The end of the 41st Palm Beach International Boat Show has come. Owned by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County and produced by Informa Markets, PBIBS was held along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach, directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Beach Island.
After closing this Saturday, March 26, the feeling remains that this Boat Show surpasses itself yearly. In extension, the number of attendees and offer of products and services.
This year’s event showcased 117 yachts over 24 meters, making it a premier yacht show for a steadily growing US market. By comparison, the 2023 Miami International Boat Show (MIBS) featured just 54 yachts over the 24-meter threshold, with eight over 40 meters. The most recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) displayed the most superyachts at 155, but with a bias towards smaller vessels.
The largest yacht on display in Palm Beach was the 75-meter “Arrow,” built by Feadship. It was the Arrow’s first public appearance at a boat show, offering visitors a unique opportunity to evaluate the vessel up close.
This year’s fleet had a combined LOA of 4,258 meters, with the most yachts in the 24 to 30-meter segment. Meanwhile, the average LOA of attending yachts was 36.4 meters, more than the corresponding figures from the previous two US boat shows.
Another notable yacht attending the Boat Show was the 67-meter Benetti, named Calex, which made its world debut last week after launching just over a year ago.
Yachts that are listed for sale by different brokers could also be seen, such as the 65-meter Polar Star built by Lürssen, represented by Paul Moran and Lidia Tsareva from Eastwind Yachts, as well as the 52-meter Ice Bear from the Feadship shipyard, currently for sale through Kevin Kramer of Burgess.
The 35m Hargrave E116, named the Romeo Foxtrot, has also been unveiled, making her Boat Show debut after being delivered to a very experienced owner. The Princess X80 also was exhibited in Palm Beach, having sold more than 30 units since the model’s initial launch in January 2022.
In short, Palm Beach is a Boat Show growing by leaps and bounds and is already at the center of the United States’ nautical scene.