Southwest Virginia Boat Show

            With the 2010 boating season just a few months away, members of the Southwest Virginia Boat Dealers Association are gearing up for their annual exhibit of the latest in boats and related equipment.

            Slated for Feb. 26-28, the show will again fully occupy 75,000 square feet of the Roanoke Civic Center complex, including the Special Events Center. Eleven area boat dealers, plus a variety of other recreation and home-maintenance equipment and services providers, will participate.

            Show coordinator Darrell Ross said a full complement of shiny new boats and personal watercraft will be on display, along with great deals on 2009 leftovers. Plans also call for several RV dealers to join the show as outside exhibitors in the parking areas where boats were displayed before the civic center expansion.

            The biggest news for boat shoppers, according to Mike Ratcliff of Conrad Brothers’ Marine, is that the lower inventories dealers tend to carry during economic downturns don’t mean a limited selection for shoppers.

            "Respected manufacturers like Tracker and Four Winns have established programs that allow dealers to stock at affordable floor-plan levels but get additional or differently equipped models within as little as seven days from inventories held at the manufacturers," he said.

            As for new features, Ratcliff said its technology, technology and more technology for the 2010 show. Centurion, for example, is among the companies that have nearly eliminated mechanical dashboard switches with weatherproof LCDs utilizing touch-screen icons. A few touches also will automatically engage speed control and ballast settings for up to 20 preset rider profiles.

            Inboard engines on all 2010 models are designed to meet tighter federal emission standards, Ratcliff added.

            According to SWVBDA president Virgil Naff, those looking for a new PWC will find that SeaDoo has expanded its IS line, pushing the new-last-year I-Brake and ride-softening suspension technologies down the price ladder to several additional models. The IS hull, a foot longer than that of previous SeaDoo models, is being used on the 2010 GTX, Wake Pro and RXT models, all of which come standard with the I-Brake system but without the shock-absorbing passenger deck.

            The more moderately priced SeaDoo GTI lineup is unchanged from last year, as is Kawasaki’s PWC offering. Yamaha has made some minor revisions to its lower-end models that include more nimble performance, a roomier "cockpit" for the driver, longer seats for riders, larger glove box, more convenient reversing lever and improved re-boarding platform.

            Naff said customers looking for a deal on a PWC need to buy early in the season, as all manufacturers have dropped their production rates and the rebates on left-over 2009 models are expiring as inventory diminishes.