The one that got away
January 10, 2012
Roy Ivey
January 13, 2012Participants in the 14th annual Southern Louisiana Boat, Sport and RV show do not have exact figures, but contend that events like the three-day program that opens Friday at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center a launch of activity for the season and set the stage for increased sales in an industry that has experienced losses during the past two years.
“The shows represent an opportunity for participating dealers to come in contact with a lot of people in a short period of time,” BAC Enterprises spokesman Bart Caple said.
As producer of the Houma show, Caple said this event would feature inventory from 55 vendors displaying 119 brands of recreational vehicles and 29 brands of boats from the most basic models to luxury vehicles and vessels. “Dixie RV in Hammond has motor homes that [retail] for $500,000,” he said.
Entertainment options in addition to displayed boats, trailers and motor homes will feature personalities Glen and Mitchell Guist, and Trapper Joe and Trigger Tommy from the History Channel program “Swamp People”. What is billed as the world’s largest white tail deer display is listed among the attractions along with angling demonstrations and a fishing pond for the kids.
“Being able to showcase boats at one time to enhance sales is the main benefit of shows like this,” Dagates Marine salesman Ricky LeBlanc said. “From a business standpoint it helps get the season started, and show boats so when people are ready to buy they have seen the boats and have a better idea what they want. If they don’t but right away at the show they have done the leg work to get ready to buy.”
The boating and recreational vehicle industries have been hard hit during the past two years with an overall decrease in sales following a lagging economy. Experts in the field believe that tide is about to turn.
RV Dealers Association projected that 260,000 total units would be shipped in 2011, and mark a 7 percent increase from 2010. Total figures for 2011 have not been tabulated, but even that improved forecast is down significantly from the most recent high point of 390,500 units that were sold in 2006.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association reported that while it listed 32.4 percent of the U.S. population as in recreational boaters during 2010, actual sales did not reflect the 14 percent increase in participants compared to 2009. Sales of power and sailboats in 2010 were down 4 percent compared to 2009.
LeBlanc said it is difficult to know exactly how much traffic his Houma-based business sees during the year that is directly related to public offerings displayed in masses during January shows.
Dagates, for example, plans to present its entire inventory of 25 boats valued at approximately $500,000 to the public n including Nordic Star, Yamaha, Go Devil Alweld and other brand name family fishing boats and hardcore outdoor sports vessels, with hopes of planting the seed of future purchases as well as securing sales on the scene.
While high dollar luxury units are on display during most boat and sport shows, LeBlanc said that family recreation and sports fishing vessels are the ones that attract more exact sales. “Those big boats over $100,000 look great but nobody actually buts them,” he said. “Or not enough people buy them.”
Caple said it is difficult to know how much local dealers benefit from RV and boat shows, but noted that it must be worth their time and investment as more do register to participate each year.
“This is a good time of year [for boat and sport shows],” LeBlanc said. “We are not extremely busy right now, but the show will make us extremely busy. We get hooked up at the show and stay busy all the way through Christmas. We really don’t know how much percentage wise come in months after the show, but it is a lot. They might not have been ready to buy at [the show] but later on they are ready.”
Hours for the Southern Louisiana Boat, Sport and RV show are 1-to 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-15 and children under 6 enter for free.
