Blogging South Beach

Today, the last day of the show, I finally got a chance to go see it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the boat show, it is the event that actually takes over South Beach. It is estimated that 150,000 people come to SoBe for the event!!

All hotels are sold out, including those miles away. The last time I checked, a no-name 1 star hotel about 15 miles away (in the beginning of the Florida Keys) was selling their last room for $275 a night.

The restuarants are so busy that many actually hire additional employees, servers, bussers, dishwashers to help them cope with the sudden influx of hungry boating anthusiasts. I saw several hotels post help wanted ads for the boat show on Craig’slist.

Retail stores all over South Beach look forward to the show because of the big revenues it brings them. What would a vacation be like without shopping? Considering the type of people who come here for the show. Money-havers coming to buy these luxury yachts  have cash to spend aplenty here.

Fellow residents complain about their stolen parkings. Literally, you need to drive north for twenty minutes on the A1A (Collins Ave.)to find empty parking. There are special free shuttles for everyone from designated public parking lots around but those are also full.  So its best to avoid driving and take public transportation instead.

Speaking of public transportation, I waited 25 minutes for the bus back from the show. so, advice to you fellow residents: Dont complain. It wont make things easier. just try to stay out of “the area” but better yet go see those yachts and have a great time!

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The boat Show is devided in several catergories. The convention center, where you will find anything related to boating. From Motors to electronics to gadgets–its all here.plus there are scheduled courses and information sessions about fishing, boat maintainance, e.t.c.

There is a Strictly Sail show dedicated entirely to sail boats and everything for enhancing your sailing experiences .

Then there is the Yacht and Brokerage Show. this is what all the rage is really about. I mean who can resist not being fascinated by these mega-yachts that keep sailing by you days prior to the convention?

The Yacht and Brokerage show features 500+ luxury vessels worth more than $3/4 billion dollars across 1.2 million sq.ft. of in-water exhibit space on Indian Creek Waterway. It runs from 41st street all the way thru 51st street. there are so Many boats to explore. the best part is that you just sign in, giving them your name/address/email/current boat  information. Then you just take your shoes of and you can hop on any vessel you want. You can relax on the deck or check out the many ammenities. Open the cabinets in the expensive marble&wood kitchens or follow the maze of mostly steep curly stairs down to exquisite Bedrooms and cleverly fitted bathrooms. there is even a crew quarters usually located under the deck. and oh, there is also a place to store your jet-skies…

the Boats go from 16′ to 160′! so if you are looking to buy, there is a very good chance that you will find something that fits your needs. that is why the annual show is so successful. International Boat Manufacturers bring their boats and people from all over the world are drawn here to buy a yacht. Most companies will deliver your vessel anywhere you live, anywhere in the entire world you want it ! It is estimated that 65% of the invetory gets sold at the boat show. no wonder the show is a huge success.

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At the show, I also got to meet many intresting people. Joann, who worked at “Sunseeker” manning the boats and making sure you get on and of safely, told me that she and her co-workers actually live on yachts. They work on 160′ footers that are usually chartered by private parties or for business. she sais that the downside is that she rarely gets to see the world –you know, people, go out, shop, e.t.c.–but that the pay is great and she has virtually no expenses, her room and board are free. It sounds like a wonderful experience, for a while at least, in my opinion. She actually gets to LIVE on these boats…

then there is a floating coctail bar that sells beer, drinks, hotdogs and popcorn. you can pull up a chair and enjoy a cool drink while listening to live music. there are also lemonaide, smoothie and icecream stands outside the exhibits.

There are also floating tents between the yacht displays featuring a variety of magazines, electronics, engine companies,designers, finance and insurance companies on display. I saw beautifull furniture and decor items at IK Yacht Design tent. I asked the saleswoman what the diffrence is between yacht furniture and house furniture. she smiled and said “nothing really. Some peices are just designed to fit smaller spaces, but you can definitely use most in a home.” for those of you you dont have a boat yet…

The show ads claim that the show runs from 10-7 but at 6 PM the exhibitors began packing up, saying the show is over. Everyone congratulated each other for a job well done. some exhibitors hosted parties for thier employees – on the yachts, of course.

good bye for now, those of you who came to South Beach for the show. thank you for everything. from doing bussiness with our local establishments, to taking up our parking spaces and taking over our town for a while. We really enjoyed being you hosts and We will see you at the next annual Boat Show.

 

Helpful links

• Miami International Boat Show
• Show Management