Boat shows are one of the most valuable experiences you can have as someone exploring yacht ownership. After four decades in the business, we can tell you that the buyers who leave a boat show feeling informed and energized are the ones who came with a plan. The ones who leave overwhelmed are the ones who didn’t.
At ACY Yachts, we’ve spent more than four decades helping people find their way into yacht ownership. With locations across North America and the Caribbean, and as the world’s top-selling dealer for Fountaine Pajot catamarans, we’ve walked thousands of buyers through every stage of the process, from their first boat show to their first offshore passage. We know what works, and we know what gets people into trouble.
To put together this guide, we sat down with Justin Joyner, ACY Yachts’ Executive Vice President of Revenue Strategy. Justin brings a rare combination of perspectives to this topic: he’s crossed oceans on Fountaine Pajot catamarans, managed charter fleets, worked inside a major international bank developing marine financing solutions, and spent more than a decade working with leading European manufacturers on brand development in North America. He knows boat shows from every angle.
What follows are six practical tips — drawn from Justin’s insights and our team’s collective experience — to help you make the most of your time on the docks.
1. Know Where You Are in Your Journey
This is the first thing our team works to understand with every person who walks onto one of our boats.
As Justin puts it, “Are they just starting the process toward buying a boat? Have they done all of the online research, and they’re just making sure this is the right boat for them?”
Being honest with yourself about where you stand shapes everything: how you walk the docks, which conversations you prioritize, and what questions you ask. Here’s a simple way to think about it:
- Early explorer: You’re still figuring out what type of boat fits your lifestyle. Focus on breadth, and try to walk as many different boats as you can and pay attention to how each one feels.
- Focused researcher: You’ve done your homework online and have a shortlist. Use the show to validate your instincts in person and ask the technical questions you’ve been accumulating.
- Ready to buy: You know the boat. Use the show to meet the team behind it, discuss configuration, and get comfortable with the people who will support you through ownership.
2. Come Prepared — Dealers Will Meet You Where You Are
The boat show landscape has changed significantly in recent years, and Justin is direct about why. COVID drove a massive shift in how buyers show up. People started arriving at shows already knowing what they wanted, having spent months watching YouTube videos, reading forums, and doing deep online research.
“It used to be we would start by showing them where the engine and the mast were,” Justin told us. “Now people say, ‘Hey, I already know that and have watched the videos. I want to spec this boat.'” He doesn’t see that changing. Buyers are going to keep getting more informed, not less.
That means your pre-show research isn’t wasted, it’s expected. YouTube channels, manufacturer websites, and online reviews are all fair game. Walk in with that knowledge and use the show to go deeper:
- Write down your top 5–7 questions before you arrive.
- Think about your intended use. Coastal cruising? Bluewater passages? Liveaboard? Great Loop? The more specific you can be, the more useful the conversation becomes.
- Note the things online research can’t answer — how the headroom feels, whether the galley layout works for you, the quality of joinery and finishes up close.
3. Don’t Just Look at the Boat — Look at the Dealership
We often see that buyers spend all their time evaluating the boat and very little time evaluating who they’re buying it from. The two are inseparable. A yacht is a long-term relationship, not a transaction, and the dealership you choose becomes your partner through commissioning, warranty, service, and every passage beyond.
Justin is direct about what to look for. “First and foremost, you must find someone you want to buy a boat from that you trust,” he says. “You aren’t just buying a boat from one salesperson. You also want to know who the technical person is, who the commissioning agent is. Boat shows offer a great opportunity to meet other people on the team.” That’s exactly how we approach it at ACY Yachts.
At ACY Yachts, we bring the whole team to the show, not just sales. Use that access. Ask to meet the commissioning manager. Ask who handles post-delivery support. Ask about their service network. A dealership with the global reach that comes from our ownership structure with Fountaine Pajot and Dufour can answer questions in ways a smaller operation simply can’t.
The right questions to ask any dealership:
- Do you have boats in stock? (A dealer with inventory can show you the boat at a relaxed, unhurried pace — not just at the show.)
- Who handles commissioning, and what does that process look like?
- What does your service and support network look like post-purchase?
- Do you have relationships with financing partners who understand the marine market?
4. Use the Show to Compare — That’s What It’s For
One of the advantages of a boat show is the ability to walk directly from one boat to another. Justin encourages buyers to use that opportunity deliberately — “to see what the competition is doing and look at features.” We’d second that wholeheartedly.
In our experience, buyers who walk competing boats leave with much sharper clarity about what they value. The differences in build quality, layout logic, cockpit ergonomics, and onboard systems become obvious when you go from one vessel to the next on the same afternoon.
When comparing, pay attention to:
- Construction quality: Look at hull thickness, hardware finishing, and interior joinery. These tell you a lot about a builder’s standards.
- Layout for your life: Can you see yourself cooking a meal here in a seaway? Does the salon feel like home?
- Systems and technology: Ask about energy management, sail handling, and automation features. The gap between brands is widening fast.
5. Bridge the Gap Between Research and Reality
There’s one dynamic we see at every show that’s worth naming directly. Justin describes a pattern that comes up more than you’d expect: a buyer who knows everything about the boat but has never really spent time on the water. “They come in and say ‘I’m going to do the Great Loop’ and that they’re going to move on the boat and everything will be just fine,” he told us. Or I’m going to sail the boat myself down to the Caribbean from Maine. “Well, practically speaking, you may be seasick half the time.” “What do you do then? You can’t pull over at a rest area in the middle of the ocean.” he quips.
In short, the plan sounds completely reasonable on paper, but the practical reality of offshore sailing is something no amount of online research fully prepares you for.
This is where a trusted advisor — not a salesperson — becomes invaluable. You may have a member of our team who has crossed oceans. Their job isn’t to sell you something. It’s to help ensure your vision of life on the water aligns with what life on the water actually is. The key point is, we won’t tell you you’re crazy or you can’t do it, after all these FP and Dufour yachts are designed to cross oceans, we help you build up to the dream. Build a training plan that gets you into shape and keeps you safe.
Use the boat show as an opportunity to have those real conversations. Ask about what passages are actually like. Ask about the learning curve. Ask what they wish they’d known. Our team has lived these experiences. Justin himself has logged more bluewater miles on Fountaine Pajot catamarans than any other brand. These are the kinds of conversations that in person can be two way and you start to build relationships between you and your trusted advisors.
6. Think Beyond the Show Floor
Justin makes a point that we see validated constantly. “It’s great to go on YouTube and learn,” he says, “but if you want a proper new boat experience, you need a dealer who has stock and a service department.”
Influencers and YouTube personalities do valuable work, but they’re often filming a boat once, under show conditions or an opportunity day onboard a boat, before moving on. A dealership with stock can take you through at whatever pace you need, without cameras, crowds, or time pressure. That relaxed, thorough walkthrough is something a boat show simply can’t replicate, and it’s where a lot of the most important questions actually get answered.
The boat show conversation shouldn’t end at the dock. Follow up with the dealerships that impressed you. Ask to visit their facility. Ask to see boats in their inventory, not under the pressure of a show environment, but at a pace that lets you really absorb what you’re looking at.
For those beginning to think about how ownership might work financially, the show is also a good time to ask about options like our Business Yacht Ownership® approach — a model that, for the right owner, can potentially offset the costs of ownership while ensuring your vessel is professionally maintained and cared for.
Your Boat Show Checklist
- Identify where you are in your journey before you arrive
- Write down your top 5–7 questions in advance
- Be specific about your intended use and cruising plans
- Walk competing boats — comparison sharpens your instincts
- Meet the whole team, not just the salesperson
- Ask about stock, service capabilities, and post-purchase support
- Have real conversations about what sailing life actually looks like
- Plan a follow-up visit to a dealership after the show
We’re Here to Guide You
Whether you’re attending your first boat show or your tenth, our team at ACY Yachts is there to make it count. We work with buyers at every stage, from first-time explorers to buyers ready to configure and sign. And because we carry stock, have a full-service department, and can draw on our global network through our partnership with Fountaine Pajot and Dufour, the conversation doesn’t have to end when the show does.
You can see the upcoming boat shows our team will be at here, or you’re welcome to reach out directly to schedule a personalized consultation with our team: 844.567.3087.
