Charleston Boat Show report

           The Charleston Boat show at the North Charleston Convention Center was across the parking lot from its normal venue at the Coliseum. It seems country music sensation Rascal Flatts was in town for a sold out weekend concert. It's ironic that a few years ago a bunch of friends and I had free tickets to the see the same group at the Coliseum when they were "unknown." Country music's common theme of lament might be a fitting backdrop for South Carolina boat dealers right now, because while 2009 is a new year, the weak economy hasn't sorted itself out yet. For the record, boats did sell at the show and important bonds were renewed, but not much buzz was in the air. Beside boats, vendor booths included boat towing services, online communities, clothing sales and fishing publications. Boat dealers filled the convention hall and two parking lots with their best of show. Attractive fishing platforms with powerful motors were dry-docked next to cruisers with "weekend at sea" written all over them. Boat buyers had bank financing and even Insurance coverage on-site at the boat show. No details were overlooked during what has to be considered another successful Charleston Boat Show. The photos depict a Boston Whaler with three engines, and the final coat of wax being applied to a Cobalt boat.