Progressive Cleveland Boat Show 2022 by greatlakespublishing

BOATSHOW OHIO BOAT

MARCH 17-20, 2022

WHERE

BOATING SEASON BEGINS DISCOVER EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE MANY WAYS TO GET ON THE WATER AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF OHIO'S GREATEST ASSETS.

INSIDE WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO MAKING THE SHOW AN ALL-DAY FAMILY AFFAIR CREDIT

THEN AND NOW: THE BOAT SHOW’S TRANSFORMATION Supplement to Cleveland

January 2022

1 BOAT

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Sandusky: 866-649-8678

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WELCOME BACK! "SUPER CHARGED" DOESN'T BEGIN to reflect how excited we are to bring back our show for you. And, we’re betting that recalling the feelings of those warm summer days on the water is what you’ll find exciting, too. That’s why, among the hundreds of boats, accessories, destinations and service exhibits, you’ll find a variety of experiences and entertainment that will make your show visit a memorable experience ... because isn’t that what boating’s all about? Here are a few highlights we’ve added this year. The first-ever History of Bathing Suits walk-thru exhibit will carry you back to olden days, while a new Paddling Pool & Center featuring live demonstrations are sure to please Ohio’s thousands of kayakers and paddleboarders. It’s music and more when the Killer Flamingos take the boat show’s main stage. Voted Best Cover Band by Detroit Magazine, they perform Top 40 hits from the 80s to today, and their lively performances include off-the-charts crowd interaction. But there’s music and more when popular island performers appear in the Put-in-Bay section while families play games, relax and have fun on the adjacent Great Lawn. Of course, we didn’t forget to bring back the many popular features and activities like our Fishing Center, boasting the giant Berkley Bass Aquarium; the Catch a Live Trout Pond; and the

best lineup of fishing pros to ever appear at the show. And, add the expanded Kids Club area; the reimagined Sailing Center; the hands-on activities in the On the Water Ohio Center; and the return of Twiggy, the waterskiing squirrel, and the boat show appeals to the entire boating family. Finally, since we’ve recently welcomed so many new boaters to the boating lifestyle, we’ll have a complete series of educational seminars specially designed for newcomers. Yes, the boat show is back, and we can’t wait to see you back, too. MICHELLE BURKE, PRESIDENT

Lake Erie Marine Trades Association

SHOW AT A GLANCE March 17-20, 2022

I-X Center • 1 I-X Center Drive, Cleveland, OH 44135 TICKETS: General Admission (ONLINE ONLY) $16 General Admission (AT THE GATE) $18 Children 6 and younger FREE Senior and military discount tickets $15** **Available for purchase onsite at the box office ONLY

HOURS:

Thurs., March 17 Fri., March 18 Sat., March 19 Sun., March 20

Noon–9 Noon–9 10 a.m.–9 10 a.m.–5

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

BUY YOUR ONLINE TICKETS AT CLEVELANDBOATSHOW.COM. Use promo code CLEMAG for a discount. Tickets also are available to purchase at the I-X Center box office.

Boat Ambassadors Help Non-Boaters Enter the Boating Lifestyle Ohio has some of the best boating north of the Caribbean, but non-boaters may not know where to get started. To answer your questions and provide you with a continuing source for boating information, this year’s Boat Show will feature Boat Ambassadors — experienced boaters from the United States Power Squadrons, who can talk with you about the various types of boating, regional venues, legal and insurance requirements, training, purchase, maintenance, storage and any other boating questions you may have. Whether you are interested in power or sail boating, kayaking our rivers or cruising the Great Lakes, our Boat Ambassadors can help you make informed decisions about entering the boating lifestyle. They will be available throughout the Boat Show and accessible during the year at no cost. For more information, please contact Sam Insalaco at 216-272-3964 or greatlaker1@gmail.com.

clevelandboatshow.com

BOAT 3

BOAT BOAT SHOW SHOW

KNOW BEFORE

Experts reveal ways you can come prepared to get the most out of your boat show experience.

YOU GO

BY RUTH CORRADI BEACH

BOAT BUYING

If you’re coming to the boat show with the thought of buying a boat (or other watercraft), it’s helpful to come prepared with questions and enough knowledge to target your search. That’s true every year, but especially this one, says Norm Schultz, president emeritus of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association (LEMTA). “During the pandemic, we hit a 13-year high in sales,” he explains. “People were recreating outdoors where it was safe, and a lot of people turned to boating.” This fact, along with the supply chain disruptions the pandemic

has caused, could make boat-buying more competitive than in years past. Tom Mack, founder of South Shore Marine, explains. “Normally a big part of buying is the whole category of selection. Right now, like many things in the world, selection is limited and a challenge,” he says. “You’ve got to know what you’re looking for or you will probably come up frustrated and empty-handed, so getting all of the information up front is key. If you’re going into this blind without thinking through a few things, you could miss out on a season of boating because you’re not sure what you want to do.”

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ONLINE RESEARCH

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:

Ken Alvey, past-president of LEMTA and LEMTA legislative liaison, recommends doing a little online searching for background information.

DISCOVERBOATING.COM: Offers advice on what to ask a boat dealer, including talking to their service manager to see what kind of follow-up they offer. TAKEMEFISHING.ORG: The website of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, a publicly funded program that shares information on promoting boating and fishing. SAFEBOATINGCOUNCIL.ORG: The website of the National Safe Boating Council, which provides information on water safety and boating.

“When you’re searching for boats online, what are your search parameters? These offer a good starting point with your boat show salesperson,” Tom Mack says. “What do you anticipate doing on the water — are you a fishing family, a watersports family, a cruising family? The activity narrows down the type of boat you’re looking for.” says Mack. Or as Ken Alvey puts it, “You don’t want to buy a sailboat if you want to go somewhere in a hurry, or a big powerboat if you just want to go relax.” “What’s your budget?” Mack poses. “There’s no point in talking price range B and C when you’re in price range A.” Also, “make sure you can store it and afford it, and if it’s used, get a marine surveyor to look it over,” says Alvey. Finally, says Mack, there’s this important question: “Where do you want to do this? If you need a dock next summer and don’t have one, you better get on it right now. Just as boats are in short supply, so are marinas. If you want a dock, getting on your game right now is pretty important.”

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clevelandboatshow.com

BOAT 5

BOAT SHOW

SPEND THE DAY ASHORE BY RUTH CORRADI BEACH

Whether you’re looking to find the ideal boat for your lifestyle, deck out your living room or wardrobe with nautical decor or attire, get the scoop on the latest fishing gear (or learn how to fish!), scope out other ways to enjoy the water (jet skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding) or pretend you’re spending a day on Put-in-Bay with some live entertainment and a delicious bowl of lobster bisque, the Progressive Cleveland Boat Show is the place for you. It’s also filled with interesting and educational seminars that cover a range of topics. Boat show attendees can get answers to questions about how to make the most of one of Ohio’s greatest assets — our lakes, rivers and streams. “The show is not only boat dealers selling boats,” says Lake Erie Marine Trades Association (LEMTA) President Michelle Burke. “It’s over 200 exhibitors with boating accessories, clothing and services.” It’s also paddleboarding, fishing and sailing. It’s live entertainment and seminars and hands-on activities.”

From fishing and live entertainment to shopping, seminars and hands-on activities for all ages, discover the many reasons the boat show is an all-day family affair.

Here, discover 15 can’t-miss adventures at this year’s boat show.

THE BERKLEY TANK Courtesy of Vic’s Sports Center, this aquarium is the size of a semi-trailer and filled with various species of fish native to Ohio. “As part of the fishing experience, we’ll offer seminars where instructors will be talking about how the fish react to different techniques and lures so anglers can maximize time on the water,” says Burke.

DAN ARMITAGE The Buckeye Sportsman Radio Host will hold kids’ fishing seminars, which are always some of the most popular of the boat show. “He’s amazing,” says Burke. “He’s so entertaining, so engaging, inspiring to get kids out there to want to fish. He uses the tank to show how fish respond to things — even a Tootsie Roll. He’ll have 100 rods to give away to kids.”

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TWO CHICKS IN A BOAT This feature includes two women who are both teachers and tournament anglers. “They are really big into teaching people how to get into fishing,” says Sam Insalaco, public relations and partners liaison for Ohio for America’s Boating Club. “They relate very well to new fishing interests — families, kids, ladies who want to get into fishing. Their goal is to not have anyone feel intimidated or like they’re asking a bad question.”

WATERFRONT LIFESTYLE AREA The lifestyle area offers nautical home decor and furnishings. “This area is anchored by Amish-owned Country Hill Furniture,” says Burke. Eli Yoder makes outdoor furniture made from recycled milk jugs. “It’s very durable and looks like wood.” Also in this area will be Marblehead Construction, a company that specializes in waterfront building.

huge following of paddlers who want to boat the Cuyahoga from the Headwaters to Cleveland Harbor. That’s 87 miles of river. We’ll cover what to be cognizant of, like freighters, wind and commercial tour boats like the Nautica Queen. We’ll also provide information on awesome small lakes, such as the Portage Lakes chain, and we’ll be getting into fly fishing off of paddlecrafts.”

BOATING SEMINARS “Instead of dividing our boating seminars by fishing, recreation and pleasure, sailing, etc., we’ll organize our topics around three boating adventures: new/beginner boater, intermediate boater and advanced boater,” says Insalaco. “If people want more advanced seminars, they can find those, or they can sit in on the beginner ones. If they have questions, they can seek answers. It’s more engagement, not just lectures.”

PADDLING SEMINARS “We’re working with 41° North Kayak Adventures on building out paddling seminars, a demonstration pool and more,” notes Burke. “Many boaters own paddlecrafts. But, there are people who are just paddlers and remain that way. I want to give them a place to come that’s theirs. This will be something we grow and maintain for years to come.” Insalaco expands on the paddler-specific seminar. “It’s going to focus on paddlecrafts, the different types of them and their ties to other facets of outdoor sports, like paddlecraft camping and backpack fishing,” he says. “There will be seminars on weather and on boating within the federal navigation channels. There’s a

clevelandboatshow.com

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BOAT SHOW

FISHING ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROS “We really want to focus on the growing demographics — families getting into boating and fishing and millennials who don’t know how to start,” Insalaco says. “We’ll have a big focus on new anglers, along with very focused walleye, bass and muskellunge seminars for people who have been fishing for years. Specific topics that will be covered include what type of baits are used for what types of conditions, how to set up trolling rigs and how baits are presented. “We’ll also address shore fishing in addition to boat fishing,” Insalaco adds. “So if you don’t have a boat, you can still go out and catch things.” Instead of lectures/lecture-style seminars, visitors can participate in roundtable discussions. This means more demonstrations and Q&Astyle seminars, so whether you’re an expert, intermediate or beginner angler, the show welcomes everyone to ask questions and get involved.

PUT-IN-BAY PAVILION Get a little taste of warm-weather Put-in-Bay in the middle of the winter. Start with some legendary lobster bisque from The Boardwalk. “We’ll have a food trailer there with our lobster bisque and shrimp and crab Bloody Mary mix and Boardwalk hot sauce,” says Eric Booker, partner and operator of The Boardwalk Family of Restaurants. “In addition, the Crew’s Nest Club will be signing up members, the Jet Express will be promoting their ferry express to Put-in-Bay and the islands and Sunstoppers will be there offering high-end sunglasses.”

FLY FISHING AND PADDLECRAFT DEMONSTRATION AREA “We’ll have a large area with shallow water at the Fishing Center so you can see how the line reacts in the water,” says Insalaco. “The experts will show you how to rig and draw the line back in such a way that gets the fish excited. People will actually be able to try the fly rod and get used to fly casting, which is different from spin casting and takes some coordination.” In the paddlecraft demonstration area, a pool will be set up to allow attendees to experiences different types of paddlecrafts.

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SAILING CENTER With hands-on sailing simulators, visitors can try out sailing in the middle of the IX Center.

CLOTHING, APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES Lyman Life, the Starboard Rail, Harbor Boys Apparel and Cuyahoga Collective will be selling their wares for folks who want to wear their boating lifestyle on their sleeve.

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KIDS’ ZONE Balloon vendors, face painters, hands-on activities and magic shows will entertain little ones and spark their interest in boating and on-the-water fun. THE MAIN STAGE “We’re going bigger with live entertainment,” Burke says. “Not only will our main stage feature our keynote speakers, but also great music.” ON THE WATER OHIO This nonprofit, created by LEMTA, is all about education, inspiration and access to Ohio’s waterways. “We will have a big booth at the show that will host small intimate boating seminars throughout the entire show,” says Burke. “There will also be an area called dockside discussions, with trained captains, where people can just come in and ask any question they have. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will bring a couple boats to talk about safety and answer any questions. It’s a chance for the public to interact with Coast Guard and watercraft officers in a positive way, not just when they’re getting pulled over for doing something wrong.”

TWIGGY THE WATERSKIING SQUIRREL The Cleveland Boat Show was one of the first shows at which Twiggy appeared. “Back in 1986, I’ll never forget the phone call from Chuck Best,” says Norm Schultz, president of LEMTA at the time. He said, ‘I have this waterskiing squirrel in Florida.’ I said, ‘Send me the videotape.’ I didn’t expect to ever see it. When it arrived, we all sat in a conference room and prepared to

laugh. I took one look and said, ‘My God, this guy is real!’” Thus began a years-long string of Twiggy (and the same-name squirrels who came after her). When Chuck tragically passed away in a 1997 boating accident, his wife, Lou Ann Best, took over, putting Twiggy in a life jacket in Chuck’s honor to promote boating safety. Now, the couple’s son Chuck Best Jr., trains and travels with Twiggy. “It takes a month or two to teach a squirrel to ski, depending on the squirrel,” he says. “Some don’t pick it up as fast. I have one now, he’s 10 years old, and I’ve been working with him for five years, and he still can’t ski.” (The Bests’ squirrels, all of whom are rescues that can’t survive in the wild, live for 10 to 15 years. The average life span of a squirrel in the wild is about six months.) Twiggy, the national spokesanimal for water safety with the National Safe Boating Council, draws crowds wherever she goes. “At every show, the pool is jammed with people,” says Schultz. “I’ve had people tell me Twiggy was the whole reason they came to the boat show.”

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BOAT 9

BOAT SHOW

THEN

& NOW

BY RUTH CORRADI BEACH

Discover how this time-honored family tradition has transformed throughout the years and check out ways you can relive the history of boating in Ohio. Just as boating and watersports are simultaneously filled with nostalgia and ever-changing — as demonstrated in the vessels and vestments — so has the boat show itself. While Progressive Cleveland Boat Show attendance is a multigenerational, time-honored family tradition, it’s also changed over the years. Twenty years ago, people came to the show to see the boats and equipment,” notes Norm Schultz. “There wasn’t a great deal of entertainment. The focus was all on the boats and boat

equipment. Now, the boats are still there, and important, but people are coming for the hands-on experiences, events and entertainment that are built into the boat show.” Looking back on years’ past, many of the show’s features have evolved, including Progressive Insurance’s exhibit, which involves everything from radio-controlled boats, where people practice docking, to a digital boat race where people compete with one another. Another big difference between boat shows of 20 years ago and

BOATSHOW OHIO BOAT

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WHERE BOATING SEASON BEGINS DISCOVER EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE MANY WAYS TO GET ON THE WATER AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONE OF OHIO'S GREATEST ASSETS.

HAPPY HOUR Every Day Sun.-Thurs. 44pm-7 pm - 6 p.m.

INSIDE WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO MAKING THE SHOW AN ALL-DAY FAMILY AFFAIR CREDIT

THEN AND NOW: THE BOAT SHOW’S TRANSFORMATION Supplement to Cleveland

January 2022

1 BOAT

A digital edition of this publication is available online at

clevelandboatshow.com BOAT 10 Cleveland / January 2022

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today is the concentration that today’s boat show has on fishing. “There was no fishing at the show 20 years ago,” says Schultz. “There was a sportsman show at the I-X Center that followed the boat show, so contractually we could not do fishing because the sportsman show had it in their contract. Even though fishing is an important part of boating, we couldn’t address it in any meaningful way. The sportsman show is no longer, which opened the door for the boat show to address fishing.” The involvement of three LEMTA presidents, two past (Ken Alvey and Norm Schultz) and one present (Michelle Burke) also has resulted in a sharing of institutional memories about past boat shows, as well as a stride into the future. Michelle Burke remembers, “In 2020, I worked with Forever Lawn to put a big lawn into the boat show. I wanted to bring the feel of [Port Clinton’s] Twin Oast Brewing into the show. They have rolling hills of grass. It’s a gorgeous brewery. Norm thought I was absolutely crazy, but it was a huge success — people were playing cornhole, kids were rolling on the lawn — and it’s coming back this year, bigger and better than ever.” While this anecdote may offer an example of the old guard learning from the new, Burke insists that the other way is just as important and meaningful to the future of the boat show. “I’m so blessed to have Norm and Ken to draw from.” she says. “It benefits LEMTA, and the boat show, to have all of these years of experience going into the show. It’s definitely an example of the ‘then’ helping the ‘now.’”

DON’T MISS LYMAN BOAT WORKS MUSEUM “The first time we brought the museum into the show was in 2019. It was such a big success that we brought it back again,” says Michelle Burke, president of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association (LEMTA). “There will be historical panels that explain its evolution through the years. We’ll also have seminars on wooden boat maintenance, engine maintenance and history of the Lyman Boat Works.”

HISTORY OF THE BATHING SUIT This exhibit will be on loan from the Michigan Boating Industries Association. “It goes from burlap through to present day,” Burke says of the exhibit, which is displayed on headless mannequins, “along with historical displays.” Visitors will learn that in the 1700s, swimmers wore canvas outfits with long sleeves, including a dress and trousers for women. Styles change throughout the centuries with less and less fabric being a common thread, making the juxtaposition to the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny yellow-polka-dot bikini even more pronounced (and yes, there’s one in the exhibit!).

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clevelandboatshow.com

BOAT 11

CLEVELAND

MARCH 17TH-20TH, 2022 I-X CENTER CLEVELAND

OHIO’S LARGEST & LONGEST RUNNING BOAT SHOW!

VISIT CLEVELANDBOATSHOW.COM FOR TICKETS, EXHIBITORS, PERFORMANCES, SEMINARS & MORE. #ONTHEWATEROHIO