Let the party begin as South Beach, hotels, bars and restaurants – Light Up-
Welcome back. It’s about time!
Six years after leaving the Miami Beach Convention Center for Virginia Key, the Miami International Boat Show is back in Florida’s South Beach. The 2022 show returns February 16-20 and it’s going to be a huge party.
For the first time, the Miami International Boat Show, the Miami Yacht Show and SuperYacht Miami have combined to create the largest boat and yacht show in the world. The shows were canceled in 2021 because of the pandemic.
For the performance-boating crowd, once again the hotels, restaurants and bars are within walking distance. No more hoping on a ferry or spending $50 on an Uber to get dropped off a half-mile from Miami Marine Stadium.
“With our return to the Miami Beach Convention Center and alongside our partners at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the 2022 boat show will be unlike any other winter boat show – and we can’t wait to bring together the boating and yachting community for an unforgettable event,” said Andrew Doole, president of U.S. Boat Shows with Informa Markets, which produces the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show.
Since the last time the boat show was held at the convention center, the facility has undergone a $642.8 million renovation. The biggest changes attendees will notice is the parking lot behind the convention center is now parkland. Only boats under 49 feet will be in the convention center with the larger boats in-water.
For the go-fast crowd, the brands and boats they want to see will be at the following locations.
Miami Beach Convention Center: Powerboats up to 49 feet, engine manufacturers, marine accessories, electronics, and retail pavilions.
One Herald Plaza: Larger powerboats, motor yachts ranging from 50 feet to 125 feet, yacht tenders, engines, marine accessories, and retail pavilions.
Sea Isle Marina: Test drive over 150 sea trial vessels while also highlighting boat and engine manufacturers.
“I love the convention center,” said Randy Scism, owner of Marine Technology Inc. “People can come and see it, touch it, feel it. They can comeback and forth. It was so painful to get out on that island for the in-water show. In my opinion, we didn’t have near the traffic.”
Several performance boat companies plan to debut new models at Miami. Here’s a preview of what to expect.
Deep Impact
Fans of Deep Impact will learn more about the 499 Sport, which the company has been slowly rolling out to the public. The 50-foot center console with quad Mercury Racing 400s is expected to be in full production this summer.
Based off its 399 sistership, the stepped-bottom 499 Sport is expected to top 80 mph. Thanks to a 11’11” beam, the 499 Sport can be easily trailered to a poker run or launched from your favorite marina. Among the features expected on the 499 Sport includes three rows of seats, a full-length sunpad in front of the console and a full forward seating and lounge. The center console will have a full stateroom, full stand-up head and galley area inside the console.
Marine Technology Inc.
MTI is going to have a busy Miami Boat Show with four boats in the convention center. The high-performance builder will show off the 42V and 50V center consoles along with two 390X models catamarans.
Marine Technology Inc. will offer in-water demos of the same four models at Haulover Marine Center, the company’s Florida sales and service facility located in North Miami.
Formula Boats
The last time the Miami International Boat Show was inside the convention center, Formula was still building a powerboat line and offering its boats with sterndrives. How times have changed as the Decatur, Ind., builder as all of its boats will have outboards on the transom.
Formula is showcasing its 500 Super Sport Crossover with quad Mercury Marine Verado outboard. The 500 SSC will be in the water for demos at the Sea Isle Marina docks. Customers can also check out the 430 All Sport Crossover and the 430 SSC with four Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
The company is also planning to display a 350 Super Sport, 330 Crossover Bow Rider, 350 Crossover Bowrider, a 290 Bow Rider and a 310 Bow Rider inside the convention center. For fans who don’t want to make the trek to Sea Isle, a scale model will be on display in Formula’s booth.
Fountain Powerboats
The understand how popular performance center-console boats are, looking no further than Fountain Powerboats’ display for the show. The company will showcase all center-console models between its displays at the convention center and Sea Isle Marina.
Introduced at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last year, the 32NX in Miami will have triple Mercury Racing 300R outboards and shown in two variations. Inside the convention center, Fountain will have the 32NX equipped for bluewater fishing, a 38SC and a 38CC both with triple Mercury Racing 450Rs. The in-water display will include the 34CC and a 38TE.
Nor-Tech
Nor-Tech is expected to debut a brand-new model in Miami. The company plans to unwrap a new 400 SuperSport center console with four Mercury Racing 450R outboards. The new model will be joined by the 450 CC Super Sport with quad Mercury Racing 450R outboards in the convention center.
There will be no shortage of horsepower at Nor-Tech’s in-water display at Sea Isle. Nor-Tech will showcase its 392 CC Super Fish and a 460 Flyers. Like the other models, both V-bottoms will be equipped with quad 45-hp outboards.
Outerlimits Powerboats
Outerlimits is bringing the first two SC37 catamarans it built out of its Bristol, R.I., plant to Miami to display at the show. Hull No. 1 with twin Mercury Racing 450R engines will handle in water demo rides out of Grove Harbour Marina. Hull No. 2 will be inside the Miami Convention Center featuring a Stephen Miles Design graphics wrap. Just like the first hull, the SC37 will have a pair of 450-hp outboards.
The high-performance builder is expected to have a Mercury Racing 565-powered SV29 on display and is reportedly trying to add a SL41 to its display.
DCB Racing
It’s rare for a West Coast custom performance boatbuilder to make the trek across the country for the Miami Boat Show. This year DCB Performance Boats will return after a seven-year hiatus with a new M37R in the Mercury Racing booth at Sea Isle. The gorgeous catamaran owned by Greg Harris and Yvonne Aleman features twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
Cigarette Racing
The first Miami International Boat Show under the new ownership group led by CEO Alex Ruiz, Cigarette Racing will be well stocked with models from its current lineup. Ruiz won’t say much about what surprises they have planned.
“I think everybody is going to be very jaw-dropped with what we’re doing. You’re going to see a debut of what the future holds for Cigarette,” he said.
Visitors will be able to check out the 41’ Nighthawk with quad Mercury Racing 450Rs, a 24-foot Cigarette with a single Mercury Racing 600 SCi engine, a 42’ Auroris with quint 450R outboards and the 515 with twin Mercury Racing Dual Cal 1550/1350 sterndrives.
The Miami-area-based builder will also showcase a restored 1994 35’ Café Racer that was created for Miami’s art Basel. The V-bottom has Mercury Racing 520-hp engines with XR drives.
Mercury Racing
No major announcements are expected from Mercury Racing this year as the company tries to keep up with unprecedent demand. That doesn’t mean the Fond du Lac., Wisc., company won’t have plenty eye candy on display in its booth.
Visitors can check out outboards including the 450R, 360 APX competition, 300R with AMS and the 60R. For sterndrives, Mercury Racing will showcase the Dual Cal 1550/1350 and 1100 Competition.
Performance Boat Center
Despite a tight inventory, Performance Boat Center plans to have at least four boats in the water at the Sea Isle Marina from Sunsation, Velocity and Wright Performance.
The Lake of the Ozarks-based dealership recently announced it was adding Velocity Powerboats to the multi-brands the dealership carries. Go-fast fans will want to check out the 290 SC, which has been Velocity’s hottest seller. The center-console boat reportedly runs 105 mph with twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards.
In addition to the Velocity line, Performance Boat Center will have the 32CCX and 34CCX center-console models from Sunsation Powerboats available for demo rides during the five-day boat show.
Wright Performance’s 360 catamaran powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards will also be in the water.
Fast Facts
Miami International Boat Show February 16-20, 2022 Tickets prices: $60 prime time preview one-day ticket; $40 single-day general admission; $15 for children.
www.miamiboatshow.com
