Boat Shows

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bobalong

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Anybody ever been to the boat show in Huntsville Alabama ?
 
Never been....looks smaller than the Atlanta show every time I've looked at possibly going.
 
I went a couple of years ago, very small(smaller than Nashville, maybe a bit bigger or about the same as Chattanooga) and filled with fish boats and jet skis and pontoons. No cruisers (Chattanooga has a couple of cruisers usually)and a few assorted open boats. No vendors. (outside of sunglasses and gutters)

We went to Nashville last week and it was small.

Atlanta is this weekend (today and tomorrow) and I assume that it too will be the same. All the inland shows are downsizing rapidly. While I understand it's the economy stupid, it's a bit disconcerting.

Last year at Atlanta I talked to a guy at the Lowrance booth about the side scan sonar. He was touting all the fishing capabilities and so on. I told him I was a cruiser, not interested in fish, just wanting to see what's down there. He had a bewildered look, stuffed brochures in my hand and walked off. If I ever find another vendor, I'll try again.
 
NYC show is not what it used to be but I still look forward to it every year. At this point it's only a few days away. Even a but boat show is better than a good day of work.
 
The Cleveland show is not what it used to be either. Gets smaller each year. I still enjoy going for a day around boats beats watching the snow fall.
 
I went to the Huntsville show in 07. It was pretty small and mostly dedicated to Side Show events. Lot's of River boats and people advertising guided trips etc.
Inside and outside, it was pretty well done though. I'd like to go again.

From Alaska I'd fly down to the Seattle Boat shows. Boy that was big, and not all in one place either.

The bigger metropolis would offer the better show's.
 
What's a good show to go to for something in the 60' range of sportfish yachts?
 
Go to the Coast CWMS.
Recalling my Westport Washington Salmon Fishing trips on a charter, some guys had a converted Yacht, others had stripped down Salmon Trollers. Nobody had a boat built just for the Charter business.
But you just dont find those big boats trimmed out for fishing on the inland rivers and small lakes.

60' would be a Tuna trip boat.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thudpucker

Go to the Coast CWMS.
Recalling my Westport Washington Salmon Fishing trips on a charter, some guys had a converted Yacht, others had stripped down Salmon Trollers. Nobody had a boat built just for the Charter business.
But you just dont find those big boats trimmed out for fishing on the inland rivers and small lakes.

60' would be a Tuna trip boat.

Click to expand...


Yes, I know the only place to see 60 foot sport fishers is only on the coast. The topic of this tread is boat shows, not inland boat shows.
 
Well maybe to buck some of the gloom and doom,
a sliver of positive news

I read in Jan '11 Soundings that Viking in NJ sold 12 boats at the Ft Lauderdale show in Nov.
All models

They say they expect to bring back some furloughed workers.

Assuming that happens.
Ain't much, but some good news.
 
Nautiville said; I talked to a guy at the Lowrance booth

Chicago Boat Show did not have a Lowrance Booth (or any other electronics booth that I can remember except for Rayathon dealer). Had never been before but was expecting so much more. I am a pilot and used to go to Oshkosh every year and every manufacture you had ever heard of had a booth there, I was expecting that all the ads in the back of the magazine would be represented but not the case. Could be because in Chicago you have to pay union workers 100 bucks an hour to move your boxes for you.
 
Connecticut is having a boat show at the CT Expo Center (Civic Center) on 1/28 to 1/30... will be our first show... not that I can afford to buy anything right now.
 
I'm going to the Trawlerfest, 1/29, in Fort Lauderdale. I'm not seeing must interest in it here. Is worth the trouble?
 
Houston show was a bust! I won't be going next year. Unless you are looking for RVs, knifes, and other non-boating misc. crap.
 
I'd enjoy going to trawlerfest as well but with it being so close to the miami show, i'd probably just go to the miami show and see trawlers and everything else, though you would miss out on the culture that is uniquely trawler fest.
 
I wonder if boat shows priced themselves out of the market just like boats did when the economy was good.
 
What little success the NY Boat Show may have is being destroyed by the Unions. They skulk around with their hands out begging for handouts.

You cannot move a display without a demand for money. We set up a USCG booth and we were threatened for not hiring a Union drone. We told them to call the cops since the equipment belonged to the US Government.

Grave Yard Creatures.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Rick D

Connecticut is having a boat show at the CT Expo Center (Civic Center) on 1/28 to 1/30... will be our first show... not that I can afford to buy anything right now.

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The Hartford Boat Show Jan 28-30 is held at the Connecticut Convention Center -Next to the Science Center and the Marriott (not the Expo Center). See web site and discount coupon.

http://www.hartfordboatshow.com/hours.html

Also I will be there on Friday at the BayState Woodies Booth. Come see - we will have 8 Antique and Classic Boats.
 
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