Never seen this published:
https://www.flibs.com/content/dam/ma...ales_Sheet.pdf

UP TO 59’: 60’ - 79’: 80’ - 100’: 101’ - 125’: 126’ - 150’: 151’ - 174’: 175’ - 200’: 201’ & OVER:
$8,780 / boat $11,358 / boat $14,476 / boat $18,499 / boat $21,760 / boat $26,455 / boat $32,262 / boat $39,364 / boat

UP TO 119’: 120’ - 150’: 151’ - 175’: 176’ & OVER:
$20 / sq. ft $57,905 / boat $65,223 / boat $76,753 / boat

Imagine dragging a 176 ft boat to the show, $76,000 in slip fees plus your expenses to get it there/home and oh yeah if it doesn't sell you likely just blew 100K+
Then factor in 99% of the people walking the docks can't afford the dinghy nevermind actually buying the boat.

NEW BOATS (IN-WATER): • 3 years or newer, or current model $18 a sq ft......... so a 40ft center console with a 10 ft beam = 400 sq ft X 18 = $7200

WOW. I wonder what percentage of the boats sell/ or a new order of a model is sold. The show keeps getting bigger and bigger, so apparently it's worth these prices ha.

Covid was a pretty good "test" of Can we survive without a boat show? 20 years ago my brother in law was a yacht builder, back then a big show would cost them 1/2 million to attend. It hurt if you didn't sell a new boat that weekend. In the car industry big manufacturers have pulled out of the autoshow circuit (BMW, Porsche, Mercedes)............they can launch a car on facebook or youtube and get more of a controlled launch and its repeatable. If you attend the New York autoshow and see the new Mercedes XYZ, sure you can take pictures from 10 ft away but you certainly aren't going to drive it or likely even sit in it so by an online launch you can get better pics/feedback/details than the New York show.

At some point the boat companies will likely do the same. Most boat sales guys dread shows anyway.

Boat manufactures and propulsion companies assist the dealers with cost but it is still (off the charts crazy) what it cost to attend and display at any of the big shows. I sure would think that small specialized show events would be more cost effective with the direct buyer communication/marketing technology that we have available today. I know that a couple of the performance manufactures have created more sales being displayed at LOTO for shootout week then they have at any of the big shows. The guys walking the docks at Camden and PBC during shootout week and guys walking the display areas at Desert Storm are not there to find anything other then performance related product. At least then you are getting in front of your target market/customer.

Demo rides and personal communication sell boats Vs. big crowds and chaos on the docks, but the atmosphere at the big shows sure makes you excited and makes people totally forget about reality. Even the $15 hotdog and $4 bottle of water sells.

Joe

How many of you have bought or penciled a deal at a show? Just curious.

The factory and manufacturer deals are usually pretty good and the dealers are incentivized to move boats to help offset the booth costs. I myself have made quite a few deals at the shows over the years.

I did, but it was a couple hundred feet short of these big baller toys.

LOL, CORRECT, you hit the nail on the head....but each year they keep wasting money cause the marine industry people just dont get it.

Who does more business MB, BMW, Audi or all the boat companies combined?

https://europe.autonews.com/geneva-a...di-vw-drop-out

Everyone have cars, few have boats. Apples and oranges.

Add to the above:

Travel expenses for crew/staff

Paying staff to attend boats, booths etc
Lodging

Entertaining clients

Transport expenses for boats, displays etc

Detailing of boats, etc

I worked for a couple of local dealers back in the day and we did all the local shows.

W/a behind scenes view I was always shocked at the depth of effort required, especially if you wanted a presence.

Those shows were always in the winner and I remember one year transporting all the boats to the display hall through melting snow on salt and ice covered roads And they were all a mess by the time we got to the show!

Basically everyone had to detail their complete displays a second time before the show even open!

From that point on everybody was actually shrink wrapping their boats before sending them to the display hall.

Joes points of marketing to your target audience are spot on.

I also remember the ongoing debate amongst all the dealers of whether it was actually worth the effort and expense or not.

A couple of them pulled out and had open houses for way less money.

They were also paranoid that if they didn’t attend the main shows the rumor mill would go wild.