Miami International Boat Show 2007
Nonetheless, this year’s show held from February, 15-February 19 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, The Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center and Miamarine at Bayside was visited by 137,175 attendees which is down 6% from 146,595 visitors last year. However despite low attendance this year the quality of visitors that were eager to by was quite beneficial for the exhibitors.
Thus Peter Frederickson of Viking Yachts noted the increased number of international visitors compared to prior years. As to Fountain Powerboats it reports $20 million sales which is 17% more than during the last year’s show and Larson Boats sold more than 60 sport cruisers to make nearly $10 million. Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show is still a good way to build a strong customer base.
The exhibition
Any boating show means presentations and this one wasn’t an exception. There were new outboard engines introduced by Yamaha (350 hp V-8) and Mercury Marine (300-hp 6-cylinder Verado supercharged 4-stroke). Other improved outboards were: Honda Marine 75- and 90-hp 4-strokes and Tohatsu Outboards and Nissan Marine’s new 25- and 30-hp 4-strokes with an innovative batteryless electronic fuel injection.
During the show seven marine manufacturers were honored for innovative achievement. The Innovation Awards were presented by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) to recognize the innovative marine products.
Thus, Glacier Bay’s Isle Runner was the winner in the Inboard & Outboard Cruisers category. This outstanding 30’ cruiser is just great for fishing. She has a huge aft cockpit, roomy salon with a seating for six and a state-of-the-art galley.
In the Runabouts & Fishing Craft category the award went to Chris-Craft for its Catalina 23. She looks great and has a spacious fishing platform. A great vessel for a family-friendly sport fishing.The SP Cruiser by Island Packet Yachts was awarded the Innovation Award in the Sailboats category. She is a perfect sailing trawler with two cockpits, push-button sail control with the StoWinch sheeting system and a dry interior helm connecting to the forward cockpit and much more.
Among the new products there was a new 39-foot SeaVee powered by 275-horsepower Mercury Verado engines. She has some innovative features such as a fish door built into the port aft quarter instead of the transom and a push-button pneumatic activation system to operate the pull-out drink cooler and center-console door.
A wide range of so-called ‘green boats’ was also exhibited during the show. Similar to the one we wrote about in our previous story.There was also time to pay tribute to the late Tom Fexas, pioneer of the 'retro' look of low profiles and graceful, flowing lines, who was remembered at a champagne reception mentioned in our recently opened news section. The reception took place on February 16th and was organized by close friends, Michael and Janice Joyce, who had the joy of working closely with Tom for years.
The show is always a place where you can smell a “new-boat-scent”. It’s also a place of marine industry meetings, boating safety happenings, hand-shaking and brain-storming. And it’s a place to watch boaters, the sailing-fishing-cruising addicts. For them the Miami Boat Show is a promised land, or, let’s say, promised water.
So, would you go to the Miami Boat Show if you had an opportunity? And if you would – then why? To watch or to buy? Although we can assure that the best way to by boats, used or new, is to do it here at YachtCouncil. But still, speak out.
Sources: http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/, http://www.nmma.org/, http://www.glacierbaycats.com/, http://www.chriscraft.com/, http://www.news-press.com/, http://www.miamiherald.com/, http://www.ipy.com/
