss, and it was possibly a bargain. The type of items you might see at a boat jumble, can range from a few pounds to hundreds, even thousands. So, it can be a decision to buy something for tens which might retail at hundreds, or even at hundreds which might retail at thousands.
The solution is to put typical retail prices against the items on your list from tip 1 above. If there are different features/functionality for a product which change the retail price, make a note.
We bumped into some friends at the jumble and they also had a good recommendation - take a Force 4 catalogue with you. Force 4 tends to be fair/mid market price and have a good selection of typical boating items. This might be helpful if you come across something which wasn't on your list, but which you later realise you need or want.
If you do buy something, you'll need to transport it back to the car. Beaulieu does have a drop-off service which takes large purchases back to the car parks. However, a trolley means you can carry on browsing and dragging those purchases behind you, rather than going back and forth to pick things up and drop them back.
Luckily we had a buggy, but a trolley would still have been useful after we decided to bag a bargain 30kg anchor.
Take time to dig around at stalls to find what you are looking for. If you spot what you wanted but think it looks to shiny to be a bargain price, be curious and check the price, you might be surprised. If not, haggle.
Ask what that odd thing is, you might be surprised and find out its something you can't live without. Just don't forget about tip 8!
One persons trash is another's treasure!
Don't forget tip 5, if you have a £5 note and they want £6, see if they'll take a £5. But do take change. You don't want to end up paying £10 for something because the seller doesn't have change when you could have got for £9 if you had had the change.
There is of course the risk it might not be there when you go back. But, unless its rare and a real steal, you probably haven't missed out too much and you would have been kicking yourself more if you had found the same thing at an absolute bargain price elsewhere.
We'll definitely be back next year!
Looking back on the difference between our experience today and previous experiences, a favourite phrase of an old colleague comes to mind - the 6Ps - Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance...
So, what did we do differently this time and what tips do we have for fellow boat jumbling bargain hunters?
What is the Beaulieu Boat Jumble?
Each year at the end of April, the UKs largest boat jumble is held in the grounds of the Beaulieu Estate in the New Forest, Hampshire, UK. Entry is charged at the applicable entrance fee for the Beaulieu Motor Museum (as that's the venue) the ticket price gains you entry to the boat jumble and the motor museum. Suffice to say, the museum didn't get a look in.A boat jumble is like a car boot sale, there's a mixture of professional stalls selling their wares and private individuals having a clear out, but you'll only find boating stuff.
There are literally hundreds of stalls across two large fields.
Sounds like a nightmare? Traipsing round fields, fighting off other boating enthusiasts to get to the real bargains. That's what I thought too. However, compared to other jumbles, I found this one quite sedate. Busy, but with enough space not to feel like you have to start crawling through others legs to get a look in.
Tips for Boat Jumbles:
1. Know what you are looking for
When surrounded by hundreds of boating stalls and driven by an urge to bag a bargain, you can easily forgot what you needed, why you needed it and what size, shape or other vitally important variable that thingy majig needed to be.
To avoid coming home with nothing or worse lots of useless things. Make a list. The first section of the list should be all the things you NEED for your boat, the second, all the things you WANT for your boat (within reason). Make sure your list includes details such as size and type of the item.
2. Know whether what you see is a bargain
You've seen the thing you want, and you go in to look at the price. Then you realise that you have no idea what the thing retails at. Dilemma - is it a bargain or is it fools gold? The New Forest isn't known for its facilitating network coverage and some other bargain hunter has just starting eyeing up that thing too. Is there any haggle room or is this a steal you can't afford to miss?We had this same problem today. We saw what we needed but we had no idea what the item retailed at. We gave it a miss, and it was possibly a bargain. The type of items you might see at a boat jumble, can range from a few pounds to hundreds, even thousands. So, it can be a decision to buy something for tens which might retail at hundreds, or even at hundreds which might retail at thousands.
The solution is to put typical retail prices against the items on your list from tip 1 above. If there are different features/functionality for a product which change the retail price, make a note.
We bumped into some friends at the jumble and they also had a good recommendation - take a Force 4 catalogue with you. Force 4 tends to be fair/mid market price and have a good selection of typical boating items. This might be helpful if you come across something which wasn't on your list, but which you later realise you need or want.
3. Get there early and take a trolley
Unless you want to trek miles back to your car at the end of a long day, getting there early means you'll get a parking pot nearer the entrance. It also means you can take your time in looking around, make time for a couple of coffee breaks and a bit of lunch. The whole experience will be better if you are not rushing around or are too late to bag any real bargains.If you do buy something, you'll need to transport it back to the car. Beaulieu does have a drop-off service which takes large purchases back to the car parks. However, a trolley means you can carry on browsing and dragging those purchases behind you, rather than going back and forth to pick things up and drop them back.
Luckily we had a buggy, but a trolley would still have been useful after we decided to bag a bargain 30kg anchor.
4. Take your time and look carefully, follow up your curiosity
We took the kids, and whilst it was nice to have them out and about with us for the day. It did mean that we couldn't always take as much time to look at stalls and we probably missed a few things we were looking out for as a consequence.Take time to dig around at stalls to find what you are looking for. If you spot what you wanted but think it looks to shiny to be a bargain price, be curious and check the price, you might be surprised. If not, haggle.
Ask what that odd thing is, you might be surprised and find out its something you can't live without. Just don't forget about tip 8!
5. Haggle
Stalls expect a bit of haggling, the worse they can say is 'no' if you make an offer below the asking price. Haggling saved us between 10%-50% on the already bargain marked prices on some items!6. Spend more time at the private individual stalls
The professional sellers are there to make profit, not for the joy of spending their weekend sat in a field. You are more likely to find a bargain at a stall where the individual just wants to get rid of the items they are selling.One persons trash is another's treasure!
7. Take cash and take change
You don't want to have found that thing, but not have the ready cash to exchange for it. At Beaulieu boat jumble they do have a cash point, but that won't be the case at smaller jumbles. Only the some of the professional stalls will take cards.Don't forget tip 5, if you have a £5 note and they want £6, see if they'll take a £5. But do take change. You don't want to end up paying £10 for something because the seller doesn't have change when you could have got for £9 if you had had the change.
8. Know your budget
It's easy to get carried away with the bargains, so know your budget. If you find too many items or a more costly item, think about whether the things are on your NEED or WANT list. If you've only got £500 to spend and you NEED a freezer and a sail, don't make the mistake of buying the davits you might WANT when you find them for £500 at the start.9. Take your own lunch
The food is generally low in choice and high in price. When it gets to lunchtime the queues will grow and the tables will fill. You'll be more relaxed sat on a quiet, grassy area with a picnic. Save your queuing quota for getting a hot tea/coffee when you need a break. Your stomach, mind and wallet will thank you.10. Don't always buy the first thing you see
You may reach the first stall, find the thing you need, and it may be at a semi-bargain price. It's hard, but don't necessarily buy it. If the thing you need is common (such as cleats) you are bound to see plenty at a semi-bargain price. Unless its an amazing bargain, don't buy it. Have a look round, and if it really did turn out to be the best semi-bargain price you can find that day then you can always go back and buy it if they still have it.There is of course the risk it might not be there when you go back. But, unless its rare and a real steal, you probably haven't missed out too much and you would have been kicking yourself more if you had found the same thing at an absolute bargain price elsewhere.
So, what was our haul?
At today's boat jumble we picked up:- 2 heavy duty cleats and 2 heavy duty bollards - for £25 - retail price of >£165
- 4 light fittings - for £15 (a haggle down from £20) - retail price of >£20 each
- 2 large socket sets plus several extension bars and bits - for £30 (haggled off £5) - retail price >£120
- 2 pairs of water shoes - for £14 - retail price of >£30
- a 30kg danforth anchor - for £5 - retail price of >£50 as home-made
- brand new 165A, 12v marine alternator - for £10 - retail price of >£150
- 1 holographic beauty and the beast book for my daughter - for 50p
- 2 pork rolls, 2 portions of chips and 2 bottles of pop and some sweets - for £28!! :-(