Boat International US Edition — November 2017

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OWNERS’ CLUB

DarlingonDeck

to be fed. Make sure you plan lunch into

your schedule of showings.

PAY TO PLAY: Unless you have a friend with

a waterfront house who will tender you to

the show, expect a parking nightmare.

Don’t even blink at $50 or $100 for the

closest lot. Your lady’s feet will thank you.

MAKE DINNER RESERVATIONS: Make

dinner reservations far in advance or

you’ll suffer hour-plus wait times. For the

Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, book one of

these greats for each night: Grille 66,

Lobster Bar Sea Grille, Valentino Cucina

Italiana, and Canyon for its legendary

Prickly Pear Margarita.

THOUGHTS FOR THE LADIES: Wear

comfortable shoes that slip on. But leave

your Chanel slides at home. You won’t

want to leave $500 of fine leather on a

crowded dock.

SNEAK OFF FOR A BREAK:Expect

a command performance on the last day

to see the show highlights, but slip away

beforehand for some shopping. While in

Fort Lauderdale, plan lunch at Neiman

Marcus’s Mermaid Bar in the Galleria

Mall and treat yourself to a Bubbly Bellini

Pedicure at Casbah Spa.

FINAL TIPS: Hit the docks by 10am. The

earlier you arrive, the less crowded it will

be and the more boats you can see in the

same amount of time. And lastly, avoid

public toilets. Find a friend with a yacht

at the show and prearrange to use their

dayhead. A Port-O-Let in the heat is a fate

worse than death.

It’s tr ue that the best laid plans of mice

and men often go awry. And you may

suddenly f ind yourself in the engine

room of a Norwegian tug boat. But just

refocus and get back on schedule. And

always remember – while a new yacht

may mean a few less alligator Hermès

bags, a yacht goes with everything!B

It’s not always smooth sailing at an international boat show. Kristin Ducote

gives her invaluable hints for surviving those long, hot days viewing yachts

Leave your Chanel

slides at home. You

won’t want to leave

$500 of fine leather

on a crowded dock

Without regard to sunburn,
traffic jams and tropical
storms, I’ve been dragged
through my fair share of boat
shows. And let me tell you – the process
of finding the perfect boat or that new
high-tech water toy is not for the faint of
heart! Here are some hints to make those
long days a bit more fun and friendly...
A BROKER IS A MUST: Consider a yacht
broker the Disney FastPass+ of boat
shows. A broker will make appointments
beforehand, so you’ll be expected and
welcomed aboard. The last thing you want
is to be stuck on the dock in the sun,
hoping to board a popular yacht.
FORGET THE SHOTGUN APPROACH: A good
broker will send you options and floor
plans ahead of time to narrow down the
boats you’re most interested in. You won’t
have enough time to see everything, so
make your time count. Don’t drag your
lady on a 27ft Intrepid when what you’re
really interested in is a 90ft express.
COME UP FOR AIR: My husband never
misses a meal, unless he’s at a boat show
and then all bets are off. I’ve lost my lid
many a time by late afternoon, demanding

ILLUSTRATION Natasha Law

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