With the Miami International Boat Show coming up quickly, my speedonthewater.com co-publisher Jason Johnson and I are gearing up for what will be a crazy few days in a much warmer climate than we enjoy at our homes in Northern California. We have a number of plans for show coverage—including an evaluation of the new Skater 478 V-bottom with our former Powerboat magazine colleagues Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine and John Tomlinson of TNT Custom Marine as test drivers—and we know we’ll be running flat out for a few days. As you can see from the “Related Stories” below, we’re already well into our annual advance coverage of the event.

What will Cigarette Racing Team unveil in Miami to celebrate its 10-year anniversary of collaborating with Mercedes-AMG? We can’t wait to find out. (Click image to enlarge.) Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

But we’d be lying if we said it weren’t a lot of fun and that it didn’t offer opportunities for reunions, however brief, with industry folks and go-fast powerboat enthusiasts we don’t get to see every day.

As with all things involving large groups of people in limited spaces, there are downsides. No matter how many water taxis run across Biscayne Bay or how many Uber cars or cabs there are in action during the show, we know that getting to and from the venue at Miami Marine Stadium and Park on Virginia Key will be a chore. Show attendees tend to arrive and depart at similar times, and that creates a crush. The only way around it—and consider this as a strategy if you’re headed to the Miami event next month—is to come and go at “odd” hours. Last year, for example, we found that getting to and from the show was no sweat if we arrived and departed early. But at prime time? Bring plenty of patience.

You’ll also want to bring plenty of cash—at least if you plan to eat there. Last year’s food prices at the venue were obscene and, frankly, insulting, especially given the “quality” of the food in question. Much to our chagrin, we don’t see that changing.

But beyond all that, we love the event, the new venue—lots of boats in the water just a short walk away from exhibits in the tents, what a concept—and bringing it all back to you. Airline tickets purchased and swanky downtown Miami pad secured, we’re in a Miami Boat Show state of mind.

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