One reason the Seattle show posted record ticket sales is that two
previous shows where combined into a single event (for the second year
in a row). The comparisons are being made between the combined shows
and the old records for the indoor show only.

The gate was actually down a little bit at the outdoor show. Two of the
ten days were essentially "rained out."
But it isn't the number of people who show up that make a successful
show, it's the number of people who show up and who are willing to
write a big check.

The boat business is *very good* right now in the Seattle area. Several
regional builders are sold out until 2006.

Selling well: boats under 20 feet and boats over 45 feet.
(lots of activity under $50k, lots of activity over $500k, a surprising
number of buyers in the 7-figure range.)

The well off have plenty of money to spend, the middle class is still
more or less MIA, (maybe still waiting to see what's going to happen
next) and everybody else is buying entry level trailer boats. Who
knows? We may be moving to the have/have not economic model faster than
we think, with the middle class the canaries in the coal mine.