Following a successful hosting in its inaugural year, 2014 the organisers of the BVI Exquisite Boat Show are looking to make an even bigger splash this year with the event now being a 3-day event that will see much more prizes to be won and much more competition from both home and abroad. Photo: Provided

Event Manager Ms Meslyn M. Allan said the BVI Exquisite Boat Show is an opportunity for boat owners and boat lovers to gather at the same place and boat owners to showcase their boats and boat dealers to sell their boats. Charter boat operators will also be showcasing their products and services. Photo: VINO

Best Overall Boat winners 2014. Photo: Provided.

Best Overall Boat of the 2014 BVI Exquisite Boat Show, Wally Castro of Puerto Rico receives his trophy. Photo: Provided

The event, which was launched today, April 14, 2015 at CCT Headquarters in Road Town, will be held from Thursday May 21, to Saturday May 23, 2015 at Village Cay Marina in Road Town. The first edition was held at Scrub Island Resort and Marina.

“The boat show is an opportunity for boat owners and boat lovers to gather at the same place and boat owners to showcase their boats, boat dealers to sell their boats and this year we included charter boat operators who will be showcasing their products and services,” Event Manager Meslyn M. Allan told Virgin Islands News Online at the launching today.

New additions

The 2015 BVI Exquisite Boat Show begins on Thursday May 21 with a brand new Buyers Cocktail element, followed by a boat motorcade leading into a happy hour on day two, culminating with the main event on Saturday May 23 that will feature added entertainment and more prize-winning categories for the exhibition boats.

“We have added a few more elements that we think will bring more excitement to the show as we build for the future. So every year we want to put on something new and exciting into the boat show,” Allan said.

According to the Event Manager, she is anticipating double or even triple the amount that participated in the one-day event last year. “We have already started to receive good feedback from our locals as well as the Puerto Ricans as well as persons from the USVI who have indicated that they are interested in being a part of this year’s event. So we are anticipating a wonderful turnout. We already have persons who are registered.”

$13,000 in cash & prizes up for grabs

Meanwhile, some $13,000 in cash and prizes are to be won this year. The prize winning categories include best paint job, best interior, cleanest inboard engine, best luxury boat, safest boat, loudest sound system, biggest boat, smallest boat, most popular offshore racing boat and the coveted prize of best overall boat.

“This boat show is not just focused on the local community. We have engaged the international community and potential visitors who would like to come to the BVI, so we have created an added attraction for persons to come here to the BVI. We think that our boat show is a good tourism asset,” Ms Allan told this news site.

Meanwhile, CCT Global Communications has come on board this year as one of the major sponsors for the event and “we are happy to have them. They have been a great support system in terms of planning and executing and getting the word out about the event,” Allan said.

BVI Exquisite Boat Show sponsors and partners include CCT, BVI Ports Authority, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Hon D Orlando Smith, Village Cay Marina, Road Town Wholesale and sponsoring brands Brugal, Presidente, and Barefoot Wines; STO Enterprise, BVI Tourist Board, BVI Shipping Registry, Hon Marlon A. Penn, Hon Archibald C. Christian, Seaborne Airlines, JTV, La Regata, Tactical Media, Maz Media, and Nautica Magazine.