How do you tackle the Miami boat show?

[yobub]

We are heading over to the Miami Boat Show next weekend. I went once a few years ago, but only to talk with a couple of specific vendors so I didn't try to see different areas.

The show is so large and so spread out, it seems difficult to do in just one day.

For those who are regulars, can you see most of the show in just one day, do you plan multiple days, or do you just decide you aren't going to see the whole thing?

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I'd love to go down there just to get out of this damned Michigan weather
Just find the layout map and head for the things you really want to check out. Then wing it.

 

[yobub]

I'd love to go down there just to get out of this damned Michigan weather
Just find the layout map and head for the things you really want to check out. Then wing it.

The show is spread across 6 or 7 different geographies, which is why I was asking. Some are on the mainland and others are on islands. It's not as simple as parking in the lot and walk into the building.

 

[FootballFan]

Depends on the "depth" that you want to see what is available.


There are docks of boats which are interesting, but I know there is no way I would want to buy one. Do you spend time on that dock just to see what they are.?

For example I have been on enough Azimuths to know I would never want to buy one, but I might still spend 20-30 minutes looking to see what they are doing.

Do you walk through the exhibit hall and just see who is exhibiting? Or do you stop and talk to people in the booths?

Are you focused on a small handful of items - or are you gaining general knowledge? I could easily spend an hour at Raymarine, Garmin, etc. just to see what they are doing, how is there user interface evolving?

 

[ocgrant]

My opinion is you don't... I have gone to this show 3 times in 12 years and everytime it is a cluster F to find anything. Traffic and organization is a mess always. The show keeps changing and it is known locally as a hot mess. For me Ft Lauderdale is way more organized and easier to get around to the venus. I am going to try Palm Beach for my first time this year and see how that is but I doubt I will ever do another Miami boat show.

 

[Blueone]

My opinion is you don't... I have gone to this show 3 times in 12 years and everytime it is a cluster F to find anything. Traffic and organization is a mess always. The show keeps changing and it is known locally as a hot mess. For me Ft Lauderdale is way more organized and easier to get around to the venus. I am going to try Palm Beach for my first time this year and see how that is but I doubt I will ever do another Miami boat show.

+1…. Been to Miami once…..no reason to go again

 

[Pirate Lady]

These guys don’t understand the problem…

 

[RBB]

My opinion is you don't... I have gone to this show 3 times in 12 years and everytime it is a cluster F to find anything. Traffic and organization is a mess always. The show keeps changing and it is known locally as a hot mess. For me Ft Lauderdale is way more organized and easier to get around to the venus. I am going to try Palm Beach for my first time this year and see how that is but I doubt I will ever do another Miami boat show.

However I would love to go once.

 

[flyboycj84]

I went yesterday for the first time. Usually hit FLIBS and Palm Beach. That will be my last time. Bus ride between the convention center and the other location is brutal. We actually got off the bus halfway back and walked......and beat the bus.....horrendous traffic.....it took over 45min to move 2miles due to the on demand bridge goin up and down for big boats.

Fun show though.

sadly, The theme from everyone there was :
1) no we can’t get any boats for a year
2) boat show special means “we have a boat we can sell you now”
3) “market pricing adjustment” of 15k above Msrp on nearly all smaller boats
4)vendors wondering why they spent so much $ to enter the show when they have nothing to sell.

Let’s go Brandon.

 

[yobub]

To close the loop on this, we had a great time at the show on Saturday. The show had a good crowd but never felt crowded. We didn't have to wait in line for anything other than the shuttle bus between venues.

We started with center consoles at the convention center in the morning, then across to some of the vendors in the tents where I got to talk to PYI and see their shaft seal design and picked up a Mantus chain hook which had been on my mind, so I'm not putting the strain on my windlass.

Parking was easy because we just pulled up to the entrance and handed the keys to a Valet. $15 more than standard parking was a no-brainer.

After the convention center, we took the shuttle bus over to the 30'+ in-water venue, climbed around a bunch of those boats, and found my new "win the lottery" boat - the Galeon 640 Fly was an amazing boat.

We took a water taxi over to Sea Isle Marine to look at some of the in-water brokerage boats and found some interesting vessels but nothing we couldn't live without.

Then back to the convention center to find some vendors that we didn't find the first time, like Garmin, Raymarine, and Digital Equipment. Thought about picking up an AIS transmitter, but didn't pull the trigger.

In total, we spent about 7 hours walking the show and still didn't see everything we would have liked to. It was a great way to spend the day.

 

[nealtrombley]

it was my 31st MIBS... yes this year was tough with Miami beach fighting us after working on getting us back from Key Biscayne..
I heard the buses were brutal, I worked ( stayed ) in the convention center. Traffic was slow but fully understandable since no one has anything to sell...