Anyone going to the Mid-Atlantic Boat Show in Charlotte?

JimT

JimT

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2009
1,910
Charlotte, NC- LKN
Boat Info
2010 330 Sundancer
Engines
T-350mags w/BIIIs & Axius, 5.0 kw Kohler
Starts tomorrow (2/5) at noon and runs through Sunday.
 
I would like to go early, maybe friday to beat the crowds. When are you thinking about going?

I'm also going to the Miami Boat show this year, I'm waiting to hear from a friend if he is going.
 
we are going Saturday afternoon with some friends...if anyone wants to meet up let me know...we plan to get there around 1:30 or so....Bill & Mike you have my cell number....

cliff
 
Cliff - sounds good, I'll text or call. Meeting a couple of friends there @11:30, one keeps his boat at PYC.
 
We will probably get to the show around 4:30 when it starts to clear out for dinner then grab a bite uptown afterwards.
 
dpmulvey said:
Post results. So far, AC & NYC have been negative.
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Great show.......if your into pontoons and bowriders. Expensive pontoons and bowriders, dang it.
I think there was 6 cruisers there. Two Ranger tugs, two Sundancers 280,310, two Regals 32, 35.
Holy cow the pontoons, every shape and size. From 20 to 30ft. 16,995.00 to 100,000.00+.

Pretty boring for me, personally. I have one observation though. In talking to the sales folks, they tell me there are no cruisers because nobody wants a cruiser anymore......I disagree in a huge way. Why you ask, well if you wanted to look at one of the 6 cruisers, you had to wait in line to see it! If nobody wants a cruiser, then why are they so popular to look at? I say, the prices of cruisers has gotten out of the range of the average boater. Everyone wants one, just who can afford one, except rich folks. By the way, Sea Ray sold their 35ft, yes 35ft bowrider.

Four hours of my life I'll not get back. I didn't even have to fib to any sales people about wanting to buy anything! haha I hope the Miami show will give me my boat looking fix.
 
I agree, Mike. Very disappointing display by Hall Marine. We didn't even get on the Regal cruisers because I refused to wait on the 15 minute line. That said we will probably go again next year. There just isn't that much to do in February. Though I am strongly considering taking the boat out today for a cruise. Supposed to be 68!
 
2007 show is going to be hard to beat. I remember walking into the coliseum and boats lined the walkway, boats were outside, cruisers were huge and blocked the view of the floor. This year you could stand on one side of the floor and see the oposite wall. The industry has changed for sure.

Do you think manafacturers will build cruisers in a price range that middle class folks can afford? Maybe cutout all the fancy crap and build a solid boat that gets the job done without the expensive stuff thats not necessary. Funny, that's the boat I want anyways. I would love to see Chris Craft do a remake of the 251 Catalina.

Speaking of....I'll be out on the Chris today, slow cruise to nowhere. Gotta fill the gas tank, price per is already going up!
 
Agree with Jim and Mike. The cruisers were a disappointment, I was especially disappointed in the SR330 that was there - the cabin looked to be finished with cheap laminates and flooring - $180k for a cruiser that looks like the cabin was finished at Office Depot - no thanks. Outside / cockpit was fine, although I still can't get passed a 33ft cruiser with no side walks. I can only imagine trying to hang fenders with the canvas up or worse, putting the canvas when you are not at the dock. I didn't even go on the 290 after I saw the 330. I did like the bowriders - especially the SR Sundeck and the Cobalts, but that's the type of boat I am interested in these days. The bowriders look like they were built in a different plan from the 330 - much nicer finishing. Way too many pontoon boats - If you have a lake house, a pontoon boat is about a must have, but not your only boat. I just don't think it needs to be 30ft with two 300hp Verado's on it! Highlight of the show was I finally got to meet Cliff!
 
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BillK2632 said:
Highlight of the show was I finally got to meet Cliff!
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Bill, you must live a VERY sheltered life if this was the highlight of the show for you....:smt001.....no, seriously it was good meeting you also....we'll do lunch soon....

i echo the comments said about the show...little boring for us but it gave us a chance to get out and share some time with friends....the pontoon market must be exploding based on the number of new pontoons at the show....i looked at a few of them...they are nice if you are into that style of boating....i would like to go to a coastal show that has some larger cruisers....i heard Charleston has a good show....i suppose that the Charlotte show caters to the 'lake boaters' which explains the big showing of pontoons and smaller cruisers....anything larger than a 33-35' boat would be difficult to trailer to the show so i guess the larger cruisers will normally only be seen at coastal shows...

the Admiral and i went on the SR 310 and we were both surprised and dissappointed...we were surprised at how small it was compared to our 340 and dissapointed in the layout and general 'feel' of the cabin...we both walked away saying we much prefer our 'old' 340 over the new 310....we did not bother going on the 280....

on a positive note we took the boat out on Sunday...it was pretty windy but we enjoyed it....and we FINALLY got the holding tank pumped out at Kings Point Marina....that was a LONG way to go just to get a pumpout....we have been trying to get a pumpout for the past month or so but could not find a pumpout station open on the WE's we were at the boat...now i can make the repairs needed to the vacuflush system...

cliff
 
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Sounds identical to the Atlanta Boat Show-every pontoon and bow rider imaginable, only 4-cruisers(all SR), and lines to see them were no less than 30-60 mins long. Was not worth standing in line for me. Also surprised as only 2-brands of bass boats-Skeeter and Ranger.

Very disappointing...

Bennett
 
Cliff - so it was either hang out with you or hear why I need two 300hp motors and 25 lighted cupholders on my new $80k pontoon boat! Glad your making progress on the holding tank - I figured it would have been pretty windy up there yesterday. How is you dock situation with wind? At PYC, I was usually stern to the wind and once you got into the fairway between the docks boat's on each side blocked the wind somewhat. Still a pucker factor on a windy day, especially with canvas up. Still, somedays a couple of fenders and a spring line is your friend!
 
Do you think manafacturers will build cruisers in a price range that middle class folks can afford?
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Considering a 22ft tow boat is 6 figures and a basic pontoon can easily be 60K. As long as consumers are willing to buy expensive boats with good margins, builder dont need to build mass quantities of less expensive boats. Much easier business model IMO.
 
BillK2632 said:
Cliff - so it was either hang out with you or hear why I need two 300hp motors and 25 lighted cupholders on my new $80k pontoon boat! Glad your making progress on the holding tank - I figured it would have been pretty windy up there yesterday. How is you dock situation with wind? At PYC, I was usually stern to the wind and once you got into the fairway between the docks boat's on each side blocked the wind somewhat. Still a pucker factor on a windy day, especially with canvas up. Still, somedays a couple of fenders and a spring line is your friend!
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yeah, the chop was probably 2 - 3' with white caps...the boat handled the chop well...this was only the second time i had driven the boat on my own...so with this vast amount of experience driving a twin engine, 37 foot, 14,000 lb. boat why not pick a day with sustained 30 mph winds to go for a cruise...right?....i actually did OK...i did not kill anyone at the pumpout dock and no damage to the boat or their facilities but i did have two guys helping me in....the real fun part came when we went back to our dock...the wind was blowing straight across the docks... i was approaching the dock with the wind....i turned the boat around to pull in stern first about 30 ft before i got to our slip...as the wind blew me down the dock i started easing the boat closer to the dock....then as we got in front of our slip i gave it a little throttle in reverse and got about 1/2 the hull in the slip before it bumped the side of the slip but it was enough to hold us there so i could ease the boat back toward the end of the slip...to say the 'pucker factor' was intense would be a gross understatement....but it was a great learning experience....just a couple minor dock rash marks on the hull, nothing serious...in hind sight it probably would have been easier to dock if i approached our slip going against the wind but docking would still not have been a piece of cake...

one of my dock neighbors was not so lucky...he lost a canopy cover over his bridge when they went out...he said the wind just ripped the cover off its frame and blew it in the water....

cliff
 
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