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The 2011 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show Round Up
The largest superyacht show in the world drew to a close on Monday after offering attendees a varying backdrop of glorious sun, torrential rain and an outstanding exhibition of over 200 magnificent yachts spread across five eventful days.
Fort Lauderdale has always been seen as an institution in the Superyacht Industry. This behemoth of an event allows European brokers, designers and shipyards to merge seamlessly with the influential clients and industry representatives of the USA for five days, and vice versa.
Walking along the Fort Lauderdale Face Dock, Superyachts.com was witness to an exhibition of varying superyachts, sport fishers, tenders and luxury yachts which seemed to be never ending. The sheer volume of space this superyacht show has to offer spreads across three expansive locations and covers over 3,000,000 square feet of marinas and breath-taking Florida waterways.
Yachts ranging from 10’ tenders to 248’ luxury giants like Northern Star and Laurel overtook the Fort Lauderdale Marinas, offering a spectacle which could only be grasped by a view from the roof of the overlooking Bahia Mar Hotel.
Noteworthy superyachts as Kismet, Felicita West, Sycara IV, Unbridled, Madsummer, P2 and Helix were part of the armada of luxury vessels whilst leading companies such as Feadship, Oceanco, Perini Navi, IYC, Moran Yacht & Ship and CMN joined the long list of world renowned industry experts peppering the tents and docksides.
Superyachts.com also had the pleasure of co-hosting events such as the opening of the Atlantic Hotel’s East End Brassiere Restaurant and a glamorous evening aboard Remember When with sponsors like Silhouette Eyewear, Vanderbilt Residences, Magellan Jets, Gerber Group, Whiskey Blue, BMF Media, Georgio Vodka, Hope International and Château D’Esclans.
General outlook of the show stood highly positive from both exhibitors and owners; however any further progression of positivity was slightly marred by the influx of torrential rain and gale force winds characteristic of this time of year. Unaffected by the rain however, people circulated the docks and tents in search of industry expertise and spectacle; something of which the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show holds in abundance.
As always, reports of success take time to emerge after boat shows, and with Monaco only one month in the past, we’re expecting some great results from the recent string of world renowned luxury yacht shows.