The 50th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. We Were in the Press Room.
October 29 – November 2, 2009. The world's largest boat show turned 50 at Bahia Mar and five other Fort Lauderdale waterfront locations. More than $3 billion on the water. We had the press schedule.
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From the Vault · 2009
This is an archival piece from the Premier Guide Miami collection. The coverage, context, and details reflect the time it was originally published.
The 50th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show ran October 29 through November 2, 2009, across six waterfront locations: Bahia Mar Yachting Center, the Broward County Convention Center, the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Hall of Fame Marina, and Las Olas Marina. More than $3 billion worth of boats, yachts, superyachts, electronics, and marine gear from every major manufacturer on the planet. Half a century of this.
The press schedule for opening day, Thursday October 29, started at 8 a.m. with a by-invitation breakfast and did not let up. Allied Marine had a Ferretti on E Dock at Bahia Mar. ZF Marine was introducing new products in the Engine Tent. WESTREC Marinas held a press conference and reception in the Yacht Builders Tent at 1 p.m. MasterCraft unveiled the 300 at 2 p.m. Boston Whaler introduced the 320 Outrage at 5:30 p.m. in-water. Ocean Ridge was making its international debut with estate lots at Staniel Cay.
Friday brought the Boating Writers International panel at 8 a.m. — the topic was creating revenue-generating blogs and websites, which in 2009 was still a live question for most marine media. The International Superyacht Society ran crew training seminars and a captains briefing out of the Bahia Mar Ballroom. Kingship Marine Limited launched the Green Voyager 144 at 11 a.m. ESPN's Jose Wejebe, host of Spanish Fly TV, was signing at the SPOT booth in the Convention Center.
Saturday and Sunday brought Hell's Bay Boatworks hosting Chico Fernandez for a book signing and Jose Wejebe for a meet-and-greet. Heesen Yachts closed out the weekend with a media-only boat launching at Bahia Mar on Sunday evening.
The show ran 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday, closing at 5 p.m. on Monday November 2. Prime Time Preview on opening day was $32. General admission was $18. Free shuttle buses connected all six sites. A $10 all-day water shuttle ran between Bahia Mar, the Convention Center, the Hilton, and Pier 66. A free riverboat ran the New River between downtown and Bahia Mar.
Fifty years of this show. Fort Lauderdale built its identity around the water, and every October the water answers back.
The PGM Edit
October 29 – November 2, 2009. The world's largest boat show turned 50 at Bahia Mar and five other Fort Lauderdale waterfront locations. More than $3 billion on the water. We had the press schedule.
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The Live · Love · Play Dial
The world's largest boat show turned 50 in Fort Lauderdale. Boston Whaler launched the 320 Outrage. MasterCraft unveiled the 300. Heesen Yachts did a media-only boat launch on Sunday night. That's the week.
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