Minneapolis boat show

I was just thinking today that I haven’t yet seen a billboard or any ads for the boat show and usually they are everywhere right after Christmas. Does anyone know if it is expected to be more or less back to normal this year with full attendance? I know last year some of the bigger dealers like Rapid didn’t show up. I’m sure with the brisk sales they were doing anyway they didn’t lose any business. All of their slots were likely full by the time the show came around anyway.

Any word too on if boat sales have slowed down or is it still huge waiting lists?

I normally only go to the show ever few years but getting more of the itch this year. Not looking to buy, but it’s fun to poke around and immerse myself back into open water season for a day. I haven’t been tracking what all is new anyway. I’m guessing those new Alumacrafts will be there with the new outboards and big back decks? Would be interesting to stare at that in person for a bit.

I have gone every year for about the past 10-12 years. I did not attend last year and the previous one was cancelled. I would like to go again though. I have no intention of buying a boat either, I just like looking at them in person. Can’t comment on which dealers will or will not be present. Here is the website for it though.

https://www.minneapolisboatshow.com/

I just saw this about the St Paul Sportsmen show being cancelled. https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/minnesota-sportsmens-show-ending-st-paul-show-after-52-years/. Sounds like a lot of excuses in that article. Those same vendors happily show up at the Boat Show and the Minneapolis Sportsmen show in March.

This St Paul show was never well attended and no surprise the vendors (especially the ones dragging boats) didn’t want to haul everything here only to setup again for the Minneapolis boat show the weekend after.

I saw an ad the other day. I have not gone in ages, but I think I may this year, not to buy, just to drool on some wake boats.

Sounds like some of the vendors from the sports show will be at the RV show. Best part – Free admission! (All of these shows should be free IMO) Will probably swing through next Thus or Fri after work.

-J.

There may still be crazy waiting lists, but the pendulum is quickly swinging the other direction in the automobile industry. I know people who ordered a new Corvette with nothing down, it arrived, and they walked solely because they didn’t want to make the payments at the new interest rate and found a slightly used one they liked at a different dealer. Things are going to be changing in the coming months for sure. The seasonal recreational market is different, but not THAT different.

As far as the boat show, the last year I went was 2018. I had an out the door price on a new rig and after sleeping on it changed my mind. The show is a fairly enjoyable experience for what it is. I don’t see myself going back this year, but maybe the following when life slows down and I can justify having enough free time to upgrade.

I am willing to bet especially in the fishing boat industry it will go similar to the truck industry where it will be custom orders.

buckybadger wrote:

There may still be crazy waiting lists, but the pendulum is quickly swinging the other direction in the automobile industry. I know people who ordered a new Corvette with nothing down, it arrived, and they walked solely because they didn’t want to make the payments at the new interest rate and found a slightly used one they liked at a different dealer. Things are going to be changing in the coming months for sure. The seasonal recreational market is different, but not THAT different.

As far as the boat show, the last year I went was 2018. I had an out the door price on a new rig and after sleeping on it changed my mind. The show is a fairly enjoyable experience for what it is. I don’t see myself going back this year, but maybe the following when life slows down and I can justify having enough free time to upgrade.

So they didn’t want to spend the money on the interest rate for a new 80k plus vehicle and bought used with a higher interest rate?

Ripjiggen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
There may still be crazy waiting lists, but the pendulum is quickly swinging the other direction in the automobile industry. I know people who ordered a new Corvette with nothing down, it arrived, and they walked solely because they didn’t want to make the payments at the new interest rate and found a slightly used one they liked at a different dealer. Things are going to be changing in the coming months for sure. The seasonal recreational market is different, but not THAT different.

As far as the boat show, the last year I went was 2018. I had an out the door price on a new rig and after sleeping on it changed my mind. The show is a fairly enjoyable experience for what it is. I don’t see myself going back this year, but maybe the following when life slows down and I can justify having enough free time to upgrade.

So they didn’t want to spend the money on the interest rate for a new 80k plus vehicle and bought used with a higher interest rate?

No there were some other factors involved. They actually ended up buying the used one for cash once they saw the costs of the changed interest rates over that time they waited. Probably somewhere in the 60k range vs. 85k + interest.

For quite a while the past 5 years it was actually smarter to take out low interest loans and not pull money from investments regardless of what you had as it was well outpacing loan rates with perfect credit. However that mindset is quickly changing.

I was thinking about going this year. Been thinking about a new boat but not willing to spend prices I’ve seen the last year or two.

Anyone going? I might hit it up tomorrow afternoon for a couple hours.

Going with the fam on Saturday, just for something to do. Not in the market, unfortunately. But a man can dream.

Not a chance!!

I may hit the st cloud sportsman show weekend if Feb 10-12 though.

I was thinking the same thing. I usually go just for something to check out the boats and vendors. Someone asked if I was going and I didn’t even realize it was this weekend as I’m always reminded by an ad blitz, but there was none this year.

Last year I was there on Friday and I looked over the field of boats and counted about 15 people that I could see from one end to the next. It was a ghost town.
I wonder if that played a part in the advertising budget this year?

I’ll be there. I’ll be the guy sippin overpriced beer and drooling on the enormous boston whalers. Looking forward to the smaller crowds since so many folks seem afraid to enter minneapolis. more elbow room for me!

dirtywater wrote:

I’ll be there. I’ll be the guy sippin overpriced beer and drooling on the enormous boston whalers. Looking forward to the smaller crowds since so many folks seem afraid to enter minneapolis. more elbow room for me!

RIP in peace

dirtywater wrote:

I’ll be there. I’ll be the guy sippin overpriced beer and drooling on the enormous boston whalers. Looking forward to the smaller crowds since so many folks seem afraid to enter minneapolis. more elbow room for me!

Have at it. I’ll be fishing

I’ll be ice fishing. Long weekend up North

Hit up the boat show for a few hours today. Not super busy. Some of the prices are just outlandish. They had a Ranger Z Series 55 year anniversary Special Edition tournament bass boat that was 111,000 bucks. A small taste of spring in the middle of winter.

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gimruis wrote:

Hit up the boat show for a few hours today. Not super busy. Some of the prices are just outlandish. They had a Ranger Z Series 55 year anniversary Special Edition tournament bass boat that was 111,000 bucks. A small taste of spring in the middle of winter.

Is that all??

As you go there and pay to see those ridiculous prices, you pay to support those same prices.
You guys can pretend it’s normal pricing, but it’s not.
I’ll skip that show every year

Reef W wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>dirtywater wrote:</div>
I’ll be there. I’ll be the guy sippin overpriced beer and drooling on the enormous boston whalers. Looking forward to the smaller crowds since so many folks seem afraid to enter minneapolis. more elbow room for me!

RIP in peace

I only got shot twice, nbd. I always carry a compress or two in my fanny pack since gsw’s are so common around here. The nice thing is, you’re always within walking distance of HCMC!

I’d be curious to see what the current prices are on boats I was tracking 5 years ago. Lund Impact, Crossover, etc. My guess is that the prices are not only quite a bit higher but you know those prices on the windshield are with 115HP motors.

I really have no interest in buying a boat at those prices right now. I would never drop $111k on a special edition fishing boat, even if I could afford it.

I just like looking at boats, climbing in them, etc. A lot of people go to the auto show and have no interest in buying a car. They go because they like looking at cars. I go to the boat show because I like looking at boats.

gimruis wrote:

Hit up the boat show for a few hours today. Not super busy. Some of the prices are just outlandish. They had a Ranger Z Series 55 year anniversary Special Edition tournament bass boat that was 111,000 bucks. A small taste of spring in the middle of winter.

Thats insane. Im willing to bet the main reason boat prices are insane is based on people being able to finance them for 15+ years.

Or supply and demand.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Or supply and demand.

This

gimruis wrote:

I really have no interest in buying a boat at those prices right now. I would never drop $111k on a special edition fishing boat, even if I could afford it.

I just like looking at boats, climbing in them, etc. A lot of people go to the auto show and have no interest in buying a car. They go because they like looking at cars. I go to the boat show because I like looking at boats.

Yep. Love looking at all of the boats on the roads and in parking lots come April. When at a resort, love just hanging out on the docks looking at what everyone is running. I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I don’t always turn my head when a woman walks by, but every time when a nice rig drives by.

Went on Saturday with the family and had a great time. Yes downtown sucks, really sad actually. Was actually weird because despite the crowds inside, the streets around the convention center were a ghost town, businesses shuttered, empty streets–just seemed lifeless. Parked in the underground ramp and took skyway over. Once inside it was crowded but definitely tolerable and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Im not a big crowd guy, and I had no issues with anyone. My boys had never seen anything like that and were in awe. I told them that going to things like that when I was their age made me want to study and work hard. Saw some neat stuff, fun to dream.

ThunderLund78 wrote:

Went on Saturday with the family and had a great time. Yes downtown sucks, really sad actually. Was actually weird because despite the crowds inside, the streets around the convention center were a ghost town, businesses shuttered, empty streets–just seemed lifeless. Parked in the underground ramp and took skyway over. Once inside it was crowded but definitely tolerable and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Im not a big crowd guy, and I had no issues with anyone. My boys had never seen anything like that and were in awe. I told them that going to things like that when I was their age made me want to study and work hard. Saw some neat stuff, fun to dream.

Glad you enjoyed it and gave them a valuable life lesson along the way.

A college roommate called me wondering if I was coming, and I told him it wasn’t in the cards. Afterwards on the way home he called back and said it was much the same as years past, with about a 15% hike on every price he saw.