Toronto Boat show random notes

2019 Sylvan Mirage Lounge

Feb 14, 2019

The 61st annual Toronto International Boat Show, North America’s Largest Indoor Boat Show, concluded another very successful year this past Sunday, January 27 with many exhibitors reporting strong sales results, despite a slight dip in attendance due to inclement weather. 

The 2019 Show attendance totalled 73,464 down 5% from 2018, having experienced 8 out of the 10 days with major snowfall, ice and extreme cold across the province effecting travel for show-goers.

New for 2019, the Toronto Boat Show hosted a major event: The Toronto Indoor Wakeboard Championship.  Pro riders in both men’s and women’s categories competed for $10,000 in prize money.   The event attracted pro riders, including the world’s No. 1 female rider Meagan Ethell, and 2018 Rider of the Year Guenther Oka, competing in front of more than 5,000 consumers each day of the championship.

Also new for 2019, the Toronto show introduced a very successful Women’s Day, a full day program of seminars, workshops, on the water docking lessons and in vehicle trailering attended by over 100 women.

2019 Sylvan Mirage TableIn the Food Court at the Show, Smokercraft showed off the Mirage 8524 that recently won the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) award as the overall winner of the pontoon boat category. Quinns Marina in Pefferlaw sold the boat – first boat off the production line sold in Canada. With the touch of two buttons the boat’s unique rear lounge seat transforms into a bar unit for an attractive social area.

Save the Date:  The 62nd Toronto International Boat Show is scheduled for January 17 – 26, 2020 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place.


Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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