THE MAKING OF MIBS
2/20/2008 12:07:32 PM by Stacy Wynn
Take a glimpse into the inner workings of one of the best boat shows in the world to give you a better idea as to the elements that combine to make the Miami International Boat Show great.
Photos courtesy of Miami International Boat Show
The biggest, best, and brightest come to Miami every February for the renowned Miami International Boat Show. Whether we’re talking the best yachts, the biggest celebrities or the coolest parties, these five days are a boating lover’s dream come true. This year the elite of the boating world will converge on the Miami Beach Convention Center and the in-water locations from Feb. 14-18, 2008 for the show’s 67th stellar incarnation, which promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Long before the glitz and glamour of the show opening, more than 1,500 workers begin to methodically move the exhibitors with some seriously heavy equipment including forklifts, travelifts, cranes and every sort of powertool imaginable. The electricians alone require over two weeks to fabricate what is a virtual powerplant to electrify this dazzling show. The Convention Center location uses more than 1 million square feet — or 20 football fields worth — of carpeting. And let’s not forget the sandwiched-in powerboats of every shape and size as well as engines, electronics and accessories for a total of more than 2,200 exhibitors and 2.5 million square feet of exhibition space.
Kevin Murphy, show manager for the Strictly Sail Miami portion of the show says, “Not only does the Miami show provide a boost to the boating industry, it also marks the busiest weekend in South Florida and brings to the area an economic impact of $817.8 million in gross sales and wages.”
Mere hours before the majority of the 150,000 anticipated attendees stroll through the gates, there’s a VIP Preview Day on Thursday. With so many international stars making their home in Miami, it’s entirely possible to trip over a celebrity or reality show personality. Past attendees of note include: Gloria Estefan and her husband looking for a family sport cruiser; David Caruso casually taking in the local ambience in between shooting breaks of CSI: Miami; Ricky Martin, complete with a smile and autographs; Sylvester Stallone when he lived in town; sports legends Jimmy Johnson and Jason Taylor; and various Bee Gees as well as J-Lo and her hubby.
In addition to the show’s mega-presence at the Miami Beach Convention Center and its surrounding ground-parking, which is temporarily covered in boats and vendor tents with a wide variety of products, there are also three in-water sections that allow, in many cases, prospective buyers to take the boats out for a rare “sea trial.”
The Sea Isle Marina is the main location for in-water powerboats from yachts to cruisers to multi-million dollar sportfish to high-performance boats to smaller dayboats. Miamarina at Bayside is the host of the Strictly Sail portion of the show that is just as it sounds — all about sailboats. In 1997, the facility’s 130 slips were completely rebuilt and now feature sea trails and offshore sailboat races during show hours. While there, take advantage of the adjoining Bayside complex which includes 100 stores, shops and restaurants.
“Exhibitors use the Miami show to introduce new products for the upcoming season, while consumers find a one-stop source for all of their boating needs as well as a venue for getting the best deals on every product imaginable,” says Rick-Joule. “The Miami International Boat Show is truly the world’s greatest because it offers something for everyone,”
Though technically a separate show, the nearby 20th Annual Yacht & Brokerage Show is serviced by a continuous free shuttle that connects it to the main show. The constantly growing Yacht & Brokerage Show attracts the top yachts from around the world to line up for inspection along the Indian Creek Waterway at Collins Avenue/A1A in Miami Beach. Shaquille O’Neal was spotted head-and-shoulders above the crowd checking out some of the megayachts at the show last year. Madonna was reportedly attended semi-regularly until her marriage to director Guy Ritchie lured her to spend more time in Europe. She is now seen at the Monaco Boat Show.
The action doesn’t just happen at the various show locations. Private boating-related parties are hosted at the famous clubs, pools and hotels of South Beach and downtown Miami, not to mention aboard the yachts of the concurrent Yacht & Brokerage Show. The Wednesday before the show is traditionally filled with overlapping invitation-only parties of yacht builders announcing their latest launches amongst gilded guests and flowing champagne. Throughout the show schedule, Cigarette Boats and other high-performance manufacturers can always be counted on for a great fete, normally not starting until around midnight, as these high-speed racers know how to party. For those without a specific invitation, the local South Beach clubs go all out to give out-of-towners a true South Beach welcome, most appreciated by those just in from the frozen North.
Along with celebrities, the yachts come from afar to preen. Some yachts have just driven across the ocean to be seen here when it’s just about time to turn around and cruise home. Others opt to keep their hulls dry and choose a mammoth yacht transport such as Dockwise Yacht Transport, a fleet of semi-submersible yacht carriers that can transport vessels up to 479 feet (yes 479 feet) long. Attendance at the show is carefully planned months — if not a full year — in advance, with last-minute substitutions taking place if a yacht is sold just prior to the show. One day the street is relatively quiet with just beach-goer and condo-owner traffic; the next morning a wealth of trucks, barges, packing crates and workmen with powertools take over A1A and the adjacent waterway to construct a small but vibrant floating city of temporary floating docks, tents and custom structures on what is otherwise quiet waters.
“We have the equipment to build large-scale marinas virtually overnight,” says Skip Zimbalist, CEO of Active Interest Media who owns Yachting Promotions, Inc., who produces the show. “And that includes electrical, telephone service, Internet and all kinds of things.” His company provides berths for more than 500 new and pre-owned tour de forces of naval architecture and luxurious interior design.
While it’s fun to drive by and gawk at the 150-footers, boats are available from a family attainable $250,000 to over $20 million. A variety of classes and sizes are represented from 30-foot sport cruisers to 160-foot monoliths. The total adds up to an astonishing 1.2-million square feet of in-water displays and a total of three-quarters of a billion dollars in haute living. Add in the Miami International Boat Show statistics and we don’t have to convince you that this is a show like no other.
All too soon the crowds will be gone and the only sound will be that of power equipment as the forklifts, cranes and crews come back to remove and pack away the show until 2009. It takes almost a full week to return the Miami International Boat Show sites to normal. And by then planning for next year’s show is already seriously in the works. After all, bigger and better doesn’t happen each year overnight.
WHAT’S NEW AT MIBS?
We get the scoop from the organizers of the Miami International Boat Show to find out what patrons and boat buyers can expect this year.
Consumers from across the U.S. and as far away as Japan travel to Miami for this annual gathering of boating enthusiasts, where the best buys of the season can be found,” says Cathy Rick-Joule, VP of Southern Shows which produces the Miami show along with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
This year, the Big Game Room is celebrating its 5th anniversary. “Over the years, the area has grown in size and scope to provide the full realm of products and information on fishing tournaments, charters and destinations in one location. We’re thrilled to celebrate five successful years and partner with the Dan Marino Foundation during this celebratory year to bring awareness to the understanding, treatment and prevention of autism,” says Joanne Zito, sales manager for the Miami International Boat Show and co-founder of the Big Game Room.
Also new and improved is The Miami Herald’s Discover Boating Photo Contest. “Show visitors are invited to submit their favorite boating lifestyle photographs and enter to win a 12-foot Adirondack Boat Pack, valued at $2,500, and a $500 Miami International Boat Show shopping spree,” says Rick-Joule. “Ten honorable mentions will receive $50 Miami International Boat Show shopping sprees.”
“There’s also a convenient Kids Play Area at the show,” she continues. “So the little tykes can spend time away from the show floor to bounce, climb and run amongst the beauty of the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The food selection will also be more intriguing than year’s past with the South Florida sunsets food and drink specials from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 17. This takes place all along Convention Center Drive at the Miami Beach Convention Center location.”
Other opportunities to win include a grand-prize Maxum 2200 SR3 boat with trailer, shopping certificates from Boaters World, and a Sea Vee “Fishing Trip of a Lifetime” including lodging for two in Key West.