The Advantaged Journal

By Antonio Maldonado | The Advantaged Yachts

There is something special about South Florida when boat show season arrives. The docks come alive, new designs spark conversations, and buyers start imagining their next chapter on the water. As the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show returns to Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale October 28–November 1, 2026, we are looking forward to what this year's event will reveal about the direction of the boating business.

At The Advantaged Yachts, our expectations are high. We are eager to see whether the excitement translates into serious buying decisions—and what happens after the show closes.

A market that calls for confidence and clear thinking

The boating industry enters this show with questions about consumer confidence and the cost of ownership. In its September 30 market commentary, the National Marine Manufacturers Association reported declining consumer confidence and concerns about rising costs. NMMA noted that these conditions could mean slower discretionary spending and longer purchase decisions.

Our takeaway is straightforward: buyers need a clear picture of the boat, the price, and the ownership experience. Financing, insurance, dockage, maintenance, and service support belong in the conversation from the beginning.

For sellers, this is a moment to be prepared. Good presentation, complete maintenance records, and a realistic pricing strategy can help buyers move forward with greater confidence. Every boat has its own market; broad headlines do not determine the value of an individual vessel.

Why our expectations for FLIBS are high

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show brings buyers, builders, brokers, and marine businesses together around something that is difficult to capture online: the experience of stepping aboard.

A buyer can compare layouts, understand how a boat feels, and ask questions face to face. That experience can help turn a long search into a clearer decision.

We are optimistic about the conversations this year's show can generate. We want to see buyers finding boats that fit their lives, sellers reaching workable agreements, and businesses building relationships that continue into the South Florida season.

That optimism is an expectation, not a prediction of a market rebound. The results still have to earn it.

What we will be watching after the show

Attendance and beautiful displays create energy. For those of us in the business, the more revealing results come afterward.

We will be watching for serious inquiries that lead to appointments, offers that become signed agreements, and transactions that move through survey and sea trial to closing. We are also interested in how buyers respond to pricing and how quickly they make decisions.

Those outcomes will help us assess whether the show has strengthened confidence or whether buyers still need more time. We have high hopes, and we are eager to see the end result.

Explore Granfort with The Advantaged Yachts

As you compare boats this season, put Granfort on your list. Ask us which Granfort models are currently offered and how they suit South Florida days on the water.

The right choice starts with how you plan to use it: a relaxed afternoon with family, entertaining friends, or exploring new destinations. We can walk through the layout, equipment, current availability, and ownership considerations with you, then help you compare it with other options.

Our goal is to help you find a boat you will enjoy owning as much as you enjoy buying.

Visit us at Hi-Lift Marina in Aventura

The Advantaged Yachts will not be attending or exhibiting at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show this year. We will be at our Aventura home at Hi-Lift Marina, ready to speak with you before or after your visit to the show.

Hi-Lift Marina
2890 NE 187th Street
Aventura, Florida 33180

Contact us to arrange an appointment, discuss Granfort, or review your next purchase or sale. Please confirm the location and availability of any specific vessel before your visit.

After more than 20 years in the marine industry, I still believe in what boating brings to people's lives: freedom, connection, and memories that stay with you long after you return to the dock.

We are heading into this boat show season with high expectations and a practical eye on the results. If the show inspires your next move, The Advantaged Yachts is ready to help you take it.

Arrange your appointment: antonio@theadvantaged.com
Explore The Advantaged Yachts: theadvantaged.com
Official show information and tickets: flibs.com

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Miami knows how to put on a show. This Halloween, the waterfront gets a spectacle with its own wonderful brand of chaos: homemade flying machines, outrageous costumes, brave teams, and splashdowns that could steal the entire afternoon.

Red Bull Flugtag comes to Bayfront Park on Saturday, October 31, 2026, bringing creativity and crowd energy to downtown Miami. If you love action, laughter, and a reason to get your favorite people together, put this one on your calendar.

And for those of us who love Miami from the water, it is an exciting occasion to plan a boat day around the waterfront festivities.

A Little Flight, a Lot of Personality

The concept is wonderfully simple: teams build human-powered flying machines and launch them from a waterfront platform. What happens next is part engineering experiment, part performance, and part spectacular splash.

The fun starts before anyone takes flight. Creative designs, team personalities, and Halloween spirit make the event as much about the entertainment as the airborne attempt.

You do not need to know anything about aviation to enjoy it. Bring your curiosity, your sense of humor, and friends who appreciate a little adventure.

Make the Waterfront Part of Your Day

Picture your crew aboard a yacht, the downtown skyline ahead, a breeze across the deck, and Miami buzzing with Halloween excitement.

A charter can turn an event outing into a full day together: a scenic cruise, time to unwind, and the chance to enjoy the waterfront atmosphere from a different perspective.

Watching the flights from a boat could be a memorable part of that experience where spectator access is permitted. Event boundaries, marine traffic controls, weather, and the captain’s judgment will determine where vessels can safely operate. Views of the launch platform are not guaranteed.

The Advantaged can help you explore charter options and plan an itinerary around the event, subject to confirmed access and yacht availability.

Creators and Influencers: Bring Your Miami Story to Life

Some days give you more than a backdrop. They give you a story.

For content creators, a Halloween yacht outing offers plenty to capture: costumes, skyline views, reactions from your crew, and the transition from city excitement to life on the water.

Build your content around the experience—getting ready, boarding, cruising, and sharing the day with friends. If filming the competition is part of your plan, check the organizer’s filming policies and any commercial-use requirements first.

Creators interested in a charter or discussing a potential collaboration are welcome to contact The Advantaged. Tell us about your audience, your idea, and the experience you want to create.

Hotels and Concierges: Give Guests a Reason to Get Out and Explore

For hotel teams, Flugtag offers a timely answer to a familiar question: “What is something fun and different we can do in Miami?”

Pair the waterfront festivities with a private yacht outing, and guests have an opportunity to experience both the city’s energy and its boating lifestyle.

The Advantaged welcomes inquiries from hotel concierges, guest experience teams, and hospitality partners looking to help visitors plan a memorable day. Share your guests’ group size, preferred timing, and interests so we can explore suitable charter options.

Gather Your Crew

You do not have to be an influencer or a hotel guest to make a day of it.

Bring friends who love action. Invite visiting family. Plan a Halloween outing with your partner. Get your team together for an afternoon outside the usual routine.

A little competition, a lot of laughter, and time on the water sounds like a very Miami way to spend a Saturday.

Plan Ahead for October 31

Before making your plans:

• Confirm the latest schedule through the official event website.
• Ask about yacht availability for your group size and preferred duration.
• Confirm any permitted spectator boat areas before planning to watch from the water.
• Coordinate boarding details and leave room in your itinerary for event-day traffic.
• Choose costumes and footwear that are comfortable and safe aboard a boat.

Official event information: redbull.com/us-en/events/flugtag-miami

Miami event listing: miamiandbeaches.com/event/red-bull-flugtag-miami

Let’s Make It a Miami Day to Remember

At The Advantaged, we have spent more than 20 years helping people enjoy Miami on the water. Events like this bring another reason to gather, explore, and make memories with your crew.

Whether you are a visitor, a local, a creator, or a hotel concierge planning for guests, we would love to help you explore your options.

Explore our Miami yacht charters.

Request availability or email info@theadvantaged.com with your group size, preferred timing, and plans for October 31.

Let’s get your crew out on the water.

Request Availability

The Advantaged is an independent yacht charter provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Red Bull. Event schedules and marine access may change.