News
December 6, 2011
St. Petersburg show reports attendance boost
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With four consecutive days of sunny skies, the 34th annual St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show wrapped up Sunday with a 18 percent increase in overall attendance, according to Show Management chief financial officer Ricardo Strul.
“I think it was a great show in terms of attendance,” he told Soundings Trade Only this morning. “On Saturday we were really beating the numbers by double digits.”
The show, which is held at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts, Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin and Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg, consisted of boats both in the water and on the hard. The show got off to a healthy start Thursday with a 25 percent increase in new boats and exhibitor revenue up about 8 percent, said Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III, chairman and chief executive of Active Interest Media, the parent company of Show Management, which produces the show. AIM also owns Soundings Trade Only.
“It’s a real pleasant surprise, and we were selling some boats,” Zimbalist said Saturday at the show. “We have some really amazing boats, both on the powerboat side and sailboat side, including a 45-foot Beneteau, which was introduced here to the West Coast of Florida. On the power side, we have a 50-foot Maritimo from Galati Yachts and a 60-foot Sea Ray that MarineMax brought.”
The mood among exhibitors and show-goers was upbeat, Zimbalist said. “People have been depriving themselves,” he said. “They want a new boat, and they’ve been holding off on buying.” Now consumers are beginning to make commitments to buy, he said.
The number of exhibitors this year was up 7 percent, he said. Although the majority of exhibitors are based in Florida, other states represented include Alabama, Texas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana and New York, he said.
For Silver Bay, N.Y.-based Hacker-Craft, builder of retro mahogany runabouts, the St. Petersburg event was an opportunity to grow new markets, said Erin M. Badcock, Hacker Boat Co.’s director of operations. “We’re finding some people who haven’t seen these boats and some who actually didn’t know they were still being built,” said Badcock, whose company, Erin Investments, took full ownership of the builder in June. “There aren’t a lot of Hackers in Florida, but we hope to change that.”
Of course, the show featured plenty of Florida builders, including custom fishing/day cruising boats from Bonadeo Boatworks, of Stuart, Fla. The company’s 368 Walk-Around attracted schools of show-goers. On Saturday, the boat was packed from bow to stern.
“In this size range and type of boat, there are not a lot of options for custom boats,” company vice president of operations Tony Bonadeo said. This is the 7-year-old company’s seventh boat, a high-end open boat with a berth and head below the console.
The number of new powerboats from 20 to 50 feet was up by about 20 percent, according to Strul. A Hatteras 68 convertible offered by the Tom George Yacht Group of Dunedin, Fla., was the largest boat at the show.
This marks the fourth year sailboats have been part of the St. Petersburg show. More than 25 sailboats from 33 to 50 feet were shown, Strul said. And more than 60 seminars were held during the show. Show-goers were able to navigate the show with Show Management‘s free MyBoatShow app for the iPhone/iPad and Android platforms.
— Chris Landry, Soundings Trade Only
###
——————————————————————————————————————————
November 11, 2011
St. Petersburg show adds boat displays
The 34th annual St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show runs Dec. 1-4 at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin and Albert Whitted Park.
This year’s show, composed of 25 percent sailboats and 75 percent powerboats, has 25 percent more on-land boat displays than the 2010 show, organizers said.
The show will feature a large selection of powerboats and sailboats on display in an expansive waterfront area and on land, in addition to a 40,000-square-foot clearspan tent housing all types of marine gear. Show-goers will find hundreds of powerboats and sailboats in the custom made-for-the-show marina set adjacent to the Albert Whitted Park and Mahaffey Theater grounds, including family cruisers, runabouts, fishing boats, sailing yachts and personal watercraft.
In addition to the large selection of exhibits at this year’s show, there will be an extensive schedule of fun and educational special events, such as marine seminars and youth fishing clinics presented by the non-profit Hook the Future. For those interested in finding marine-related books and meeting the authors face to face, the show offers the Author’s Corner.
New to this year’s St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show is MyBoatShow, the show’s new smart phone app. Officially launched at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the free app, available on iPhone and Android platforms, is designed to help navigate the show’s docks, land areas and tents. Attendees will be able to access show maps and search for exhibitors, manufacturers, product categories and boats by specifications and size.
For more information about the show, visit: ShowManagement.com.
###
——————————————————————————————————————————
July 22, 2011
Active Interest Media Buys Trade Only, Soundings and PassageMaker
Active Interest Media chairman and CEO Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III announced that the company acquired a group of key assets from Dominion Enterprises, including Soundings Trade Only, Soundings, Woodshop News and PassageMaker magazines, and the popular Trawler Fest events.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“These acquisitions allow AIM to expand our marine, consumer enthusiast and B2B portfolios with highly differentiated print, digital and event properties,” Zimbalist said in a statement.
The assets include PassageMaker and PassageMaker’s Trawler Fest events, an international publication and events business that covers boats, boaters and the lifestyle of powerboat cruising; Soundings, a magazine for recreational boaters; Soundings Trade Only, the premier magazine and website dedicated to the marine industry professional; and Woodshop News, the magazine and website for small-shop professional woodworkers.
“Soundings, Trade Only, PassageMaker and the Trawler Fest events add important dimensions to our existing shows, print and websites in the marine industry,” AIM president and chief operating officer Andy Clurman said in a statement. “Woodshop News is also a fit with AIM’s Home Buyer Media Group that serves a wide spectrum of custom home builders and craftsmen. In all, this is a rare opportunity to bring together great brands and excellent teams that share a passion for the communities they serve.”
Operationally, the PassageMaker and Soundings Publications staffs will remain in place in their present locations in Annapolis, Md., and Essex, Conn., respectively. The group will report to Gary DeSanctis, AIM’s Marine Group vice president of sales and the publisher of Yachts International. With the acquisition, DeSanctis was promoted to group publisher of AIM Marine.
###
——————————————————————————————————————————
Press release from the Marine Indutries Association of South Florida, the Marine Industries Association of Florida and the Florida Yacht Brokers Association.
VICTORY! FL LEGISLATURE AGREES TO SUPPORT THE STATE’S
YACHT BROKERAGE INDUSTRY AND KEEP YACHT & SHIP BROKERS ACT!
After months of intense lobbying by FYBA and its partners, MIASF and MIAF, the Florida Legislature agreed Saturday not to repeal the Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act (SS326). The Licensing and regulations that have successfully protected buyers, sellers and brokers since 1988 remain intact. Customer’s escrow accounts will continue to be protected by licensed and bonded Florida Yacht and Ship Brokers.
“It was a tough fight,” said Jeff Erdmann, Chairman of FYBA’s Legislative Affairs program, and President of Fort Lauderdale-based Bollman Yachts. “There were moments when it looked like we might lose the battle, but we never gave up. Thanks to our lobbyist, Joe McCann, of Smith-Ballard, and the many calls and letters sent to state representatives by our members and brokers from across the state in support of our cause, we were able to convince members of Florida’s House and Senate not to deregulate our industry.”
Our Message Points Simply Made Sense
It took a while, but to their credit state lawmakers got it. They saw that repealing the Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act would harm Florida’s vibrant yacht brokerage industry, costing the state tax revenue and jobs. In the end, the team’s message points just made sense, and included the following: • The Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act protects buyers, sellers and brokers by insuring that all Florida Yacht Brokers are licensed, bonded and adhere to the highest professional standards.
• The Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act has consistently run annual surpluses, costing the state and taxpayers nothing to operate while Yacht Brokers funnel millions of tax dollars each year to state coffers.
• Florida’s Yacht Brokerage industry supports more 202,000 jobs and generates an estimated $16.8 billion in total marine product sales throughout Florida’s marine industry.
• Like realtors, Yacht Brokers also regularly work with other brokers across the state, nation and internationally, sharing commissions in the process. They also collect, hold and distribute large sums of money from clients, which are held in escrow accounts and are controlled by individual Yacht Brokerage offices.
A Special “Thanks” Goes to Our Friends and Supporters in the Legislature The following members of the Florida Senate and House deserve additional recognition for helping us save The Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act. Please send them an e-mail expressing your appreciation for their current and future support.
Florida Senators: Hayes, Alexander, Negron, Bogdanoff, Gaetz, Benquisto and Thrasher
House Representatives: Weatherford, Grimsley and Dorworth Lobbying Program Pays Off Once Again
Last year, FYBA’s lobbying program paid off by helping win passage of the $18,000 sales/use tax on boat sales. Since it became law on July 1, 2010, the law has contributed to a significant rebound in boat sales, tax revenue and jobs. This year’s successful effort to save the Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act demonstrates once again the importance of maintaining an ongoing legislative affairs program, backed by the grassroots support of FYBA members and the state’s boating industry. FYBA will continue to work with state legislators on issues of importance to Florida’s yacht brokers.
###
——————————————————————————————————————————
Active Interest Media Acquires BoatQuest.com
Online Site Announces Re-launch at Palm Beach International Boat Show
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (March 24, 2011) – Active Interest Media announced that it has acquired BoatQuest.com, an online classified site for buying and selling boats. BoatQuest.com joins AIM’s other marine properties including Yachts Magazine and Show Management — presenter of five of Florida’s largest boat shows — to create a powerful multi-medium marketing organization that covers online, print and boat show promotion.
Founded in 1999, BoatQuest.com already attracts close to 400,000 monthly visitors. The site has been redesigned to make it easier for visitors to search and find the boats they are looking for and will debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 24. “By combining online media with major boat shows and a traditional yachting magazine, our goal is to provide a new level of cross-promotion, previously unavailable in the industry, for boat sellers and buyers to connect with one another,” said Mike Dickman, general manager of BoatQuest.com. “The strategic relationship among BoatQuest.com, Yachts Magazine and Show Management leverages the reach of three leading boating industry marketing companies in reaching boat buyers.”
In addition to standard classified listings, BoatQuest.com offers yacht brokers and dealers a variety of featured ads, as well as banner advertising. Special pricing is available on some services for Show Management boat show exhibitors and Yachts Magazine advertisers. For sale by owner listings are limited to boats under 35 feet.
About Active Interest Media
Active Interest Media (AIM) was formed in October 2003 by Wind Point Partners and Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III. AIM is a rapidly growing media company focusing on enthusiast magazines and related consumer shows, Internet sites, and books. In conjunction with its magazines, AIM produces and markets more than 75 martial arts videos and books, including several by the legendary Bruce Lee. The company also produces a dozen three-day log-home show seminars that attract thousands of consumers from around the United States. For more information about AIM: www.activeinterestmedia.com.
About Show Management
In 1976, Show Management opened its doors and became the producers of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The company now produces five boat shows each year along with hundreds of special events throughout the year. Specializing in event production, Show Management produces five major annual in-water boat shows: the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach, the Palm Beach International Boat Show, the St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show and the Suncoast Boat Show in Sarasota, along with a variety of other special events. For more information about Show Management:www.showmanagement.com.
###