42nd annual Naples Boat Show makes a splash

PHOTO COURTESY GALATI YACHT SALES The 2008 Naples Boat Show The 42nd annual Naples Boat Show drops anchor at the proposed Renaissance Village site near downtown Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 22-24. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

More than 20 area boat dealers and 80-plus related businesses will have their wares on display. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Pincher's Crab Shack Thursday through Saturday and from numerous local restaurants on Sunday during the first-ever Seafood Festival held in conjunction with the boat show that is an annual event of the Marine Industries Association of Collier County.

Naples Boat Mart is marking its 21st year as an exhibitor at the show and will have 32 boats on display — more than they've ever had at the show before. "We'll have a $20,000 Monterey 18-foot 'starter boat' and a $325,000 33-foot Grady White," said a hopeful Phil Osborne Jr., sales manager for Naples Boat Mart. "We'll do whatever is necessary to sell some boats," he added.

Mr. Osborne and other boat dealers say savvy consumers recognize that deals on boats are better than ever these days, with manufacturers and dealers offering rebates, extended warranties and various other incentives." "We're getting down and dirty." He's especially excited about the 2009 Grady White 307 that Naples Boat Mart will bring to the show. The 30-foot, open-bow craft has a brand new design and goes for about $210,000.

The boat show's new location near Naples Bay — last year it moved from a land-locked site east of town — opened opportunities for exhibitor Galati Yacht Sales. "We couldn't participate in previous years because of the difficulty of transporting the large boats we carry over land," said David Hirshberg, sales manager for Galati Yacht Sales. Last year's show was "very good" for the dealership's first time participating, Mr. Hirshberg said. This year he'll have eight boats at the show site and another five even bigger boats — up to a 40-foot Marquis — in the water nearby that will be accessible for interested parties.

Galati will debut the new Tiara line of midsize yachts at the show. "We'll probably have four models from 30 feet to 39 feet at the site and another 43-footer in the water," Mr. Hirshberg said. In addition, an array of exotic cars from Ambassador Auto Sales will spice up the Galati display.

At the Naples Harbor Yacht Club exhibit, visitors can investigate a permanent home for their boats in the dry rackominiums at the club's Gordon River complex. The yacht club will also promote its social memberships, which provide access to a martini and cigar lounge, waterfront cocktail bars, swimming pool and spa.

Admission to the Naples Boat Show is $10 (children under 12 admitted free). In addition to the Marine Industries Association of Collier County, this year's show sponsors are the Naples Daily News, Bonita Daily News, SetAnchor.com, Pincher's Crab Shack, Antaramian Development Group, Naples Bay Resort, Renda Broadcasting and Sea//Tow Naples. For more information, call the MIACC at 261- 0882 or visit www.miacc.org.