Wilbert, left, and Hazel Neuenkirk of Waterloo examine a Bass Tracker Pro Crappie 175Saturday at the Iowa Boat and Vacation Show at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. This year's expo kicked off Friday and continues today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults. Kids 12 and under get in free. The first 250 children at today's show will recieve a free life vest. Photos by MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Staff Photographer
Hi gang, Rick here again from Used Pontoon Boats with news about the Iowa Boat and Vacation Show from CEDAR FALLS.
For the past year, Wilbert and Hazel Neuenkirk have been eyeing a 17-foot-4-inch Bass Tracker Pro Crappie 175.
On Saturday, the Waterloo couple got an up-close-and-personal look at the fishing boat at the 20th Annual Iowa Boat and Vacation Show at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
"We're getting ready to retire and this will be a small enough boat for us to get into the little lakes around here," Wilbert said, while peering into the vessel. "This is the boat that we've been looking at, but while we're here, we're also going to compare it with some of the other ones."
This year's boat and vacation show kicked off Friday and continues today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. John Bunge, event producer, said he expects 12,000 to 15,000 people to attend the three-day exposition. Some customers come to the fair hoping to sniff out show specials, Bunge said, while other attendees simply stop by to get a look at the latest boats and recreation vehicles.
"This is where they get a chance to see the new 2008s, and it's also a great time for deals," he said. "With the way this winter is going, I think we're seeing a lot of people who have cabin fever and they are ready to dream about summer."
The Iowa Boat and Vacation Show is believed to be the largest event of its kind in the state. About 25 marine dealers are showing their products at the expo. Boats of all kinds, from speed cruisers to canoes, are displayed alongside RVs and marine accessories
The motorized watercraft for sale at the show "start at the $10,000-range, and go up over $100,000," Bunge said.
"People have a chance to look at a wide variety of boats," he said. "Some people will buy boats here today, but it also gets the sale season started for the dealers."
Jack Benskin, owner of J&L Marine in Guttenberg, has five boats on display at the show. Letting customers inspect product features, such as cockpit size and engine performance, helps buyers make an educated purchase, he said.
"Most people like to touch and feel and sit in them," Benskin said.
The majority of the expo attendees come to the show "just to look," said the vendor, "but for the person who is really interested in buying something, this will usually help them make up their mind."
Lenny Bean, a sales representative with Bryant Boats, was in Cedar Falls Saturday working in conjunction with Kennedy Marine, of Cedar Rapids.
"The customer can come here and see just about every model in the industry," he said. "These shows are really about compare and contrast."
And for several families, the fair provided a chance to dream.
Robert Hewlitt, of Cedar Falls, relaxed aboard a spacious pontoon boat Saturday with his daughter Rebecca Orr, of Cedar Rapids. The man's 1.5-year-old grandson, Zander Orr, stood atop the captain's chair, pretending to pilot the large vessel.
"We came because Zander loves to see all the big machines," Hewlitt said. "And, we like to look too." Thank to Mary Stegmeir , Courier Staff Writer, wcfcourier.com for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Used Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway
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