Sailboats are back at Providence Boat Show due to a turnaround in market

After an absence of several years, sailboats are back at the Providence Boat Show due in large part, organizers say, to a better market for boat sales in southern New England despite lingering effects of the Great Recession.
Rob Lawnsby, manager of Fleet Yacht Sales in Bristol, said he expects his company to have “a very strong showing” at the boat show because sailboats are returning. Fleet is one of the few New England dealers of Hunter Marine Corp., based in Florida, one of the largest sailboat manufacturers in the nation, according to Lawnsby.
With 225 exhibitors displaying more than 300 boats, from 8-footers to 40-foot vessels, the boat show is scheduled to take place Jan. 13 through Jan. 16 at the R.I. Convention Center. Among the highlights are the raffle of a $20,000 boat with motor and trailer, donated by South Attleboro Marine, and the live broadcast of WPRO host and former Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci’s talk show from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 14.
“In the last few years, sailboat companies have stayed away from indoor winter shows,” noted Nancy Piffard, show director, “but the strength of the market in southern New England is bringing representatives back to Providence.” Piffard is with the Newport Exhibition Group, which owns and produces both the winter show in Providence and the spring boat show in Newport.
Lawnsby noted that sailboats used to be a major part of the local boat shows, but the economic downturn was one factor that resulted in their absence in recent years. Another factor, he said, was the dominance of the boat show in Boston, which made “a bigger splash” and drew dealers away from the Providence event during tough economic times. Like Piffard, he credited the sailboats’ return largely to a revived local market.
“Boat sales are up and we are delighted,” he said. Although the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day usually is a slow time for boat sales, Lawnsby maintained that such is not the case this year. He reeled off a list of pending sales and closings at Fleet. “We are so busy, I can’t see straight,” he said. What’s selling especially well at Fleet, Lawnsby said, are used, rather than new, boats. He estimated that used boat sales alone at Fleet in 2010 grossed $2.5 million and suggested that the sluggish economy resulted in “pent-up demands” for the recreational vessels. Owned by Bristol Marine with 10 employees, Fleet specializes in cruising sailboats rather than racers. Lawnsby sees no appreciable impact in sales as a result of recent failed discussions regarding bringing the America’s Cup back to Newport, nor does he expect one.
Other companies that will show sailboats in Providence include Newport J/Boats and Multihull Source in Wareham, Mass., according to information provided by boat-show organizers.
In addition, the show will feature powerboats for family and fishing customers, as well as personal watercraft and special exhibits on freshwater and saltwater fishing gear, the latest sailing technology, and engines and electronics.
Workshops and demonstrations will also take place. The R.I. Marine Trade Association will offer career-training guidance and once again the popular “Bassmaster Casting Kids” program will be among the weekend events.
Other highlights:
• An 18-foot Stingray LS, with motor and trailer, will be given away to one of 10 randomly selected people who correctly guess the number of “Goldfish” crackers in a fish bowl, a contest sponsored by Citadel Broadcasting, South Attleboro Marine, WPRO and WWLI-FM Lite Rock 105 Providence.
• A Walker Bay inflatable boat, donated by Maritime Solutions Inc. of Portsmouth, will be raffled off to benefit Clean The Bay, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit working to clear the water of large marine debris. The nonprofit has removed more than 1,200 tons of debris from Rhode Island shores to date. •