Reader Rant

FLIBS Flop!

The Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) has gone against all reasonable logic and rescheduled for Nov. 3-5. Seems that in rescheduling rather than canceling after the detestation wrought by Wilma, and regardless of the actual outcome, they get to keep all of our money. Nice. Doesn't matter if no one shows, that there are no boats, no hotels, possibly no power/water/sewer.

The show must go on! Send in the clowns (and the lawyers)... I personally experienced hurricane Wilma from the top floor of a 6-story condo overlooking the Bahia Mar hotel/marina complex from the south side. I watched the newly installed floating docks get upended and hurled ass-over-teakettle across the marina and in some cases across A1A. I watched the portable tent structures get ripped to shreds and their frames pretzeled as the storm passed through. And on Monday afternoon I toured the Bahia Mar show site and was amazed at the level of damage and lack of preparedness and foresight of the organizers. Trucks overturned, exhibitor's equipment exposed to the elements, and the staff vanished. I experienced the roof of our condo depart, to join many others in the street, in pools, on cars, etc. We watched the surreal light show from hundreds of exploding electrical transformers.

Looked like video from Baghdad. I walked down A1A, atop 6-12 inches of newly deposited beach sand. I viewed the hotels without windows, shops without fronts, and surrounding marinas packed with damaged boats. And in the end, we took to our rental car and escaped, as did most visitors to Ft. Lauderdale.

The show organizers contrary to internally generated press releases, did an incredibly poor job keeping the exhibitors, attendees, and public informed as to the status of the show. Their website was conveniently unavailable, phones unanswered, etc. But they had time to "reassure" via the press that everything was in great shape. BS! Trade shows are conceived ONLY to serve as a connection between exhibitors and buyers, and are BUT ONE method we use to get our message out and to promote our product. Unfortunately, MANY shows have morphed into for-profit entities concerned first with their health and place in the world, and secondly with the exhibitors and buyers needs and desires.

This year's IBEX show (held in Miami Oct.19-21) has become equally as clueless. FLIBS might not be especially important to SA readers specifically, but I feel that this type of behavior by organizers is dangerous to an already difficult marine industry. Annapolis, Miami, Chicago, et al, take heed.

A Pissed Off Vendor

10/28/05