The Seattle Times article “Struggling boat retailers hope event helps them stay afloat” by Blythe Lawrence just about sums it up. My initial assessment yesterday was confirmed in later conversations: There has been about a 20% decline in the number of vendors and boats compared to the 2008 show.
Even so, the show was very well attended. There were a LOT of people there, especially for a weekday. Not huge crowds, and no long lines that I saw. But a vibrant, upbeat feeling.
I got to catch up with old acquaintances, and I made a few new ones. I got to see some new products, including the Garmin GHP-10 autopilot I’m interested in for my boat. I climbed aboard a few new boats, and I got to examine the Junk Raft up close. By the way, that thing really is junk!
It was fun, and I’m not done by any means. Here are a few pictures I took, including a couple previews of items that will appear in future Navagear posts.
A lot of junk on the Junk Raft:
Another folding crab trap:
A cheesy gimmick, a “wheel of fortune” where you spin the entire boat:
A delightful way to take a break from the hucksters, courtesy of the Center For Wooden Boats:
Some new inflatable kayak products in Walker Bay’s Airis line:
