Notes on Miami Boat Show 2011

Was fortunate to participate in this year's show in several ways:

Delivered boats to/from for a brokerage, had a boat for sale, and had a chance to walk the show as a captain w/ a client looking to make a move to a bigger boat.

All in all, a very positive experience: very impressed w/ how the whole show was put together so quickly: from the sinking of pilings and setting up of floating docks to the move in of boats and setting up of displays. A huge amount of work and a giant logistical effort requiring so many people to put in 110%.

However (isn't there always a "however"?):

Lazarra: Why are you at the show? Is it to sell boats? As we walked up the ramp to the Lazarra display, there was a Lazarra salesperson (clearly identifiable by his "Lazarra" shirt) more interested in trying to light his cigar than greeting people and maybe making a connection...greeting didn't happen nor did connection.

Upon entering the Lazarra barge, the receptionists tasked w/ registering people told us which boat was available for viewing...she said the other boats "were for serious buyers only".

I was with my client who IS a serious buy looking for something in the 70' range. Thankfully, he was distracted by his blackberry and didn't register the slight.

The Lazarra sales staff was sitting around chatting and no one bothered to determine if a "serious" buyer was possibly at their doorstep.

Sunseeker: same "serious" client. We were escorted around the first boat by a broker and then left to wander around on our own. Fair enough, but there weren't any other clients waiting to look around and it would have been nice to have had a knowledgeable sales rep. point out new/interesting things going on at Sunseeker. Then again, there wasn't much new as the majority of the boats were older, owner boats on display.

Azimut: Bravo! same "serious" client and a sales rep. who was patient, courteous, and eager to show us all the latest/greatest at Azimut.

Allied Marine: Another bravo! When "serious" client's daughter asked which boat's they could look at, sales rep. said "any ones you want. This a boat show and that's what we're here for."

As a delivery captain helping in moving boats in/out of the show:

Shame on all the captains out there who put themselves ahead of everyone else waiting to depart the show and deal with the Indian Creek bridge schedule.

You know who you are: M/V "Heritage" (Broward), M/V "Misunderstood" (130' Mangusta), M/V "Keiki Kan" (115' Benetti). There are a host of others who rudely pushed their way through the log jam, but those are the ones closest to me who were the biggest offenders.

Nice to have a license; too late to learn basic manners - that comes from upbringing, I guess.

As far as the city of Miami Beach goes and the hourly opening of the Indian Creek bridge - what a farce! Every day of the week there are bridge restrictions during rush hour both morning and afternoon. How many Miami boat shows are there? One?

Would it be so bad to divert traffic to the Arthur Godfrey causeway and keep the **** bridge open and allow, what, maybe $500 million worth of boats safe, quick passage and allow a bunch of selfish, arrogant captains to fake having any kind of ethics and manners?

What a trauma! God forbid...

One about to be lit, one in the pocket...

@CaptJ

Catamaran Co. sold 6 boats during the show and Allied Marine sold at least that many. I don't have an in at Azimut, but their booth was over run while I was there...

The Indian Creek thing was awful. Shame on the city for running it that way and shame on the captains for being such pr*cks.

Think 30' is close? The Broward "Heritage II" came within 10-15' of us 3 or 4 times until he finally bullied his way ahead.

The Benetti "Keiki Kan" (115') pushed his way past "Life's Finest" (120-130'?) while everyone was already bunched up near the bridge and we still had 30 minutes to wait forcing constant close quarters maneuvering.

And then the childish anti-foreigner whining on the radio after they were called out. Sad, really.

The captain of "Heritage II" won't be looking for work - his owners were aboard and they were all having a good laugh about everything...