Northwest boaters have the privilege of being able to attend two major boat shows in late January and early February; the Seattle Boat Show and the Vancouver International Boat Show. The Vancouver show is the largest in western Canada with 30,000 visitors on average, over 250 exhibitors, and 125 seminars, and runs February 6 to 10.
The Floating Show at Granville Island, one of the central marinas in Vancouver, will have dozens of new and used boats for sale right on the water. The show’s New Product Showcase will be one of the first places to get the trending products for 2019. Hundreds of boats will be for sale on the main show floor plus thousands of boat-related products.
Even when you’re done shopping, the show has more to offer. Head over to the DIY Garage for a series of informal, 45-minute workshops with some of British Columbia’s top boating maintenance and tech experts. Workshops cover topics ranging from winterizing boats to installing solar panels. Learn how to properly inspect an outboard motor on Wednesday, and come back on Sunday to learn how to maintain boat systems and prevent corrosion.
The boat show is filled with special events and guests. One such event Saturday’s Women’s Day. A ticket gets you a light breakfast, access to additional seminars, lunch, and a wine tasting. Seminars cover marine insurance, building confidence in boating skills, navigation, family cruising, and more. At another event, Meet the crew from Discovery Channel’s Cooper’s Treasure, a show about a team of treasure hunters looking for sunken ships in the Caribbean.
Kids accompanied by an adult can spend time at the Nautical Play Centre, riding in paddleboats and doing arts and crafts. Meet the University of B.C. Robotic Sailboat team at the Kid’s Zone and hear how they make some of the best robotic sailboats in the world. Attend a cooking class to make Cajun crocodile, salmon fillets, and Portuguese mussels. Sport fishing seminars cover deep-sea fishing and will include Q&A sessions with professional anglers.
The Vancouver International Boat Show is owned by the Boating BC Association, a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting boating on Canada’s West Coast.
The show will be held February 6 through 10 at BC Place and Granville Island Maritime Market from 1000 hours to 2000 hours Wednesday through Saturday and 1000 hours to 1700 hours on Sunday. Free shuttle buses run continuously between the BC Place location and the Granville Island location and free water ferries will also be running between the two venues. For more information or tickets, visit vancouverboatshow.ca.
