2017 Annapolis Boat Show..view from a vendor

[S/V Antares]

The Power Boat Show was very ho hum... no...I do not need gutter system for my house of roofing or a new kitchen re-dux. I was stunned by all the non boating vendors. Not a lot of Trawler type boats there.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

The Power Boat Show was very ho hum... no...I do not need gutter system for my house of roofing or a new kitchen re-dux. I was stunned by all the non boating vendors. Not a lot of Trawler type boats there.

That's why I stopped having a booth at the power boat show.
It's turning more into the day-boat-ski-boat show with about 50% of the booth vendors being out side of the marine industry.

If it was more "Trawler Fest Like" I would be there because they buy water makers, but a day boat....not so much.

[ohdrinkboy]

I always thought the sailboat show could use more girls in bikinis on the boats.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

I did say Hi to Tellie but once again he didn't want to participate in a Bar Crawl with me.
So if you were at the show as a Cruiser...what were your thoughts?

Yeah, I admit that I'm the bad seed here Rich. I'm the one that keeps saying we have to get together for a few. You need to come out to dinner with the gang. But we are just getting bigger and bigger each year. I'm now dealing more and more with the Cat manufacturers along with the Hylas and such folks. I remember the day when I was working solely on 30-40' monos. But with bigger sales and bigger boats I'm expected to shmooze these folks and it's starting to seem I'm dealing more with them than the customers. I even had one boat builder insist to meet me at my flight gate at BWI while I was waiting to fly home. Even as the gate personnel were calling for the last boarding he was saying "One more thing" Squeezing in an hour for myself is getting next to impossible it seems. This year I was also helping out a good friend who is the North American big cheese for the SuperWind350 wind generators. The interest and sales in serious wind generation has been the biggest this year at Annapolis than I've ever seen. I certainly see the resurgence in the boating market the past few years. The bigger and newer money is coming back. Many builders are at least two years backed up and people are putting serious money down to hold a spot. Fort Lauderdale show is next and I know you don't usually go there but that's usually the show where I do have more time. But Miami is getting closer and I promise to try my best to get together. I think at this point I owe you more than a few beers. Mrs. Tellie will be away in Europe during the Miami show so that should free me up for me to take you for a nice Miami dinner.

Best Regards
J.T. (aka Tellie)

[puffcard]

Went for a daytrip on Monday, 3.5 hr drive. There was NOBODY there and you could walk up and go right on any boat. They say it was a 21% increase in attendance over last year, I can't imagine the weekend crowd. Bought less stuff this year, feeling broke after buying a new motor and sails. Vendors on Monday are usually spent, but we found most very helpful with questions. Been going to the US Sailboat show, not every year since the beginning. I thought last year was a little better. Hard to believe in three years the summit of sailing will be 50.

[brownoarsman]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

The Power Boat Show was very ho hum... no...I do not need gutter system for my house of roofing or a new kitchen re-dux. I was stunned by all the non boating vendors. Not a lot of Trawler type boats there.

Glad I'm not the only one with this opinion! Just wish I'd surveyed the forum before burning a half-day there. At least I got to stop in for crab cakes at Chick & Ruth's

[DirtRdEarl]

The weather Fri. made this one of the best shows ever. I enjoyed all of Annapolis. Went to Bacon Sails for the first time. Kind of like Sailornan.
Had a great time, way better than Miami for me.