2008 Flibs - Live Coverage

2008 FLIBS - LIVE COVERAGE​

Begins Thursday, October 30th​

Chris Caswell, one of the most seasoned writers in the yachting industry and a long time member of YachtForums is covering daily news and debuts for Show Management and YachtForums.

In addition, Tom Serio will be covering the show with his camera, uploading a few shots as his schedule allows. Tom is an active member of YachtForums, as well as a writer for Sea Magazine and The Triton.

And last, YF's Carl Camper and Chuck Gnaegy will roamin' the docks and boardin' boats for a slew of new reviews.

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Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 - Pre-Show News

by Chris Caswell​

Queen Of Queens...

This year, the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show doesn’t have just one “show queen”, but four, yes, count ‘em, four queens. A good hand in any game! Leading off as the largest new yacht in the show is Blue Moon, a 198’ Feadship that is the third yacht...in a row…for the owners from this famed Dutch builder.

Blue Moon is so large that she can’t fit on the Face Dock at Bahia Mar, so she can be seen at the Ft. Lauderdale Grande. She’s unique for having a steel hull with an aluminum superstructure, all with a mirror finish! There is a skylit four-deck elevator that connects the interior designed by Don Starkey, so guests can ride comfortably from the five staterooms on the lower deck all the way to the upper deck observation lounge.

Not only is the yacht herself a sight to behold, but take a look at her tenders, too. On one side of the bridgedeck is stored a perfectly restored 29’ Riva Aquarama, a wooden classic that was the choice of kings and celebrities from Brigitte Bardot to Sean Connery to Prince Rainier. On the other side is a new Chris-Craft tender that reflects the heritage of this legendary company. (FTL Grande #4)

Stidd Systems...

Whether you’re a megayacht captain, a pleasure craft owner, or a Navy SEAL, there’s a Stidd seat custom designed for you. These ergonomic and rugged seats are the choice of many of the megayachts on the Face Dock, and you’ll find them on many of the smaller powerboats throughout the show as well. Available in a variety of sizes and styles, including multi-function electric adjustments and even joystick controls on the armrests, Stidd seats are the highest rated for customer satisfaction.

What about SEALS? These elite combat teams rely on Stidd seats for shock absorbing seats in their high-speed craft, but they get them free when they enlist! (Y&B Tent, 642)

DEBUT: New ‘Dancers From Sea Ray...

Highlighting the Marine Max display in the water is the brand-new Sea Ray 43’ Sundancer: not only an entirely new boat but one powered with the new Cummins MerCruiser Zeus pod drives. With 425hp diesels and fingertip controls, this is the future of boating.

Also debuting at the Marine Max area is the series of Sport Cruisers from 29’ to 35’ with the new Axius drive system, which provides superb maneuverability with joystick-controlled individually articulating MerCruiser sterndrives. You’ll also find Axius as standard equipment on the 38’ Sundancer.

Smaller boats appeal? How about three new family-sized Sundancers: 230, 250 and 270. There’s a lot new to see at Sea Ray. (Bahia Mar G/H Docks)

Trawler Heaven...

Most of the trawler yachts in the show are grouped in the South Side marina of Bahia Mar, and here you’ll find a number of yachts being seen for the first time ever.

The world debut for the Grand Banks Heritage 41EU is on B-Dock, where you’ll see a classic trawler yacht outfitted with state-of-the-art Zeus pod drives for a blend of old and new.

Also on B-Dock, Selene is introducing a new 62-footer that has a 3000nm range at 10 yachts and a variety of interior arrangements to suit every need from long-range cruiser to liveaboard.

And on H-Dock, the Hampton 650 Endurance is also being seen for the first time, with three or four staterooms and crew cabin.

Green Machine...

One of the most unusual boats on display at FLIBS (well, they’re all unusual in their own ways, right?) is the Island Pilot Dse Hybrid 12m. That’s a mouthful for a completely green machine. This is catamaran that uses three technologies to provide speeds up to six knots without using a drop of fuel! And, no, she’s not a sailboat!

The Island Pilot draws energy from the sun through huge solar panels, which are stored in batteries for use anytime. The Steyr monoblock engine also runs happily on alternative fuels such as bio-diesel for use when the batteries are down or the sun isn’t shining. Top cruising speed is 13 knots, and she can sit at anchor for months without needing external power or running the engines! (Bahia Mar, B-Dock 230-232)

Flying High...

You wouldn’t expect to see an airplane at a boatshow but, hey…..it’s a seaplane! The new Dornier Seastar seaplane continues a proud legacy of Dornier seaplanes with a luxuriously comfortable air yacht that carries two crew and up to six passengers in an executive configuration like business jets. An all-composite aircraft that eliminates corrosion in a salt environment, it has a cruising speed of 180 knots. Let’s see, you’ve been thinking about getting a new tender…… (Swimming Hall of Fame, ??)

DEBUT:

Hargrave Yachts will have no less than eight yachts on display, highlighted by Sandrine, a 120’ tri-deck with an exotic African motif interior (zebra skins, masks and more!), a 65” (that’s 5’5”!!) and an upper-deck skylounge that converts to a movie theater. (Face Dock 4)

Itty Bitty Sat TV...

While television screens may be getting ever larger, the domes required to pick up the TV signals are in a battle for miniaturization. The current leader is Intellian, which is a sponsor of FLIBS, has created the smallest sat-TV package and one that also features incredibly fast switching between satellites so you’ll never worry about a dropped signal just as the pass is dropping into the receiver’s hands! Now you can enjoy a day on the water and not miss a moment of the big game. (Booth 417)

Express Cruisin’...

There are new boats galore in the family cruiser world, and the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show has them all! Among the debuts are the Soluna 46, a refreshingly retro-styled Down East cruiser that you’ll find on B-Dock. Cranchi of Italy is debuting their Zaffiro 36 (in case your Italian is rusty, zaffiro means sapphire), a jewel of a sport yacht with spacious master and VIP staterooms (F/G Docks). And Cobalt, long a leader in sport boats, has the world debut of the Cobalt 37, a stylish hardtop express cruiser with a full-beam after cabin and private master suite (G-Dock).

Cats Meow...

If you think two hulls are better than one (or just haven’t decided yet), don’t miss the Las Olas Marina (get there by walking, bus or water shuttle) where you’ll find a “catamarans only” section for both sail and power cats. One to check out is the Africat 42, the only power cat that features twin Volvo IPS pod drives and joystick controls.

By Chris Caswell.

Wednesday, October 29th - Pre-Show News​

New Model: Lazzara "LSD" ​

Word is... Lazzara has brought an entirely new model to the show this year. No, we’re not talking about the debut of the new LSX-92, but a massive new model that towers over anything the company has built before. It’s 90 feet in length and nearly 30 feet tall. And this baby’s got beam… over 40 feet! If you’re thinking catamaran, you’re not far off, because this city-at-sea is super stable.

Standard equipment includes 2 generators, a state of the art waste-treatment system, one bedroom, a couple of bathrooms and a large lounge with a bar. Onboard entertainment is enhanced by a 7 x 7 video screen with multiple interactive, touch-screen video displays to keep the kids occupied.

Lazzara’s new model is code named the “LSD”, an appropriate acronym because the designers we’re obviously hallucinating when they dreamed up this floating football stadium. The LSD… (or Lazzara Show Display)… is the mothership of the Lazzara fleet, dwarfing the docks and giving notice that Lazzara not only builds boats... but buildings too!

by Carl Camper