This weekend Jimmy and I attended the St. Pete Boat Show, which was the 45th annual show, and is the largest boat show on the Gulf Coast. What made it extra special to us was that we did not have to stay in a hotel!!! (Sorry St. Pete tourism office).
We have attended the St. Pete Boat Show on two other occasions, and stayed in hotels close to the venue. Last year some friends of ours (the P's) stayed at a hotel further out from the downtown area for a fraction of the cost and simply paid for good parking. I think they made the better choice. But, wow, what a treat it was to stay on our own boat and walk or bike to the show. An extra treat was that those savvy friends from last year came again this year, along with some other friends from the Tallahassee area. It was like a little Apalachee Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) meeting at the boat show.
My First Time Attending A Boat Show (2016)
Which reminds me of the first time I attended the St. Pete Boat Show in December 2016. Jimmy and I had just recently purchased About Time and were excited to head to our very first boat show. Some friends of ours (the R's, also from ABYC) had begun their full time cruising life just a few months prior and had their 32' Island Packet catamaran in a slip in the municipal marina. Two other couples from ABYC were staying with them on their boat (the G's & W's), and at the end of the day we all met up there, exchanging stories about the boat show.
Being surrounded by folks who had a lot more experience in the sailing world than Jimmy and me, I just had to ask them a question about something I noticed several times throughout the day at the boat show:
"Why is it every time a salesman asked what kind of boat I had their demeaner would completely change from interested to having no desire to talk to me after I replied that I have a sailboat?"
My friends laughed, and responded that sailors are notoriously known to be incredibly cheap. They attend boat shows, gather ideas, and implement them on their own.
Since then, I have attended the US Sailboat show in Annapolis twice (2017 & 2022), and returned to the St. Pete Boat Show in 2022. So this boat show now marks my fifth boat show. There is always something interesting to see at these shows, from new technologies, attending seminars, catching up with friends, or just ogling at the massive, fancy yachts. If your trip to the boat show is for shopping, it is recommended to do research ahead of time, especially when attending large shows like the US Sailboat Show. Come with a list that includes sizes, price range and where to find vendors. That is a tip my catamaran owner friend passed on to me, and I've found it very helpful.
2023 St. Pete Boat Show Highlights
Lots of boats for sale at a wide size range, from little dinghies to very large motor yachts, with center consoles being the predominant boat type. There were a few sailboats to check out too. We looked at just two of them: the Island Packet 439 and Catalina 425, both of which had some great features. I found that I like where the new boat look is heading, after several years of sterile looking interiors.
As for boating gear, this year seemed to be lacking in availability for either power or sail boat. For instance we did not see dock lines, fenders, galley gear, canvas or cushion makers. Yet, there were several vendors selling items for the land based home. Jimmy and I walked very slowly through the tent and it only took us an hour to make it through. This year, just like last year's St. Pete Boat Show, we made only one purchase.
The very best part of the boat show was hanging out with our friends from ABYC (the P's & W's). It is interesting that we all live in Tallahassee, but have not seen each other in ages, but finally get together down in St. Petersburg. During the day the six of us would cross paths here and there. Then as the day got longer, we wound up all together at the Goslings Tent, which was followed by a visit to Quest at the Municipal Marina, then strolling into St. Petersburg for drinks and dinner. The W's were the tour guides for the evening and we all enjoyed our bar and restaurant visit.
I must say, St. Petersburg is really growing on me. I think I will enjoy our 10-months here.
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