Boats

Bigger, Faster, Sexier: A Fresh Look at the 2015 Miami International Boat Show (Part 1)

See the Boat Show through the Unique Wide-Angle Perspective of a Go-Pro Lens

By Doug Olander (all text and images)

Updated: February 17, 2015

It’s a Jungle Down There

A jungle of boats fills the Miami Beach Convention Center — an eye-popping ambience for any boating enthusiast. Although this image was taken with a conventional zoom lens on a digital SLR, most of the photos you’ll see this gallery were shot with a GoPro Hero4.

Under Wraps

Black shrouds: A number of boats were kept under wraps, literally, until their much ballyhooed unveiling at a press conference — in many cases, the biggest outboard-powered center consoles respective companies have ever offered. A trend this year? You bet. And none was bigger than (or in fact as big as) what you see here. The next image reveals what it is.

World’s Largest Outboard Center Console

As the veil comes off, even the forward third of this sleek colossus looks huge. It should: The Hydrasports 53-foot Sueños bills itself as the world’s largest outboard-powered center console boat. Check out the next three photos for more views of this amazing machine.

A Masterpiece

From stem to stern, the Sueños is a masterpiece of planning, materials and attention to detail.

Get Up and Go

The beast is pushed by more than 2,000 horses — four 557-horsepower Seven Marine outboards grace its transom — which can drink hungrily from the boat’s 1,000-gallon fuel tanks.

Towering Colossus

The Hydrasports’ hull towers over showgoers.

Intrepid Lineup

Intrepid was well represented, with transoms of various models sports double, triples and quads.

Grady’s Newest, Sporty Inshore Hull

While many manufacturers were competing with massive offshore boats, Grady-White took a different tack, introducing its 191 Coastal Explorer, new little brother to the popular 251 Coastal Explorer introduced in 2014. Tests of this boat, the first and right now only hull, surprised engineers with its speed.

Generous Casting Deck

Another view of the 191 Coastal Explorer with removable table locked in position behind the large casting deck.

Press Conferences Draw Crowds

Crowds gather throughout the first day of the show for press conferences like this one at the Scout Boats booth, particularly hard-working boating media (like SF’s Chris Woodward, visible lower right).

Scout’s Largest Hull Ever

Scout president Steve Potts addresses journalists and others at the introduction of his company’s new flagship, the 420 LXF, its largest hull yet.

Black Beauty

Standing next to the impressive black hull of the 420, Steve Potts discusses the boat’s conception and history.

Retractable T-Top Extension

The 420 LXF is loaded with features, such as the retractable t-top extension providing cockpit shade, that slides out with the touch of a button.

Power to Spare

A quad of Yamaha 300s promises to push the new Scout’s 15,800-pound hull right along

Command Center

Looks like Capt. Kirk would be right at home behind the generous helm of the 420 LXF.

Veiled Threat

Under this hood rests a threat to blue-water game fish in the form of yet another offshore fishing machine. The next photo reveals its true identity.

Utterly Outrageous

Another milestone for the largest hull yet, Boston Whaler’s new 420 Outrage contoured hull looks fast even sitting on a showroom floor.

New Regulator Breaks the 40-Foot Mark

The world’s smallest 41-footer rests in an acrylic case next to Regulator Marine’s president Joan Maxwell as she announces the — you guessed it — largest boat in the North Carolina-based manufacturer’s lineup. The real thing will be ready to roll out this summer.

Little Big Boat

A closer look at the model reveals Regulator’s classic clean, open, sleek lines.

Topic of Conversation

A bow-on view as Maxwell points out a feature in the cockpit.

Quiet Moment

In the first few minutes of the show’s first day, the red-carpeted aisles remain mostly empty; that will change in a very short time as the lines queued up to get in begin entering the convention center.

Offshore Ready: New Cobia 277

Cobia’s new 277 CC is introduced by Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boat Company, which makes Cobia. Deal takes pride in the quality and features the new center console offers at a surprisingly affordable cost.

Clever Foredeck

The 277’s foredeck offers smart engineering to offer both fishability and comfort while underway. What? You don’t see the table? Click to the next photo.

Now You See It

Scott Deal enthuses over the clever solution to what is a completely hidden table flush with the foredeck; or, with the touch of a button, hydraulics raise it flush with the casting deck; or, with another touch of the button, it ascends to table height as here. Stand on it, fish on it, eat on it — great versatility.

Step Up to Bay Boat Peformance

For SeaVee Boats, last year was big-boat intro time, with its 390Z stepped hull. This year, a new bay boat had the limelight. This 270Z also features the (very evident) cross-ventilated,twin-stepped hull.

Green Blur

Another view from another vantage point, and it’s easy to imagine the 270Z as a green blur streaking over calm waters.

Verados Times Three

Triple 300 Verados fill a transom at the Boston Whaler booth.

Suzuki’s Newest 300

Suzuki unveiled its new 300AP, a V6 with lean burn control, one of the features in what the manufacturer calls its next-generation four-stroke technology.

Tower of Power

Yamaha’s mighty and massive 350 5.3-liter outboard remains a force to be reckoned with.

Museum of Propellers

Like a contemporary museum of Yamaha propellers, this prop display reminds one of the importance of proper propping (14 more props on the reverse side of this display) .

Big, Bold and Brash

There’s nothing stodgy about these huge, new Seven Marine 627-horsepower outboards, billed as the world’s largest outboard motor.

Power Hungry

Eight boats, 24 big outboards. You can do the math but suffice it to say that MIBS in 2015 suggests single-engine offshore fishing boats are passé.

Four Thousand Horses

Outnumbered: three dudes stand amidst more than 4,000 (sleeping) horses.

New Kid on the Block Promises Performance

Slick and sleek, Barker Boatworks‘ 26-foot Calibogue Bay beckons. With an 18-degree deadrise and a bit more width, this Michael Peters-designed bay boat will take up to 400 horses and promises performance both inshore and offshore.

Eye-Catching Contender

In its dare-ya-to-not-look display, this Contender 28 Sport is a real eye-catcher.

A three-quarters bow-on view of the same Contender. ****But wait! There’s More! Don’t pass GO, but click** ****here ******to proceed to Part 2 of this gallery for 33 more great shots of a great show.****