Best US boat show?

[TheGoldenFleece]

Originally Posted by iliohale

If you are shopping for Cats the best show is the International Multihull Show in La Grande Motte. We went two years ago and it was fantastic.

Great, looks like we’ll have an excuse to go to the South of France next year... haha. Thanks Gary, great info. I think we really might go check that out.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by TheGoldenFleece

Great, looks like we’ll have an excuse to go to the South of France next year... haha. Thanks Gary, great info. I think we really might go check that out.

Have them send you two.

[tripkirk]

While living in Annapolis for a couple of years we always made a point of attending the boat show. Not only do i think it is one of the best, we constantly heard attendes saying that it was the best boat show they had ever been to , and this show is so much better than X. If you haven't been, you are definitely missing something. Annapolis is an amazing town.

[jmschmidt]

Check with the catamaran charter companies' sales departments, like Moorings for the Leopard cats. Ask them which shows (where and when) they will have a selection of models at. I like Annapolis, FTL and MIA might be overwhelming for a newcomer.

Nothing wrong with doing a Moorings charter contract for five years while you get you feet wet (pun) using your boat on owner's time. Then when your contract is up you've got your boat as much as half paid for with the guaranteed rental income.

[SVOurSabbatical]

We did the same as you, visited boat shows knowing we’d purchase used in a few years. We’ve been to Miami, Ft Lauderdale and Annapolis. Hands down, Annapolis is the best. We will be returning again this fall, for the 4th time. Incidentally we purchased our “new to us” catamaran 18 months ago. Love the life.

[ferrailleur]

Annapolis rules! One week of sailboat only boatshow!
Newport is smaller and is a mix of sail and power....
they are the only one I know!

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by CHRIS V CLEMENT

I suggest that you pick any weekend this summer and visit with the Yacht Sales Company in Kemah, Texas. Call them ahead of time and tell them what you have in mind. Having a broker that you have established a long term relationship with can eliminate a serious amount of buyers remorse... then go to Annapolis Boat Show...

I second the Kemah, Tx education-five hours drive? from you- 7000 plus boats in the area- so you can walk and look and ask questions. find a broker and discuss your desires. Maybe get to sail a couple boats.
Then when seriously ready for a zoo- get to Annapolis and go to the show preferably on the weekday- by the weekend the place is shoulder to shoulder and the sales conversations tend to be less in depth. (unless you have the checkbook out)

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Have them send you two.

Three!

[SV Bacchus]

Ft. Lauderdale is primarily power, Miami is a mix of both. However, the Miami venue was changed last year and immediately after there were a lot of negative comments from folks who went to see the sail portion.

It is a shame as we had attended for several years and enjoyed it, did not attend last year but based on the reviews we will not attend anymore.

Annapolis is on our horizon and we are excited to attend!

[John_Trusty]

I'm not experienced as some on this forum with being an exhibitor etc., but I've been to a few shows including Annapolis and Miami. Both of these are head-and-shoulders above the regional shows, particularly if looking at sailboats. Even then, they do not always get all of the brands (particularly of note is Catalina, which I guess is sick of selling yachts?). You should check the websites, where they post their committed vendors months in advance. You sound like you've planned out this purchase in advance (great), so you'll be less likely to be taken in by some slick sales talk by charter companies telling you to sign-on-the-line and they'll pay you for the honor of owning a boat.

The two major shows are much like their towns - Miami is big and glitzy, Annapolis is like a small town. Both have 'preview' days on the first day (usually Thursday) which I really liked. The tickets are about $20 higher for first-day, but this is nothing compared to your other travel costs, and the crowds are much less. You don't wait in as many lines to get on-board the popular boats, and the sales people are still friendly. Like any major event, go in with a plan for stuff you must see, nice-to-see, and a couple hours of wandering around the booths.

[michaelratinter]

I enjoyed the Seattle Boat Show. Great variety.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by TheGoldenFleece

So where should we go? Annapolis? Ft. Lauderdale?

Originally Posted by TheGoldenFleece

I should probably mention that I’m mainly interested in catamarans. I don’t know if that makes a difference or not, but I do want to see all types of boats for fun.

The Annapolis show is a good one, and they usually have a boatload of catamarans in the water.

-Chris

[TheGoldenFleece]

Thanks everyone for the replies! Looks like Annapolis is the ticket. I spent some time there about 10 years ago and really liked it, so it will be fun to go back. Definitely going to get down to Houston when I have the chance and we may just go to France next April. I don’t even have a boat yet, and my quality of life is already improved haha.

[Madehn]

i live in Kemah and got my boat from little yacht sales there-- great people - Kent must have helped us to look at 60 different boats helping us decide on what exactly we wanted and could afford-- great service and great people- let me know if you decide to come down and perhaps we can catch dinner at OPUS which is right in the same marina as the yacht sales ( i live about a mile away) and the Admiral is always up for good company and good seafood

[TheGoldenFleece]

Very generous, thank you Madehn! I will certainly let you know if we head down that way.