The 64th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the ultimate mix of business and pleasure marine style, will take over the southern end of the city’s waterways next week with an expected 100,000 visitors and a return to a full complement of venues on both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Some 15,000 credentialed workers toiled this past week setting up what its promoters bill as the world’s largest boat show, which will run between Oct. 25-29 at sites including the Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Pier Sixty-Six and the Broward County Convention Center, among others.
The show, owned by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and produced by Informa, is expected to deliver a $1.79 billion impact to the region’s economy, according to the association. Hotels are expected to be fully booked, if they are not already, restaurants and bars will be filled, and luxury real estate brokers are eagerly awaiting a chance to host parties for would-be buyers of high-end, high-rise condos and waterfront mansions.
Superyachts galore — some fresh off shows at Monaco, Cannes and Genoa — are easing into their berths between now and early next week.
“We’re moving the boats in now,” Andrew Doole, president of the U.S. Boat Shows division of London-based Informa Markets, the show’s producer, said on Thursday. ”The convention center started setting up today, boats and exhibits are moving into Bahia Mar today, so we are in full swing for a big event.”
“We’ve got 1,000 boats,” Doole added. ”We’ve got VIP tickets selling faster this year than previous year. Attendance will be stronger this year.”
At Port Everglades, Jonathan Daniels, chief executive and port director, has been watching with more than passing interest. The surge of traffic means more fees for the port, and more usage of port docks to host vessels too big to reach repair facilities. Some boats pass through under their own power. Others are aboard transporters that offload craft at the port..
“There has been a constant flow of vessels arriving at the port in the last several weeks, bringing in all manner of yachts and watercraft,” he said. “This is something that has been growing at the port.”
More venues, bigger show
Doole said that for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the show will have seven venues to visit.
“It’s a larger show; we’ve got part of the Las Olas Marina back,” he said.
The city-owned marina, which has been undergoing a sweeping redevelopment project, is expected to be operational this spring. In the meantime, three piers are available for the show’s use.
On the west bank of the Intracoastal, the 17th Street Yacht Basin at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina will be a berthing spot for big vessels, which can use up to 850 feet of dock space along the waterway.
Meanwhile, the convention center “will showcase fishing boats, runabouts, cruisers, marine accessories, fishing equipment, diving accessories, personal watercraft,” according to the show website.
Superyacht fans will not be cheated
The largest vessel thus far is the 163-foot Casino Royale, Doole said . It’s available for charter at $225,000 a week, according to a broker’s website.
The other behemoths will be arriving over the weekend and into next week.
Many will be berthed at a SuperYacht Center hosted by Pier Sixty-Six on the south side of 17th Street Causeway. But others will be parked northward along the Intracoastal’s east side at or near the Pier Sixty-Six Marina, at Bahia Mar, the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and the Las Olas Marina.
Fraser Yachts, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and Monaco, will have 15 yachts on display. nine for sale in the show with Fraser, three for charter with other brokers who hold the sales listing, and three in the surrounding area.
Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel
An overhead view of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last year with the Las Olas Boulevard bridge in the distance.
Marc Duncan, director of marketing and business development at Fraser, said the vessels range in length between 100 and 200 feet.
“Fort Lauderdale is still the biggest show in the world for boating and yachting,” he said by phone Thursday. “You can get some good big tonnage there. It’s an incredible place to be.”
Burgess, a luxury yacht brokerage and charter firm based in London with offices in Miami, will have four notable superyachts at the show. Which one carries a price tag that’s right for you?
The 182-foot Feadship Mary A built in 2005, has an asking price of $29.5 million. Book Ends, a newer 164-foot vessel built by Heesen last year, is on the market for $44.5 million. Inspiration, a 125-foot Benetti built in 2017, is being offered for $16.45 million. An older vessel, Ice Bear, a 170-footer built in 1988, is on sale for $11.5 million — after a slight price reduction.
Lofty buyer, charter interest
Are buyers as enthusiastic now as they were over the last two to three years?
Brokers say they still see a strong level of enthusiasm, although buyers aren’t as quick to put pen to contract as they were two or three years ago, when COVID-19 triggered a sales surge as consumers adopted boating as a preferred form of rest and recreation.
Inflation, higher prices, the Russia-Ukraine war in Europe, and the Hamas-driven terror attacks on Israel appear to be weighing on buyers to some degree. But none of those factors, either individually or collectively, appear to be dramatically weighing on the market.
“I think it’s positive but more cautious,” said Richard Lambert, senior partner at Burgess. “We are seeing a good level of activity”
He said 2022 saw “a little bit of a drop-off,” but it was still the second highest in yacht sales for the firm.
Coming out of the recently concluded shows at Cannes and Monaco, Lambert acknowledged there appeared to be a slight pause among some buyers.
“People, rather than say, ‘let’s go ahead and make an offer,’ said, ‘let’s take a slight step back,’” Lambert said. “People are looking at their options for a little bit longer.”
Still, the step-back approach hasn’t dramatically tempered the flow of business.
“This year what we see is a return to a level of sales in line with a normal five-year average,” he said. “We’re at a good level.”
At Fraser, 2023 has been “a good year so far,” said Duncan.
“In terms of sales we are on track for our third best year ever,” he said. “That’s the company worldwide. That’s unless something really unexpected happens. The charter demand is still very strong as well.”
Charter bookings are strong in both the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea, Duncan added.
“By far, American clients continue to lead the charge both in sales and charter,” he said. “American clients have an insatiable appetite for yachting.”
Robert Duyos, Sun Sentinel
The Yacht Express is a ship that transports yachts from the Mediterranean to Port Everglades for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The traffic of boat show-bound vessels has been heavy through the port, said Jonathan Daniels, the port CEO and director.
If you go
Tickets: Must be purchased in advance online by visiting flibs.com. There are no on-site box office sales or refunds and exchanges. Prices vary.
Parking: In a statement, the show says the convention center will serve as its “transportation hub.”
The center will have more than 3,000 parking spots at $25 a day and will link visitors “to the show’s shuttle and water taxi service that connects visitors to the seven show sites.”
- Superyacht Village Self-Parking $37
Good for one day during the show at the site, Wednesday, Oct. 25 – Sunday, Oct. 29. No refunds or exchanges.
- Superyacht Village Valet Parking $60
Good for one day during the show, at the site. Wednesday, Oct. 25 – Sunday, Oct. 29 No refunds or exchanges.
Water Taxi: One-day tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children. Five-day water taxi tickets are $80.
Brightline: The higher-speed rail line serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Aventura, Boca Raton and Orlando will offer complimentary shuttle service from the train line’s downtown Fort Lauderdale station to the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard. From there, visitors can board a Water Taxi “and head straight to the show.”
The Seven Venues:
- Broward County Convention Center (1950 Eisenhower Blvd,)
- Bahia Mar Yachting Center (801 Seabreeze Blvd.)
- Las Olas Marina (240 E. Las Olas Circle)
- International Hall of Fame Marina (435 Seabreeze Blvd.)
- Super Yacht Village at Pier 66 South (2150 SE 17th St.)
- Pier 66 Marina (2301 SE 17th St.)
- 17th Street Yacht Basin (1881 SE 17th St.)
Source: Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
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