Click for Westport Click for Mulder Click for JetForums Click for Mag Bay Click for Northern Lights

2016 Miami Boat Show - Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Boat Shows & Yacht Watching' started by olderboater, Nov 25, 2015.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It's getting close. Only 78 days away. New venue at the Miami Marine Basin. Everything proceeding to make it big. However, one matter still open. Key Biscayne is still fighting it. I'd tend to dismiss that, except some of the permits needed have not yet been issued. You would think ultimately the Miami Dade Commissioners are going to approve it and grant all the permits, but then you'd think that would have been resolved much sooner and before all the money that has been spent had been. This doesn't come back before the commissioners until December 15. A couple of them have indicated they will oppose the docks. One of the latest news reports was that the land part would be fine but the water portion still very much up in the air. It's almost like a big game of chicken. I think the organizers have assumed that they're too important to the city and the commissioners wouldn't dare refuse the environmental permit.

    At the next meeting on December 15, they will be 58 days from the start of the show. That leaves time for putting the docks in place, but if they tabled it for another month, then it would be very challenging and you wonder if there's a point the organizers would just say we can't spend more with the uncertainty and decide to call 2016 off. I think there were a lot of assumptions being made all along the way that now one can't be as sure of.
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Welcome to the banana republic of Miami....

    Key biscayne conveniently forgets that their tennis tournament causes a traffic mess on the Miami side of the causeway...

    I ve also heard that various tree hugger groups are complaining that the temporary floating docks will create too much shade for the sea grass... We anchor there a few times a month and I have never found a single piece of grass when I raise anchor..

    As usual the only winners here will be the damned lawyers...
  3. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    Miami boat show gets approval of final permit; wants Miami Marine Stadium to become new home for the show...

    Editorial from Boating Industry

    Attached Files:

  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I did a little very informal survey of some people who live in Key Biscayne, primarily by just asking random people there while playing tennis there and having lunch after. So, nothing at all scientific about this. However, I was interested in listening to their thoughts.

    First, there's the group that is radically opposed and not open to any reasoning or any discussing. It was like they were trying to protect something imaginary. I could have understood more if they'd been older and knew Key Biscayne 40 or 50 years ago, but they weren't. Most had moved there in the past 15-20 years. They seemed to me a bit like the person who buys a home on the ICW and then complains about the boats. It was hard to get clarity as to what really had them so upset. I finally figured out it was against any change. So any commercialization or tourism there before they arrived was fine, just no more.

    At the opposite end there were those who couldn't have cared less and thought it was just a lot of complaining over nothing and didn't like taxpayer money being used to fight it. One said, "we live on a freaking island. One small wreck and we can take two hours getting to work. It's part of what comes with it." They even said he wondered how they'd feel if they had to go be ferry like Fisher Island.

    It was those in the middle I found most revealing though. They went both ways on the issue but they felt that the real objection was not to the boat show, but a fear of how many other activities would come to a revived Marine Stadium and the nature of those. Bands and rock concerts were mentioned by a couple. They felt that people saw it as the start of something unknown and potentially scary to them. They also felt some never grasped what they were buying when they bought on Key Biscayne and soon found themselves frustrated by the parks, the marinas, but most of all the commute when they didn't even have draw bridges to deal with.

    There were also some who were very excited to see the Marine Stadium being revived. Some were actually the longer term residents who said they remembered when. Then some who were all for development and opening of the stadium just didn't like it being done by a private, for profit, entity, did not like the control being given away.

    My intent was to only ask a few people but when you ask about a topic like this where a group of people are gathered like a tennis center or golf center or a public park and beach it leads to lively conversation. As a group was arguing about it, one older man said, "see what it's done. It's just torn our town apart." Then his wife said, "James. Two years from now they will have forgotten about this and all be arguing about something else."

    As to whether they'd attend the show, the answers went from "Definitely" to "I hate boats. H... no".

    I don't live on Key Biscayne, nor in Miami, so I don't really have an opinion, don't feel it's my right to have one on this subject. I'm not the resident or the taxpayer impacted and I have no financial or business interest in the boat show or any of the marine stadium issues. I'm also highly unlikely to go to the show. I did get a feeling that the show will happen and then happen again next year and the year after and the battle be long forgotten. What is most up in the air is how much other use with the stadium get, is there really a need for another venue.
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    The Tennis match screws up everything in Key Biscayne like nobody's business. Quite frankly, the marine stadium was on Key Biscayne a long time ago and when most of these people bought there. I feel it is a unique site and should florish for many people to enjoy it's waterfront location, not just the show but for other activities as well. I am delighted to see a vital piece of Miami's history being revived. I'm tired of all of these other people always trying to stop other people from doing legal activities for other's to enjoy. It's like everybody that bought a waterfront house directly on the ICW and then trying to make it a no wake zone after they bought it, when it was a fast speed zone when they knowingly bought it.
  6. amuskett

    amuskett New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2009
    Messages:
    13
    Location:
    Swan Valley Montana
    I am going to Miami for a meeting which coincidentally is at the same time as the boat show. Is it the forum's perception that the show is going to be "full scale", and that the political wrangling won't have affected the participation of vendors? I am interested in "loop" type boats, 50-60 foot (I hesitate to use the term "trawlers", co-opted as it is) coastal cruisers, that type of craft. Are there any particular strategies to getting the most from the Miami Boat Show?
  7. Good Spirit

    Good Spirit Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    117
    Location:
    Northern harbour lake of the woods Ontario Canada
    Good afternoon all. Really looking forward to leaving the beautiful -46 Celsius weather here in Winnipeg and spend some time in sunny Florida. Going to the boat show on theThursday and Friday hoping to connect with any other members that may be there. Is there anything organized?
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It should be full scale and even bigger than last year.
  9. Good Spirit

    Good Spirit Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    117
    Location:
    Northern harbour lake of the woods Ontario Canada
    Going to be in Miami for the show Thursday and Friday. Any members out there interested in connecting for a cocktail or two?
  10. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    I was suppose to pick up Tom Serio at 7AM to carpool down to the Miami Show this morning, but he was up all night sick with the flu and I woke up with cold symptoms after a long night with a sore throat. We are both skipping the Miami Show. We were scheduled to meet Judy along Collins today after she attends the BWI meeting this morning to receive an award for her Moonen 100’ review. Basically the Miami Show is a bust for us this year.

    If anyone is attending the show, specifically Virginia Key, please post your thoughts on the venue. Also wondering how the diversity of locations will effect attendance along Collins.

    Chamber of Commerce weather today but under the weather right now... :(
  11. cnvsback

    cnvsback Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2009
    Messages:
    54
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    We are located at the new Island Park Marina on Weston Island. Nice new facility, it just opened last week is my understanding. Easy to get to right off of 395.

    The foot traffic yesterday was mainly all brokers, am interested to see how the next few days go.
  12. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    going to be interesting to see how the new location at marine stadium works out. Very limited parking on site and while organizers are bragging about spending $800k on transportation I have to wonder.... Most parking is at the AA arena downtown on at the marlin ball park in little Havana resulting in an hour long bus ride with traffic. So with lines waiting for busses, you re talking at least 2 1/2 hours round trip between parking and show.

    They are also running water taxis from coconut grove which sounds great except that there is no parking whatsover and the grove is virtually gridlocked this week end with the art festival closing the main streets.

    The sheer stupidity of all this is that the city just spent $6M on the new regatta park (where the old coconut gorve convention center was behind the marina) but is still shutting down Bayshore drive for the art festival! Guess nobody thought of moving booths in the park... With bayshore drive shut down, traffic backs up all the way to US1 and brickell, including the entrance to the causeway to KB and the boat show.

    This is why I have a Banana Republic of Miami flag flying on the starboard spreader of my boat...
  13. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    To get media credentials, we were instructed to pick them up at the Marine Stadium. I questioned the parking situation and if a shuttle was needed to pick up credentials so I opted to skip it. Don't need them for Collins anyhow, but I have to wonder how many consumers attending the show will opt out because of the parking/shuttle situation?
  14. jsschieff

    jsschieff Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    183
    Location:
    Middletown RI/Stuart FL
    Went to the Virginia Key show yesterday. Thought the show was pretty good -- most manufacturers of center consoles were there, some cruising boats like Sabre and Sea Ray, a few large boats from Marlow. Equipment tents were good but not quite as many booths as in the old Convention Center location. A lot of boats availabke for demo rides which was fun.

    Downside was the water taxi system -- a nightmare. I parked at Sealine Marina/Omni which was really easy -- no traffic, lots of parking -- but had to wait 1 hour 20 minutes for a water taxi to show up. The water taxi crew said two of three taxis scheduled to service Sealine had been redirected to another pick up spot that was overrun with people.

    Leaving the show was worse. There were short cordoned off paths leading to each water taxi spot, but the crowds of people went way outside the pathways and tiny signs indicating each water taxi destination were impossible to see. The result was an enormous mob of people milling around, no one knew where their water taxi line was or if they were in the right line. Total, utter chaos. Many people ended up on a water taxi not going to their destination, so water taxis had to detour all over the place, slowing down everything. . Show management had a full year to plan the water taxi system, and blew it completely. They may improve it by the end of the show, but it was irritating to pay $15 extra for "premiere day" only to find out the transportation was really badly bungled.
  15. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    Hi Surfli,

    Are yacht builders present on Watson Island, or is it just brokerage?
  16. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2004
    Messages:
    1,507
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Here's my take on the "new and improved" Miami show: I needed to be at the BWI breakfast at 8:00 on Virginia Key so I left Lauderdale at 6:00 thinking I-95 traffic would be bad. Traffic was a breeze so I thought I would be there early. As soon I we got to Va. Key, there were signs saying that the parking lots were full due to prepaid parking passes. So there was no parking if you just drove to the show expecting something silly like being able to park your car somewhere on Virginia Key but there was ZERO parking.

    Since I couldn't chance missing the breakfast by going back to the mainland, I managed to ummm obtain a spot in Lot A for the standard $35 parking fee. Easy to take the shuttle bus to the show entrance, 3 minutes to the west of the lot. It took numerous people on walkie-talkies and 2 golf cart rides to find the Waterside Cafe where the media breakfast was. I found it amazing that there didn't seem to have been a class given on site layout to the half dozen or so people it took to get me pointed in the right direction. I had little time to spare for the 8:00 start. I left the show at 10:00 to take a shuttle bus to get back to Lot A. The shuttle uses leave the show entrance but have to go west to the mainland on Brickell to make the u-turn to back east, past the show, to the 2 parking lots. It took 45 minutes returning from what took 3 minutes going. Then, once in the car I had to go the same route that the bus had just taken and it took me almost an hour to get from the boat show to the brokerage show on Collins.

    This post might be a little tedious but it helped me vent. I can't imagine anything that would compel me to go back to Virginia Key next year; well, maybe an award for the review on which I'm working ;-)

    Besides, I like our YF virtual boat show from the comfort of my desktop.

    Judy
  17. cnvsback

    cnvsback Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2009
    Messages:
    54
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It's just brokerage here. Silver Yachts new launch "Silver Fast" is front and center though.
  18. Good Spirit

    Good Spirit Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2012
    Messages:
    117
    Location:
    Northern harbour lake of the woods Ontario Canada
    I couldn't agree more with the organizers complete bungling of the transportation system. Waited for a shuttle outside the Four Seasons Thursday morning for over an hour and ended up taking a taxi. The traffic jam was unbelievable. Then taking the water taxi to Simply Sail was a joke. Confused lines no direction and an obvious shortage of vessels for the number of people. Today we waited for over an hour for a water taxi and I won't even comment on trying to get a bus to the four seasons. Enjoyed the actual show but with the poor organization I am not sure I will come back.
  19. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It's sad they missed the meat of running a good show, organization, efficiency, customer service. They were so fixed on the marine stadium and location. They just didn't grasp the magnitude of the task of moving so many people around and weekend hasn't even hit yet. Reality is no one cares where the show is. People only care how accessible it is and how easy to get around. I sure hope they're making arrangements deep into the night to improve things tomorrow.
  20. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2005
    Messages:
    490
    Location:
    Lighthouse Point, FL
    I heard that they will not be allowing any private boats into the stadium area to access the boat show. How that makes sense in one of the largest boating areas in the country I can not understand. How nice would it be to cruise on down, anchor your boat and take your tender or shuttle to the show!
    I know if my boss had interest in going that's what I would have done.
    Hopefully going forward they will address this.