Boat show “siberia”, you gotta look!

FLIBS_blue_mouths_cPanbo

I always make some time to get to the furthest reaches of the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Boat Shows. These are back rooms so far from the real action of these big shows that the new exhibitors you find there often think of themselves as exiled in “Siberia”. But I have sometimes found a really good product there, and have then helped make the product known…which is a thrill for me. But I’ve also seen some pretty weird scenes in Siberia, like when I turned a corner in the FLIBS convention center last month and found the four people above laying back in chaise lounges with goggles on and their mouths glowing blue! And apparently, bigger picture here, they’d paid $149 a piece for the privilege. I think it was the lab coats that cinched the deal. And that’s as serious as I’m going get, as my day of the year has rolled around again. At least I can look back at the last year and take pleasure in my coming out as a true propeller head.



Ben Ellison

Ben Ellison

Panbo editor, publisher & chief bottlewasher from 4/2005 until 8/2018, and now pleased to have Ben Stein as a very able publisher, webmaster, and editing colleague. Please don't regard him as an "expert"; he's getting quite old and thinks that "fadiddling fumble-putz" is a more accurate description.

4 Responses

  1. Duncan says:

    Happy Birthday Ben!
    It was nice to meet you at the NMEA Conference.
    Have a great year!

  2. Yuri says:

    With tongue firmly in cheek:
    $149? That’s ridiculous. These marine electronics manufacturers are clearly out to rob us. Again. Why, for $3.49 at Radio Barn, I could pick up a blue flashlight or two, and Ben probably has a spare labcoat to lend.
    Who would pay so much for a something obviously built out of off-the-shelf components, with the price all jacked up just ’cause it was featured at FLIBS? Marine tooth-whitening, my ear.

  3. Dan (b393capt) says:

    Siberia … is this the end of the content we will be seeing from the boat shows ?
    Your my closest link to these shows this year Ben. I have enjoyed reading these many entries about the latest offerings.
    I have really enjoyed this, hope this isn’t the end. Tell me you have more ….
    & Happy Birthday

  4. Ben Ellison Ben Ellison says:

    Thanks, Dan! I’ve got lots more from the shows, plus am going to METS next week…it’s just that I’m side tracked with family obligations here in NYC. Patience please, my man, we’ve got many chilly months ahead to talk about latest and greatest.

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