14 Pontoon^ & Deck Boat January^2018 http://www.pdbmagazine.com
A quick glance at the marker board
in our conference room here at PDB
headquarters and you might think
we’re mapping
out a typical
January schedule
of an NBA
team. Toronto
circled twice,
double arrows
pointing towards
Minneapolis with
red question
marks on Atlanta
and Milwaukee,
plus an
exclamation point
behind Chicago
but I don’t remember why. No, we’re not
following our favorite basketball team.
Instead, as a staff we’re game planning for
a very busy January for a different kind of
season...boat show season!
While a lot of emphasis is (rightfully)
placed on the Miami Boat Show each
year, it’s the handful of weeks leading up
to the mid-February international show
that has us scrambling to figure out the
best use of our time.
With so many great boat shows being
held in January, as a consumer it’s hard
to know where to start. Believe me, we
feel your frustration. The simple answer
is to attend your local boat show or
the closest show to you. However, I’m
constantly being asked which show is
the best pontoon show or must-see for
those interested in hopping on a plane
to further explore our favorite types of
crafts. C’mon, asking us to pick the best
boat show is like asking who your favorite
Stooge is.
I can’t answer that question, but
for sheer volume it’s hard to beat the
Minneapolis Boat Show. You can count
on at least 200 pontoon boats being on
display and nearly every major brand is
represented. Yep, despite cold temps this
time of year the Minneapolis Convention
Center will warm you up and satisfyyour pontooning hunger. Unfortunately
however, this year the dates fall right
on top of another favorite show of ours,the Chicago Boat Show. This is another
great venue with many pontoon brands on
display and is also known for great show
special deals.
Atlanta, Cincinnati, Nashville, New
York, etc. are all great boat shows, but
unless you own a private jet it’s going
to be hard to make them all this month.
(Believe me we’ve tried.) Luckily the
Toronto Show goes 10 days (lucky if
you’re not the one on your feet each day
working the show), so that does open the
door a little for a multi-leg trip if you’re
feeling adventurous.
Before heading out to one or more
of these January shows, be sure to arm
yourself with our annual Buyer’s Guide.
We’ve gone the extra mile to help narrow
your search so you can make the best
boat-buying decision for you and your
family. True, you could always just show
up and wing it, but that’s what my plan
was heading into our last meeting and my
publisher wasn’t overly impressed with
my lack of preparation.
We’ll be out this month pounding the
convention hall floors so keep an eye out
for us and if you’re favorite show needs
to find its way on to our marker board
for consideration for next year, drop me
an email and let me know why it’s your
must-hit show.Captain’s
Chair
“I’m constantly
being asked which show
is the best pontoon show
or must-see for those
interested in hopping
on a plane to further
explore our favorite
types of crafts.”
By Brady L. Kay
Who’s Ready To Road Trip?