Milwaukee Boat Show buoyed by strong attendance

1:58 AM Sun 18 Jan 2009 GMT

'Dealers and manufacturers are hoping that the region’s appetite for fishing and boating will carry the industry through winter.' .

As consumers scale back spending in the slow economy, the boating industry is encountering a tough sell. Dealers and manufacturers with watercraft on display at the Milwaukee Boat Show hope the popularity of boating and fishing in Wisconsin will propel business through the year.

'Boating is a lifestyle that's important to Wisconsin,' said Henri Boucher, producer of the annual show, which runs through January 25.

Irwin Jacobs, president and CEO of Genmar Holdings Inc., one of the nation's largest recreational boat builders, agrees.

'People do not give up boating or fishing, if it's at all possible not to,' Jacobs said, 'and buyers who have to leave (the market) for financial reasons come back as soon as they can.'

The 10-day boat show typically draws 25,000 people each year, Boucher said. Bolstered by reports of big turnout at a recent show in Detroit, Boucher does not believe this year's show will see a precipitous drop in attendance.

Jacobs said he's been flabbergasted by the large crowds at recent boat shows in New York and Houston. His Minneapolis-based company will be showing several models in Milwaukee this week.

But appreciating the boating lifestyle and window-shopping isn't enough. Manufacturers and dealers need consumers to dole out cash. To that end, Boucher has advertised the Milwaukee show with information about financing options and deals on last year's products and inventory.

'Discover Boating,' an ad campaign from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, aims to convince buyers of the value of owning a boat. Boucher has used information from the campaign in promoting the Milwaukee show.

'Rather than leaving money in the stock market, which might be shaky for a couple of years, people should be taking their savings and buying boats now,' Boucher said.

Some, such as Stecker, haven't found financing deals to their liking. Other boaters hope this week's show will yield a deal. Andy Roedig, a show-goer from Delafield, has a house in Naples, Fla., allowing him to use his five boats year-round. On Friday, Roedig browsed, looking to upgrade his family's waterskiing boat.

'There aren't a lot of great deals yet,' Roedig said. 'But I think it's a great time to buy boats. You'll find a deal somewhere.'

Jacobs said his company is 'doing everything humanly possible' to give consumers buying incentives, but he's still concerned about the broader industry. He estimated that up to 40% of the boating industry could drop out of the market by the end of the year.

'We will see a tremendous amount of fallout,' Jacobs said. 'There will be companies that don't make it through the winter.'

by JS Online

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Milwaukee Boat Show buoyed by strong attendance

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