EARNINGS REPORTS REFLECT SLUMP p. 20
®
INSIDE: The Fort Lauderdale boat show turnout drops,
but exhibitors report better-than-expected sales p. 8
THE BOATING BUSINESS NEWSPAPER VOL. XLV, NO. 6 DECEMBER 2007
$5.00
www.tradeonlytoday.com
plus
“We don’t seem to be taking this $18
billion marine industry very seriously in
Tallahassee,” said Sands. “In our fourth
session we still have no property tax re- form. It seems more important to get a Marinas & Docks
domed stadium for somebody than take
care of uninsured kids and our econo- A Trade Only special report
my’s development. It’s a question of priorities. How do we spend our money?
The folks in control of the ball don’t
have the political will to do what needs
to be done.”
Some economic problems stem from
regulatory issues. Most notably, the dis-
continued on Page 13
Waterfront crisis grabs spotlight
Summit tackles problems in South Florida’s $18B marine industry
By Lisa Knapp
Are incentives part of the solution?
The idea of preserving the working
waterfront underscored discussions at
the annual summit of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
“I wish I could tell you help was on
the way,” Florida State Representative
Franklin Sands told 175 marine industry
leaders Nov. 9.
Powerful figures from local, state
and federal government came out in
droves to support the working waterfront initiative. Notable speakers included Coast Guard Rear Adm. Jim
Watson and Alex Sink, Florida’s chief
financial officer.
The summit covered a litany of marine problems. On the economic front,
state and local development agencies
discussed incentives to keep businesses
in South Florida. Many have relocated
to North Carolina and the mid-Atlantic
to take advantage of lower operating
costs, stemming primarily from exorbitant property taxes and insurance premiums in South Florida.
n Storm-proofing a marina is a costly but
necessary process in some areas. p. 10
n An effort to ease the property tax burden on Florida marinas falls short. p. 11
Weak dollar a U.S. plus at METS
JOANN W. GODDARD
American exhibitors say it fueled interest in their products
By JoAnn W. Goddard/Associate Editor
j.goddard@tradeonlytoday.com
AMSTERDAM — More than 100 companies represented the U.S. at the Marine Equipment Trade Show in
Amsterdam Nov. 13-15, and some said the weak dollar
stimulated interest in their products.
Weakness in the U.S. currency enables European companies to buy more U.S. product for fewer euros.
“I think this has been great,” said Steve Pelini of Bob’s
Machine Shop, which has exhibited at the show for the
past five years. “There is a lot of interest in American
products with the dollar value down.”
At the U.S. Pavilion, George Bellwoar of Perko said
METS has always been a good show for the 100-year-old
company. While Perko has been doing business abroad
for years with its solid distribution system, Bellwoar said
it’s essential for Perko and other United States representatives to attend METS so they can personally meet with
potential and established customers. Europeans emphasize the building and nurturing of business relationships. To that end Perko’s officials also travel to Europe
at least once a year to meet with its customers.
Including the 100-plus U.S. companies, METS attract-
ed a total of 1,137 exhibitors from 39 countries to the
Amsterdam RAI. Ids Boersma, chairman of the METS Exhibition Committee, said 41 of those exhibitors have
been with the show since its inception.
continued on Page 45
More than 100 U.S. firms exhibited at METS in Amsterdam, most of them in the busy U.S. Pavilion.
DAME winner
One of the annual highlights at METS is the DAME design award, which this year went to Opacmare S.p.A. of
Italy for its Teaky Beach platform chaise lounge.
The committee said the chair exemplifies the award,
which recognizes not only great design but ease of use.
The chair also won top honors in its category — interior
equipment, finishing and fittings.
This year, show organizers broadened the DAME program by charging a 150-euro registration fee for each
company that entered products, according to show director Irene Dros. The proceeds, more than $20,000, were
donated to the Batavian Yard in Lelystad, Netherlands, an
open-air museum and shipyard that is building a replica of
a 17th-century warship.
The upscale pontoon
Pontoon boat makers are boosting
the performance of their products
and adding lots of luxury features.
The new
approach
is paying
off in new
customers. p. 25
Technology
at the helm
Whatever growth
the industry sees
in the years ahead
will be driven by
technology, say
those in the know.
p. 22
