Four “Waves” at the TC Boat Show

April 5, 2015

What are the biggest trends set to make waves at this year’s Traverse City Boat Show? We talked to show producer Andrew Mac- Donald to learn what’s going to float your boat in 2015.

WAVE ONE: PONTOONS EVERYWHERE

The first things MacDonald mentioned were pontoon boats, which he said are miles away from the very basic pontoon configurations of 15-20 years ago, many of which were not much more than floating platforms.

"Increased power and streamlined engineering have made them much more appealing to the market," MacDonald explained. Tri-tubes – which add an extra pontoon to the middle of the boat – make today’s pontoon boats far more stable, and that’s only one of many new features.

"The new luxury pontoon boats have things like mini-kitchens or slides on the second level so you can slide off right into the water," MacDonald said. "They just keep getting nicer and nicer."

WAVE TWO: SHOPPING OUTDOORS

As the popularity of boating in northern Michigan continues to grow, so does the boat show.

"We set a record for attendance last year – just shy of 2,200 people in three days," MacDonald said. "And each year we somehow manage to fit more boats into the venue, but we really can’t handle the demand. If we had a bigger space, we could fill it very easily."

In response, they’re taking part of this year’s show outdoors, installing a big tent just outside the arena and welcoming Walloon Lake Village Marina.

"The Walloon folks will have a great mini water ski shop out there," MacDonald explained, "so you’ll be able to buy skis, clothing, wakeboards and other gear right on site.

You can even buy a high-end ski boat at the show if you want to!"

WAVE THREE: WATERSKIING WONDERS

Performance ski boats are one of the strongest sellers in northern Michigan, Mac- Donald said.

"We have so many great inland lakes in our region," he said. "That’s what makes per formance ski boats an ideal match."

He cited Action Watersports as one of the most popular exhibitors, noting that they’re also the No. 1 Mastercraft boat dealer in North America.

Action Watersports salesman Riley Van- Dyke said they will bring two standouts to the show: this year’s Prostar tournament ski boat and the Gen 2 Surf System.

"The new Prostar is an absolute blast," VanDyke said. "It drives like a little Porsche on water and can adjust its speed to a tenth of a mile an hour, which is really important for water-skiing."

The Gen 2, a system that customizes how water skiers are attached to the boat, aims to be a must-have, whether you’re a novice water skier or an expert.

"The Gen 2 deflects jet wash and makes a better, surfable wave," VanDyke explained. "It makes water-skiing super easy where, in the old days, you’d have to go through all kinds of adjustments and you could still only surf one side or the other."

WAVE FOUR: PADDLEBOARD PERFECTION

MacDonald’s last pick for this year’s show is a sport that’s more slow paced and calm – the polar opposite of water skiing.

"Stand-up paddleboarding is still huge," he emphasized.

An offshoot of surfing, paddleboarding originated in Hawaii and allows participants to stand on their board and glide forward with the help of a paddle. The Outdoor Foundation listed it as the most popular outdoor activity among first-time participants last year.

New to the boat show this year is Old Mission Boat Company, which makes its own version of stand-up paddleboards that are locally manufactured. There are plenty of other paddleboard options to choose from, too.

"I think the appeal is that it’s a combo of exercise, sun and the fact that it’s a reasonably easy sport to do," MacDonald said. "You don’t have to be terribly skilled and it really is good for all ages."

This year’s TC Boat Show will run April 10-12 at the Howe Arena in Traverse City. Refreshments will be available at The Pizza Wagon and parking is free. For tickets and information, visit www.traversecityboatshow.com.