Southern California Boat Show to debut in September

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Some exciting changes are on the horizon for Southern California boaters as boat show producer and marine magazine publisher Duncan McIntosh announces the launch of the new Southern California Boat Show.

The debut fall in-water boat show scheduled for Sept. 22-25 at Cabrillo Way Marina in Los Angeles Harbor will replace the Lido Boat Show, which brought a large array of yachts to Newport Harbor during its 37-year run at Lido Marina Village.

Staging a show in L.A. Harbor seemed like a natural progression going forward to replace the fall time slot, McIntosh explained.

“We do two shows a year in Lido and we thought this would be a great opportunity to do something over the top and really good at L.A. Harbor and make the show a much bigger event,” he said. “This show opens up another market for big boats. I am getting a lot of support for it.”

The show marks the first time a boat show has been held in L.A. Harbor. The Newport Boat Show – the premier yacht show in the west – will continue to be held at Lido Marina Village in the spring of 2017.

The new fall Southern California Boat Show at Cabrillo Way Marina will bring more than 200 vessels of various makes and models to Los Angeles County. More than 60 booths will be onsite along with trailerable boats, marine accessories, a food court and concessions. Seminars are also scheduled for the four-day show.

Trawlers, cruisers, sportfishers, sailboats, catamarans, motoryachts, dockage and tenders, paddleboards, engines, gear and accessories, financing and much more can be found at the debut in-water show.

Its central location (halfway between San Diego and Santa Barbara and just 22 miles from Avalon) gives guests a chance to explore many attractions, such as Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the L.A. Maritime Museum, Battleship USS Iowa, and the S.S. Lane Victory, along with restaurants and landmarks such as Ports O’Call Village, the San Pedro Fish Market and the popular handmade artisan marketplace, Crafted at the Port of L.A., which also houses the craft brewer, Brouwerij West.

In an effort to provide show attendees a pleasurable show going experience, McIntosh has altered the Los Angeles Boat Show by relocating the show from its initial two venues to one.

For several years the show has been held at two sites: The L.A. Convention Center located in Downtown Los Angeles and Marina del Rey Harbor.

Beginning in January 2017, the Los Angeles Boat Show will be held at the Fairplex in Pomona (1101 W. McKinley Ave.).

“Moving the L.A. Boat Show to the Fairplex in Pomona makes it easier for guests to get to and is very centrally located to the 10 freeway,” said McIntosh.

Although the L.A. Boat Show will no longer include an in-water element, small boats, trailerable vessels, clinics, seminars and vendors booths will continue to serve as elements of the show along with a food court and much more.

The Southern California Boat Show will run from Sept. 22-25. Show hours: noon-7 p.m., Sept. 22; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sept. 23-24; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 25. Admission: $15 for adults; children 12 and younger, free; $5 discount with military ID. Visit socalboatshow.com for more information. Cabrillo Way Marina is located at 2293 Miner St., San Pedro. If you take the Harbor Boulevard exit off the 110 freeway, Harbor becomes Miner Street and dead ends at the boat show.

The Duncan McIntosh Co. Inc. is publisher of Sea Magazine, Boating World and The Log Newspaper, FishRap and Editor & Publisher and produces the Southern California Boat Show (Sept. 22-25), Los Angeles Boat Show (Jan. 19-22, 2017), the Fred Hall Shows (March 1-5, 2017 in Del Mar and March 23-26, 2017 in Long Beach) and, coming later in 2017, a Central Valley Fred Hall Show at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield), Newport Boat Show (Spring 2017), and the San Diego International Boat Show (June 2017).