2008 Miami Boat Show Travel Guide

The Miami International Boat Show takes place February 14 to 18, 2008.

Boat shows in South Florida are only outnumbered by shows for our other true regional passion: guns. So, especially for a newcomer, it is hard to realize why exactly this show is distinguishable from the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, the Palm Beach Boat Show, or the West Kendall Boat Show which consists of every neighbor on your cul-de-sac seeing who has more horsepower in their 20-footer’s engine. But the Miami International Boat Show is the one that draws people from all over the world.

It reasons that in mid-February, when all the boaters of the great lakes and pacific northwest are freezing their collective asses off, they would want an excuse to get some sun. So what you get is the annual mid-February causeway-clogger known as the Miami International Boat Show.

TAKE THAT ART BASEL AND EXXXOTICA, WE GET THREE LOCATIONS!

This year the good folks at the National Marine Manufacturers Association are bringing us the 67th edition of the boat show, which started back at Bayside Park (before it was our home to Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Company) with a measly 51 tents. This year’s event is a little bit bigger. Not only will it feature well over 2000 exhibitors, it is being held three separate locations. Four if you count the yacht show, which is unaffiliated but still part of the experience (more on that later).

The main show will be at the Miami Beach Convention Center featuring over 3000 watercraft and expecting visitors approaching 150,000. The show will also feature a satellite location at the Sea Isle Marina on Bayshore and Strictly Sail, for those opposed to noisy, gas-guzzling powerboats, at the Miamarina at Bayside Marketplace. This, of course, hearkens back to the early days of the show, except now you can sip a frozen daiquiri or get salsa dancing lessons while you shop for your catamaran. 

About 40% of the attendees come from outside of Florida, and the show pumps over $800 million into the state’s economy each year, including over 9000 full-time jobs. At least these are the figures the show organizers put out there. Super Bowls rarely garner that type of economic impact, but for the sake of the show, I’ll let the NMMA have their numbers. If for no other reason than it may be the only exciting economic news to come out of South Beach all year.
GO EARLY IF YOU WANT TO BUY, LATER IF YOU WANT TO GAWK

If you want to attend the main show, which covers over 2 million square feet, I would suggest going early. If you can get a day off from work, head over to the convention center and plunk down your $16 so you can actually talk to the exhibitors before every accountant from Cleveland who fantasizes about catching Marlin off the Florida Keys shows up and monopolizes your valuable time.

Even if you want to attend on the weekend too, a 2-day pass is only $30. If you go Saturday or Sunday, it may be a better time to gawk at the boats you can’t afford, since any actual business may be hard to conduct if you are not planning on buying something that is worth more than your house. If you have kids, the ones under twelve are free, and teenagers are only $6. This may be one event you teenager would actually want to attend with you, as we all know that boats and sex go hand in hand, so to speak. And if there’s one sure way to get your teenager out of the house it is with the promise of something that may someday get him laid.

If you really want to get into the Miami spirit by buying some sort of ambiguous VIP pass that doesn’t entitle you to much other than being called a VIP, the show offers Elite Fleet Club tickets, which get you into the VIP areas at the convention center and 2 drinks with hors d’oeuvres.  This will set you back roughly twice as much as a normal ticket. Of course, if you consider the cost of food and drinks inside the convention center, this may not be such a bad deal.

MORE FISHING THAN YOU GET ON A CABLE CHANNEL IN THE MID-200S

Aside from the endless rows of watercraft, the MIBS has devoted a large portion of the second level of the convention center to what they are calling “The Big Game Room.” No, this is not the same as that weird basement room your uncle Roy used to show you that smelled like tobacco and had creepy animal heads glaring at you from every angle. It is the boat show’s special section devoted to the devoted angler. Or maybe just guys who think saying they’re going out on the boat to tan sounds a little too gay.

The big game room, much like Uncle Roy’s basement, has its own bar where fishermen can go and, well, tell fish stories. And in case you are a somewhat-socially-awkward angler who isn’t quite sure on how to tell fish stories, Tony DiGiulian will be hosting a seminar teaching you to do just that. I’m not sure exactly why the good folks at the boat show felt Miamians needed a seminar on how to lie, as it seems to be the only skill everyone here posses other than cursing. Maybe this one is just for the tourists.

SEMINARS NEED MORE LOCAL FLAVOR

In addition to DiGiulian’s seminar on fish stories, the Big Game room offers a litany of seminars, some on topics as simple fish hooks and ultimate boat maintenance, to ones as provocative as climate change and its far-reaching effects on fishing.  And while I’m sure most of these topics are very useful for the serious angler, the show is severely lacking in topics relevant to the local fisherman. Topics like “There is No Such Thing as the Cocaine Fish,” or “The Angler’s Guide to Returning Rafters,” or “Big Fish or Dead Body?” Perhaps next year.

Part of the festivities will include the induction of South Florida fishing icon Captain Bouncer Smith. If you have not heard of this legendary angler, well, you sir do not belong in the Big Game Room. What has Mr. Smith done to warrant being in the hall of fame of this vaunted, five-year-old institution? Well, I feel I would be stealing Captain Smith’s thunder if I told you here, so I encourage all of you to attend his induction ceremony (HE didn’t have to use HGH) or his seminar at noon on Saturday.

THE MOST MARLIN FANS YOU’LL SEE ALL YEAR

The second biggest event next to old Bouncer’s Hall of Fame induction is the Dan Marino charity auction on Saturday night hosted by none other than local radio celebrity Footy, who I believe has now appeared on every radio station in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market that does not play smooth jazz.  For those of you not from the area, if you know that “zany” morning guy who has his own show on the top 40 station in your area, you know Footy. At any rate, the event is to benefit Dan Marino’s Autism Research Institute and features items such as a game jersey autographed by Mario Lemieux, a football autographed by Travis Daniels and a sailfish autographed by Alex Rodriguez. That’s right, for a small donation you too can have a taxidermed animal on your wall autographed by baseball’s premier third baseman.

And since Marlin Magazine is one of the chief sponsors of the Big Game Room, Saturday will be Marlins day up on the second floor. No, not the coveted deep sea fish that so many have come to South Florida to catch, but rather the largely uncoveted baseball team that nobody in South Florida seems to catch. As part of the festivities, the Mermaids (the Marlins’ dance team) will be performing for all in attendance at the Big Game Room, or roughly three times their usual audience at Dolphin Stadium.

SPONSORS PROMOTE ATHLETES FOOT, FLOATING CHILDREN

Even if fishing is not your thing, the Miami International Boat Show has plenty of other events to entertain you and the kids. Including a kids’ center outside in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.  You will also be able to participate in a “Crocs Test Drive.” For those who are not attending a major university, Crocs are attempting to be the new Aquatic Footwear of Choice that is also acceptable to wear on dry land. A Teva for the Millenials, if you will. If you haven’t worn a pair, Crocs, an official sponsor of the boat show, is going to be “demonstrating them” at the convention center. You can get a pair, wear them around, and then return them if you don’t want to buy them. No word on how, exactly, Crocs plans on having thousands of sweaty convention-goers share demo shoes without causing an athlete’s foot epidemic bet, hey, if the guys at the bowling alley can figure it out, I’m sure the Crocs people can.

Miss Geico will also be appearing. No, I am not talking about some low-rider magazine graduate who is now hocking insurance to further her modeling career. Nor is she a Cavegirl or a female gecko. Miss Geico is a powerboat that uses the same engines as fighter jets in the first gulf war and has won two consecutive powerboat racing titles.

Not to be outdone by its rivals, Allstate is touting itself as the official safety sponsor of the boat show, handing out 850 life vests to children each day, beginning at 10 a.m. This is a lovely gesture by the insurance giant, promoting floating children, but Allstate’s credibility was slightly undermined when it unveiled its safety slogan for the boat show, “Save us money. Be safe.”

RONNIE BROWN FINDS SOMETHING TO OCCUPY HIS TIME

And if you are big into contests, the boat show has no shortage of giveaways and sweepstakes for all those in attendance.  Maxum is promoting its “Get into The Game” campaign by giving away a football themed 2200 SR complete with Sirius satellite radio and pigskin interior. That’s right, you too can cruise the open water sitting on something feels just like a football.  You can stop by Maxum’s booth and see Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown who will be signing autographs throughout the weekend. In turn, you can sign his knee brace.

Organizers are also holding a “Buy a Boat and Win” sweepstakes where the first 200 people who buy a new boat will be entered into a drawing to win an as-yet-undetermined cash prize. No word on how they skirted federal gambling laws with this one, but we’ll just assume it was some unknown loophole in the new Vegas Slots bill.  Other prize giveaways include dream fishing vacations with ESPN celebrity angler Jose Wejebe and a trip to the Dry Tortugas. These do not require a $20,000 purchase to enter.

MEEET REAL-LIFE PEOPLE WHO LIVED LIKE THE PEOPLE ON “LOST” AT STRICTLY SAIL

Over on the mainland, Strictly Sail Miami will be displaying various forms on non-motorized (or at least semi-motorized) watercraft in the shadow of Bayside marketplace. This show is affiliated with the big show over at the convention center, and as such will feature live entertainment, a boat building clinic for kids, and a “Discover Sailing Center” for all of you who didn’t realize it was possible to move a boat without motorized assistance. And something called the Tallship Unicorn. 

Strictly Sail will also be hosting a series of seminars, teaching us about getting your captain’ license, using electronic charting, and even some onboard cooking strategies. And yoga. I guess home gyms tend to weigh down sailboats a little. But somewhere tucked between “Mediterranean Magic” and “Cursing with Pets” is something called “Sunk and Stranded: How Two Women Saved Their Boat on a Remote Atoll.”

For all you “Lost” fans out there this seminar is for you. Two women, sailing near Papua New Guinea, get a hole in their boat off a remote island in the middle of the South Pacific and get stuck there for a week. Somehow they repaired the boat and sailed back to safety. Yep, just your typical “Stranded on a desert island with nothing but a wrecked boat and some palm fronds,” story nestled in between someone’s vacation slides and tips for sailing with Rex the basset hound. Somehow I thought this would have gotten a little more publicity.

WHEN $200,000 BOATS JUST AREN’T ENOUGH…

Because an event in Miami wouldn’t be complete without something for those who have more money than everybody else, this weekend also offers up the Yacht and Brokerage show. So if regular old boating is just a little too bourgeois for you and your VIP friends, you can venture over to the Indian Creek Waterway between 41st and 51st streets for some boats worth more than the GDP of most small countries.  This event doesn’t draw nearly as many as its more financially-accessible concurrent show, but then again that is the idea of a yacht show in the first place. A spot for the wealthy to get away from the hoi palloi.

WE PICK UP WHERE THE BOAT SHOW LEFT YOU OFF

Unlike many local conventions and festivals that offer up discounts or package deals with affiliated hotels, the boat show leaves most of its attendees on their own when it comes to accommodations. Organizers do offer up a service called Ambassadors, which apparently does all the booking for the show. No word on whether Ambassadors has rates any better than Hotels.com, or even ones you can find on this site, but seeing as how the boat show put less effort into finding its guest’s a place to stay then it did on catering the Big Game Room, I’m going to go ahead and tell you to book your hotel now. Here. So Gus can get some money and send out a real Christmas Card next year.

The Holiday Inn at the Port of Miami has a rate for the Strictly Sail folks, since it is almost walking distance to their event. And given that the boat show is running a shuttle bus service form the American Airlines Arena to the convention center all day, this might not be a bad choice for those attening the main show as well. But, again, once you commit to staying off site, and you realize you forget something once you get out to the beach, it is another hour you have now devoted to going back to your hotel. That, and it causes a lot more traffic on the causeway, and anyone who lives here really appreciates anyone who causes less traffic.

Of all the conferences and shows that descend upon us here every winter, this one seems to have the most local flavor. Yes, 40% of the visitors are form out of state, but what is more Floridian than spending an entire beautiful afternoon inside talking about being outside? What is more Miami than telling fish stories while you try and buy a bigger boat than your neighbor? Whether you are looking to buy a boat, or just gawk at ones you can’t afford, the Miami International Boat Show is an entertaining way to spend a weekend in South Florida.  The tickets are affordable, the people are tolerable, and the crowds, if you go at the right time, aren’t even that bad. And where else in South Florida are you going to find a combination of those things? Perhaps the Mermaids have the answer to that one. 

Related Categories: About the Author: Matt Meltzer is a featured columnist at Miami Beach 411. See more articles by Matt Meltzer. See more articles by Matt Meltzer Was This Post Helpful? Please Share It With Others! Tweet

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"2008 Miami Boat Show Travel Guide"

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