What I Do at the Boat Show

Sure I try to see all the boats that I can. And I could easily get lost among the hulls, standing at various helms and peering into an imagined fog looking for the next channel marker... But I digress, since there’s much to do. And, for the most part, the boats at a boat show don’t leave the dock so they’re kind of a tease (until this year, where vendors will be sea-trialing boats from the Pier 66 venue!).

One thing I also like to do when I get some time between appointments is to steal over to the electronics displays and check out the latest systems. After all, high-tech is high on my list for my next boat. I like to try to figure out how to work them in demo mode without any assistance from all the helpful people working the booth. It’s so intuitive for the company reps to operate the units under their care, and they sort of bring you along.

I’ve found myself in situations on boats where a system needs help and the guy in the logo golf shirt with the quick fingers and deep knowledge of submenus is nowhere to be found (at sea). When I write about electronics, we’re always talking about how easy to use the systems are getting. To me, they’ll never be easy enough, but if you can find your way to the data you want to display at a boat show with people talking all around and screens flashing, chances are you’ll be able to navigate on your own helm, with a little practice.

— Jason Y. Wood