Opinions on the 2014 Miami Boat Show; Collins Avenue Display...

We did not go and from reports of those who did were glad we didn't. Fighting traffic The time spent getting in and out and from location to location is just too high compared to the time remaining to actually see the show.

Now, we must put a caveat on our opinion as we aren't huge fans of attending these shows anyway. The last time we tried a show we felt like we really had a hard time trying to just look and observe vs. people trying to sell to us.

I did hear that the water traffic was light and made us regret not at least going down by water and observing.

After talking to someone who spent hours in traffic trying to get there the day before opening day I decided not to try it.

Getting into the Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Show location by car is a piece of cake and the payoff is huge.

All you get to see at the Collins Ave display are a relatively small number of yachts many of which have already been seen at Fort Lauderdale so the enticement for me is just not there.

On the other hand I would imagine that if you are seriously in the market for a boat that is in the show on Collins Ave it would be a very worthwhile endeavor and that your broker would have any transportation worries taken care of.

And in the end what do you expect for free?

I went on Sunday. Did not spend hours in traffic. Parked at Lincoln Road and took a cab to the show then back to Lincoln for food and shopping.

The show did seem light on attendance to me. Which seemed strange based on how busy the yards and subcontractors seem to be that I'm in contact with.

I also spoke with a long time well known broker after the show and he said it was slow.

So perhaps ease of access is an issue for some.

Pascal's idea is interesting. Have they rehabbed the stadium yet?

I went there for 3 days, Fri-Sun and had no problem finding parking spots in the garage at Royal Palm Ave off 41st Street. Friday was probably the busiest day for me and worst traffic getting into the show but I had no problem driving in and out from FLL on all 3 days.

The show was lighter on traffic than FLIBS for sure and I actually enjoyed it for that reason alone.

A caveat or a few: I have been know to make controversial posts that result in hostilities commencing between Form members and even countries. I also have not attended a boat show since 1983 (31 years), although I can walk to couple of the most famous of them easily (maybe catch the train depending on the venue). I do not live in Miami. I depend on information on boat shows from YF, the press in general and word of mouth.

Now the HAPPENED... where is all the yacht show porno pictures... and skinny.

Did we miss something or are we to be disappointed... vicarious show voyeurs

Sorry, I used James Joyce's definition for porno... 'anything that creates desire without fulfillment.' I could have used the petite femme's definition... anything that causes her to sharply put her heel down on my foot... and result in me visiting the confessional for rehabilitation.

I have been going on the YF quite often over the last few days for the usual posts on the Miami boat show... hardly anything at all and I had to dig so had to content myself with looking at last years show coverage.

The only information is the traffic was or is or always will be bad. The Miami Herald had a couple stories about some Army Corps of Engineers clogging an important channel up and some fears about a few marine walrus like mammals. Northlander didn't go that way because the Capt. didn't want to scrap up the bottom after just getting it painted... Arianna risked it and just squeezed through without buggering anything. Thats it pretty much.

I went on Monday, and parked at the Fontaineblau for $27, although they advertised it at $60. That is less than combined parking and ticket at Annapolis, for a smaller show. I was very impressed with the Camper and Nicholson 42, and even got a committed Hinckley owner to concede that she may be the best looking new boat in that size range.
Best,
Maldwin

I agree with you about the future of boat/yacht shows being on the Internet. I don't know if the big yacht shows are anything like the Dallas boat show, but I was hounded by salesmen the whole time I was there a few years back. Let one person know I was looking to buy a ski boat, and everyone had to pester me. Malibu and moomba trying to sell me more boat than I wanted, 4 winns and chapperel trying to tell me I didn't need an inboard, their sterndrive was fine for wakesurfing. Bayliner telling me they make the best boats in the world... The bayliner guy followed me around the whole show, I ended up putting him in a trash can by the Mastercraft guys. He got out and followed me some more. Now, I would rather look at stuff online, narrow down my choices, then go see the boats that interest me. The show atmosphere was just to "high pressure sales tactics" oriented. I even dressed trashy hoping they would think I was poor and leave me alone. Didnt help.

First sorry for the grammatical error... "Now the happened" should have been "Now its happened"

YF thanks for your post. It is very true. And, much as I have been thinking for a long time. I too really think the review are hugely much better showcases than the show. No you would not lose me because of this. I was wondering what was going on and you very well explained it.

The only thing a show does is give you the personal experience of being there. That is very important and why people go to the shows... to actually touch and feel. But that has huge negatives.

I don't go to the shows as they are just huge hassles. Oh, it is exciting to go but the negatives out weigh the positives in my opinion. In general its the brokers and the pressures and cultural aspects of trying to sell something. Yes, it is nice to go on board but you have to put up with a lot... a whole lot. For professionals in the industry this is great, for the public wanting to be entertained or see a little of how the other 1% live its great.

But don't for a minute think the 1% all broke the bank at Monte Carlo... to afford it... they work very very hard, intensely and long hours so you are seeing the 1%'s lives but only about 2% of their lives when you see the yachts. Its like on here, the forum its important to people's the enthusiastic interest in the dream but not usually practical realization of the dreams. That realization is hugely costly to get there and hugely costly to maintain. And, the forum provides a place for people to share experience and love of boats.

And going to the shows, you got to put up with a lot of idiots... as I posted this before its a little reminder of what you run into and over by at the shows:
"Mr. Prince Germany" is actually a butcher turned whoremonger running brothels and "Dance Clubs." The fancy title is purchased from Ga Ga Gabor's husband who purchased his title from someone else who has not relation to anything that matters or did matter or ceased to matter over 100 years ago.

These videos typify to me yacht shows in general:
Fendi Princess... how are doing remarkably well despite the negative publicity
The Fendi Princess Yacht ft Prince Albert II at the Monaco Yacht Show 2011 | FashionTV - FTV - YouTube
or
Trinity Yacht Carpe Diem
"Carpe Diem" Yacht Decked in Bulgari ft Prince Marcus, Monaco Yacht Show 2011 | FashionTV - FTV - YouTube

I think many people miss the dynamic you describe. The winners of boat shows and most every other kind of show is the show management. The cost to show is tremendous because it's not just the show space. It's getting boats there and back, it's personnel, and it's taking yourself and employees completely away from your normal business. This is true of boat shows. RV shows, home and garden, apparel, furniture, you name it.

So, why do people show? Defensive reasons. Your competitor shows and you don't, it looks bad. Sometimes competitors even spread the word you've gone out of business. For local boat shows I've even seen dealers try to throw shows at their dealership rather than attend the costly coliseum show. But on the whole builders feel they must have a presence at the show. This is the genius of show managers.

Now, I see the number of shows expanding. My feeling is that it might benefit the show management some but ultimately more shows dilutes the ones you have. Then only the primary ones will be "must" shows. Flibs. Annapolis. People don't buy at shows in spite of all the announcements. They may complete a long discussed purchase so the release can be timed. They may start the process. But mainly they look.

So, they go to shows to see what they normally don't have the opportunity to see. Oops. They do have that opportunity. The internet. So walk on boats they can't normally walk on. But how much is that worth to experience a boat docked. Ultimately I see the show managers killing the goose that laid the golden egg. But that could take a long long time. Still you see each year a few less boats shown, a few less attendees. It's like Television ratings. There are so many choices now that the three long time networks aren't all there is.

Will the shows continue and have some amount of success. Yes. I mean they're already making a deal with a marina not yet built. The profits of putting on shows are tremendous. But the manufacturer, the dealer, the broker who banks simply on shows and ignores the fact the internet has become the number one place to look, research and view will be making a huge mistake. I can go to a show, walk on a boat, ask a few questions. But I can go online and learn much more in less time and I can get varying opinions. There are brokers, or at least there is one, that I really respect. But at the show you just pass and say hello surrounded by thousands. If I was buying the type boat she specializes in I'd far rather go sit down with her another time, another place, and get truly educated.

Barnes and Noble ignored Amazon and waited to develop a web presence because they thought people would never buy books online. There are some yacht manufacturers who need to wake up. There are some that make it so difficult to find out specifics on their sites you want to just give up. There are others who want to just impress you with their name. There are some that you can go to and the news is still that they're going to do something in 2012. I was on one recently that their contact button doesn't work so no means to contact them as their phone isn't anywhere else on their site either. Then there are those who update their sites regularly, have details on their boats, have news, and even link to reviews of their boats.

We house hunted online although we have the greatest real estate agent in the world (well maybe a little personal prejudice). But we were prepared with what interested us and ready to discuss with her. That's how people buy houses today. It's how they research cars. And when it came to boats, we didn't visit dealers or brokers, but we researched online first. Then we went to the dealer for a demo or we chartered. The fine people of YF gave us great information and guidance. Yes, some conflicting and some that we didn't follow, but all great input to help us decide.

Now as to the shows, if they wised up and used the internet as well to link people into their shows, they might find it would help. But they're afraid people won't then come to the show. In reality they might come with real interest as opposed to just wandering around and aimlessly looking. At least on Flibs you could tell what boats were being shown and where they would be. Didn't even get that on Miami.

And Carl did not pay me to say the following. But, if they used the internet to promote their shows they might get a bit of additional traffic too. Have an ad for the real buyer on places like YF and link that to your show site showing all the reasons your show is a must see. The only way to remain successful in this age of technology and internet is to embrace it. People go and walk around and make impulse purchases at the dollar store. They don't take that route to boat shows. We, for instance, have at one time or another clicked on the ads of every yacht manufacturer who advertises here, including those we'd have no real interest in. I can assure one that if the Miami show had an ad here it would be clicked through by nearly every visitor. Then if their web site was inviting enough, many would look around it and might then find a reason to attend the show.

Curious if anyone who attended the 2014 Miami Boat Show has an opinion of the Boston Whaler 420 Outrage teaser?

Boston Whaler | Current Boston Whaler News

Outside of a racing application, I just still can't grasp the concept of four outboards. It really seems to me there should be a better way. The 370 with triple outboards is already a bit much to me. At some point I'm going to an inboard. The 370 has a minimum hp of 750 and maximum of 900. Is the 420 going to be a minimum of 1000 and maximum of 1200?

Somehow I have to think the 370 has been successful for them to add a 420.

Hang in there.

You are only half way there.

8 Yamaha? 2 stroke V-6s Outboard Motors on Drug Runner Boat - YouTube

Yeah....if you're going to run drugs make sure you draw all the attention you can.