The rumor had been circulating for a while, but has now been officially confirmed. Six dealers representing big boat brands will not attend the next Montreal Boat Show, scheduled to take place at the end of January. They are: Performance Marine, which represents Regal, Chaparral, Monterey, Checkmate, Four Winns, Regal, Nordic USA, Meridian and Hunder; Marina Fortin, a Seary Ray dealer; Marina Port-Lewis, representing the Rinker line; Marina Gosselin and its Beneteau sailboat line; and Marina Saint-Mathias, which did not attend the last Boat Shows.
For several years, the period during which the Show is held has been be the main matter at issue. The end of January is certainly not the ideal time of year since visitors are not really in the mood to buy a new boat and the momentum of the event is long gone before the coming of Spring. A show taking place closer to Spring would be more appropriate. During Spring, the dealers of the Saint-Paul-de-l’Île-aux-Noix area intend to held, for a second year, a common event.
The Boat Show’s organizers are disappointed, but they intend to take advantage of the situation to present larger models and new brands. Visitors will see, among other things, the return of Silverton in addition to discover a type of boat that is increasingly popular in Canada, the Trawler, with the Maiship models. Finally, this trend is not expected to last over the coming years as this kind of show will remain at the forefront since it provides a unique occasion to reunite all brands under the same roof, thus providing visitors with a unique comparison environment.
The QMA, or Quebec Maritime Association, held a Boat Show on water for the first time last September and the event, which took place in the Old Port of Montréal, was a real success according to several observers. Many people are looking forward to the return of this event.