Atlanta Boat Show 1/13-16/11

[mwph]

The Atlanta show is in about 3 weeks. Anyone planning to go?


ps...I know its smaller than it used to be. I know the can boats take up space. I know pizza is $8. No need to post all the reasons not to go.

I also know that it is a learning experience & my wife & I always have a great weekend. I'm just wondering if I'll run into any CSR members there this year.

 

[carterchapman]

Sue, Grant, and I are planning to be there. Don't know what day yet...depends on my work schedule...

If we see you I'd like to talk about Lake Guntersville with you...

 

[mwph]

It would be great to meet you guys. We'd be happy to share what I know about the area. As it gets closer we can PM.

 

[carterchapman]

We'll get Windjammer and JediJD to check in as well...they are on my dock.

 

[Mood Swings]

We will be there on Saturday. The best reason to go is to get the feeling of being a boater again. The last two weeks have been unusually cold and gloomy so just hanging around other boaters should cheer everyone up!

 

[JerryS]

We have not hit the show for the past couple of years. This year?..........Maybe.

 

[carterchapman]

Jerry - you didn't miss much last year - the big disappointment was the 450 Sundancer with 8.1 gas stern drives, and the best boat was the Regal 44 SC with Volvo IPS'.

 

[JediJD]

"Background music swells as an African American church choir sways and sings...'I'll be there...I'll be there...' (channeling Michael Jackson, not Mariah Carey)"

Wouldn't miss it...sorta like opening kickoff. I have a couple of buddies going down to sniff boats One's wife wants a cruiser and he thinks she'll be satisfied with and just upgrading his early 2000's Chaparral deckboat...I'm just laughing at him. MM says they'll have the 470SD, and Singleton is supposed to have a couple of nice ones too.

Keep us posted on schedules...we'd love to meet up and compare notes.

 

[Windjammer]

Haven't been in the past couple of years but might make it this time. It is a lot smaller. I remember back in the 70's & 80's it ran for about 10 days and was a madhouse on the weekends.
Maybe there will be something interesting this time - other than salesmen touting the "19 cup holders and the 2 gigawatt stereo systems."

 

[JediJD]

Becky and I were talking today about going down with a group and tailgating.

 

[chuck1]

May hit it myself this year.

 

[offduty]

Just tried to get to the show in my 2009 Jeep Commander with Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires. Forget it. Streets are still ice and there is still no salt or sand on the roadways. If you really want to go try MARTA or wait until Sunday, maybe conditions will be better. I feel for the sales guys.

 

[JediJD]

Thanks for the warning did you do Northside Drive or Williams street?. We were heading down in a couple of hours...hope things improve. The Only Mate has an AWD GL450, Allstate Insurance, a burning desire to throw my jetskis away and get better ones, a kid's BBall game on Sunday, and tomorrow is sacred...she will be preparing for the game the whole day...already worrying about when dinner reservations should be so we can get in at least 20 minutes before kickoff.

 

[mwph]

Just tried to get to the show in my 2009 Jeep Commander with Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires. Forget it. Streets are still ice and there is still no salt or sand on the roadways. If you really want to go try MARTA or wait until Sunday, maybe conditions will be better. I feel for the sales guys.

Interesting. I just got off of the phone with them. She said there were "100's of people in there" & that "the streets have been totally cleared since yesterday."

I have another guy I can call but I'm beginning to think I should have gotten her name rank & serial number.

 

[offduty]

FOX 5 just had it on TV and there probably are 100 people there. Looked like 90 salesman and 10 homeless guys trying to get out of the cold. The area all around the center is a mess, hopefully it will start melting on its own due to some warmer weather not because of the citys' dysfunctional response to the storm. I'm going to try again tomorrow or Sunday. Maybe the deals will be better with less foot traffic.

 

[offduty]

I was on Northside and it was still a mess

 

[offduty]

Update: I just spoke to Alicia at the show. She stated use Northside and park in the lots at Ivan Allen. Sidewalks are fairly clear and streets have improved due to the sun and warmer temperatures, not because of any improvement in city services.

 

[JediJD]

The Only Mate and I went yesterday. No ice problems coming down Northside Drive and parking in the gold lot just north of the Doom Dome. Suprisingly positive. Lots of boats, a few bigger ones (35-47'). Seems a lot bigger than last year. The vendor corridor was pretty filled...even had boat related stuff. LOTS of kids stuff. Took our nine year old, she caught a fish in the fish tank (so did the Only Mate...quite the moment). Bunch of bouncy things and tatoos and balloons for the kids and bunch of bars for the adults (pouring pretty fair shots at $7/pop...not bad). Boat show pricing seemed agressive but not panicked. My general sense is that prices are firming up a bit, and new costs a LOT more than new did a couple of years ago...or at least the discounts are a lot less on the street. They had a Marquis that I was a little disappointed in. It was incredibly flashy...but at 42' LOA for $900k with the dual bridges...it seemed a bit less functional and more ostentatious than I expected. The crystal stemware and glass steps were a bit much for a boat and the styling seemed early Cadillac...you know, the first efforts to pretend to evoke stealth fighters? I liked the way the rear deck swept into the hull, and the appointments were nice...but at $700k the Searay 470 Zeus was the clear winner for us. What say y'all?

 

[mwph]

We were able to park in the Blue lot, a couple hundred yards from the main entrance. The sidewalks were covered with an inch+ of filthy wet, sand. Nice. I've been to Atlanta a couple dozen times for sporting events & other day trips over the last 20 years. In my opinion its official, the city is an ongoing train wreck.

We enjoyed the show, 3 years running now. Talked to some cool guys from Marine Max. I always learn something so mission acomplished on that front. Tickets were free, $8 to park, looked at boats for a couple hours. All & all a good day. That being said....If we go next year it will be on Friday. I've never been a fan of kids that have been cooped up in the house for 5 days because of bad weather. I'm even less a fan of the adults that let the little crumb snatchers run wild & unleashed in public.

We did not board the Marquis, it looked pretty cool well, "Hollywood" I guess. The line to board the boat looked 200 people deep. I won't wait in line for much in this world, looking inside that boat isn't on that list. Besides after getting the VIP treatment(Move to the head of the line) from MM, we arent too interested being hearded onto other boats. I did board the Monterey (36' I think). If anyone has any impressions on that particular boat, I'd like to hear them.

 

[jrm005]

We were able to park in the Blue lot, a couple hundred yards from the main entrance. The sidewalks were covered with an inch+ of filthy wet, sand. Nice. I've been to Atlanta a couple dozen times for sporting events & other day trips over the last 20 years. In my opinion its official, the city is an ongoing train wreck.

We enjoyed the show, 3 years running now. Talked to some cool guys from Marine Max. I always learn something so mission acomplished on that front. Tickets were free, $8 to park, looked at boats for a couple hours. All & all a good day. That being said....If we go next year it will be on Friday. I've never been a fan of kids that have been cooped up in the house for 5 days because of bad weather. I'm even less a fan of the adults that let the little crumb snatchers run wild & unleashed in public.

We did not board the Marquis, it looked pretty cool well, "Hollywood" I guess. The line to board the boat looked 200 people deep. I won't wait in line for much in this world, looking inside that boat isn't on that list. Besides after getting the VIP treatment(Move to the head of the line) from MM, we arent too interested being hearded onto other boats. I did board the Monterey (36' I think). If anyone has any impressions on that particular boat, I'd like to hear them.

I have never been on a Monterey in the water, but I have to say for the price, the fit and finish on the boat was very impressive, we looked at the 41'. The price was also aggressive, in the $300Ks.