FAQ

• Q: Where is the Boat Show?

  A: The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show® has six distinct show venues in the heart of the city:
  
  Intercoastal Waterway North (on A1A from Seabreeze Blvd. north to Las Olas Blvd.)
  •    Bahia Mar Yachting Center:  801 Seabreeze Boulevard, 33316
  •    Hall of Fame Marina: 1 Hall of Fame Drive, 33316
  •    Las Olas Marina: 240 E. Las Olas Circle, 33316
  
  Intercoastal Waterway South (on 17th Street Causeway from Eisenhower Blvd. east to
  •    Grtr. Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Conv. Center:  1950 Eisenhower Blvd., 33316
  •    Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club:  1881 SE 17th Street, 33316
  •    Hyatt Pier 66 Marina:  2301 S.E. 17th Street, 33316

• Q: What are the show hours?

  A: Thurs., Oct. 25 – Prime Time Preview  10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
   Fri., Oct. 26 – Sun., Oct. 28   10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
   Mon., Oct. 29   10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Q: Where can I buy a ticket?

  A: You can purchase a ticket at the box office at Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Las Olas Marina,  the Broward County Convention Center and off show site at Las Olas Riverfront where you would catch a ride on the free Riverboats. Avoid the long lines at show site and purchase tickets ONLINE from this web site

• Q: Do I have to pay admission each time I go to a show site?

  A: No. Once you turn in your ticket, you are given a wristband which allows you to access the entire show’s six sites that same day.  

• Q: How much is admission?

  A: Prime Time Preview $30
  Adult (one-day) $16
  Children (ages 6-12) $5
  Children (under age 6) Free

• Q: Will a ticket get me in the show all days?

  A: No. Admission is valid for one day only.

• Q: I have some tickets placed for me at Will Call. Where can I pick them up?

  A: There are two Will Call pick-up locations:
  •    Broward County Convention Center – Show Office (inside Lobby)
  •    Bahia Mar Yachting Center – Will Call Booth outside main entrance on A1A and the Water Transportation Dock entrance.
  
  Tickets should be held under your last name, or the name of the exhibiting company leaving tickets for you. 
  
  Prior to coming to the show, we highly recommend contacting the company representative leaving Will Call tickets for you to find out which Will Call pick-up location your tickets will be at, and what name to ask them for.

• Q: How do I get to the various show sites?

  A: Our Official Transportation Network connects all six sites to get you around the show.   The Network consists of:
  
  Shuttle Buses:  FREE.  Sponsored by Raymarine.  Color-coded routes between all six show sites, War Memorial Auditorium parking and Downtown Riverfront parking.
  
  Water Shuttle:  $10 all-day pass, unlimited usage.  Sponsored by Yanmar.  Waterfront location pick-up points are:
  •    Bahia Mar Yachting Center
  •    Broward County Convention Center
  •    Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club
  •    Pier 66
  
  Riverboat:  FREE.  To/from Downtown Las Olas Riverfront parking to Bahia Mar site only.  You do need to purchase a show ticket before boarding the Riverboats. There is a box office located there. The box office is open all show days except for Monday. Riders would purchase tickets at show site that day only.
  
  Shuttle buses and water shuttle run one hour prior to opening, and one hour after closing. 
  
  For more information see Parking and Transportation

• Q: Where can I find parking?

  A: Parking facilities on the Show’s Official Transportation Network are:
  Broward County Convention Center garage (no in-out privileges)
      0-1 hours = $3.00
      1-5 hours = $6.00
      5-6 hours = $7.00
      6-7 hours = $8.00
      7-9 hours = $10.00
      9-11 hours = $12.00
      11-12 hours = $13.00
      12+ hours (or lost ticket) = $15 all day max.   
  
  War Memorial Auditorium = $6 (no in-out privileges)
  
  Downtown Riverfront = starting at $6 (no in-out privileges)
     
  Parking is also available at these nearby City of Fort Lauderdale parking lots and garages.
  Oceanside Lot – north of Las Olas Blvd.
  E. Clay Shaw Lot – under the 17th Street Causeway Bridge
  “R” Lot – on A1A and Sebastian
  City Park Garage – next to the Main Library in Downtown
  
  There will be no “Special Event” rates in effect. For City parking lot/garage locations and rates, visit: http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/parking/parking.htm or call Customer Service at (954) 828-3700.
  
  There are private parking lots that charge high premiums ($100 or more) during the Show.  They are not official show parking venues or are affiliated with the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show® in any way.

• Q: I am coming to the Show from out-of-town. How can I make travel arrangements, including hotel accommodations and rental car reservations?

  A: Contact the Show’s official travel agency: 
  Miggy Hunt from Identity Travel
  (866) 877-3083
  miggy@identitytravel.com
  
  
  
  
  

• Q: What security measures should I be prepared for when coming to the Show?

  A: All bags and purses will be checked at show entrances.
  
  For those going to the Broward County Convention Center, you will have to pass a Broward Sheriff’s Office check-point before entering the garage.  To expedite this process, please make sure to have photo identification ready.

• Q: Can I buy a boat at the Show?

  A: Absolutely!

• Q: Do I need to make an appointment in advance to visit a manufacturer or dealer?

  A: Yes, but not necessarily. The advantage of the Boat Show is that there will be plenty of representatives and dealers on site ready to start negotiations with you at the Show. Visit the “My Show Planner” section of our website, register and you will be able to contact the brokers direct through our site and start your appointment making in advance.

• Q: Can I test drive a boat at the Show?

  A: No. All in-water displays are locked in place as a precaution. You can however make arrangements at the show with the manufacturer/dealer to test drive models at some other time once the show has concluded.

• Q: What kinds of boats are at each location?

  A: Generally speaking, boats at the show are exhibited as follows:
  
  •    Bahia Mar Yachting Center:  Express Cruisers, Trawlers, Sportfishing Boats, Brokerage Boats, Superyachts, Motoryachts, Sports Yachts, Sailing Yachts, Family Cruisers, Small Motoryachts, Runabouts, High Performance Boats, Inflatables/Tenders
  
  •    Hall of Fame Marina:  Brokerage Motoryachts, Trawlers, Superyachts, High Performance Boats, Brokerage Boats
  
  •    Convention Center:  Boats Under 40 feet:  Fishing Boats, Flats Boats, Trailerable Boats, Outboards
  
  •    Las Olas Marina:  Catamarans, Charter Yachts, Brokerage Boats, Megayachts
  
  •    Fort Lauderdale Grande:  A small but elite selection of Superyachts
  
  •    Pier 66:  Superyachts, Sailboats, Brokerage Motoryachts, Sport Yachts

• Q: Can I get aboard a superyacht or megayacht?

  A: Access to superyachts and most megyachts is not open to the general public.  Boarding these yachts is usually by private invitation only, with arrangements made directly between brokers representing potential clients and the yacht owner. This generally means that the broker would like to speak to you at length before you board the vessel and that these types of vessels are shown to one person/group at a time.

• Q: Can I get aboard any boat?

  A: In general, most boats at the show can be boarded, with the exception of the superyachts and megayachts.  In some cases, you may have to go through a qualifying process to get on board a boat, in others, you can just take your shoes off and go.  Access is granted at the discretion of the exhibiting manufacturer/dealer

• Q: Is there anything else to buy besides boats?

  A: Yes. There is much more to the Boat Show than just the boats. There’s apparel, electronics, fishing and diving equipment, jewelry, hats and caps, sunglasses, real estate, artwork, magazines, multi-media, safety equipment, boating accessories, generators, and more. Even if you don’t own a boat, you can still go on a shopping spree.

• Q: Is the whole show outdoors?

  A: No.  There is the air-conditioned Broward County Convention Center, and the Bahia Mar Yachting Club location also features seven air-conditioned tents full of marine products, electronics, yacht builders and designers, engine makers, and more.  
  
  However, all boats at all show sites (except for Broward County Convention Center) are on display outside, either on land or in water.

• Q: How and where can I find if a company is participating in the Show?

  A: The Official Show Directory has a comprehensive listing of all companies exhibiting at the Show (in alphabetical order and cross-referenced according to marine category), and their exhibit location.
  
  You can also ask for help at the Official Show Information Booths scattered throughout the venues.
  
  Make sure to pick up an Official Show Directory at the main entrance to each show site, or at the Official Show Information Booths.

• Q: Where can I get a map of the show sites?

  A: The Official Show program

• Q: Can I bring food or beverages into the show?

  A: No

• Q: Are pets allowed?

  A: No

• Q: Is the Show handicap accessible?

  A: All entrances into the show are accessible for people with disabilities. However, access aboard boats is at the discretion of the exhibiting company.

• Q: Does the Show provide on-site baby-sitting or daycare services?

  A: No

• Q: Does the Show provide storage facilities for luggage or purchases?

  A: No

• Q: How do I find the right luxury yacht for me?

  A: A: Contact a licensed yacht broker or dealer, they specialize in finding the right new yacht for you and they have an extensive network of listings should you be interested in a used yacht.

• Q: What should I look for in a lender?

  A: When selecting a lender, make sure the company specializes in boat loans. For example, when buying a used boat, lenders need to understand related laws such as mechanic's liens and possessory interest. Without this expertise, you could end up having to pay for retroactive yard fees and mechanic’s charges.

• Q: How long will it take to process my loan?

  A: The most sophisticated marine lenders can process loan applications from within a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the complexity of the loan. In many cases, a customer can be notified of the results within a matter of hours. Your marine dealer/broker can help facilitate a quick loan decision through their relationships with various lenders.  Also, you may call most lenders directly or go to their Internet sites for additional information.

• Q: What payment plan options are offered?

  A: Look for banks that offer more than the typical monthly payment plan. For example, you may be more comfortable with a seasonal payment plan that allows you to skip up to three consecutive monthly payments per year and continue to skip the same months each year for the life of the loan. This option can be especially attractive for people with seasonal variations in income, such as contractors, sales representatives, retailers, consultants, and others.
     
  Or for those with a large seasonal bonus, an annual payment plan option may be best. With this option, customers make just one payment a year, and can delay the first payment up to six months for some “breathing room” between the time of the down payment and the time of the first payment.
     
  For those who wish to pay down the principal faster in order to save on finance charges and shorten the loan term, a bi-weekly payment option may work best.
      
  If you want to avoid check writing hassles and guarantee that your payments will be on time each month, you may prefer to make automatic loan payment deductions from a checking or savings account through Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers.

• Q: What fees are associated with loans

  A: Investigate closing costs and other loan-related fees. These can include, but aren't limited to, processing and underwriting fees, appraisal fees, the cost of a credit report, tax service fee, application fee, and others.

• Q: What financing options are offered to make the most of my boat purchase from an investment standpoint?

  A: Your boat may qualify as a residence for purposes of deducting interest expenses on your tax return. In such instances, some customers choose to finance more of the purchase price of their boat and hold on to their cash for other purposes. Of course, you need to discuss these issues with your tax advisor for specific recommendations. 

• Q: Why do I need a survey done before I buy a used boat?

  A: A professional survey is essential for all used boat sales, and most lenders require one. These surveys can uncover information about the boat’s condition that you may not have known. Getting a professional survey before you buy could save you thousands of dollars down the road. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

• Q: If I buy a used yacht, who is responsible for paying the yacht broker?

  A: Similar to real estate, the seller will pay all yacht broker commissions.

• Q: How much can I expect to pay for marine insurance?

  A: Cost for marine insurance depends on several factors, like your boating experience, current navigational equipment, where your yacht will be used, the value of your yacht and whether you will be living aboard or cruising offshore.