Boat lovers rejoice. It’s mid-January in Florida, which can mean only one thing, it’s boat show time. And opening its doors this Thursday for a four-day run is the 47th annual St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show Presented by Progressive.
I love this show. The weather will be great; trust me. Sun and blue skies, crisp temps and no humidity. And the setting, in downtown St. Pete in the Mahaffey Yacht Basin alongside Alfred Whitted airport, is hard to beat.
Still the largest boat show on the Gulf Coast, this year it’ll feature over 400 new and used boats, from classy motor yachts, to sporty center consoles, from racy sailboats to inflatables, to kayaks.
As always, there’ll be something for everyone. From a $4 million superyacht, to a floating keyring from the massive 40,000 square-foot tent packed with marine gear and accessories. Come to buy, come to dream, come for a rum cocktail at Goslings’ red-roofed floating Island Bar, you won’t be disappointed.
Of course this year’s show might have a different vibe from recent years. Back-to-back hurricanes last fall damaged, or destroyed, thousands of boats. I’m hoping owners will have insurance checks in-hand and are chomping on the bit for a new craft.
It’s also no secret that the boating market softened during 2024. High interest rates, market uncertainty, and a general lack of consumer confidence saw new boat sales in the U.S. drop by between nine and 12 per cent, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
That could be good news for buyers. With demand down from the crazy post-COVID days, dealers and brokers will likely be more eager to negotiate a keener price to fill-up order books. And who doesn’t love those hard-to-resist ‘boat show specials’?
According to the NMMA, the biggest demand in the boat market continues to be single-engine center console fishing boats, personal watercraft and, interestingly, pontoon boats. The show will likely be packed with them, both in-water and on-land.
With marine powerhouses Marine Max and Nautical Ventures back at this year’s show, there’ll certainly be no shortage of new and used models to see.
Marine Max plans to have at least 15 new models on display, including the brand new 95-foot Ocean Alexander 28L superyacht – set to be the biggest yacht at the show. The $4.25 million cruiser is fresh from its world debut at last fall’s Fort Lauderdale boat show and will be hard to miss.
Add to that, a new Aquila 54 power catamaran from Clearwater-based Aquila, the innovative Saxdor 320 GTO outboard fast cruiser, and the Tampa-built 2025 Bertram 39CC center console.
Fans of Wellcraft should make a bee-line to the Nautical Ventures display where the groundbreaking new Wellcraft 355 outboard-powered cruiser is being displayed. With its rugged hardtop design, glass-filled saloon, innovative below-deck accommodations and triple Mercury 350 power, it can take you on any adventure.
But it’s not all power boats; the show’s display of sleek sailboats grows in size every year. We can’t wait to step aboard the stunning new French-built Jeanneau 55, being displayed by Atlas Yacht Sales. Voted Cruising World’s 2024 Boat of the Year, it breaks the mold when it comes to cockpit design, with its hard dodger and dual cockpit.
The show opens on Thursday and runs from 10am to 6pm. Same with Friday and Saturday, with the show ending on Sunday at 4pm. As with last year, there’s no ticket office, with the organizers asking visitors to buy online at stpeteboatshow.com.
General admission tickets are $23 for adults, while kids 15 and under get-in free. Veterans and active duty service members also get free entry with a military ID.
