The 2009 Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show
This last weekend was the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIB) which is held each year at the end of October. It occurs on Halloween weekend which was especially appropriate this year, as it was scary.
I first arrived on Thursday morning and was in pre-panic mode as parking at this show is always a nightmare. There simply aren't enough places to park, and the Ft. Lauderdale/Bahia Mar area really isn't a parking-friendly venue. There were signs indicating some remote parking options but I tried that last year and the 45-minute wait for a bus was just not acceptable. In any case this year there were plenty of empty spaces at the Convention Center garage. Strange.
I have been attending this show for more than 20 years. You get used to things being in the same place each year and mentally arrange your schedule to visit the vendors efficiently. This year was different, and not in a good way. The Convention Center main floor was re-arranged. All of the smaller vendors' booths that used to be upstairs had been moved to the main floor, and the floor still wasn't full. If you were looking for jewelery, sunglasses, cell phone accessories or other flea market items this was the place for you. If you were interested in boats, engines and marine products it was disappointing. There were some nice boats on display, but few visitors.
I spoke with several vendors and without exception they said that they had cut back on their show presence; they need to survive.
I took the bus over to the Bahia Mar site which was much better. There was a respectable crowd waiting in line to enter. Once inside, the electronics retailers were aggressively showing their products. Potential customers listened politely, but most soon kept walking.
Personally, I think the situation is simple- most people still have jobs but they are scared that they could lose those jobs. Others have lost their savings in the stock market meltdown. While hoping for the market to rebound, every dollar spent today means several fewer dollars when the market recovers. So, they have stopped spending. Those who do feel financially secure can find some great bargains on boats and accessories. One boat manufacturer confided that the only offers he is receiving are from “bottom feeders” looking for a bargain they simply can't pass up. Tough times.
There was one bright spot- the electronics tent was very busy. As a direct consequence of the economy there were few new products to review. However, there were 2 new products that would be impressive in any economy- the FLIR First Mate and the Simrad NSE.
In the meantime, If I hear the phrase “cautiously optimistic” one more time I will vomit.
Captain Bruce Pelkey