STUART — Vendors and visitors alike were upbeat during the opening day of the 35th annual Stuart Boat Show Friday.
"It seems like the general mood is positive," said Bobby Maione, owner of Stuart Motorsports, who was displaying boats, motorcycles, scooters and other recreational vehicles.
"They've got the election over, the holidays over and they're out looking for fun. And we sell fun," Maione said.
While many visitors were just having fun shopping, others were in the market to buy. Phil Camenisch was out looking for "deals, deals, deals," he said, before setting out to find parts for his boa, which he is renovating.
Bob Klos, who's been to three or four boat shows, said he was searching for a 17- to 19-foot fishing boat to replace his current boat.
Steve and Marcia Clement drove down from where they are visiting in Indialantic to see if they might take a sport fisher back home to Cheboygan, Mich., as a souvenir.
"I want to see this Rampage," said Steve Clement.
Chuck Pickover, owner and vice president of Sun Power CMP Yacht Sales of Tequesta, said he was optimistic for sales of the Rampage 34 with the Volvo Penta (diesel) drive.
"I'm sure there will be some deals inked here, we just haven't seen them yet. But it is only Friday morning," he said.
Rick Allen, founder of Miami-based AllSports Productions Inc, which produces the show, was also optimistic.
"We have about the same amount of exhibitors as last year. There are a lot of people here. And we have Chamber of Commerce weather," he said.
Although gate figures were not available, boat show veterans from drivers to exhibitors estimated the size of the crowd to be about the same as opening day last year, one of the show's best years.
"Last year, our gate was up 12 and one-half percent over the three-day period," said Vera Locke, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, a sponsor.
Allen, who has produced the Stuart Boat Show for 14 years, said the outlook can only be positive.
"Despite the economy, this is full-on boating area and boating is a resilient industry," he said.
Showing posts with label speedboat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speedboat. Show all posts
Thursday
Investigators trying to connect dots in boating accident
BRICK — Authorities are attempting to put together a time line to help them determine where the owner of a speedboat was before and after a fatal collision on the Metedeconk River early Sunday.
Law enforcement sources close to the investigation said that they are looking at cell phone records and credit card receipts, and interviewing people who saw Anthony Digilio before and after the crash that took the life of a banking executive from Essex Fells.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Digilio's 27-foot Imperial powerboat was the one that struck a 17-foot Boston Whaler shorter after 1 a.m.
Digilio, of Brick, arranged for State Police to take his boat Monday after he said learned about the crash.
He told his lawyer he was on the water at that time and struck something, but he said he believed it to be a log.
Authorities said that among their questions is why Digilio did not stop his boat and see what he had hit even though he realized that the vessel was taking on water.
Digilio told his lawyer, William P. Cunningham, that he had noticed that a bilge pump was on, assumed he was taking on water, and headed for a spot to take the boat out of the water and survey the damage.
Digilio and a passenger never saw or heard anything while they were traveling on the river when they hit something they believed was a log, Cunningham said.
The collision took the life of Robert Post, 49, who was aboard the Whaler.
Four other people aboard that vessel were hurt, including Post's wife, Bonnie, 52, who was released Wednesday from the Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where all four passengers were taken following the crash.
The Posts have summered in Bay Head, where they have been members of the yacht club.
Joan Farren, 46, of St. Davids, Pa., remained in the hospital at Jersey Shore in fair condition, hospital officials said. Her husband, Cliff Farren, 44, and Karen Kelly, 46, of Norcross, Ga., had been treated at the hospital and released.
Margaret F. Bonafide (732) 557-5740 or bonafide@app.com
Law enforcement sources close to the investigation said that they are looking at cell phone records and credit card receipts, and interviewing people who saw Anthony Digilio before and after the crash that took the life of a banking executive from Essex Fells.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Digilio's 27-foot Imperial powerboat was the one that struck a 17-foot Boston Whaler shorter after 1 a.m.
Digilio, of Brick, arranged for State Police to take his boat Monday after he said learned about the crash.
He told his lawyer he was on the water at that time and struck something, but he said he believed it to be a log.
Authorities said that among their questions is why Digilio did not stop his boat and see what he had hit even though he realized that the vessel was taking on water.
Digilio told his lawyer, William P. Cunningham, that he had noticed that a bilge pump was on, assumed he was taking on water, and headed for a spot to take the boat out of the water and survey the damage.
Digilio and a passenger never saw or heard anything while they were traveling on the river when they hit something they believed was a log, Cunningham said.
The collision took the life of Robert Post, 49, who was aboard the Whaler.
Four other people aboard that vessel were hurt, including Post's wife, Bonnie, 52, who was released Wednesday from the Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where all four passengers were taken following the crash.
The Posts have summered in Bay Head, where they have been members of the yacht club.
Joan Farren, 46, of St. Davids, Pa., remained in the hospital at Jersey Shore in fair condition, hospital officials said. Her husband, Cliff Farren, 44, and Karen Kelly, 46, of Norcross, Ga., had been treated at the hospital and released.
Margaret F. Bonafide (732) 557-5740 or bonafide@app.com
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