It’s hard to describe what the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show experience is really like. Spanning seven locations and some 3 million square feet, it’s a shock to the senses. From kayaks and electronics to superyachts, submarines and center consoles with more horses than the Kentucky Derby, this show has everything a boat nut could dream of and therefore attracts boaters of all kinds.

A sharply dressed European attendee with a smart leather satchel who is bound for the upper deck of a superyacht will stroll alongside a pontoon owner clad in flip-flops and a tank top. At this show, boaters of all stripes interact in harmony, because everyone is united in their love of the water.

During the warm days the show possesses an energy that is palpable. And yet many veteran attendees will tell you the real magic comes as the sun sets. As the skies begin to darken, the lights of the yachts that are built around the world illuminate the skyline. No matter how many times you take in this view, it’s always arresting. It’s the kind of scene that every boater should experience at least once.

If you haven’t been to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show before and want details about the best way to navigate the 2024 event, go to flibs.com. And before planning your course of action, check out our story Dock Stars on page 50 for information on the new models to debut.

Florida’s Finest

October is punctuated by major boat shows along the East Coast, but the mothership of them all is FLIBs. The 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show will host an estimated 100,000-plus visitors who will convene in the Yachting Capital of the World for the chance to tour new and used boats at seven locations. The 2024 event runs from October 30 through November 3 and will feature close to 1,000 boats in the water, and as many as 300 more on land. Boat sizes range from small tenders to megayachts exceeding 200 feet.

This show has come a long way since its debut in 1959 in a small armory. Locations changed in the ensuing years until the event eventually found a home at the Bahia Mar Yachting Center in the late 1970s. From then on, the show flourished, adding more venues—the Swimming Hall of Fame, Las Olas Marina, Pier 66 and the Broward County Convention Center among them—and attracting more exhibitors and attendees. It is now the largest in-water show in the world.

“We’re really excited about this year because the construction at Pier 66 will be complete,” says Andrew Doole, president of the U.S. Boat Shows division of London-based Informa Markets, the organizer behind FLIBs. “They’ve spent billions renovating the property, so we’ll have another fabulous venue for the event. The Las Olas location will have its new, state-of-the-art marina up and running too.”

Those are two big changes for the event. Other improvements for 2024 include an expansion of the Designers Pavilion at the Superyacht Village, where the largest vessels at the show are exhibited. The pavilion is enlarged to accommodate more exhibitors and more seminars on subjects ranging from sustainability to managing the build of a yacht.

The show will feature a Windward Club again this year, only it has been moved to the Hall of Fame Marina and into a larger space. “It’s like a first-class lounge that gives attendees the chance to enjoy an upgraded experience at the show,” says Doole. “You can get breakfast or lunch, or sit at the bar and relax in the AC.”

Getting around to the show venues can be slow since FLIBs brings so many people into the city. To ease frustration for commuters, more space will be added to the parking hub at the convention center, and more water taxis will be added to the show fleet. “We transport tens of thousands of people by water,” says Doole. “Many prefer to travel by boat instead of rubber tires.”

As for exhibitors, FLIBS 2024 will have more than ever, “Yes, exhibitor numbers are on the rise,” says Doole. “And so is inventory. The pandemic days of scrambling to find boats for a show are over. There will be more new models and brokerage boats, especially larger models.”

Doole has been in the boat business for almost 40 years and knows a thing or two about how to work a show. His advice for consumers? “Before you head to Fort Lauderdale, go online and find what interests you, then plan your route accordingly. And give yourself at least two days to do the show. You can’t see it all in one.” 

This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue.