MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A major maritime event has sailed into town this week, bringing with it “yachts” to do.
The skies were blue, and the sun was shining as the 2026 Miami International Boat Show kicked off with a ribbon-cutting atop the iconic Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Wednesday morning.
“What else would you do in Florida with all this water and all this sun,” said Bob Burke, Brand Manager at Marinemax.
The event, recognized as one of the world’s most renowned and high-profile boat shows, is back for its 85th year.
7News captured South Florida’s waterways full of big and small vessels on Wednesday afternoon, providing every sailing enthusiast something to set their sights on.
“We’ve got from 10-foot boats to 150-foot boats,” said Andrew Doole, president of U.S. Boat Shows by Informa Markets.
“We have boats that start at around $600,000 and go up to about $6 million to $7 million, depending on specification and size, so there’s something for everyone,” said Burke.
This year’s show locations are the following:
- Miami Beach Yacht Collection, along the 4700 block of Collins Avenue, near the Fontainebleau
- Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive
- Sailor’s Cove, IGY Yacht Haven Grande Miami, 838 MacArthur Causeway
- Progressive Boat Show Experience, Pride Park, 1809 Meridian Avenue
The annual event is set to feature everything from kayaks to luxury yachts, as well as the latest products and aquatic innovations, making the Magic City the ideal location.
The show offers everything from kayaks to luxury yachts, as well as the season’s latest products and aquatic innovations.
One of those fancy yachts on display is a 9,000-square-foot mansion yacht, equipped with five bedrooms, bathrooms, and more!
“It’s one of the most unique vessels on the market,” said Bruno Edwards, CEO of Mansion Yachts. “It’s not a houseboat, but because it’s so large, you’ve kind of moved to that next phase, which is a mansion, but it’s also a yacht, and it moves on its own power.”
Organizers say some of the vessels are equipped for a range of needs, from sunbathing to water sports to hosting.
Potential buyers, like Kyle Heim, who is visiting from Ohio, say these types of amenities are exactly what they’re looking for.
“Straight Miami. The vehicles driving by, the people, the vibes, it is Miami vibes,” he said.
Organizers said it is set to draw around 100,000 visitors to its Miami and Miami Beach locations, Wednesday through Sunday.
“It’s the tradition. The show has been here a long time, obviously 85 years, but, you know, Miami, I mean, you look at the waterways and the bay and the fabulous opportunity,” said Doole. “[There are] all the people that have moved here since COVID, you know, so you’ve got a lot of people that have moved from the Northeast or California, they’ve come down here and, you know, you’re going to embrace going out in a boat or playing golf, right? So, I mean, I think it’s a fantastic opportunity.”
They add that the event is more than just fun in the sun, because the boat show’s economic impact on Miami is three times that of the Super Bowl.
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