Spelchek

I to have been to a lot of shows and even have boarded boats I have no finical ability to purchase. the boarding with salesman seems like a good option. The one 60 something Berterm I boarded I talked to the sales guy and didn't board it to window shop when there was a crowd and certainly would not get in the way of a real potential buyer. The no food, shoes and drinks are a given, anyone breaking that should be slapped. I treat every boat I board like I am the owner, because one day someone will own this one and I hope they would do the same for a boat I am about to purchase. I totally disagree with the credit check, I would never purchase a boat from a dealer that required that before I could board. I know what I can afford and it is my choice whom I give that info out. Imagine a car dealer that required a credit check to test drive....no way. An info sheet with : name, address etc. is a good idea to slow the onset of goof balls.

The no kids rule will weed out some good buyers too, and although I I am not a dealer it would seem eliminating any buyers is bad idea. What the intent is to eliminate the poor behavior for all age groups, tough thing to do with the large population of people behaving badly.

i dont mean to be out of line. i understand what you guys are saying about caring for the boat but when i go to a show im going to board every boat i want and i feel i shouold be ale to. even if i am not buying and i think the saleman should let me do what i want on the boat with in reason. that is the salemans job,make me feel like i can do what i want. i like knowing what the cabins look like in every boat so i can get an idea of what is out there. i think we should be able to board boats but be careful and respect the boats. thats how i feel.

kids shoudl be able to board, even teh ones that dont type good amreican

i hvea dream,....that one day i wil ebable to board any boat i wnat and to feel liek i too, can be treatted like erbody else lookin at daboats

We handlle the Fastechs by leaving the engine hatches up,makes boarding very difficult plus everyone likes to see shiny blue motors and polished headers,kinda takes their mind off boarding And you can't do much harm to the smaller boats,plus the small size limits the # of boarders.Main problem is with the bigger,expensive cruisers with swim platforms and walk thru transom doors,draws folks like moths to flame.Last year I had this great idea to have steps going to the back of the 370SS and 330SS. What a disaster! Had to rope them off with signs to see salesperson,people kept coming up asking could I go on board with them,how can you say no? Finally had greeters standing behind the rope to tell people they were not boarding at this time,please come back by. But that was a dumb solution also.Thinking this year of having steps along the side where you can look in but impossible to board,then have some lightweight steps that we can slide to the transom to board the serious folks,but it's not a real solution.Going to Atlanta Show Sat,I'll play spectator and see how they do it over there Bottom line is I am in the show to sell boats,have to walk a fine line between making a potential buyer mad or having the boats trashed. If I have to err,I will err on the side of a little trashing

hire some real fine women that are about 30 stand there and tell everyone else what to do and let them answer questions the best that they can. then if the customer wants more; let that person (fine girl) go get a salesman. all the while have ropes or stairs with a rope across the front of the stairs. signs that say, "no boarding without salesman," have worked in the past....

of course, no shoes at anytime, ever!

an have all them fine woemn,,,tellin teh guys how sexy boats aer, and how "useful" a big cabin is

i like whomever saidhaving the hospital type slippers to cover shoes, or make them remove their shoes, if they dont want to board with no shoes then they arent allowed plain and simple, if someone objects, just say you "are trying to keep the demo models as nice as possible for the potential buyer, if they were going to buy it, wouldnt they want that?" Set the rules, if they want to comply they are welcome if not so be it...walking in a model home doesnt give someone the right to destroy it.

If this a huge concern, then place a sign that states "Must board with a sales assistant. Have the potential buyer or looker remove shoes (this should be common sense with most boaters).
As far as kids are concerned, my daughter boards any boat that my wife and I do. However, she is also on our laps, being help or hand held. Never would I allow my child to run freely through anyones boat.