Toronto Boat Show - Half Price Tickets

Willhound

For anyone thinking about attending the Toronto show there is a Black Friday deal until Monday for half price tickets. Must be a member of the Captain's Club. Details here:
https://www.torontoboatshow.com/show-info/newsletter/

Stodge

Got mine! 

Willhound

@Stodge I think you mentioned that you had previously booked a room. Did you check out the Boat Show room deals? Pretty good rates for downtown Toronto and the added advantage of free shuttle to and from the show. We've booked the Chelsea for the Saturday night. Not sure how familiar you are with Toronto but PM me if you want any tips or if there's particular restaurants etc that you like.

Stodge

Yes, got the boat show pricing.  Think we're at the Westin on the lake.  We've been to the show a couple times.  Pretty easy to find places to eat around there.  

Willhound

Yep, nice spot. They usually don't give out the lake view rooms on the deals, but sometimes you get lucky.

skuter99

I was at harbor castle last year on deal with lake view....awesome!
Booked again same place this year

RustyS

My second year of attendance will be in 2020. Last year just the guys went; this year we are taking the Admirals.

Airbnb is the way to go. A nice 3-bedroom condo in a low-rise right in the entertainment district for 2 nights is $472 US. That's less than $160/couple for Friday afternoon through Sunday morning; can't beat that!

Willhound

To each their own. Personally I refuse to use AirBnB. It's falsely driving up the cost of housing and rentals in an already over priced market. If Toronto city council had any balls they'd ban them. But too many influential real estate investors have bought up huge blocks if condos to essentially run an un-regulated hotel business. We live in a "summer" community north of Toronto on Lake Simcoe and it's just police call after police call in the summer for non-stop parties in what should be an otherwise quiet neighbourhood because of short term rentals. But just my opinion.
As for the show, happy to hear you're returning with the Admiral's. I think the show is hands down the best indoor show around and Toronto really is a neat city to visit.

Stodge

I have mixed feelings about Airbnb.  We use it when we travel to San Juan and it's worked well for us.  But my Aunt in Fort Lauderdale has a house across the street that was being rented as a party place.  The cops finally went there enough that the city said it wasn't zoned for that kind of activity and shut her down.  I don't think they have a blanket policy on Airbnb but address problem rentals.

As for the cost, we end up spending less per couple getting a 3 bedroom condo on Airbnb and splitting the fees than each getting a hotel room.

Willhound

Yep, I totally get the price appeal, not to mention having cooking facilities. I should amend my comments to say that I'm not totally against the idea, just that there's no regulation or oversight. Some communities have restrictions on length of stay, i.e. no one nighters which I think cuts way back on the party problems. The lack of affordable housing is also an issue. Can't buy even a studio condo in downtown Toronto now for less than a half Mill. Rent would be $3000 a month. 
I wasn't a fan of Uber when it first started either, but they've made great strides in checks and balances, insurance etc.
In fact our community was the first in the world to enter into a private/public partnership with Uber. Our rapidly expanding community needed a transit option but rather than purchase a fleet of buses, hire drivers, mechanics, build a shop etc., all to end up with a costly system that only travels on a fixed route at fixed times. So instead we have a "Transit" option on our Uber app that allows the driver to pick up to 3 passengers at a time as long as they're going in more or less the same direction and the municipality contributes the first $4 of the ride. And flat rates to community resources like the Rec centres, libarries, town hall etc. So a cost effective, door to door service. It'll cost about $1 Million for 2019, but it's estimated to be less than a third of a traditional system. So in this case the "new economy" works.

randy56

@Willhound (We live in a "summer" community north of Toronto on Lake Simcoe and it's just police call after police call in the summer for non-stop parties in what should be an otherwise quiet neighborhood because of short term rentals.)  Your just pi$$ed because you don't get invited. 

We made a trip to Vegas last year, it was our first experience with Uber. it's very well organized. Loved it. Moved through out the city in minutes. I do not ever need to go back. But it's off the bucket list.

Air BnB has it's merits, we have not utilized them yet. but it's coming. 

Stodge

Back on topic.  Who's going?  I'll be there this Saturday.

Willhound

As I PMd you Stodge we had to cancel plans due to my Dad having heart surgery yesterday. Good news is that he is in recovery and so far doing well. We will be travelling to see him this weekend. Be happy you are taking the train. Calling for 6 to 8 inches of blowing snow Saturday.

Stodge

shawnmjr said:

@Stodge I’m not sure if you are aware, but the Detroit boat show starts this weekend too. It through me off because it’s usually in February but this must be due to the auto show not being held there in January anymore. 

Yes I know about the Detroit show.  Considering going to it as well.  But I have an item on my shopping list that will be available at the Toronto show. 

Stodge

shawnmjr said:

Stodge said:

shawnmjr said:

@Stodge I’m not sure if you are aware, but the Detroit boat show starts this weekend too. It through me off because it’s usually in February but this must be due to the auto show not being held there in January anymore. 

Yes I know about the Detroit show.  Considering going to it as well.  But I have an item on my shopping list that will be available at the Toronto show. 

So the hotel room is the cheap part of this trip. 

Not buying a boat, so the hotel is the most expensive part.  

Willhound

Yeah. But don't forget the 30 points you gain on the exchange.

RustyS

Heading to Toronto next Friday with 2 other couples.

Plan to spend all day Saturday (the 25th) at the show. It is always nice to dream of fiberglass, sunshine, and warm water in January!

Stodge

Willhound said:

Yeah. But don't forget the 30 points you gain on the exchange.

That took the sting out of the hotel and train ride. 

Willhound

@Stodge I hope the train trip went well and that you enjoy the show. Going to be interesting later today when there's supposed to be 6 to 8 inches of snow. Downtown Toronto loses their sh!t when that happens, they just don't know how to deal with it.

RiverRat232

Been wanting to do a big city boat show. I was considering the Chicago show this year but it didn't happen. I guess I'll have to settle for the Cincinnati show.

TonyG13

I live by McCormick Place which hosts the Chicago Boat, Sail, & RV show - and you wouldn't even know a show was going on last weekend. No welcome signage outside - and hardly anybody coming and going.

I remember when all three shows were separate. You had the Chicago Boat show on one entire level, the RV show on an entire level - and the Sail show was a week later at Navy Pier - and that took up the whole east end of the pier.

Now all are combined into one - much, much smaller - area.

No offense to our friends down south, but it now reminds me of a boat show I went to in Mobile, AL a few years ago. It's majority pontoons, ski, and bass boats, or hybrids less than 30 LOA.

Times are-a-changin'

Stodge

Trip went well.  The snow waited until we were inside the show.  So the shuttle back to the hotel took some time.  Had a bit of a slog to get to the restaurant for supper.

I was too busy gawking to get many pictures. Have to check the wife's phone, she took more. I did crawl on the Rinker 370.  Reminded me of our 342 but with newer goodies.  

Oh, and managed to get my 2020 edition Ports Guide for Georgian Bay. 

Stodge

Something I saw at the Toronto show, Volvo outboards with duo props.  Wonder if that's a first...and only.  

MarkB

Was the boat show worth it? I'm still trying to convince the better half to go on Saturday ... we have a function down town anyhow, so we'd be close.

skuter99

I went there yesterday.  thought it was pretty good.

Was not as busy as last year

Stodge

There were plenty of boats and vendors.  Really depends on what you're looking for.  I wanted the latest Ports Guide.  There are always odd and end you can justify buying.  Like a 4 pack of 3/8 inch 15 foot dock lines for $15CDN.  

I saw a cool dinghy davit solution for boats with outboards.  It was on a Ranger Tug 27.  I asked the folks there and they said it was from the factory.  But I imagine someone will copy it eventually.  Don't need it now but if we ever move to a boat like the Jeanneau NC 1095 it would be helpful.

Willhound

I've gone every year for 6 or 7 years. Well, except my Dad's emergency heart surgery prevented me from going this year. Might possibly make it Friday, the last day.
And as much as it's a lot of the same vendors I always find something new or something I've never seen before.