No-Food-A-Palooza?

I like the idea of having our own event. I'm game for anything within 25 miles of Annapolis. I'm between boats until early August so I'll start by proposing August 11. You all know the better spots so I'll defer the location to the long-time locals.

Can anyone say Mini-Looza?
 
My $ .02 on these events - and please, I'm not trying to defend any of the dealers. Several years ago, SeaRay ran an annual get together alternating east or west of the Mississippi River with this gala event. Dealer's also did their thing - in the case of Clarks Landing, it was an annual Customer Appreciation Weekend.

If anyone was at the 2004? SeaRay event in Cambridge, you'll remember it was pretty incredible. Gifts every morning on your boat. Food and drink for 3 days and plenty of activities. Cynthia Trudell, then President of SR, was there and was very approachable and would talk about anything.

Clarks did their thing typically the end of July and would usually prance Coach Billick around and charge a lot of money in the name of appreciating our business.

SeaRay stopped their big party - Cynthia got the boot and some time thereafter, some marketing genius came up with Aquapalooza. Now, SeaRay could boast an annual event bigger than anything and push much of the burden and responsibility to the dealers. So, while not defending Clarks, they're stuck with this thing and have to find a way financially to pull it off. There are some subsidies from corporate, but not what you'd think. This year, Clarks has cancelled their "Customer Appreciation" gig - I can only guess the resources are shifted to Aquapalooza - what resources they may be.

From a business perspective, dealer's should hit a home run on this if they'd only invest in true customer awareness and appreciation, but sadly, they only know sales. Like many businesses, myopic leaders at the top making uninformed decisions that trickle down to all of us causing these rants, like the one I'm on.

OK, I'll shut up now....and yes, I feel better.

And, I'll get my T-Shirts... :thumbsup:
 
OK, after a call to Clarks it turns out that, despite what the e-mail said, there will be some food and drink there afterall. I don't know why I'm so cheesed off by this given that we probably won't eat the food any way!

So, now we are going to go to pick up our free T-shirts! Sorry for stirring up this nonsense...
 
Well I have to admit it when I'm wrong but... Prodigalson you are 100% right about SeaRay providing food at this thing. After flipping through at least 7 different boating magazines (most are all the same anyway) I am getting tired of all the Aquapalooza ads. If they have that kind of money to be advertising in EVERY single boating magazine out there, then they darn well better make this thing an event worth remembering. And if that means some hotdogs, hamburgers, and soda then they better do it. You are absolutely correct. I hope the weather is good next weekend and I hope this "Aquapalooza" thing doesn't suck. :grin: At least I'll get my T-shirts. On another note... I wonder what it would sound like if all 25,000 Sea Ray's blasted the "duck" horn at the same time.
 
JeffM said:
Ummm, getting back to the (un?)party.... :smt018

Right now we're still planning to go, though.....unless we want to organize our own 'Palooza at Fairlee, Still Pond, or......

We'll bring hot dogs :smt043 .

Jeff
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Jeff -- Don and I are planning on going tomorrow as well. What time do you guys expect to be there?
 
Great! We're looking forward to it.

We're aiming to arrive about 1 pm -- but that means rousing two teenagers before 10 am........ :smt009 . Hopefully we'll be pretty close.

The bands start at noon and end at 7; we aren't sure if we're going to stay the night or head back. If we don't stay, we'll likely leave about 6:30.

Jeff
 
We will also head up to Conquest Beach shortly after 12. Hope to meet you there!
 
JeffM said:
Great! We're looking forward to it.

We're aiming to arrive about 1 pm -- but that means rousing two teenagers before 10 am........ :smt009 . Hopefully we'll be pretty close.

The bands start at noon and end at 7; we aren't sure if we're going to stay the night or head back. If we don't stay, we'll likely leave about 6:30.

Jeff
Click to expand...

It will be good to see you guys again! My parents will be meeting us there too, on their Sea Ray, Meant 2 B, so keep an eye out for us; we'll hail you when we get close.
 
how'd you all score t-shirts? do they toss them around with one of those t-shirt shooting machines at the aquapalooza event? that's the only reason i "registered" (which is just a way to get you on their dopey spamming list). no way on earth was i expecting any eats down a tice's shoal. i'm just going to drive through to watch the display of bad boating and intoxication :smt038 . that place is bedlam on a typical weekend day - imagine when there is an "organized" event. :smt100
 
got a e-mail from my Marinemax dealer about our event on Lake Hopatcong next Saturday. They said there is food and beverages being supplied and that the barbaque is at a lake side bar/tavern. They are even supplying a Boston Whaler to shutle people from the raft up to the bar.
Sounds like a good time to me.
 
Well Lake Hopatcong MArinemax did a outstanding job on the Aquapalooza yeaterday. Great food, fun things for the kids to play with, good music. And we even met some new freinds on the lake and just plain had a great time.
My hats off to Sea Ray and Marinemax for a great event!
:smt038
 
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