Miami boat and yacht shows vow world’s largest collection
Renovation still hasn’t begun on iconic Miami Marine Stadium, “but it makes a nice backdrop” for the Miami International Boat Show, show director Larry Berryman said.
Are you ready to immerse yourself in the Super Bowl of boating? The Miami International Boat Show and the Miami Yacht Show each begin five-day runs today, offering attendees what yacht show spokesman Danny Grant calls “the world’s largest collection of boats” — about 1,900 — for $53 combined admission.
“Nowhere can you go and see such a diverse inventory — from small boats to some of the largest in the world,” says Grant, whose employer, Informa, promotes the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which hosted an estimated 1,500 boats in November.
What’s new this year?
The Miami Yacht Show, coowned by Informa and the International Yacht Brokers Association, has moved downtown to One Herald Plaza, between the Venetian and MacArthur causeways, after 30 years in Miami Beach. The move brings the yacht show closer to the Miami International Boat Show’s Marine Stadium Park & Basin location on Virginia Key, making it convenient for attendees to hit both.
What’s the boat show’s formal name?
The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show, presented by West Marine. It’s owned by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
When are the shows happening?
Both events run for five days, today through Monday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, except the yacht show closes at 5 p.m. Monday.
How many boats can I see?
Boat show organizers are planning to host more than 1,400 boats, while the yacht show expects more than 500.
What’s the difference between the shows?
The boat show features only new boats, from kayaks to fishing boats, sailboats, catamarans, and family cruisers — about 700 on land and 700 in the water.
“We’ve got every make and model and price point you can think of,” boat show director Larry Berryman said Tuesday.
It includes more than 1,000 exhibitors, from boat manufacturers to accessories retailers.
A formerly separate sailboat event called Strictly Sail Miami has been merged into the boat show and renamed Sailor’s Cove. It will feature 75 unique sailboats of all sizes.
The yacht show showcases new yachts as well as pre-owned boats listed for sale by brokers, mostly 90 feet long or more. (Pro tip: The pre-owned vessels are called brokerage yachts, not used yachts.) The largest yacht booked is a 312-foot made by German manufacturer Lürssen. About 200 exhibitors will be on hand. The yacht show features an adjoining event, SuperYacht Miami, at Island Gardens Deep Harbour Marina, but it’s a pricey ticket.
How many attendees are expected?
About 100,000 are expected to attend the boat show, and 30,000 are projected for the yacht show.
What do tickets cost?
Prices range depending on how many days you might want to attend and what activities you want to enjoy. Opening day prices are higher, but a one-day pass for the boat show is $25 for age 13 and older, while kids 12 and younger get in free with a paid adult ticket. Yacht show tickets cost $28 for age 13 and older.
Attendees can buy a combo ticket for both events for $53. You’re not getting any discount, but at least you only have to pay once.
Tickets for the SuperYacht Miami event cost $125 for Thursday and $100 per day between Friday and Monday.
See the shows’ websites for information about multi-day passes and VIP upgrades.
For the boat
Yacht show information is at miamiyachtshow.com. show, go
What’s cool to do?
Would you like to learn how to pilot a boat, or refresh your captaining skills? The boat show features 90-minute and 3-hour on-water training classes, taught by U.S. Coast Guard-certified captains.
“You can learn how to drive, dock, maneuver, put it in reverse, spin it around — whatever you want to do,” Berryman said.
This year, classes for women only have been added. “We found that women will sign up with more eagerness if they know only women are involved,” he said.
The 90-minute classes cost $99 and the three-hour classes cost $149. Spaces for the training classes are limited, and organizers suggest participants sign up in advance.
Can the boats be test driven?
to miamiboatshow.com. About 200 boats will be available for test drives from “leading manu-
facturers” for “serious boat buyers,” according to a news release.
Will events be held inside Miami Marine Stadium?
No, renovation hasn’t commenced yet for the waterfront stadium, which was severely battered by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and condemned as unsafe since then. But a preservation effort remains underway, with the boat show playing a major role.
This marks the boat show’s fourth year under the old stadium’s shadow.
“We don’t actually use the stadium,” said show director Larry Berryman, “We use the park. We use the basin. The stadium is fenced off. It does make a nice backdrop though.”
Show organizers hope to one day use a renovated stadium for offices, meeting spaces, restrooms, food service and an opening night concert, he said. Currently, every inch of the boat show is staged with tents and floating docks that take a month to build and another month to dismantle.
What’s the best way to get to these shows?
Limited parking will be available near the show sites,
but suffice to say, organizers are urging attendees to take advantage of ample public transportation options, including shuttle buses from park-and-ride locations and the downtown Brightline station, and free water taxi service from Bayfront Park and AmericanAirlines Arena.
Shuttle bus service is also available between the boat and yacht shows. For a complete rundown of boat show transportation options, go to miamiboatshow.com/ getting-to-the-show.
Will there be other events in Miami on this weekend?
This weekend is going to be packed. Other events include Art Wynwood, Coconut Grove Art Festival, Gay8 Festival in Little Havana, Watches & Wonders luxury watch brand expo in the Miami Design District and more.