This weekend marks the Jacksonville Marine Association’s 65th Jacksonville Boat Show. It’s where, if you’re shopping for a new boat, you can see just about every line available from North Florida’s leading marine dealers.
The show debuted under the steel framework of the old Gator Bowl, and then it moved to the Coliseum in the early 1960s. A few years later, the show moved again to the exhibition hall at the Civic Auditorium. Now, it’s held each year in the Osborn Center, making the show one of Downtown’s longest-running annual events.
Kenny Sherwood, show manager, said what has made the show successful for so many years is that you can do a month’s worth of weekend boat shopping in a few hours at the show.
“You can buy it, finance it, insure it and accessorize it right here,” he said.
In addition to the shopping opportunities, Capt. Don Dingman’s “Hook the Future” fishing clinic for children is scheduled at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tarpon and sport fishing seminars are on tap for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and noon and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Jacksonville’s Boat Show is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
For ticket information, visit boatjax.com.
356-2466