The Progressive Insurance San Francisco Boat Show, which was scheduled for next week, was postponed until April because of storms resulting from the current El Niño episode.
Weather conditions left organizers no time to install the temporary docks for the in-water portion of the show, which was to run Jan. 15-18.
On Wednesday, a major storm pounded coastal areas of California, with waves as high as 16 feet and local street flooding,according to the Associated Press.
“El Niño is wreaking havoc in San Francisco with unprecedented rain and flooding, creating unsafe conditions [that] are preventing us from producing the kind of boat show our exhibitors and attendees have come to expect,” NMMA West vice president Dave Geoffroy said in a statement.
The latest in a line of El Niño-fueled storms toppled trees, flooded roads and caused mudslides in the Bay Area on Wednesday, according to the San Francisco Gate.
Traffic jams and accidents also caused “chaos on the roads,” according to local CBS affiliate KBCW.
“After talking with exhibitors, we have decided the best course forward is to postpone the Progressive Insurance San Francisco Boat Show to the end of April,” Geoffroy said. “We are working closely with exhibitors and our various partners and vendors on logistics and will share more detail in the coming weeks.
“While this is an inconvenience, given the last-minute change, the good news is that we are able to postpone the show, and April’s weather is much more ideal while offering an improved selling environment for exhibitors,” Geoffroy said. “In the meantime, we remain focused on the safety of our team, exhibitors and the Northern California boating community.”
