Miami Beach Hosts International Boat Show


One expected aspect of MIBS 2010, The Great Recession Version, is the scarcity of new models being introduced by the boat companies. One reason for this is understandable–the backlog of inventory left over from the economic meltdown that put people’s plans to buy a boat on hold. You can’t push new until the dealer network clears out the old.


Those willing and able to buy a boat have benefited from this, getting great deals on boats that are essentially brand new but classified as last year’s, or yesteryear’s, models. But that wave may be cresting. A number of builders I spoke with said they have finally sold most of those boats off, with one saying went from have a 120 boat logjam to having fewer than 20 left.


If you’re looking to buy a boat, the lesson here is, strike while the iron is hot. Or if you insist on having the latest and greatest, expect more new builds to start making the scene for 2011.


Written by: Pete McDonald
Pete McDonald is a contributing editor to Power & Motoryacht. Previously, he spent 11 years on the editorial staff of Boating. He has won multiple writing awards and holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.