Teutonic Treat: The Largest Yacht Show in the World
For yachters, nothing tops a January trip to Boot Düsseldorf.
While most of us think of January travels as involving southbound aircraft and a warm, inviting beach, those who enjoy all things nautical are more likely to point their noses east to Germany, where until January 25 the spectacular Boot Düsseldorf returns to the enormous Messe Düsseldorf Convention Complex as the biggest yacht and watersports show on Earth.
And by biggest, I mean really big. Boot Düsseldorf spans no less than 16 full exhibition halls with 1,500 exhibitors from nearly 70 different countries showing all the latest delights. You name it, and it’s at Boot Düsseldorf, from luxury yachts to rowboats, from must-have on-board goodies like new navigation gear to fun stuff like nautically themed throws and stemware—and everything in between.
Boot is also where to learn all about what to do on your yacht, with massive displays devoted to diving, surfing, skimboarding, kite surfing, fishing, standup paddling, and more. If you can do it over, under, or in the water, you’ll find it here.
But the biggest highlights—figuratively and literally—are always the global premieres of the latest high-tech sailboats, eco-friendly motorboats, and exclusive luxury yachts. Nowhere on Earth will one find more new toys than within Boot’s more than 220,000 square metres of exhibition halls. Is it any wonder more than 200,000 show up faithfully every year to toast the newest launches?
For this year’s Boot, the lineup of global premieres is stronger than ever. Sailboat debuts include the world premiere of the Hallberg-Rassy 370 and the Saffier SE 28 Leopard. Among day cruisers and tenders, world debuts include the Evene Tenders Origin 57 + Origin 71, the Highfield ADV9, the Lowlander 851 Speedster, the Roto Nautica Hydra 460, the Sacs Tecnorib Pirelli X460, the Santasevera 42, the Wellcraft 28 T-Top / Explorer, and the Zodiac X9CC, just for a start.
Lean more toward plush motor yachts? Then Düsseldorf will delight with the global launch of the Axopar 38 XC Cross Cabin, the all-new Greenline 42, the Elling E4, the Marco Polo MP10 and MP12, the Nord Star 49+, and the Saxdor 460 GTC.
If you are looking for a luxury yacht, then you won’t want to miss the world premiere of the Astondoa 577 Coupe, the Solaris Power 70, or the all-new Manhattan 56 from Sunseeker. Of course there’s also the Aiata Sunfinder 38 and 50, the all-new Nimbus 12 series, the Yamarin Cabin series, and the fresh new Sterk 26.
All of it comes wrapped around a delightful selection of sauerbratens, schnitzels, and strudels washed down with a nice, crisp pilsner. You’re in Germany, after all, where great food and drink are core to daily life.
It’s not the beach, but it’s certainly a mecca for anyone with sea water in their veins.
