In the mid/late 80’s, I was managing the Annapolis store for Backyard Boats. As a poor boy from south Texas, the winters were brutal for me. For 5 days every winter, I traded my heavy down jacket, insulated long pants, and rubber boots for shorts, a hawaiian shirt, and sandals to I attend the Miami Boat Show. These days I’m working the South Florida shows and I’ve traded my sandals and ragged boat shorts for dress slacks and boat shoes, but I’ll never give up my hawaiian shirts (I just have a Denison Logo embroidered on them)! We just finished up the Miami boat Show and the Palm Beach Boat Show will be held March 19-23, 2025. This article will help you improve your Boat Show experience.
Whether you are traveling from across the map or driving across town, you want to make the most of your time when you attend a boat show. Here are 5 things you can do to enhance your boat show experience.
1. Make a Plan
The Palm Beach show is so large that you cannot possibly visit every booth and boat in the show. You need to prioritize! Make a list of the boats and product booths that you want to visit. Download the Vendor List and Site Map and make a list of who you want to see and where they’re located (tent/booth number for products and dock/slip # for boats). I like to make a list and use colored markers to prioritize the list, then find the vendors/boats on the map to help you organize your stops so that you don’t waste time walking back and forth across the entirety of the show.
2. Allow Plenty of Time
It takes more time than you would think to “Do” a boat show. If you only have one day, you’ll have to prioritize carefully (See Make a Plan above), create a show route, and limit the time you spend with each boat or vendor. In my experience, it can take 1-3 hours per boat, if you’re seriously considering a purchase now or in the near term. Some boats will be crowded and you may have to wait to get aboard and then wait once your aboard to see the things that are important to you. Also, these are big shows and the boats or exhibits that you want to see may be on the other side of the show.
The best way to attend a show is to plan to attend more than 1 day. Use the first day for a quick pass through, briefly stopping at some of the high priority boats/products, then on the second day, plan to spend quality time with the boats you are most interested in.
3. Plan Extra Time to See Boats NOT in the Show
If you are looking at used boats, your Broker can help you find possible contenders that will not be part of the boat show. Between Miami and West Palm Beach, there are probably more great quality boats for sale than any other similarly sized area in the country. If you are traveling in from a different part of the country, it makes sense to work with your Broker to find other boats nearby that meet your criteria and one of those boats might just be your DREAM BOAT! This is where good communication and proper planning come in to play. Your Broker will need to allocate time away from the show to take you to see an off site boat.
4. Dress Appropriately
Dressing to impress is not only not necessary, but may make it difficult to get up close and personal with the boats you are interested in. Most importantly, wear comfortable walking shoes that are easy to take off and put on. When you go aboard a boat, you will always have to remove your shoes. Beyond shoes, though, remember that you’re going to be walking the docks in Sunny/Hot South Florida. Shorts and T-shirts or golf shirts are perfect, but watch the weather forecast because it is winter afterall and occasionally we’ll see frigid temps in the 50’s and 60’s. Brrrr!
5. Let your Broker Help
Your Broker can scout out the boat show on your behalf before the opening day to find the boats that best meet your criteria. They can also help usher you through the show and get you aboard the boats you want to see promptly. Finally, should you wish to make an offer on a boat at the show, they can assist you in making an offer that maximizes your savings and increases your odds of quick acceptance from the seller. Even if you don’t plan to buy at the show, allowing your broker to help you navigate through the show will enhance your experience and allow him or her to better understand your requirements for when you are ready to buy. It’s a win/win proposition for you both! If you aren’t working with a broker currently, give me a call.
Following these 5 Boat Show rules will allow you to maximize your time and insure that you are able to spend quality time aboard the boats you are interested in. For more tips on finding and buying the right boat for you and your family, call me! 210.865.8622