Presenting a boat show in the midst of economic doldrums may seem like a questionable proposition, but organizers of the 16th Annual Providence Boat Show coming to the R.I. Convention Center Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 insist that now, in fact, is a good time to buy.
“There are great deals out there,” said Nancy Piffard, show director who works for the Newport Exhibition Group that is producing the event. “Dealers want to move their products. If it’s something you have money for, this is the time to make a deal.”
The theme of this year’s show is “affordable boating for the family and people who love to fish,” Piffard told Providence Business News.
The show will present exhibits of powerboats that appeal to family cruising and fishing audiences, as well as small sailing craft, personal watercraft and inflatables, organizers said. Hundreds of exhibits will feature gear, technology, engines and electronics, with the emphasis on affordability.
The show will fill nearly 140,000 square feet of the convention center, with more than 200 exhibitors. “We have a big section devoted to small sailing craft such as Lasers and Sunfish, since larger sailboats have opted to limit their exposure at indoor shows,” Piffard said. The show has featured large sailboats in years past, but Piffard said it was difficult to get them into the convention center and “it doesn’t seem that venue works for them. There really wasn’t a good return.”
Established in 1994, the Providence Boat Show annually draws about 20,000 visitors from all over New England. Known for its marine industry, Rhode Island is home to at least 75 marinas, according to a list in the current issue of Safe/Sea Helpline, a newsletter for the state’s boating industry.
The marine industry includes more than 2,300 businesses, accounts for $1.6 billion in sales and pays $260 million in income to Rhode Island workers, according to a February 2008 report prepared for the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association in Warwick. A key draw is the fact that boats purchased and stored in the state are exempt from the 7 percent sales tax.
The association will present a roundtable discussion on the future of jobs in the marine industry and what the industry means to the state’s economy. Moderated by PBN Editor Mark S. Murphy, the roundtable will be held Jan. 29 in the rotunda at 10:45 a.m., shortly before the show opens at noon.
Participants in the discussion will include: Paul Harden, manager of business and work force development with the R.I. Economic Development Corporation; Steven Kitchin, vice president for corporate education and training at New England Institute of Technology; John Torgan of Save The Bay; Andy Tyska, president of Bristol Marine; and Peter Van Lancker, president of Hunt Yachts, based in Portsmouth.
Economic ills have taken their toll on the marine industry of late. Goetz Custom Sailboats in Bristol has been forced into receivership and, according to published reports, laid off its entire work force of 75 employees Dec. 31.
Piffard acknowledged that “this is a time when everyone is being extremely cautious” and occurrences like the Goetz receivership “can make other people nervous. No one is immune to anything,” she said.
The boat show runs Thursday, Jan. 29, and Friday, Jan. 30, from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission at the door is $10, but advance tickets can be obtained online for $8 at www.providenceboatshow.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult, and discount admission will be offered to military personnel with a valid ID.
The R.I. Department of Environmental Management will be present for boat registrations and renewals. •
