Seattle Boat Show?

[zelatore]

So, anybody going to be there? I've got a big job in Portland that may overlap the show dates, but if there's half a chance to get away Michele and I will be going for a couple days.

Show runs from 12-23 to 2-1.

[zelatore]

What? No interest?

Just booked my hotel and flights. We're staying at the Marriott on Lake Union, just a few blocks from the in-water portion of the show. We'll be there 23-25 if anybody else is around.

[Uncle Fester]

With PBNW out of business doubt if there will be any perfomance boats even there. PBNW was the only reason to go..

[zelatore]

With PBNW out of business doubt if there will be any perfomance boats even there. PBNW was the only reason to go..

True enough; it was never a big performance show anyway. I'm just a boat geek though. I'll look at anything. I can't just be a 'spectator' at the my shows as the local dealers know who I work for and competitors always give me the 'ol stink eye when is start nosing around their displays.

I'll be looking at everything from trawlers to down-easter's to the odd alluminum landing craft.

Oh, but no sailboats. A guy's gotta have some standards. :wink:

[zelatore]

Spent all day Friday roaming the lake union portion of the show. Pretty decent turnout of vendors and crowds. I found a 42 grand banks about 5 years old that was so clean most thought it was new I could live with as well as a nice brokerage Eastbay 39 I wouldn't mind having for the bay area. But the one that really got my attention was an '07 American Tug 34 with excellent upgrades and equipment as well as great documentation that could probably be bougt for around $325K. It's a couple years too soon but that could be a serious contender for replacing our Carver. Of course I also had to check out some of the big stuff while I was there from Nordhaven, Krogen, Seline, etc.

Today we'll be at the indoor portion of the show all day, assuming my feet hold out.

[zelatore]

I made it - we walked every booth in the dome Saturday. (deck shoes are hell on the feet) We were there from gate open to gate closed with about an hour and a half break for lunch at Pyramid Ale just a block or so away (I recommend the Apricot Ale - very tasty)

Performance boats were scarce on the ground. A couple of Nordics that I more or less ignored as I'm no fan, and a custom 30'-ish mahogany retro/modern hot rod with a whipple blown big block and Arneson drive - asking $495K or so. Non-step hull, not especially deep V. I looked at the pics of the boat running and it looked pretty flat. Just for Kieth's sake I tried to talk to the guy at the display about the drive, running angle, bow lift, etc but he wasn't much interested in talking to me. I must not have look like a buyer (well, I'm not so I can't blame him there). When he asked what kind of boat I have I told him I had a Donzi and a Carver. His response: oh, those are nice little boats, but we're selling to people who can just go buy a Ferrari if they want... I see. I thought about pointing out that I could go buy a Ferrari 'if I want', but instead I blow my money on a variety of boats, cars, and bikes, but it didn't seem worth it.

Over all, the crowds were pretty good. The salesmen I spoke with at both venues were generally positive about things (take that with a grain of salt - they are salesmen after all) and I got the impression that the market in the PNW seems to be in better shape than the bay area. Both venues were full without open spaces from lack of vendors.

Now if I could just sell my Carver for about double it's worth, I'd make an offer on that 34 American Tug and head for Alaska. The boat's already been there - I figure it knows the way.