No less than five different locations
The Covid-imposed break in 2021 was accompanied by some changes and the two shows, MIBS and Miami Yacht Show, were merged into one event, Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show (DBMIBS).
Now installed in five locations – the Convention Center for boats on land less than 15 meters high, Sea Isle Marina and One Herald Plaza for motorboats afloat, Museum Park Miami for sailboats, and Island Gardens for yachts – it occupies a place” The largest boat show in the world.
At the end of the five-day exhibition, the organizers announced the attendance of more than 100,000 visitors and an unprecedented commercial success. It must be said that the US market is doing well, and even very well.
If, in 2020, the maritime industry in France, despite months of confinement, managed to keep it, across the Atlantic, the number of new motor boats from 15 to 30 feet (4.50 to 9 meters) increased by more than 20% and the number approached The total for new registrations (boiler and motors combined) of 300,000 units, to be exactly 297,469.
2021 was a bit more complicated for the US marine industry, but the numbers are still very high with an estimated number of new boats sold at 279,171 units.
The US boat market faces the same supply chain and staff shortage challenges as other global boat industries; malgré tout et malgré une inflation de l’ordre de 7.5% et un prix du carburant qui ne cesse d’augmenter – 1,28 € le litre à la Sea Isle Marina -, la frénésie et l’engouement pour le bateau sont always here.
Although February is a bit late in the season to announce new products – the vast majority were unveiled in Fort Lauderdale in November – the Miami Auto Show remains for some the “place to be”, and for European shipyards it’s the best way to showcase their boats in the American market.
Extremism and excess…
Miami is still Miami with its skewers of outboard motors mounted on girders and rows of fishing openers that all look the same. Admittedly, the number of workers abroad is less than ten and those present are quieter, but the American surplus is still there and so are the extremists!
Evidence of an association responsible for protecting manatees at Sea Isle Marina, amid hundreds of engines, the closely watched marine mammal in Florida, Mercury, Miami’s dominant engine manufacturer, launched an electric motor, while a 600-horsepower V12 was Undoubtedly the star of this show…
on the side of the engine
Mercury Aviator
The Miami Auto Show is famous for its abundance of power, and the initiator is often the initiator of the American engine manufacturer Mercury. This year again, with its 600-horsepower V12, it introduced the largest outboard motor on the market. But he made a surprise announcement by announcing the launch of a range of electric motors and the introduction of a first model called the Avator®.
Since its acquisition of Power Products, the electricity giant, in 2018, the Brunswick Group intends to become a major player in the electricity sector. Avator®, that is the name of the concept developed by Mercury, has a classic exterior, and its hood also recalls the shape of the brand’s V6 and V8.
It has a display on the front that shows the charge level of the battery built into the engine and can be removed by lifting the hood. The fan is installed. Production of these engines will begin in 2022.
Tohatsu MFS 25/30 D
The Miami Auto Show was also an opportunity to see the world premiere of the new 25 and 30 horsepower engines from Japanese engine manufacturer Tohatsu. These two engines are built on the same block of a 500 cc in-line three-cylinder, with a mass of
Weighing 57 kg and 58 kg respectively, it can boast of being the lightest on the market.
Thanks to the improvement of the crankshaft and intake manifold, the engine manufacturer has already managed to reduce the weight of these engines by 19% compared to older models. The MFS25 and 30D also benefit from a new plowing machine with a winch that allows you to choose between four speeds: from 750 to 1050 rpm, forward, neutral and reverse.
These two blocks can also benefit from several options, such as the “multifunction” tiller rod which features a longer boom with a trim button and has three possible adjustment heights. These engines will be available in France from next September.