Somebody is not telling the truth.
The show is scheduled to be a one week-end, 4 day show.
12-15 Feb.
2026 Boat Shows
- Thread starter Denny
- Start date
The show is scheduled to be a one week-end, 4 day show.
12-15 Feb.
I guess it is all about priorities, and whose priority it is.
The 2026 Detroit Boat Show is limited to four days (February 12–15, 2026) at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi due to a scheduling conflict with the North American International Auto Show and Super Bowl Sunday. To maintain two solid weekend days, which is necessary for exhibitor return on investment, the show had to adjust to this shorter timeframe.
The 2026 Detroit Boat Show is limited to four days (February 12–15, 2026) at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi due to a scheduling conflict with the North American International Auto Show and Super Bowl Sunday. To maintain two solid weekend days, which is necessary for exhibitor return on investment, the show had to adjust to this shorter timeframe.
Well, I made it to the Detroit / Novi Boat Show this past weekend. Talked to a few vendors who felt that they were doing better at the Novi 4 day show then they have done at the 9 day show in Detroit. And they felt the cost was well worth the return. The one vender said that they charged her $20 a day x 9 to park her car at Cobo. The ones that I talked with seemed to prefer Novi over Detroit. I was pleased with the show it was more than 99% a boat related show. It was more like a maze. It was laid out like a checkerboard design with the larger displays intersection the squares. Narrow main isles. The bigger dealers had larger displays and product to show. The Chap dealer also sold Robalo boats, and had a very nice display of both. He said that he sold more boats at Novi's 1 weekend show than he did at Detroit's 2 weekend show. I mentioned the Chap dealer at the Cleveland Show. He did not do the Cleveland Show, but was there and had seen what the Chap dealer had done and was tempted to call Chap and recommend that they pull his Chap license. Plenty of food and drink. No classic boats. No fish catching people and their displays, and no water skiing squirrel. If you were looking to buy and pay the price for a today boat, it was there. Every inch of that place was a dream world for anyone who loves being on or near the water. The day of the cuddy cabin is gone, everything in today's world is triggered towards day boating. For me it was well worth the journey to just window shop.
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