Trawler Fest Stuart FL worth while?

[Bigsfish]

BandB

I agree. The problem is finding a 53 and bad weather to sea trial. I've been to Sned Island and there was no 53, there was one at the Miami show but no bad weather and to exercabate the problem they only build boats once they have an order. No spec boats.

Thanks once again.

 

[Stickman]

No 39's, 42's, or brokerage 44's.
Been at show 3 days.

 

[J105]

Bigsfish

I spoke to a Marlow rep the other day and they will have both the 49e and 53 at The Palm Beach boat show...did not ask about other models.

Cheers

Bryan

 

[Bigsfish]

Thanks Brian.

They had those at the Miami show. The 49 was bought by a customer who then decided he wanted a bigger one. The 53 was sold but the owner allowed it to be showed at the show.

 

[BandB]

BandB

I agree. The problem is finding a 53 and bad weather to sea trial. I've been to Sned Island and there was no 53, there was one at the Miami show but no bad weather and to exercabate the problem they only build boats once they have an order. No spec boats.

Thanks once again.

Recall my one comment and that is that you must sea trial only the boat you're looking at. Sea trialing another 53 may not benefit you at all.

Well, if you were leaving Trawlerfest tomorrow you'd have no problem finding rough seas, it's the calm seas you'd be missing. Today in FLL, 9 to 11' seas with occasional to 14' at 8 seconds. Winds 25 knots with gusts of 35 knots. We feel landlocked.

Yes, I know they don't build spec boats which makes a new boat a big gamble with them.

 

[Bigsfish]

BandB

Agreed about weather today, perfect for a sea trial.

So assuming I'm ready to pull the trigger on the 53 and being there are no used available how can one sea trial the boat they will buy? A catch 22.

Thanks once again.

 

[BandB]

BandB

Agreed about weather today, perfect for a sea trial.

So assuming I'm ready to pull the trigger on the 53 and being there are no used available how can one sea trial the boat they will buy? A catch 22.

Thanks once again.

You can't, but then I would never recommend anyone order a new Marlow.

 

[Bigsfish]

BandB

I may not live long enough to find a used 53. LOL

 

[Tom.B]

I never attended one, but as an ex-trawler owner, I still appreciate their appeal. However, even over our short boating life, Trawlerfest has never had much of an appeal. Yea, I wanted to go, but after reading about it, the event seems more like an expensive social gathering.

Now, leaving that uneducated opinion behind, I relly am not sure why Trawlerfest never piggy-backed, or became a "department" of one (or some) of the larger boat shows. I would have had a much larger chance of attending if it were tied to Annapolis, Lauderdale, or Miami.

After moving from a Trawler to a motoryacht, I feel like pigeon-holing buyers to one type of boat in shows like Trawlerfest, greatly restricts the big picture of boat shopping. It would be like having a Ketchfest or bowriderfest.

While some of those large shows are, arguably TOO large already, there are scores of smaller shows (Morehead City, Oriental, Wilmington) that COULD be a good fit to try and increase the traffic to both.

But hey... what do I know, eh?

 

[Bigsfish]

Tom B

My opinion only but after have been to a few Trawlerfests I think many go to see a specific boat, attend the seminars or just kick tires on an afternoon. Certainly the equipment tens don't have much to see. That said I always enjoyed my time there.

 

[Plane Nauti]

My wife and I went down to Stuart this weekend. We attended 2 seminars and viewed all the boats. She's very inexperienced on the water and for us it was a nice event that didn't overwhelm here with info or boats. We were also able to catch up with some old friends from high school in the area and had a great time with all of them!

We enjoyed it....

 

[O C Diver]

Now, leaving that uneducated opinion behind, I relly am not sure why Trawlerfest never piggy-backed, or became a "department" of one (or some) of the larger boat shows. I would have had a much larger chance of attending if it were tied to Annapolis, Lauderdale, or Miami.

After moving from a Trawler to a motoryacht, I feel like pigeon-holing buyers to one type of boat in shows like Trawlerfest, greatly restricts the big picture of boat shopping. It would be like having a Ketchfest or bowriderfest.

Simple answer is the Annapolis boat shows. One is power; the other is sail. These are two very different clienteles. While I'm not saying the trawlerfests are done well, they would be lost at a larger show and have to compete for space at a smaller show. Everything relative to trawlers in one central location is a great concept / value for the serious consumer. The problem with trawlerfests is that there are too many shows for manufacturers and consumers to go to. If there was one East Coast and one West Coast show, they would be much better attended by both manufacturers and consumers. This is one of those examples where many choices actually isn't beneficial to the consumer.

Ted

 

[Bigsfish]

Hi Ted

I agree 100%. If there was a major east coast and west coast Trawlerfest show that would attract boat builders, equipment makers it would be better received instead of ten trawler like shows. They could even tag on after the Miami or Ft Lsuderdake show to capture some of the visitors already in the area.

 

[Hamrow]

The problem with shows like Palm Beach, you'd have to spend all day sifting through 60- 150-foot yachts to find perhaps about 2% are modest length true and efficient trawlers. keep in mind Trawlerfest is trying to run on a shoe-string budget and focus on a specific boating market.
I too was at Stuart last weekend and though I admit it was a smaller show-especially short on the vendor tents, to me it is still a very useful event for people shopping or early in their boating experience. we've been to four Trawlerfest events and a couple other shows. Agreed Riviera beach had more vendors, but it was also surrounded by a pretty unpleasant neighborhood. I suspect the Trawlerfest coming up in Bremerton, WA should be an excellent venue and the NW has a very good selection of Trawler type boats.
One other suggestion for the OP: get a subscription to Passagemaker magazine. its not expensive and its fun to flip through every month or so when it arrives in your mailbox.

 

[psneeld]

I was privileged to be part of trawlerfests way back near their first beginnings....

They were designed to be the antithesis of "modern" boat shows.

For everything you didn't get at a boat show...trawlerfest was the answer.

Now, there is a push in regular boat shows to bring some of that training and side show extra to them....but still a long way from the early trawlerfests.

 

[yachtbrokerguy]

Trawler buyers are like their boats, slow and steady. I know for sure most of the boat owners on this site searched for years before the actual purchase. As a broker to bring a boat to TrawlerFest to try to sell that boat, it is an investment in a great deal of time and money. For a builder of new boats even more money, there has to be a return on investment. The big boat shows get many more possible buyers but they cost even more.
Current rates to put a boat in the Palm Beach Boat Show, between 41' to 60' is $4,034 plus the cost of moving the boat to the show, cleaning, staffing, and more. That show is the least expensive of the big three in Florida, the others being Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

 

[psneeld]

That is why in the early years, trawlerfest and boat builders convinced current owners of certain trawlers to take their boats to the nearby trawlerfests and participate.


It was never really intended to be a show as much as an event for future power cruisers.

 

[Bigsfish]

Hi Scott

Well they picked the right guy to be the antithesis of modern boat shows. I mean that in the fondest way. A fact oriented truthful person at a boat show. No way.

 

[psneeld]

Hi Scott

Well they picked the right guy to be the antithesis of modern boat shows. I mean that in the fondest way. A fact oriented truthful person at a boat show. No way.

The people I met at these events are the ones that convinced me to get into the marine industry after retiring from the USCG and not at the retail sales level....

I am happy they did....


So here I am, in Key Largo minding my own beer....I mean business....


and just spent 2 hrs talking to a couple down form Michigan's upper peninsula on a 30 day trawler shopping spree. Had them aboard and answered a bazzilion questions...tried to get them to come on TF for all of our support...


It felt good to hear the parting comment that it was like going to a free seminar...old habits die hard......

 

[Bigsfish]

Hi Scott

Glad you made it to Key Largo, I spent many day there at my house in a deep water canal ocean side near Harry Harris park. Where are you staying?

 

[psneeld]

Hi Scott

Glad you made it to Key Largo, I spent many day there at my house in a deep water canal ocean side near Harry Harris park. Where are you staying?

Waiting out the weekend blow at Gilberts Resort....plus have friends flying in and driving down Tuesday night for a couple days...then the long trip home to Jersey....thankfully friends and family along the way make it a 2 month trip.

Interestingly, a family unit of 11 dolphins have been giving us and all a great show for 4 days. Even Gilberts dockmaster said he has never seen such a show here. They are flipping fish and somersaulting and jumping like we have never seen out of thousands of dolphins...quite the performance...good as SeaWorld without the Hollywood script.


Hope you and family are doing well...think of all fondly.

 

[healhustler]

My wife and I went down to Stuart this weekend. We attended 2 seminars and viewed all the boats. She's very inexperienced on the water and for us it was a nice event that didn't overwhelm here with info or boats. We were also able to catch up with some old friends from high school in the area and had a great time with all of them!

We enjoyed it....

Same here. Admiral & I attended 5 seminars, all had good info. Particularly Rubin Trane's seminar on Solar, but wasn't long enough to really cover the whole subject. Other TF members were in attendence.

Boat selection was small but overwhelmed by Krogen. The Outboard powered Endeavour 40 Trawlercat demonstrated Bob Vincent's ear to the market. Late designs by Hudson Powercat and North Pacific had good ideas in decor & design. If you were attending for boats only, the show was small, but if you were doing the seminars, I'm not sure how much more one could absorb. The addition of Leopard Cats, a Nordy 43 & 47, a couple of American Tugs and maybe a sub-40 Helmsman would have rounded the show out nicely.

 

[Bigsfish]

Hi Scott

Spent many afternoons at Gilberts and years ago the place on the other side of the bridge had a great wet Tshirt contest. Pulled a snook or two around Gilberts, great eating.

Have a good trip back north. We all look forward to next year, I'll be sure to bring more rum. LOL

If we can help you from the south just ask.

 

[psneeld]

Hi Scott

Spent many afternoons at Gilberts and years ago the place on the other side of the bridge had a great wet Tshirt contest. Pulled a snook or two around Gilberts, great eating.

Have a good trip back north. We all look forward to next year, I'll be sure to bring more rum. LOL

If we can help you from the south just ask.

 

[nobartoofar]

Trawlerfest

My wife and I took the opportunity to visit some friends and see the boats at the Stewart Trawlerfest. I am sure the seminars were good for those that attended. However, the boats on display was very disappointing. I have been on the water for several years and owned many different types of boats. I have decided to settle into a trawler at some point. I was really looking forward to experiencing different styles of trawlers to help me narrow down the style and features I would like. There were only a few styles there. It would have been great to see a few older boats on brokerage as well as a few sundeck trawlers and traditional Grand Banks styles to compare in one location without having to set up appointments with brokers/owners wasting their time.

 

[BandB]

It would have been great to see a few older boats on brokerage as well as a few sundeck trawlers and traditional Grand Banks styles to compare in one location without having to set up appointments with brokers/owners wasting their time.

Older boats don't justify the cost of showing. Boat shows aren't cheap. Trawlerfest is much cheaper than West Palm or FLIBS or Miami but still the cost of the space, of staffing, of taking the boat there, taking it home. Plus Stuart isn't in the middle of the largest volume of boats. Taking a trawler from Miami to Stuart isn't a short trip.