Tips To Save Time And Money At Your Next Boat Show

When you're interested in buying a boat, boat shows are one of the best ways to try on many different shapes and sizes of boats. From sport boats to deck boats to cruisers and fishing boats. Boat shows also provide a great time to mingle with the boating community and hear firsthand how boating is a wonderful way to spend your free time. With all this excitement, a boat show can feel a bit overwhelming. To help you save time and money, follow these tips.

Do Your Homework


Boat shows are a great way to begin the boat buying process. But with all the different styles and sizes to choose from, it's hard to make a decision if you haven't already narrowed down your choices. Before attending our boat show, visit our website and start looking at the brands and models (Pursuit, Scout and Chaparral Boats) offered by Pier 33. While browsing, think about what you'll use your boat for and how many people you'll take out at a time. That way, when you visit us at the boat show, you'll be able to spend more time on the boat that fits.

Come Prepared


When you come to the boat show, you should bring a few things with you.

1. Questions - bring all your questions. Pier 33 will have an expert team on hand to help you understand everything there is to know about the boating lifestyle and the different boats. There are no silly questions. All boaters start somewhere and our staff will help you gain the knowledge you need.
2. A Notebook and A Camera-Phone - you may want to take notes about and/or compare different boat models, sizes, how many people can fit or how much fuel the boat can hold. Having a notebook will come in handy and you can use the camera phone or digital camera for extra help to remind yourself what you liked best about each boat.
3. Printed Address Labels - if you plan to visit multiple dealers during the show, bring pre-printed address labels that have your name and contact information. Many vendors ask for this information and having an address label ready to peel and stick will save you lots of time.
4. Your full boating crew. Family, kids, friends who will be boating with you can be an important source of feedback about what fits best and you may learn about some key features that will help make everyone's day on the water more enjoyable.

Climb Aboard


You'd be surprised at how many people are too nervous to climb aboard and check out the boat that caught their eye. Go ahead, climb aboard! We're here for you and want you to feel comfortable spending some time on the boats that fit what you're looking for. Have a seat at the helm, open doors and check for storage room or take a peek at the head (the restroom). Spend as long as you like and always feel welcome to stop back for a second, third or fourth look as you make your comparisons throughout the show.



Want to know more? Don't be shy. Pier 33's friendly staff will be right there when you need us to answer any question or show you the features that may surprise you. There's no obligation or pressure to make a show purchase, although there will be some outstanding show incentives if you choose to take advantage of them.

Are you ready for the 2012 Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show next weekend? We sure are!

Getting Ready for the Chicago Boat show

You'll Find Pier 33
Right Beneath "Big Blue"

As the holiday season surrounds us, boat dealers around the country are scurrying to get ready for the winter time boat shows.

At Pier 33, we're busy preparing for the 2012 Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show.

Show days dates are a little different this year. The show opens to the public on Thursday January 12th and runs through Monday January 16, allowing boaters and families in the area to take advantage of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Holiday, a free day from work and school for many.

Pier 33's display of new boats from Scout and Pursuit will be bigger and better this year, with a broader selection of boats to choose from and a great location centered in the "aft' section of the show. The Pier 33 Scout and Pursuit displays are adjacent to each other, in Booth # 3450. If you don't have a map when you get to the show, look for "Big Blue" over head, plus our marker balloons for Scout and Pursuit.

The Pier 33 crew has most of our show boats wrapped and ready for our show move. We'll begin transporting our boats to

McCormick Place

about one week prior to the opening of the show, January 5 or 6, so that our full fleet is staged in

In The Showroom
But Road Ready

place for floor set-up, which begins Monday January 9th.

This year, we'll again be working alongside Centerpointe Yacht Services, our cooperating Pursuit dealer from Sturgeon  Bay & Kenosha, WI. The Pursuit display will feature the Pursuit 280 Sport and 265 Dual Console, as well as Chicago Boat Show debuts of the 230 Center Console and 180 Center Console.

Right alongside our Pursuit display, will be Pier 33's selection of new boats from Scout. The 262 Abaco will be shown  for the first time at this show, featuring a true cruising cabin, stylish hardtop, twin Yamaha outboards and loads of wide-open fishing cockpit room. We'll also bring along a 210 XSF, 187 SF, 187 Dorado and a new model for 2012, the 177 Dorado.

Check back in on our blog as the show draws near. We'll have more information regarding boat specials and other interesting news. Visit www.pier33.com/boatshows for detailed show info or call (800) 886-0493.

Training Hard During The "Off Season"

Chaparral Headquarters
Nashville, GA

Our 2011 boating season is now a couple of months in the rear view mirror. Fall haul-out and winterizing has long since been completed. Pier 33’s service crew has already begun work on off-season maintenance and repair items requested by our boat storage customers. And with the opening of boat show season (Chicago Boat Show, January 12) exactly one month away, we are putting the finishing touches on our show plans.


What many might consider our “slow” time is actually very busy, not just with those tasks shown above, but also with some important training assignments for our staff.


This year, more than ever, we are focusing on providing training and professional development for all members of our staff. With each passing year, our boating clients expect a higher degree of product knowledge, technical expertise and professional assistance in each area of our business. To meet those expectations, we have an aggressive off-season and ongoing development program ready for our team.

Prepping A Hull Mold
At Chaparral

Already, in the past few weeks, Pier 33 staff has attended these events: 

·         Scout Boats International Dealer Conference

·         International Boatbuilders’ Exposition & Conference; Louisville, KY

·         Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show

·         Marine Dealer Conference & Expo; Orlando, FL

·         Technical Training, Mercury Marine

·         Technical Training, Yamaha Marine

·         Pursuit Boats Service School

·         Pursuit Boats Offshore University

·         Chaparral Boats Corporate Dealer Sales Training



Decks Getting Rigged
And Ready For Placement

Our technicians are also undergoing updates from Volvo Penta, with more class-room and hands-on training scheduled for Merc & Yamaha, as well. In addition, there will be in-house development going on throughout the year from organizations such as the American Boat and Yacht Council, American Boat Builders & Repairers Association and more.


Each of our boat builder partners (Scout, Chaparral and Pursuit), as well as our engine suppliers (Yamaha, Mercruiser & Volvo) have made product enhancements and new product introductions for the 2012 model year. We’re ready to make sure that our customers have the best information on these innovations.

Ready To Deck
This New Chaparral

Factory visits, such as we’ve had recently with Pursuit and Chaparral are always very educational. Our staff is able to see the real process, learning in detail how the boats go together. This allows our sales & technical crew to offer our clients the benefit of first-hand knowledge of the product, from quality  features that are built in where the eye can’t see them, to maintenance and troubleshooting tips that we can gain from those visits.

(Would you like to see a Pursuit 310 Sport go together? Have a look at a short video showing a deck and hull meeting for the first time.)



Ready For Final
QC Inspection

Through each of the events above, we’re able to solidify our relationships with key vendors and dealers throughout the boating world and exchange ideas that will help us enhance our service level and improve our boaters’ experiences on the water. And that’s really the most important aspect of these training and development initiatives – making the time on the water more enjoyable for our boaters.


Boating should be fun, convenient and enriching. Pier 33’s staff is committed to constant improvement, allowing us to continue to deliver the very best that boating has to offer.

See our complete photo album from our Chaparral factory tour. View it on-line at www.facebook.com/pier33marina.