The holidays are behind us and the Intrepid Drive for Perfection Event(Thursday, February 6th) and the Miami Boat Show (February 13th – 17th) are right in front of us. If you have not been to one of our Drive for Perfection Events let me tell you a little about it.
This event came about a couple of years ago when we realized that we had to have all of our boats in a staging area before we moved into the Fort Lauderdale and the Miami Boat Shows. With us having all of our boats sitting there standing tall and ready to go in, what a great opportunity to reach out to all the people in our Intrepid Family and allow them to see the boats before the show. This has been a real hit because it allows everyone to get a sneak peek and an opportunity to place an order early and get on our production schedule before the show starts, which gives them better delivery dates. I also want to thank Mercedes Benz of Coral Gables for providing some amazing cars for all of us to check out as well. Food, drinks, cars, and boats. Does it get any better than that? And… As part of the Intrepid Family, we want all of you to have these types of opportunities above all others that attend the show. The same way we like all of you that are signed up for our newsletters to be privy to new information first.
With that being said, let me give you the inside scoop on one of the new models that we are working on that we will be taking preorders for starting at the Drive for Perfection Event and carrying on into the Miami International Boat Show. It is the new 438 Evolution.
The new 438 Evolution will have many of the new significant upgrades that we introduced on the new 477 Evolution which has been a huge hit. Starting with the new Evolution hull side window design with the inset style line. Between this, the newly redesigned fiberglass arch, and windshield, it has an amazing profile that lets everyone know you’re in a new Evolution Series Intrepid.
In the aft cockpit, we have added the corner above deck transom wells which can be used for storage or rigged as bait wells with flush forward-facing windows. The console is all-new with more space for larger electronics packages than ever before. In the cabin, you will see the largest changes starting with the complete redesign of the bow section.
Originally, the 430 had a berth only in the bow of the cabin. This is now a giant wrap around settee area with a high low table that can lower down to create a second berth forward with the filler cushions having a home behind a hidden access panel at the rope locker bulkhead. This makes this entire bow section very user-friendly without having to give up that second berth because remember… there is a private stateroom as well. It also has a 43” smart television up there so you don’t have to miss a minute of the game while you are sitting down to eat!
We have also designed all new cabinetry to align it with the Evolution Series of boats which is very modern. These are only a few of the changes in the new 438 Evolution. We look forward to discussing this new model with you more at the Drive for Perfection Event and at the Miami International Boat Show in the next few weeks. We are also working on another prototype as well, but we are going to hold on to that info for those who attend the two events. I hope to be able to see you all there and answer all of your questions about these new releases and, don’t forget the fact that we have also released (9) other new models in the past year for you to see.
I’m looking forward to hanging out with all of you over the next few weeks, so I hope you can make it! We’re excited and ready to go!!
See you soon!
Greetings and best-belated wishes for a Happy New Year to all. We are putting together our collection of boats for next month’s Miami International Boat Show now. It’s going to be quite a show on Virginia key and we will have just about everything we build on display. Our new models have all been a big hit with our customers, so we are looking forward to showing them to everyone else in the world at this truly International Boat Show. The Miami Marine Stadium is in the process of being transformed into the venue for this magnificent show next month and will be ready for opening day on February 13. The show will run through President’s Day weekend and closes on February 17. You can learn everything about this show by visiting MiamiBoatShow.com
Miami in the wintertime is a wonderful place, there are many things to do and the weather is as pleasant as it ever gets. The show in Miami is a favorite because of the beautiful venue setting and cooler weather. We will also have boats for sea trials available so that you can experience the special ride our hulls provide. Final arrangements will be made in early February on which models we’ll be running. Be sure to contact us so we can make reservations for getting aboard one of our boats for a sea trial.
Also, we will be hosting a pre-show event in Miami one week before the boat show. It will be held in Coconut Grove at what used to be called the Grove Key Marina on February 6th. Most of our boats will be there so it’ll be a great opportunity to see the boats without all the crowds at the show. This also presents a great opportunity for all our friends to get together with us just before the show and spend some time in a relaxed atmosphere. Details will follow, we look forward to seeing you there.
Best,
Alex Rizo
Happy New Year to all. As we start this new decade let’s not forget our brothers in need in different parts of the world. Lots of our fellow boaters have been affected by hurricanes, earthquakes, and other kinds of natural disasters right in our own backyard. People are still reeling from the effects of hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas last September. It will take a long time for them to get back to any kind of normalcy. In the more recent news, many people are homeless and very uncomfortable because of the earthquake that occurred in Puerto Rico. Buildings have collapsed, infrastructure is damaged, there’s lots of work to be done before people can be comfortable and safe there again. Let’s keep all our friends and family who are in need in mind and be grateful for what we have.
It’s the middle of winter so it’s a good time to start thinking about what you’re going to be doing with your boating projects in the Spring. Boatyards will be getting very busy in the next few months so, if your boat is in storage, be sure to plan any kind of work that’s necessary before launching for the summer season. Cleaning, waxing, engine service, electronics updates, etc. are all good things that will allow for a carefree Summer season on the water. In the State of Florida, we are lucky in that we have a long boating season. Certain other parts of the United States have short boating seasons that only offer a few good months of boating pleasure, so it’s essential that whatever work needs to be done gets accomplished before launching.
I’ve been working on more of our video owner’s manuals with Mike Plante. This month he and I have recorded our 407 FE Nomad and 477 Evolution. These are a great aid to learning about our boats. They are posted on our website under the various models that we have done. To date we have the 407 Panacea, 407 Cuddy, 345 FE Nomad, and the 375 SE Nomad finished. You can view the manual for the 407 Cuddy by clicking the image below.
Our 2020 boat show season is beginning soon so, as always, it will be good to see everyone who can come to visit us. The Miami International Boat Show on Virginia Key will be held at the Miami Marine Stadium on Presidents’ Day weekend next month. Felicia Johnson, our Customer Care Manager, will be attending the Miami show this year. We’d like to have her meet everyone so that if there’s ever a need for anything from our factory, you know who you’re talking to. She’s doing a great job of interacting with the customers and is excited to have an opportunity to meet many of the people that she’s been talking to over the last couple of years. She’ll be at the show Thursday through Friday. Our Warranty Manager, Walt Putman, will be there from Saturday through Monday to answer questions as well. I’ll be there for the entire duration of the show. We all look forward to saying hello to everyone who attends.
In the meantime, our invitation for factory tours still stands. You’ll learn lots about us when you come to see our facility. Drop me a line if you find yourself in the Tampa Bay region so that we can arrange for some time together.
Happy Boating,
Joe