Fascinating insights for the future delivered at MAA's 2022 Press Lunch

Tom Cunliffe speaks during the MAA 2022 Press Lunch © MAA

Over 100 guests enjoyed a spectacular networking lunch (Friday 6th May 2022), courtesy of marine advertising, marketing and PR specialist agency MAA. Journalists, and an exciting mix of business professionals from the marine sector, were entertained by sailing raconteur Tom Cunliffe and heard from event sponsoring companies, including Navico, Inland and Coastal Marina Systems, RS Electric Boats and Pick A Pier.

Interviewed by Cunliffe, each sponsoring company provided a fascinating insight.

"We think we can cater for 90% of RIB usage out there at the moment," says Jon Partridge, RS Electric Boats (showcasing the Pulse 63 in Ocean Village Marina). "We researched operational cycles and the vast majority of RIB owners don't go as far, or as fast, as previously thought." He predicts that there will be a different focus for RIBs in the future, based on enjoying the trip, with electric RIBs providing the opportunity for a slightly slower, more stable, more relaxing journey. "That's the way the market will go," he says.

Idan Cohen introduced Pick A Pier and spoke of his platform's quest to "take existing marinas and help them to do more without building more infrastructure." Pick A Pier enables, says Cohen, marinas to allocate the right berth for the right price at the right time and helps single marinas, and those in networks, gain more visibility.

"The success of all our businesses is happy boaters," says Jon Challis. Inland and Coastal build concrete pontoons for, as Challis says: 'the tough bits around the edges' of marinas. Further to this he says, "while berths are almost at capacity, Inland and Coastal units provide the opportunity to move into uncharted waters around locations. The engineering is there to put a marina where there wasn't one before."

Dulcie Allen, Navico, pointed out that as B&G's first year as race electronics partner for the Round The Island Race, the company is committed to engaging just as much with beginners as with those at the higher end of the sport. As such, B&G will be providing blogs and webinars to offer as much support as it can in the run up to the race.

"We couldn't do the work we do without the amazing pool of specialist marine journalists who support this industry," says Mike Shepherd, director of MAA (which has been running the press lunch for nine years). "That's why we have the press lunch, to thank the journalists for their continued support, knowledge and enthusiasm which enables businesses to connect with consumers (and other businesses). Plus, it's an excellent opportunity for our sponsors to liaise directly with the media, and to highlight their latest news."

This year's event was sponsored by Navico (showcasing Simrad NSX - the latest evolution in chartplotters and fishfinders for powerboaters), Inland and Coastal Marina Systems (highlighting its innovative wave attenuators), RS Electric Boats (offering a Pulse 63 electric RIB experience), and Pick A Pier (explaining its optimisation of marina berths through shared-economy principles).

This is the first time that MAA's invite-only press lunch has been held at the Harbour Hotel with the stunning vista of the South Coast Boat Show, showcasing over 70 vessels in MDL's Ocean Village Marina, as its background.

The annual lunch has earned its position as a staple of the marine calendar, given its convivial nature and the calibre of attendees catching up with old contacts and making new ones.

MAA, now in its 13th year, is a specialist advertising, PR and marketing agency for the marine industry. And, as one of its clients recently commented, it's the 'only agency that gets propellers and pixels'. Currently, MAA looks after Navico, Yamaha UK and MDL Marinas among many other exciting marine companies working across the UK.