The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was held Oct. 25-29 at seven locations in Broward County in South Florida. A mix of sun, clouds and consistently strong winds helped keep temperatures in check and attendees comfortable.
“We were blessed with good weather because the wind kept the temperatures down,” says Andrew Doole, president of U.S. boat shows for Informa. “Saleswise, it was a good showing.”
The 64th edition of the show took place mostly at the Bahia Mar Yachting Center and Broward County Convention Center, with additional exhibits at Las Olas Marina, the Hall of Fame Marina, Pier 66 Marina, the 17th Street Yacht Basin and the SuperYacht Village at Pier 66 South. Informa co-owns the show with the Marina Industries Association of South Florida, and Doole is already looking ahead to the 2024 edition, when Suntex Marinas hopes to have Las Olas Marina renovations finished.
Show promoters had not finished tallying final numbers before press time, but Doole estimated that the 2023 show had statistics similar to the previous year, which saw more than 100,000 attendees, in excess of 1,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries, and around 1,300 boats on display.
Courtesy Informa Markets Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta held a breakfast Oct. 25 where marine division president Johan Inden outlined the propulsion giant’s sustainability commitments. They include reducing emissions from operations 50% by 2030 and decreasing absolute emissions 37.5% by 2050. “We’ve made concrete commitments to sustainability, and we intend to honor them,” Inden said. “As a marine company, it’s the right thing to do, and our entire team is on board.”
Inden also discussed the importance of retaining the boaters the industry gained during the pandemic. “We have a short-term drive to keep the people we introduced to boating during Covid in the market for some time to come. We feel that our innovations and simplifying boating are ways to retain these important customers.”
Ferretti Group
Prior to the show’s noontime opening on Wednesday, Italy’s Ferretti Group held a press conference at its U.S. headquarters. Stefano de Vivo, Ferretti Group chief commercial officer and Wally managing director, said the overall corporation has experienced “double-digit growth.”
Ferretti Group reported revenues of $1.09 billion last year. Through the first six months of 2023, de Vivo said, the number was $614 million. “That is way above what we did in 2022,” he said.
Courtesy Informa MarketsAllied Marine in Fort Lauderdale is Ferretti Group’s East Coast dealer. Since November 2022, the company has sold 165 yachts worth a total of $570 million, a $19 million increase over the previous year’s $551 million in sales.
Ferretti Group has invested in the Allied Marine location that hosted the event, adding 20,000 square feet of total area with nine covered slips, and employing 60 workers. At the 320,000-square-foot Safe Harbor
Lauderdale Marine Center where Ferretti Group services its boats, there are three covered slips, eight land slots and 40 more employees, plus $1.5 million in warehoused parts.
Denison Yachting
Denison Yachting celebrated 75 years in business at its hometown in Fort Lauderdale. Company president Bob Denison spoke of his grandparents moving to the area to build Broward Yachts.
At this year’s show, Denison had 12 yachts larger than 100 feet, and 17 that exceeded 80 feet. The brokerage firm was trying to sell the most yachts larger than 24 meters (just shy of 80 feet). Additionally, the company plans to open a global headquarters on Fort Lauderdale’s Southeast 17th Street, a well-known artery to the beach. “As a kid growing up, I was like, one day, maybe we can have an office there,” Denison said.
Denison Yachting has teamed with Turkish yacht builder Numarine and sold 11 of the company’s yachts. Denison also is working with Polar Leapher Yachts on a polar-class expedition yacht and other one-off custom designs.
Highfield Boats
Highfield Boats president Christophe Lavigne provided a business update and partnership announcement during an afternoon press conference. Lavigne opened by announcing four new staff members, including regional sales managers Emma Rigby, Chris Brown and Jean Come Maziere, and marketing manager Michael Carroll.
He next announced that the company is bringing Italy’s Nuova Jolly rigid-hull inflatable boats to the U.S. market to supplement Highfields’ offerings, creating a line of family-friendly boats with offshore capabilities. The Nuova Jolly boats, which have fiberglass hulls instead of the aluminum used in Highfield models, will be built in the United States at the company’s new Michigan facility. Nuova Jolly’s general manager, Teo Aiello, was introduced.
Cox Marine
Diesel outboard manufacturer Cox Marine announced a new global distribution plan. It follows a company restructuring that involved securing funds for future growth.
Cox’s U.S. distribution partner, Ring Power, will be the first to adopt additional territories as a new dealer network is redefined. Cox said its original aim was to partner with 35 to 40 organizations globally, but under the new plan, the company will team up with 25 distributors globally.
The new agreement sees the addition of the following locations where Ring Power holds sole distribution: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
ePropulsion
Since its founding by CEO Danny Tao and three college friends 11 years ago, ePropulsion has grown to 350 employees. The Chinese electric-propulsion manufacturer launched the X40 motor at the Fort Lauderdale show.
The 40-kW outboard has integrated electric steering so it can be rigged with fly-by-wire technology. The electric motor is housed in the lower unit to enhance cooling. The company expects the outboard, which is intended for displacement and sedisplacement applications, to have a 5,000-hour life expectancy.
The X40 weighs about 220 pounds, and the company specifies that it should be packaged with three to four G-series batteries, which weigh approximately 120 pounds each. The outboard has an estimated retail price of $15,000, while each battery is about $5,500.
Aquila 47 Molokai
The 47 Molokai is Aquila’s second offshore center console. The power cat can be ordered with twin 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards or quad 400-hp Verados with Joystick Piloting, and it has a 1,048-gallon fuel capacity.
A 14-foot, 7-inch beam provides deck space for fishing and entertaining. Underway, the crew travels in seven protected helm seats in two air-conditioned rows. Raymarine electronics, C-Zone digital switching and a custom-tuned Fusion audio system put information and entertainment at your fingertips.
For fishing, pressurized live wells fed by a Hooker sea chest keep bait lively. Electric reel outlets provide power for deep-dropping, and the carbon fiber hardtop is reinforced for outriggers and custom towers.
Below deck, the boat has a head and shower along with an air-conditioned stateroom with a queen-size island berth. Two entry doors provide access, and there are overhead and side windows.
Beneteau Antares 12
This outboard-powered flybridge cruiser made its global debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. The 42-foot, 7-inch model was introduced to the North American market at Fort Lauderdale.
It is powered by three 300-hp Mercury Verados with Joystick Piloting. Beneteau’s Seanapps software provides remote monitoring of the boat’s systems.
Outdoor spaces include a flybridge, a cockpit and a sunpad in the bow. A three-panel door connects the main salon to the cockpit. Inside are a starboard galley, port-side dinette and lower helm station. Below deck are three staterooms and two enclosed heads.
Formula 457
Formula Boats will be adding to its lineup with 457 center console Fish and Sport models that will make their debuts at the Miami International Boat Show in February. They measure 45 feet, 7 inches with a 13-foot, 9-inch beam and are powered by triple 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards.
The boats will have 18,000-Btu air conditioning, twin 22-inch Raymarine chart plotters, and Mercury Joystick Piloting and digital throttle and shift. Depending on the model, the cockpit will have a bait-prep station or wet bar. Both versions will have a cooler and in-sole stowage. Up front, the bow will have forward-facing sun lounges with armrests.
Sunseeker Ocean 182
Sunseeker unveiled the Ocean 182, an 88-foot, 11-inch yacht with a 23-foot, 6-inch beam that’s powered by twin MAN V-12 diesels rated at 1,650 or 1,900 hp. The manufacturer says the vessel can achieve a top speed of 27 knots. At displacement speeds, she’ll reportedly cover 1,800 miles at 12 knots.
On the main deck, the galley is forward, accompanied by a dining area with space for eight guests. Below deck, the full-beam master stateroom is positioned just forward of amidships, and there’s a VIP cabin forward.
Chris-Craft Catalina 28
Chris-Craft Boats pulled the sheet off its Catalina 28. The center console has a hardtop with a curved, tempered-glass windshield; integrated speakers; and overhead and spreader lights.
Forward and aft social zones include fold-away seating options with pop-up backrests. An owner can choose from two helm-seat options; a cockpit galley with an integrated sink, refrigerator and stowage; or a reversible helm seat.
With optional twin 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards, Chris-Craft says the Catalina 28 will push the boat to 55 mph. Standard power is twin 225-hp outboards. Mercury’s Joystick Piloting and electric steering are standard, along with a 12-inch Garmin chart plotter and CZone digital switching.
Nimbus W11
Swedish builder Nimbus took the wraps off its latest walkaround, the 40-foot, 7-inch W11. The twin-stepped hull comes standard with a pair of 300-hp Mercury Verados, and twin 400-hp Verados are an option. Twin Volvo Penta D4 diesels rated at 320 hp can also be had. Fuel capacity is 224.5 gallons.
The deck has aft seating and a dining area with a grill and sink. Forward are a sunpad and bow lounge. The helm has space for twin 12-inch multifunction displays. The area is protected by a hardtop with a powered shade.
A port entry accesses the accommodations below, which include a convertible V-berth, a quarter berth, cabinetry and an enclosed head.
Maritimo M60
The Fort Lauderdale show provided the backdrop for the North American launch of the M60 from Australian builder Maritimo Yachts. Design director Tom Barry-Cotter said the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has doubled in size since it was founded by his father, Bill Barry-Cotter.
The 62-footer is powered by twin 800-hp Volvo Penta D13 diesels and carries 1,200 gallons of fuel. Like other models from the builder, it has an enclosed flybridge that the company calls a Skydeck. The area includes an upper helm station and a pair of lounges — one L-shaped and the other U-shaped.
The main salon is connected by folding glass doors to the cockpit, which has a U-shaped transom lounge and teak dining table. Inside, the salon has an aft galley, a dinette and stowage.
On the accommodations deck, the M60 has a two-stateroom, two-head layout. The master stateroom is amidships.
Sirena Yachts 78
Sirena Yachts said it has sold approximately $127 million worth of product through October, a 50% increase over the previous year. Sirena also reported that it has produced 46 hulls so far this year. The company is expanding its production facilities to accommodate larger models.
The Turkish builder introduced a 78-foot model at the Fort Lauderdale show. Designed by Germán Frers, it’s available in three models: flybridge, enclosed flybridge and semienclosed.
According to Sirena, the boat has a range of 1,550 nautical miles at 10 knots and a top speed of 27 knots with the standard twin 1,400 hp MAN diesels. Twin 1,550- or 1,800-hp MANs are an option. The boat carries 2,378 gallons of diesel. There are four staterooms below, plus a crew cabin, along with three en-suite heads with separate showers.
Wellcraft 435
Groupe Beneteau’s Wellcraft brand continues to expand its performance cruiser line with the 435. The boat measures 42 feet, 8 inches and has a 12-foot, 6-inch beam. It’s powered by triple Mercury Verados up to a total of 1,050 hp.
The helm and companion seats are protected by a full-width windshield. Other features include a starboard hull-side door and two social areas in the bow, including a triple-wide sun lounge. The cockpit has fold-out bulwarks that expand the gathering areas with water-level terraces, plus a galley. Below, the 435 has two staterooms with private heads that have separate showers.
This article was originally published in the December 2023 issue.
