Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

We had never been to the Fort Lauderdale show so our expectations were simply that it was a big show, had many more 100ft plus bots than any show we had ever been to and would be a good place to find ideas and inspiration as we outfitted OceanFlyer. We were also looking for some “boat show discounts” on items we needed to put on the boat before it leaves Florida for the West Coast.

Indeed, the show is big. Lots of vendors grouped in tents with similar themes like electronic, engines, and stuff for mega-yachts. It was a bit overwhelming and hard to navigate, but we did see a lot in one long day. We skipped looking at boats since we were not now in the market. The only exception was a visit to Grand Banks where we most interested in fabric ideas, how they made the disappearing screens work and options for adding a few opening windows to the salon.

I was amazed at how many people were at the show. It was Thursday, the “preview” day, when the show charges double the regular entry price. In other shows, that usually keeps down the traffic to a manageable level. Not here. It was very busy.

We did order a bridle from Quickline and also picked up a replacement led bulb for the overhead lights as a test of changing all the lights to LED. My plan is to change the current halogen bulbs to LED as they burn out or the budget allows a one-time re-fit. The show in the tents was not really a selling show. Most displays were manufacturers with a few retailers and a few other sellers.

Karen identified the best price for fenders on the Crook & Crook web site so we stopped by their booth and talked to the General Manager. He gave us his card and signed the back with a note to extend us a 10% discount at the store in Miami. So, now we know what we’re doing tomorrow.