Annual boat show kicks into high gear this weekend

The Grand Strand Boat & Sportsman Expo, staged annually at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, is getting older, and bigger.

In its 34th year, the show – which runs Friday through Sunday – will feature 16 boat dealerships from Charleston northward to Wilmington, and westward to near Columbia. Approximately 70 vendors will also be in attendance.

Boat show coordinator Kevin Bennett credits a stronger economy for giving the event a boost, and the show has a more regional feel.

“We’ve really stepped up and the show is really getting bigger,” said Bennett. “As a whole the marine industry is tied into the economy, and the economy has been much better this year. We’ve got two dealerships from Charleston coming up, two from near Columbia and two from Wilmington (N.C.) along with the local dealerships.”

The wintry weather expected this weekend has been a hot topic leading up to the show, and that’s a plus, said Bennett.

“It looks like it’s going to be kind of cold and rainy and what better place to go to get out of cold, nasty weather than a nice, heated convention center,” said Bennett.

Bennett has an interesting take on new boat designs that will be on display this weekend.

“There’s a lot of really exciting new stuff coming out – new colors, new styles,” said Bennett. “I call them the SUV of boats. You can haul the family and the dog, you can go out on a cruise or if you want to go fishing you can do that on these boats.”

The seminars are always a hit at the show and there will be plenty of local expertise shared.

“The seminars are slam-packed,” said Bennett. “There’s a lot of local talent.”

Instructors include Capt. Jason Burton of Murrells Inlet, Capt. Lin Fore of Georgetown, Capt. Mike McDonald of Georgetown and kayak fishing expert Mike Eady of Pawleys Island.

Aside from fishing tips and techniques, seminar topics also include boating basics, safety on the water, trailer towing and cast net techniques.

With the variety of boats and vendors on hand, Bennett feels the show is truly a family-oriented event.

“There’s a little bit of something for everybody,” said Bennett. “It’s a great place to come and spend 3-4 hours walking around checking things out. It’s the place you can come, if you’re interested in buying a boat or not, if you just want to look at boats, you can come and compare all the apples and all the oranges.

“You can walk and touch and feel and see everything everybody’s got to offer. I’ve got everything from a 10-foot jon boat to a 39-foot Contender at the show.”

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 7:47 PM with the headline "Annual boat show kicks into high gear this weekend."