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Wilma Did Not Deter Customers at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Posted on: Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 18:00 CST

By Tom Stieghorst, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Nov. 8--The boat show in Fort Lauderdale was shorter and less crowded this year, thanks to Hurricane Wilma, but boat dealers on Monday said it was a surprise that the show went off as well as it did given the circumstances.

"Going into it, none of us were very positive," said Marilyn DeMartini, public relations director for Cigarette Racing Team. "But the show turned out better than all of us expected." Cigarette only sold half the 16 to 18 boats it normally sells at the show, but attendance was not even half of what it usually runs, she said.

"What we determined was that anybody that came was a real buyer," DeMartini said.

Wilma damaged docks at Pier 66 where broker Pete Woods had planned to display most of the 32 boats he represented at the show. The show's managers found space for 17 of the vessels at Bahia Mar. Woods said he sold three or four of the boats, which run 48 to 94 feet, and might close on several others this week.

"Those numbers aren't too far off what you'd normally get," he said.

Show organizers said it is too early to get totals on attendance and sales, but they expect the numbers to be down from the 120,000 to 130,000 people and $600 million of sales that the event draws when it runs five days, instead of the four-day run this year.

"The fact that we had four days was a miracle given what seemed to be some pretty tough odds," Marine Industries Association Executive Director Frank Herhold said.

Sam Israeloff, a broker at Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group, said the smaller crowds gave him time to learn the needs of prospective customers, rather than conduct tours from dawn to dusk. "We've never had that luxury before," he said.

DeMartini said one customer was replacing a Cigarette boat crushed by Hurricane Wilma. She said that because the Fort Lauderdale show was slower, she expects the Miami boat show in February to be very busy.

Some dealers said business held up as well or better than last year. Steve Gale offers Hatteras yachts that go for between $1.3 million and $9 million new. Gale said results were surprisingly good.

He said the economy remains strong for the Hatteras customer, a group that includes people in the oil industry, home builders and real estate developers.

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Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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