Roll up, roll up... Welcome to the greatest fibreglass freak show on earth!!

Spread over three separate complexes in Down Town Miami, The Miami International Boat show is the largest boat show in the world. This boat show caters for everything from jet skies and dingy tenders up to multi million pound racing boats and Caribbean cruisers, but the largest part of the Miami show is dedicated to Sports-fishing – boats, engines, tackle and all the gadgets one could ever dream of!

Rewind 10-15 years all UK marinas were filled with fishing boats that were in the main, made in the UK, so the Miami International Boat show would have had very little appeal. Today, in this new era of UK saltwater sport fishing, imported boats are common place and more and more anglers are looking overseas. Mainly, and I’m sorry if this insults anybody, because the UK boat market is years behind much of the world.

Now I don’t want to go too much into importing, but there are two ways you can buy the imported sports fishing boat of your dreams. One, you can chose a boat you like overseas and then find out whether it has a UK dealer. Many big manufacturers for instance, Bay liner, have UK offices and sales teams that will fulfil your dream. But what do you do if the boat you like isn’t available already in the UK? The simple answer is import it yourself... and it really isn’t that hard.
Firstly you need to check Trademark Registrations of the particular boat you like, just to make sure somebody isn’t already claiming a right to solely import them. This can be done simply online via the UK patents website http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm.htm.

Secondly the boat will need to conform to the EU Recreational Craft Directive http://www.britishmarine.co.uk/what_we_do/technical/recreational_craft_directive.aspx to make sure the boat is built suitable enough to use – it can then be issued with a CE Mark like every other item for sale in the EU. Don’t quote me, but I have heard this doesn’t cost as much as one would think! And thirdly, you’ll need to instruct a shipping/freight company to deal with the importation – they will invoice you for importation costs, customs clearance, handling, misc paperwork and VAT. Again this is not as much as one may expect. These costs are usually proportionate to the expense of the vessel too.

I first visited the Miami International Boat show in 2008 and all I can say was I was dumbfounded at how big, professional how awesome this event is if you’re a boat lover into angling. The main fishing part of the event is held at the Miami International Conference centre which is located on Miami’s legendary South Beach, and this year’s event was bigger and better than any before.

On entering the conference centre the first thing you are greeted with is the main hall and its side rooms – here you will find all the boats, engines and boat hardware you could ever dream of. If you can get around the main hall in one day, I’ll eat my cap.

(Yes that is four 350hp engines!!)

Outside the rear of the main hall is another massive area, packed with boats and other exhibitors plus many other attractions like monster trucks and jet engine race boats that can do in excess of two hundred miles an hour – even the hooters girls have a stand there! But that’s not all...

Upstairs in the Miami International Conference centre is a maze of hundreds of smaller halls and side rooms – here you’ll find the Big Game room plus the Marine Mart halls. Here’s where you will find all the fishing tackle, electronics, and too much equipment and gadgets for one to list, at serious low show special prices!

Well did I buy a new boat – no, but I have my eye on one! However I did strike some good bargains in the Marine Mart hall and Big Game room... which included so much tackle it took three of us to carry it all back to the car!! I even bought a new 2 man cammo fishing kayak for the exclusive use of my customers!

One thing that makes the Miami Boat show different from any other boat show that I’ve ever visited is that this show is not just a show; it’s a celebration... a celebration of fibreglass, fishing and FUN!

If you love boats and fishing, forget your shirt and tie, girls do the selling here!! Put on your shorts and flip flops and check out the Miami International Boat show in 2011

http://www.miamiboatshow.com/