I can´t believe it is over again: Nine days full throttle. January, Boot Duesseldorf-time! You did not had the chance to fly in and attend the show? Well, here´s my roundup of 2025´s edition. You may also look forward to no less than ten (!) in depth walkthroughs of the big and small stars of the show, more than interesting boats I had the chance to look at in detail. More on this later. Now, let´s start by looking back: Have you read the article about my anticipations for this show? I can tell you – it was much, much better than expected. Better than feared, I shall say.
First of all, a boat show like this is a hell of a ride! Scanning my exhibitors pass each day at around 0830 at the entry, being on the premises for some nine to ten intense hours, constantly speaking, walking, showing. And then, finally, scanning it again upon leaving for my hotel room at 1830, sometimes later. Getting up at 0630 to avoid the hustle at the hotel´s breakfast buffet … being a boat dealer is a hard job, especially on a show like Duesseldorf where there´s all-in expected from you for nine days. Ten, if you count the intense dealer´s meeting and briefing sessions by the shipyards a day before the grand opening.
Under a new flag
This time I was happy to be employed by a new dealer. Since my old company went belly-up due to some pretty nasty stuff being pulled off, I am self-employed now. And so I was very honored that Nova Yachting, the Dutch Beneteau and Hallberg-Rassy dealer, asked me if I would take care of the Germans sailing in the Netherlands during the show. I am humbled: Nova Yachting is a long established, highly respected company which for me was always the role model. Being asked to wear their Oranje tie and welcomed so warm in their team is something I value very high!
So, this time, I didn´t had quite the same pressure as a boat-dealer: It was a can, not a must, to sell boats. Not really a relief since, as you may see in the course of this article, traffic on our exhibition stand was extremely high again, but it was a difference. Moreover, working for a thorough, honest and trustworthy boss now was something that really pushed my healing process after the turmoil, the hardship and disappointment I went through with my old company. Hartelijk dank, Marnix, Arien and Alex!
Boot Duesseldorf lived up to its name
So, how was it then, the world´s leading trade fair show for boats, yachts and watersports equipment? Of course, I can only talk about the things I´ve seen during the intense nine days: I haven´t been once to the power boat halls and only briefly to the other halls as my main focus was my work in the sailing yacht hall, the „Magic 16“ where all the sailboats are. And here I can say: It was awesome!
As usual, we´ve had a great opening weekend with a lot of visitors on our stand. Saturday, opening day, felt like a Zombie-movie with endless crowds pouring up the stairs. Long queues at the registration, full staircase, another time long queues at the boats with completely filled cockpits and saloons. At some point one hostess told me they counted as many as 18 people aboard the small First 30! Wow!
Also, during the week, as expected, visitor´s influx calmed down but it never really died down. The „professionals“, meaning people who know about the weekend-overflow or people who are really interested to seek a boat for a purchase, arrive on a weekday. This is when the dealers are seriously on the hunt for getting contracts signed. Again, apart from the usual up and down for the meals (during lunch there´s a kind of pause, afterwards more and more visitors come on the stand again), I didn´t felt any difference to other Boot Duesseldorf-editions. After all, 2025 was my Duesseldorf boat show number eight. So, hundreds, thousands of visitors in hall 16. Sounds great? Yeah, it does. But …
Gaping holes, missing exhibitors
I had also never seen so many free spaces. We knew beforehand that the big German manufacturers Hanse and Bavaria wouldn´t attend along with a number of smaller brands. Some of which I really missed, like my beloved Oyster, or Elan. But this loss of exhibitors was most apparent in hall 15 where usually the very small brands and manufacturers exhibit: Surprisingly large areas had been cornoned off everwhere …
That is sad to see indeed! And yet, it wasn´t all: The whole show was littered with „repurposed“ areas, groups of seating and „socializing“-points, makeshift beaches with plastic palms, sunloungers and beer garden arrangements. Islands of nothingness where otherwise a boat or another exhibitor would have shown his latest products. High prices for exhibitors to come here, a market in crisis especially for the mid-size series production companies and maybe a not so flourishing outlook onto the coming sales season may have triggered these decisions not to come. Whatever the reason was, I still and very strongly believe that not coming to the Rhine was a mistake.
Because, on the other hand …
I mean, look at the picture below: These are the shoes of visitors aboard one of the boats on display. Dozens. Hundreds. If not thousands of pairs. Each day. Boating, sailing and watersports are still a top trend and one of the big leisure time occupations for many, many people. The crisis, inflation and high prices cannot and will not stop the longing of the people for freedom on the water. There is a sharp drop in sales, yes. And that drop is mostly felt within the mid-sized boats – the problem of the shrinking or even disappearing middle class is a big topic, indeed.
But nevertheless, I´ve seen it: Masses came and took a look at our boats! I´ve seen many Champaign bottles pop. Dealers told me about boats sold directly on the show. Looking at the number of leads received I can say there is still a market full of chances, full of buyers. Maybe a bit more reluctant, maybe concerned and some holding back, but it is far, far from dead. So, not coming is a mistake: Instead of saving cost and being prepared for what comes next, those brands not attending – especially the big production companies – were often in the center of discussions. Rumors, hearsay and assumptions about possible problems or distress did increasingly circulate. Not a good thing at all! Well, I hope they will return in 2026.
On my own authority
A slightly less stressful boat show for me and a chance to promote our Omega 42-project: It came with surprise and another push of privilige that the organizers of the boat show had asked me if I´d be willing to be present on stage. Giving little lectures on the legendary yacht of Norlin and our project. Of course I agreed. Every day in the searchlight for my 20 minute-fame, some. In this: Thanks to all the people who sat down to listen, I hope y´all enjoyed my crash course in „Omega 42“!
You may have reay my last entry on the launch of the official Omega 42-website. I did help to bring it to life and now we are seeing rising traffic and increased interest in the product. The Omega 42 is the perfect example of a boat that is exactly not what current mainstream is on the water is all about. I am very happy for all the positive feedback and all the little chats with people after the show. Exhibiting this beautiful yacht on a boat show like this is still a faraway dream for now, but we´ll see what time will bring …
Many articles to look forward to!
I´ve written it in my entry about the pleasant anticipation of Boot Duesseldorf 2025 and in the coming two weeks I am going to make it come true: You can expect a whole set of ten in depth-articles about the most interesting yachts (at least from my point of view) in case you missed this show or you just want to recapitulate. Highspeed or wheel chair? You can look forward to some exciting boats, believe me!
I of course took a thorough look at X-Yachts´s brand new XR-41 as well as her counterpart, Nautor Swan´s ClubSwan 43. I roamed the luxurious Solaris 55 as well as the wonderful Bestevaer 54. Leonardo´s Eagle 46 is a breathtakingly beautiful classic as well as the big-time Saffier 46 SL or the wonderful Heyman 42. Two crazy boats, the Wauquiez 55 and the Dragonfly 36, cannot be missed, just as the most anticipated and cheered First 30 by Beneteau/Seascape. So, I hope you stay tuned and browse to these articles as well!
My upshot: We need the Boot!
In the end I can only passionately propagate in favor of Boot Duesseldorf: Especially rookies, starting their voyage to a new own sailboat, need this trade fair to be able to see all the different brands and their products. They need to go from one to another to compare, to feel, to discuss. No Cannes Boat Show, no shipyard visit and no dealer showroom can substitute this event at the River Rhine. I sincerely hope that both parties, shipyards and the organizer of the fair, will find a solution to bring back the exhibitors, be it the smaller or the big brands!
Now, I start sorting the more than 600 pictures taken to choose the best shots for the articles. Thanks to all friends, former and future clients, colleagues from the industry and again so many readers of NO FRILLS SAILING.com to stop by, say hello and meet me. It was a pleasure talking to you, even if it was just briefly. Yet another so precious and important factor of Boot Duesseldorf: It is a social matchmaking location, bringing so many people together who enjoy their favorite thing: Boats!
Other connected articles of interest:
At Cannes Yachting Festival 2024
J.F. Lair about the current state of the boating industry (2024)