The remaining boat show on Lake
Champlain was held last weekend at the Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh. Show manager Bob
Pelton and Day Brothers Boats tried a new time frame for the show, mid April and only a
two day show. This is about a month later then past years. There were about 500 attendees
on Saturday and a bit less on Sunday. The consensus from the major dealers was that
although attendance was light, folks were ready to buy. And they could
choose from canoes, to bass boats, from sailboats to peddle boats. The NY state police,
coastguard, power squadron were all there too, as well as the local dive shop. The show
main sponsors were Boats-R-Fun, Day Bros. Boats and Harbor Sports.
The new format may have worked for boat dealers but associated exhibitors that
depend on numbers may have suffered.
Bob Pelton explained that he wasn't sure where the show would be held next year.
With the Civic Center no longer being used for ice hockey its future use is uncertain.
Pelton felt confident that the show would find another home, possibly at the air force
base.
