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CNY Boat Show is Back in Town CNY Boat Show

By Mackenzie Pearce

Cruiser
© 2020 Mackenzie Pearce

Reporter: When the weather gets cold it can be hard for Upstate New York residents to get out of the house. That is where the boat show comes in, held in the Expo Center at the fairgrounds running from Thursday to Sunday. Boat show manager Drew Wickham says they are expecting to see about 10 thousand people over the weekend.

Drew Wickham: “Aw they’re here and they want to see the boats. We got 35 dealers over 500 boats; this is the largest boat show in New York state.”

Reporter: The expo brings in people who just want to look around and those who are ready buy. Some of the more popular boats are the cruisers and the pontoons. Boat owner Floyd Vandeweert says he prefers his cruiser for the versatility the boat offers.

Floyd Vandeweert: “What we like about the cruisers versus some of the other ones is you can actually sleep on the boat and that’s a positive, it’s got a galley, a bathroom, everything right in there.”

Reporter: “When you think boat show you might think cruiser but actually in upstate New York the biggest boat on the market right now is the pontoon boat, family friendly and just overall a great quality boat.”

Drew Wickham: “If you were to wander the show you would probably see the most pontoons, because we’re in the Finger Lakes, a lot of calm water, a lot of people like the pontoon boats.”

Reporter: And some of those people are the Butero family, looking to purchase a pontoon for the summertime, especially excited are the kids.

Butero Family: “Pontoon! There was a brown one, farther down there that I really liked.”

Reporter: One of the reasons why the pontoon boat has gained popularity is due to the price.

Rich Albigesce: “I think everyone today is more into the, looking for a boat that’s really affordable and give you a lot of bang for your buck, which the pontoon does.”

Reporter: Whether you’re in the market to buy or just want to get out of the house the boat show has a little something for everyone. Mackenzie Pearce, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) —  The annual Central New York Boat Show returns to Syracuse today. The show runs from February 20th to 23rd and will feature over 500 boats from 35 different vendors.

This year the most popular boat is predicted to be the pontoon. It is a family friendly boat that allows for multiple people to be on it a one time.

“If you were to wander the show you would probably see the most pontoons, because we’re in the Finger Lakes, a lot of calm water, a lot of people like the pontoon boats,” said CNY Boat Show Director Drew Wickham.

Another big reason why pontoon boats are increasing in popularity is that it is cheaper than the traditional cruiser.  A cruiser typically has more bells and whistles, including bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms, which is exactly why boat owner Floyd Vandeweert chose a cruiser over a pontoon boat.

“What we like about the cruisers versus some of the other ones is you can actually sleep on the boat and that’s a positive, it’s got a galley, a bathroom, everything right in there,” said Vandeweert.

With these added amenities comes a higher price tag and more up keep, that is another reason why millennials are leaning towards pontoon boats.

“I think everyone today is more into the, looking for a boat that’s really affordable and give you a lot of bang for your buck, which the pontoon does,” stated  boat salesman Rich Albigesce.

While the show typically features more pontoon boats it still has about 40% cruisers to accommodate those who don’t want a pontoon boat.

For visitors looking to buy Wickham suggested that buyers place their orders before February 25th to ensure the boat arrives on memorial day weekend.

Whether you’re looking to buy a boat or just get out of the house the CNY Boat show has something for everyone.

 

 

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