New England Boat Show 2023

Jan 25, 2007
334
Cal Cal 33-2 cape cod
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?!
 

Attachments

Jan 11, 2014
12,746
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
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
 
Jan 25, 2011
2,436
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
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…
 
  • Like
Likes: Ward H
Jan 1, 2006
7,476
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
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

.
Sep 27, 2007
1,797
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
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 :(
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,746
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
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

.
Sep 11, 2009
592
beneteau first 42 kenora
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
 
Dec 11, 2015
306
Hunter 25 Plymouth
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!
 
Jan 22, 2008
84
Hunter 30_88-94 Ipswich, Ma MA
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.
 
  • Like
Likes: Bob S
Jan 26, 2019
70
Catalina 30, mkI 2462 Waukegan, IL
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.
 
  • Like
Likes: Dalliance
Jan 25, 2007
334
Cal Cal 33-2 cape cod
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...?
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,119
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
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.
 
Last edited:
Jan 1, 2006
7,476
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
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."