New England Boat Show 2023

[william24424]

Boston show had only ONE sailboat! Many hyped out stylish jet ski's, disco lighted shiny bow riders arched with huge bass speakers, pontoon boats with slides, and every other tricked out power boat.... one with dual 600hp. We seem to be the anomaly, out of place/time, like characters from a Melville novel. What say you?!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Lesson learned ... stay away from Bahhhhston! It would be interesting to attend a boat show that was limited to sailboats at least 15 years old or older, and products that are best suited for re-fits. A "Good Old Boat" boat show, if you please!

 

[dlochner]

That's been the trend in regional boat shows for a while. There's no money in showing big sailboats and it is really expensive to move the boats to and from the show.

The amount of power on some these outboards is obscene. Some of the go for a $1M+.

Check out Wavy boats on YouTube to see some of these boats in action and their clueless drivers.

Wavy Boats

 

[Mark Maulden]

Last year was the first year I’ve been to the Seattle boat show in 7-8 yrs. Friend and I carpooled down and we were headed back in about 1.5 hrs…

 

[william24424]

13 Reasons Why Sailing is Better Than Powerboating

Want to know why sailing trumps powerboating? In this article I'll give you 13 clear-cut reasons why it's the case - and why I'll never go back.

improvesailing.com

I will send this article to the next friend or colleague who questions why I prefer sailing.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

If any of the current boat shows were selling these devices, I'd be all over them like a cheap suit.

The Ultimate PWC Repellent

www.thebeachcats.com

Probably a mite expensive, but worth every penny of it.

 

[ggrizzard]

I installed a mini-gun with removable mount on the foredeck.
It weighs about the same as an AIM 9 heat seeker and can be reloaded!

 

[shemandr]

Stuart Boat show was nearly sail-less. What struck me was that that the boats being shown were very much the same. Mid twenties center consoles with many engines. The lowest price was mid 200's. Stuart is a fishing market but surely there is a market for some other types of boats.

 

[Bob S]

The in water boat shows are better for sailboats. There‘s way more money to be made in power boats. I was very disappointed when Sabre stopped making sailboats. It wasn’t all that long ago

 

[dlochner]

The in water boat shows are better for sailboats. There‘s way more money to be made in power boats. I was very disappointed when Sabre stopped making sailboats. It wasn’t all that long ago

Many were disappointed about Sabre's decision. Ultimately the market niche that Sabre occupied became too small coupled with the high margins and demand for powerboats led the company to follow the market. To their credit Sabre continues to support the sailboats they made with parts and advice.

 

[CYQK]

Same thing for the Miami show.
Sailboats have been trending smaller part of the show and now no more crusiers bash
Sad but the thrill is now gone for us this year maybe our last

 

[Plymouth Sailor]

Boston show had only ONE sailboat! Many hyped out stylish jet ski's, disco lighted shiny bow riders arched with huge bass speakers, pontoon boats with slides, and every other tricked out power boat.... one with dual 600hp. We seem to be the anomaly, out of place/time, like characters from a Melville novel. What say you?!

I stopped going there as the sailboats were once plentiful and have dwindled each year. But remember, you know when you’re in a wealthy town when there are more sailboats than power boats, ex. Marblehead, Hingham, Cohasset, Duxbury etc. The average working class folk, (I’m one of them) usually doesn’t own a sailboat. Sailors aren’t dwindling, there are simply more power boats out there. Little seamanship required, like the usual American need; speed, easily digestible pleasure driving motorheads and stinkpots!

 

[Art12050]

Same issue with The Newport Boat Show. It’s a combined power/sail show. Over the past 10 years or so, power has expanded substantially while sail has decrease. This year was particularly disappointing. Of the boats on display most were huge catamarans and 45’ + monohulls.
On a positive note, the Newport area is a great place to visit for a few days.

 

[jnorten]

Ditto the boat show comments for up here in Chicago. Strictly Sail Chicago used to be a BIG deal here in Chicago over a decade ago. Then it combined with the other boat show. Now it's gone. The last combined show I visited pre-pandemic was anemic in terms of sailing stuff. I recall the days when we'd get there early to avoid the long lines to board sailboats and the sailboats at the show were too numerous to count.

 

[william24424]

I have a solution?
Maybe a letter to their agents..?

Dear Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Zendaya,

Make a social media post, a movie, a song, or a musical about sailing. Be the Captain Ron for the latest generation. Take a story about the Volvo Ocean race or include sailing in a plot of a well-written 'self-discovery/adventure/comedy' anything... movie. Team up with a sailboat company to make a music video. Help get young people involved in an outdoor, healthy, happy life activity....

Cheez & crackers, look at all the celebrities that were promoting Crypto/NFT's ect?! How about a better way to lose money is on the sailboat exchange, at least you get to enjoy your debt for a while.

Or not...?

 

[shemandr]

That almost makes sense ...

 

[Dalliance]

Ditto the boat show comments for up here in Chicago. Strictly Sail Chicago used to be a BIG deal here in Chicago over a decade ago. Then it combined with the other boat show. Now it's gone. The last combined show I visited pre-pandemic was anemic in terms of sailing stuff. I recall the days when we'd get there early to avoid the long lines to board sailboats and the sailboats at the show were too numerous to count.

I used to go to Strictly Sail Chicago for two full days every year because there were so many great seminars, vendors and boats to see, and I learned to go a weekday to tour boats before the weekend crowds. Combining it with the power boat & R/V show was a strange clash of cultures and it marked the beginning of the end for the sail show, but were still a few boats and some good seminars at the last show before the pandemic.

Hearing bad reports about the show this year, I went to see for myself out of morbid curiosity. Sail pulled out completely. No sail boats, little of interest to sailors aside from PFD’s and cell phone battery cases were being aggressively hawked in every aisle. Was in and out in 45 minutes. Won’t waste my time on it again.

 

[shemandr]

Here is a quote from Soundings about the new Jupitor 40 which pretty well sums up the modern boat market:
"Boasting triple Yamaha outboards with a total of 1,350 horses, the Jupiter 40 is a sporty center console fish boat that's equipped with many of the features active families are asking for in an upscale day boat. That includes a Seakeeper, reverse-cycle air conditioning and a good audio system."