TBS 2009

I have mixed feelings about the Toronto Boat Show. Been there, done that, several times. Tickets, parking, and 'Boat Show Specials', i.e. spending money you don't have! Inevitably I end up going and having a good time.

This year I was able to have lunch with one of my regular Wednesday crew. It is good to get together during the long off season. One can get a different perspective on recent developments, e. g. Derek's travails in the southern ocean. I also like hearing about what other boat owners are thinking about as they look forward to a new sailing season. A visit to the Club also provides an opportunity to see other members. It is important to keep current with scuttlebutt!

This year I wanted to avoid any extra expense. I volunteered for a two hour shift at the Club's booth. This allowed me to get into the event without buying a ticket! In addition to the two hour shift I also had to attend an information meeting to familiarize myself with the various club programs and membership requirements. The booth is manned by at least two people so you have an opportunity to wander about the exhibits without leaving the booth unmanned. As a 'racer' and 'drysailer' I find these club duties provide an opportunity to meet 'cruisers'. My booth mate was Andrew, who owns a 30 foot 'cruiser'.

The Club has 220 senior members, 30 drysailers, and 30 dinghy members. There are about 250 Crew members. The Club has a waiting list for docks, and there are only 10 available moorings. For non boat owners, the Club has a few good ways to start sailing. Racing is on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Cruising on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Crew members can join boats looking for crew. There is also a more expensive 'Shark Club' membership which allows for the use of Club owned boats. Most of the people visiting the booth were Club members, but we did have a few people interested in crew membership and one new boat owner.

One of my objectives for the Boat show was to get a sense of the economy. Boating should be one of the first items to be eliminated from the family budget. One significant development was the bankruptcy of one of the local yacht brokers. They still had a presence at the show, with the support of a boat manufacturer. Generally, I would say that traffic was poor for a late Sunday afternoon. My tour of exhibits was a quick visit to the Beneteaus. There are two new models, the '34' replaces the '343' and the '37' replaces the '373'. I didn't really like either. I would prefer a metal toe rail, the micro wave shouldn't encroach on the nav station, and the rotation of the galley sink makes it difficult to enter the salon when someone is washing up.

The Boat Show is a social event. It was a great opportunity to met people, mainly serendipitously. See you next year!