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The Ultimate Boat Show Guide
Boat shows offer you the ability to see a slew of new model boats all at the same time, comparison shop, and make a seriously good deal.
February 1, 2019
- Boat shows give you the ability to see dozens and dozens of different models, all on the same day.Ā Some in-water boat shows allow for sea trials.
- Many dealers are ready to wheel and deal at the shows, and theyāre a great place to negotiate for your best bargain.
- There are also countless boating accessories, marine electronics, and services on display at boat shows.
- Visit one of the top 10 boat shows in the nation: including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Annapolis, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Newport, Palm Beach, Boston, and San Diego.
Our Boat Buyerās GuideĀ is chock full of information, and should help any prospective boater get a good idea of just what type of boat will be best for their needs. But once youāve decided on a type of pleasure craft, be it a pontoon boat,Ā a flybridge motor yacht,Ā a deck saloon sailboat,Ā or anything in-between, you need to do some serious boat shopping to find the exact model thatās ideal for youāand the perfect place to make that happen is at a boat show.
Attending a Boat Show
While going to a show is pretty straightforward, a little insight into how to attend one effectively is in order. First off, you can scroll down and see our list of the top 10 boat shows in the nation to find one thatās close to you. You can also visit the National Marine Manufacturer Association (NMMA) Worldwide Boat Show Calendar,Ā which lists out over a dozen NMMA-produced boat shows. Youāve found one thatās close by and timed right? Excellent ā letās get started.
Prepare for your comparison shopping by getting a notepad, a flashlight, and a pocket-sized mirror on a telescopic arm (the type they sell in auto-parts stores). Youāll want the notepad to record important details about specific models. The flashlight and mirror come in handy for inspecting parts of the boat you canāt easily see, such as inside the anchor locker or underneath the gunwales. Poking and prodding into small spaces and dark corners, where the builder never expects anyone to look, can provide a lot of insight into just how much care went into a boatās construction. Look for tell-tale signs of extra effort, like wires and plumbing lines that are well-supported even where theyāre out of sight, fiberglass edges that are ground smooth instead of left ragged, and deck hardware thatās mounted with through-bolts and backing plates instead of screws driven through fiberglass alone.
Also make sure you carry your cell phone, and be ready to snap off lots of pictures. Yes, you want to take them of the boats. But also take pictures of the placards dealers will place on them, detailing options, specifications, and pricing. Itās important to keep track of all these details because before you make any decisions about the comparative value of different boats, you need to be sure youāre comparing apples to apples. One manufacturer may call item āAā a standard feature thatās included in the price, while another might call it a cost-adding optional feature. By the time you get all the features you want, this can make a huge difference in the final price of any particular boat. If you donāt figure out the ārealā cost while comparing different models, itās easy to be confused or misled.
While youāre at the show, try to see as many boats as possible and donāt get too hung up on any one model until youāve seen all the choices. In fact, many buyers will walk the entire show floor with a map of the displays in hand (these are usually in the guides available at the show entrance) and mark off the locations of potential boats of interest without closely examining them. Then later they can go back and look at the options that caught their eye, one by one. At extremely large boat shows, it may be prudent to sit down with that guide and try to pick out which displays you want to see before you start walking around, too.
Why Go to a Boat Show
Along with the ability to comparison shop, boat shows provide the opportunity to make good deals. Although we believe youāre best-served by thoroughly researching all options before you make any final decisions, remember that dealers are at the show with one thing in mind: selling boats. If youāre willing and able to sign a contract on the spot, you may be able to bargain for an unusually good deal.
Even if the exact boat you want isnāt sitting on-site at the show, just being there gives you some extra advantage. If you find a model thatās perfect but isnāt outfitted exactly as youād like, you can talk turkey with the dealer about ordering in a new hull instead of purchasing the one they have in the show. Some manufacturers ā though not all ā will offer a slight discount to dealers when they order and pay for a boat up front, as opposed to the usual practice of ordering a boat on āfloor planā (credit). This discount is usually around three to five percent of the boatās cost. And if the dealer is going to save some cash on the deal, he or she should be willing to share the benefit.
Attending a show will also give you some additional buying leverage, particularly in its final hours. To maximize it, plan to visit a very large boat show twice, once on the first day and a second time on the last day. For one-day shows, plan to spend the entire day and visit the dealer early in the day and late in the day. Donāt buy anything on the first go-round. Then, when you show up near the end of the show, the dealer will know youāre serious. Heāll also want to close out the show with a last-minute sale ā so this is a great time to get down to brass tacks.
That said, when looking at the bottom line donāt feel like you need to haggle for every penny. Most boats are marked up in the general vicinity of 30-percent, but a dealerās overhead usually runs at over 20-percent. So they actually donāt have a huge margin to work within. And thereās an advantage to making sure the dealer is just as happy as you are, because theyāll be more likely to give you better service on maintenance and repairsāand theyāll want you to come back when itās time to upgrade.
An added bonus for you northern boaters: boat shows are also a great way to get out of the house during the off-season. Most have plenty of extra activities and events to keep both parents and kids entertained, and going to the show can be a ton of fun. Boat shows should be looked at as educational opportunities, too, because there will often be seminars, demonstrations, and experts on the scene who can answer any questions you may have.
Top 10 Boat Shows in the Nation
So, are you ready to make a good deal on a new boat, gain some new nautical know-how, or shake off the winter blues and go visit some boat shows? Here are the top 10 in the nation:
- Miami International Boat Show
- Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
- Annapolis Boat Show
- Seattle Boat Show
- Houston International Boat Show, Sport, & Travel Show
- Chicago Boat, RV, & Sail Show
- Newport International Boat Show
- Palm Beach International Boat Show
- New England (Boston) Boat Show
- San Diego International Boat Show
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