A Promising Start to Boat Show Season: Sportsman has a record breaking show at FLIBS 2024
The 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show marked the start of the 2025 boat show season, where Sportsman Boats debuted new models and innovative features, including Seakeeper Ride integration across its lineup. With impressive customer turnout and nearly double the sales from last year, Sportsman set the standard for 21-35 ft center consoles in both innovation and performance.
The highly anticipated 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) took place from October 28th to November 3rd. This show kicks off the boat show season for the 2025 model year and is where many of the industry’s new models and products make their debut. We showcased our All-New Open 212 and Masters 227. Additionally, we showcased our flagship Open 352 with the All-New second station option featuring a buggy top. One of the coolest features to showcase at this show though was the integration of Seakeeper Ride across our entire lineup, from 21 to 35 feet. For model year 2025 we were able to complete the 3 year plan to make Seakeeper Ride standard on all Sportsman models.
The mood going into this show for us and our participating dealers was one of optimistic uncertainty. With the election just two days after the show’s closure and a slower-than-usual October, we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of sales and foot traffic. Our brand’s reputation for evolution and feature-rich design gave us a competitive edge, but we didn’t fully realize its impact until the show wrapped up. We displayed an impressive lineup of 13 boats, with only the Masters 247 and Masters 267 OE not on display. Our Open 352, fully equipped with every imaginable option, stood out from the crowd with its new second station and top. The Release Marine seats, helm pod, and backrest option elevated the boat to a league of its own.
Our new Shadow Gray hull color, a rich, eye-catching shade not commonly found among our competitors, attracted a lot of positive feedback, validating our choice. As always, our partnership with Seakeeper Ride and our unique position as the first and only brand to integrate it across all models proved to be a strategic advantage. It became one of the most talked-about features, with several customers mentioning it as a top reason for researching our lineup. Overall, customer sentiment toward Sportsman was positive and encouraging. We had the pleasure of meeting and selling boats to several loyal Sportsman owners. Our dealers brought their “A-Team,” and our booth staff was knowledgeable, personable, and collaborative. Their enthusiasm and expertise made this our best FLIBS experience to date, with sales nearly doubling from last year’s numbers and expected to continue growing in the coming weeks.
Attendance at the show remained steady throughout the week. Local schools were off on Friday, which many families took advantage of, avoiding the weekend crowds. From Wednesday to Sunday, our booth was bustling nonstop, attracting customers actively looking for deals and ready to buy. We found that the customers were well-informed, knew what models to compare, and were using the show as an opportunity to finalize their buying decisions. The overall atmosphere of the show was positive and exhilarating, with each day bringing renewed excitement for what was in store. The energy at the close of the show was infectious, marking an excellent start to boat show season. Our brand continues to set the standard in the 21–35 ft center console market, leading the way in innovation and sales.