Boot Düsseldorf 2014 - focus on family fun

by Media Services on 14 Jan 2014 The world’s biggest show for maritime sports and lifestyle will be held in 17 exhibition halls, 18 to 26 January in Dusseldorf, Germany.

This year’s theme is: 'Experience 360° watersports', focusing on getting families on the water for everything from serene to extreme sports.

Organisers say 'the world’s biggest show for maritime sports and lifestyle has far more to offer than boats, yachts and equipment. It covers virtually any sport that can be practised on, under and near the water'.

Exciting days for families
It’s also a great event that will appeal above all to young people and families, giving them some exciting days with lots of fun and plenty of water sports activities in all the halls. Wakeboarding, fishing, taster courses in diving, a ride in a canoe – there are no limits! Visitors can look forward to 18 thematic and adventure worlds, including a Beach World, a Sailing Centre and five action centres with indoor pools and small and wide artificial rivers where water sports can be experienced and practised in life-like settings.

One brand-new feature at boot 2014 from 18 to 26 January will be the boot Sailing School in Hall 14, where learners can have great fun under expert instructors. Youngsters and adults alike can enjoy a large action pool and try out various types of Optimist boats and centreboarders to see what sailing is like. The necessary breeze is provided by wind machines.

The Beach World in Hall 1 is an exciting place for everyone who is young and sporty. This is where all the trendy new activities can be practised: kiting, surfing, wakeboarding and indeed everything that’s fun on the beach and on the water. In this summery atmosphere the drabness of winter is quickly forgotten, particularly when the wakeboard system springs into action on the 1,000 square metres of water.

This is the place where material can be tested or tried out for the forthcoming season. The programme also includes beginners’ courses and stand-up paddling competitions. Anyone wanting to try out some of the other trendy sports can have a go on the skimboarding course or get onto the frontloop simulator and practise some sophisticated head-over-heels windsurfing acts. There is also a kite simulator where lofty heights can be reached, stopping short only just below the ceiling.

The Diving Centre in Hall 3 allows visitors – quite literally – to 'go off at the deep end'. It has a diving pool where everyone is welcome to have a go. Do you just want to keep your head under water or do you want to go right down? Everyone can choose an activity to suit their level of confidence.

The Powerboat World in Hall 5 is all about fast boats and requires nerves of steel. This special show with its superfast yachts and yachtmasters is given by the German Motor Yacht Association. It will cover the full range of boats on the German boat racing scene, from inland waterway vessels to offshore boats.

Fishing enthusiasts will find everything they need and want at the Sport Fishing Centre in Hall 12. For nine days the focus will be on fishing rods, reels, general equipment and the most popular fishing grounds in the world. Ponds, streams and aquariums will be available to test fishing rods and baits.

In the World of Paddling, the biggest show of kayaks and Canadian boats, Hall 13 will be transformed into an adventure world with an exciting touch of the unknown and the great outdoors. Set between steep, towering cliffs, a 90-metre river (3 metres wide and 40 centimetres deep) winds its way towards two big lakes – a great place for canoeing. The test run is open all day and suitable for experts and beginners alike.

Boats are provided by the World of Paddling exhibitors. If anyone feels like even more outdoor sporting activities, they won’t have far to go. A high ropes course with nerve-wracking planks and rope ladders – well secured, of course – is provided for a walk under the roof. And the cliffs in the World of Paddling are not just decorations. They are intended to be conquered by mountaineers. However, there’s nothing to worry about, as soft mats are provided for anyone who falls off!

The Maritime Classroom in Hall 14 is a zone where school-age children can learn all about the sea as a habitat, taught by staff from the Düsseldorf Aqua Zoo. It’s a hands-on place where kids are welcome to touch things. The Maritime Classroom will be set up to provide an entertaining environment for learning about life in the sea. Children can look at tiny creatures under microscopes, determine animals, get an idea of crabs and shark’s teeth in a touchy-feely box, do some painting and dig for shells in a sandpit.

One feature that will appeal to the youngest among visitors is the World of Pirates in Hall 13. The pirates who have conquered this vast play park at boot 2014 may look a bit scary, but they’re actually good fun and good company. It’s a wonderful place for nine-pin bowling with skulls, for art and craft activities, for treasure hunts and for winning nice little prizes. Set against a fairly authentic backdrop, kids will have a superb opportunity to while away the hours.

More at www.boat-duesseldorf.com