Take the plunge at the new Dive Center in Hall 3
The new Dive Center at boot has the look of a Caribbean diving base. A short holiday under palms is guaranteed here. In addition to the professional divers, who will be there to obtain information about the latest trends in their sport from the leading suppliers of diving accessories and equipment, newcomers to recreational diving in particular are invited to get initial tips here. Experts will be demonstrating how to fill oxygen bottles, put diving masks on and complete all the preparations for a dive. Once they have collected all this good information, diving beginners can then move on into the pool to dive for the first time using the equipment they can borrow at boot free of charge.
Presentation and demonstration: Anna von Boetticher is a freediver from Munich in Germany who has recorded spectacular times under water: she is the German freediving record-holder. On 21. August 2009, she set the current German static (STA) record in Arhus, where she held her breath for 6:12 minutes. At the present time, Anna von Boetticher holds the German record in six of the eight pool and ocean freediving disciplines. So far, she has set a total of 27 German records. Von Boetticher is acting as presenter on the Dive Center stage.
Mermaid Ralari will also be taking to the water in the diving pool to demonstrate her graceful movements under water. Her tail consists entirely of silicone in the colours blue and gold and has an embossed scale pattern. This guarantees a realistic appearance both in and out of the water. A monofin is integrated in the foot, so that elegant and fast swimming is possible.
Dive Center: Sabine Wechselberger
Products:
Garmin diving computer Descent Mk1: more than a “diving watch”
The rugged housing of the “watch”, which is certified for diving, incorporates a GPS sensor, profiles for five different kinds of diving and an integrated diving calendar. The user interface is particularly easy to operate underwater, has a brightness control which adjusts according to the diving depth, calculates the remaining diving time and measures the wearer’s heart frequency via his or her wrist. The wrist-worn diving computer from Garmin is available for a starting price of € 999.99.
Contact: Julian Klute
Aqua Lung:
Iceland Comfort neoprene suit
The Iceland Comfort, Aqua Lung‘s most advanced semi-dry diving suit, combines an excellent fit with flexibility and environmentally sound design. The new TIZIP zip made of plastic guarantees comfort and natural freedom of movement and the snug seals reduce water penetration at the neck, wrists and ankles. The inner material is soft, while the outer material is abrasion-resistant and the 7-mm-thick AquaFlex neoprene material sets new standards for heat insulation. The Iceland Comfort is made from several layers of neoprene; the sleeves and legs are shaped anatomically and are provided with improved Powertex knee protection, so that the diver can enjoy an exceptionally good fit and outstanding freedom of movement. The separate hood has a face seal that reduces water ingress.
Recommended retail price of the 7 mm suit: EUR 449.00
Recommended retail price of the hood: EUR 39.95
New fin for dry divers
The latest fin model for dry divers is produced from material of a higher density than the standard version. This makes the fin stiffer and somewhat heavier, so that it is ideal for dry divers.
Recommended retail price: EUR 119.00
Contact: Stephanie Kursawe
Activities for ocean enthusiasts on the love your ocean stand in Hall 4
The centre of attention on the love your ocean stand is a 20-metre-long sperm whale model with headphones as a symbol for the “Sounds of the Sea” presentation. This is where visitors can listen to sounds that were recorded during a Caribbean exhibition and that make something clear that many people do not know: fish communicate with each other too. The International Year of the Reef (IYOR) is the main issue covered on the love your ocean stand in 2018. In a large aquarium, visitors to the trade fair can go diving with one of the first remote-controlled underwater drones. The visitors steer through a dead reef without getting their feet wet – while the pictures are transmitted live on monitors and symbolise the sad scene that ocean research scientists also see on the coral riffs around the world on increasingly frequent occasions.
Children in particular will be enthusiastic about the workshop held by the Sea Shepherd organisation. Using concentrated soap flakes that do not pollute water, they can mould little marine creatures here and take them home afterwards. The Bracenet project makes bracelets out of “ghost nets“ and uses the proceeds of the sale of them to fund ocean protection initiatives. Visitors are shown on monitors how and where these old fishing nets are found in the sea.
In the Research Cockpit, visitors can look over the shoulder of experienced scientists as they work. Bayreuth University, for example, is examining microplastic particles under a microscope. In the “Innovation” section, the Münster University of Applied Sciences is presenting its Smart Mirror, an art installation that has won many awards and shows everyone who looks into it the consequences of his or her everyday actions. Companies are presenting sustainable product developments in the “Green Products” section, for example innovative boatbuilding materials made from flax fibres, cork or resins from renewable oil plants.
Contact: Frank Schweikert
The Princess Diaries – a visit to the Princess 35 M
Visitors to the Princess 35 M feel like royalty. (Practically) nothing is left to be desired here where the furnishing and equipment are concerned. Five cabins are fitted with a luxurious bathroom of their own. There is even a separate two-room suite for families. Relaxation zones on the forecastle and stern. A spa pool underneath an awning and a balcony in front of the lounge area for the sundowner – one could almost be in “The Princess Diaries”. The regal 35 M is the flagship of the Princess shipyard from Plymouth in England and is an excellent example of traditional British boatbuilding skills.
Princess, Hall 6/Stand B21, contact: Bill Barrow
Action-packed sport on THE WAVE and the flatwater pool in Hall 8a
There is no end of opportunities to enjoy trend sports at boot 2018. Fast-moving surfing on a standing WAVE is a real challenge even for international surfing professionals. Which explains why such successful surfers as Airton Cozzolino, Zane Schweitzer, Bernd Rosiger or Fiona Wylde are coming over to boot from their Hawaiian hotspots in the grey Central European month of January, in order to experience authentic surfing adventures here and to demonstrate their skills in international contests. Quite apart from these professional surfers, there are any number of amateur surfers who simply want to try surfing the WAVE.
The new pool now has even more space – 1,400 square metres – to try out the latest wakeboards and SUPs. The tow-in windsurfing show will be celebrating its absolute premiere at boot 2018. The higher and up to 43 km/h fast cable system and the extended pool (now 65 metres long) will enable freestyle windsurfers to demonstrate spectacular tricks in the first indoor tow-in show in the world.
A foiling experiment is being carried out for the first time in an indoor pool at a water sports trade fair. Thanks to their hydrofoils, SUP athletes can race across the water. It looks exciting and demands excellent technique.
Contact: Andrea Höppner
Idyllic houseboat setting in urban surroundings
The River Dream boats offer holiday flair on a houseboat before the impressive skyline of “Mainhattan”. With 4 berths, 21 m² of living space and 33 m² of relaxation areas outside on the terraces and roof balconies, they are a quiet place to retreat to in the Frankfurt Westhafen Marina. Staying on a houseboat here is both relaxing and exciting at the same time, with the lights of the city ahead and the gurgling water of the Main below. The River Dream boats have functional and modern equipment and are based on a catamaran float structure, while a third float has two fresh water and waste water tanks with a capacity of 400 litres each. A 15-horsepower Mercury outboard motor makes it possible to drive the houseboat without an official boating licence. It costs € 98,000 to buy the boat, but the River Dream boats can be rented for € 280 per night in the best possible Frankfurt location.
Houseboat providers, Hall 13, River Dream
Rare classic boat from East Germany
The motor boat in the Classic Forum in Hall 14 was built in 1982 and comes from Radebeul near Dresden. The small Oswald shipyard designed the prototype back then and it turned out to be the only one ever produced. Since typical boat equipment was not available, the shipbuilders from East Germany resorted to materials used in automotive manufacturing. The “dashboard” with the speedometer, for example, was taken from a Wartburg that was produced in Eisenach. This interesting piece of inner-German history is looking for a new owner when it is auctioned in the Classic Forum at boot 2018.
World premiere at boot 2018:
The sailing yacht C65 is the Bavaria anniversary highlight
The Bavaria C65 creates opportunities for new adventures and unforgettable experiences: the 19.50-metre-long, sporty flagship from the shipyard is one of the sailing highlights at boot. On the occasion of the company’s 40th birthday, the boatbuilders from Giebelstadt in Franconia / Germany have come up with the biggest sailing yacht that they have ever developed and its world premiere is at boot 2018. It offers three double cabins, each of which has its own bathroom, a spacious pantry with a gas grill and thus sufficient space for the owner and guests. Bavaria CEO Lutz Henkel will be on board the C65 during the press tour on the day before boot 2018 starts, when he will be pointing out the features of his top-of-the-line model to the media.
The company from Franconia can look back on a long tradition, however, and does not forget its boatbuilding roots either: with the 707 from 1988, it is displaying its first sailing yacht as well. So the circle will be completed as Bavaria Yachts celebrates its 40th birthday.
Bavaria, Hall 17, Thorben Will
