You can imagine my excitement when my sister told me that she and her husband were in the market for a boat. It was such a thrill to think they valued my input and I considered it kismet when I saw the annual Saint Louis Boat & Sportshow would overlap with my upcoming visit. I did my research. I knew who was going to be there. In retrospect, I should have asked more questions from my own family before we arrived at the America’s Center and Edward Jones Dome. Like what kind of boat they were interested in.
I recommended that we start with the local pontoon dealer because of the safety features and based on the fact that I assumed with a four-person family they would want a little more space.
My dread-locked brother-in-law looked me right in the eyes and said, “Oh, we aren’t in the market for anything with a motor. We were thinking about a canoe or matching kayaks.”
My sister chimed in with something about avoiding using natural resources for recreation. I’m not exactly sure what she was getting at because frankly I stopped listening when I heard the word canoe.
This is the point of the experience when I realized I was at a fantastic boat show with a pair of hippies. Not exactly a recipe for an awesome time.
In order to salvage my day, I ditched them. Seriously, do you blame me?
The best thing about a boat show is that it’s fun. Whether you want to buy a boat or already own one, there is going to be something for you.
The Off-Season
When it comes to buying a boat, taking advantage of the off-season can be a great bet. Dealers are motivated to move inventory and you are the lucky consumer who gets to take advantage of their desire to continue eating. I have heard from people who got spectacular deals by waiting to the last day and finding the dealer that was the furthest away from home. They didn’t want to haul their boat back as much as the family wanted to drive it to their boat slip. This creates the perfect transaction for both parties.
Most boat dealers "floor plan" their boats, which basically means they pay interest on each boat as long as it sits on their lot. For this reason don’t be afraid to start the negotiations lower than what the boat is marked at. The winter boat show season creates a “boat wars” atmosphere with each dealer wanting to steal the sale from his competitor who’s sitting in the next space over. This is the kind of place where good deals are made, people.
Research First
Before you head out to the next boat show, do your research. Narrow down the amenities that you are looking for in your next ‘toon or deck and what models offer those features. Most manufacturers will send out free DVD’s and brochures to interested parties. And of course, brace yourself for the shameless plug: this awesome magazine has a ton of good information as well. Pass it along to your friends who are in the market for a new boat. They will thank you. The point is that by collecting as much information as possible, you will know what questions to ask when you are face-to-face with a manufacturer representative. For most of us, this investment is a pretty big deal and will need to last a long time. It’s important to get it right.
Trust Factor
Most dealers know their product inside and out and sell it because they believe in it. They have chosen to base their livelihood on selling boats so you can bet they sell what they believe to be the very best. Your job is to find someone with the same taste that you trust who emits a good vibe. You need to buy a boat from someone who will call you back with answers to your questions and not just leave you hanging.
Your BFF
A boat show may be your only opportunity to compare every model you are considering virtually side-by-side. You can sit in boat after boat, deciding which coloring, vinyl, carpet option suits your needs bests. Ask the price even if you aren’t buying right at the moment. You can add this to your information pool as you continue to shop. If you have the time, buy a multi-day ticket so you won’t feel rushed. Overall, soak in the boat show before you make an offer.
Join The Forum
Before you head to the boat show, take a look at our forums. The support system you will find is invaluable when it comes to feedback on what you want to buy and how much you want to pay. As I was writing this article, I took my own advice and asked our veteran members their thoughts on boat shows.
Senior member Moser posted, “New people definitely need to go to a big show, maybe two. If I'm serious about buying a boat I'll go to Pittsburgh and Cleveland both. You want to see everything available and you can get the dealers bidding against each other for your business. Talk to the owner and get every promise in writing. Do your homework online before you go.
“And one other tip: once you buy something STOP SHOPPING or you will beat yourself up for a year over what might have been better deals.”
Member BobG added, “Interestingly, we attended the major boat show in Denver back in January. While it was great for showing us some of the options that were available, and really got us jazzed on buying our pontoon, there was not a single deal to be had. In fact, the prices were significantly above what we finally ended up paying. Boat shows are great places for idea fishing and educating the consumer, but they are not necessarily the place to buy a boat.”
The lesson to be learned is that if you are in the market for a canoe, go to Sportsman’s Warehouse and let the eye candy behind the counter haul it out to your car for you. If you want a real boat, attend as many boat shows as you can until the right deal falls in your lap. It will be worth it.
As an FYI, my sister and brother-in-law didn’t pull the trigger on their big purchase that day. There’s still time for me to bring two of my favorite people to the light and offer them a taste of the pontoon Kool-Aid.
2013 BOAT SHOW CALENDAR
NEW YORK BOAT SHOW
January 3-6, 2013
Jacob K. Javits Center, New York, NY
www.NYBoatShow.com
HOUSTON BOAT SHOW
January 4-13, 2013
Reliant Center, Houston, TX
www.HoustonBoatShows.com
ATLANTA BOAT SHOW
January 10-13, 2013
Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA
www.AtlantaBoatShow.com
NASHVILLE BOAT & SPORTSHOW
January 10-13, 2013
Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, TN
www.NashvilleBoatShow.com
CHICAGO BOAT SHOW
January 9-13, 2013
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
www.ChicagoBoatShow.com
DENVER BOAT SHOW
January 11-13, 2013
Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO
www.DenverBoatShow.com
CLEVELAND MID-AMERICA BOAT SHOW
January 17-21, 2013
IX Center, Cleveland, OH
www.ClevelandBoatShow.com
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
January 12-20, 2013
Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, Canada
www.TorontoBoatShow.com
BALTIMORE BOAT SHOW
February 28-March 3, 2013
Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
www.BaltimoreBoatShow.com
MINNEAPOLIS BOAT SHOW
January 31-February 3, 2013
Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
www.MinneapolisBoatShow.com
KANSAS CITY BOAT & SPORTSHOW
January 10-13, 2013
Bartle Hall, Kansas City, MO
www.KansasCitySportshow.com
AUSTIN BOAT SHOW
January 17-20, 2013
Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX
www.AustinBoatShow.com
CINCINATTI BOAT SHOW
January 18-20/ 23-27, 2013
Duke Energy Convention Center, Cincinnati, OH
www.HartProductions.com
LOUISVILLE BOAT & SPORTSHOW
January 23-27, 2013
Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY
www.LouisvilleBoatRVShow.com
NEW ORLEANS BOAT SHOW
March 7-10, 2013
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
www.boatshowneworleans.com
CMTA HARTFORD BOAT SHOW
January 24-27, 2013
Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT
www.HartfordBoatShow.com
ATLANTIC CITY BOAT SHOW
January 10-13, 2013
Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ
www.ACBoatShow.com
DALLAS INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
February 3-5/ February 9-12, 2013
Dallas Market Hall, Dallas, TX
www.DallasBoatShow.net
ST. LOUIS BOAT & SPORTSHOW
February 6-10, 2013
America’s Center & Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
www.StLouisBoatShow.com
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
February 7-11, 2013
BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC Canada
www.VancouverBoatShow.ca
LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW
February 7-10, 2013
LA Convention Center, Los Angles, CA
www.LosAngelesBoatShow.com
DETROIT BOAT SHOW
February 16-24, 2013
Cobo Exhibition Center, Detroit, MI
www.DetroitBoatShow.net
NEW ENGLAND BOAT SHOW
February 16-24, 2013
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA
www.NewEnglandBoatShow.com
GREAT RAPIDS BOAT SHOW
February 13-17, 2013
DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MI
www.ShowSpan.com
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
February 14-18, 2013
Miami Beach Convention Center,
Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center, Miami, FL
www.MiamiBoatShow.com
INDIANAPOLIS BOAT SHOW
February 15-24, 2013
Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN
www.IndianapolisBoatSportAndTravelShow.com
NEW JERSEY BOAT SHOW
February 21-24, 2013
New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison, N.J
www.MTANJ.org
NORTHWEST SPORTSHOW
March 21-24, 2013
Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
www.NorthwestSportshow.com
LAKE HAVASU BOAT SHOW
April 19-21, 2013
Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor, AZ
www.LakeHavasuBoatShow.com
NEW MEXICO RV, BOAT AND TRAVEL SHOW
January 4-6, 2013
Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM
www.woodalls.com
STUART BOAT SHOW
January 11-13, 2013
Apex Marine, Stuart, FL
www.stuartfla.com
PROVIDENCE BOAT SHOW
January 17-21, 2013
Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI
Providenceboatshow.com
MILWAUKEE BOAT SHOW
January 18-27, 2013
Wisconsin Expo Center, Milwaukee, WI
Marinesource.com
CHARLESTON BOAT SHOW
January 25-27, 2013
Charleston Area Convention Center, N. Charleston, SC
Thecharlestonboatshow.com
FREDERICKSBURG BOAT SHOW
January 25-27, 2013
Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center, Fredericksburg, VA
Visitfred.com
MID-ATLANTIC BOAT SHOW
February 7-10, 2013
Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC
Ncboatshows.com
CNY BOAT SHOW
February 13-17, 2013
New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY
Marinesource.com
SAVANNAH BOAT & OURDOOR SHOW
March 1-3, 2013
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, GA
Savannahboatandoutdoorshow.com
SPRING BOATING EXPO
March 14-17, 2013
Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI
Springboatingexpo.com
