The best of boats world

The Regal 3200 Express looked great.

The Launch 35 GT Chris-Craft was practically a work of art.

Then there was the CS22 Cobalt, another boat beauty.

Each was unique. Each was sleek. Each was calling the name of those that passed by. Imagine spending summer days cruising on Lake Coeur d’Alene in one of these.

“Maybe today is the day we buy a boat,” said David Shepherd, as he walked through the Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo on Thursday at the Hagadone Marine Center, 1000 S. Marine Drive.

Boats, mostly big, were on display and they were attention-grabbers. From Yachts to 22 footers, from pontoons to watercraft built for speed and comfort, the expo was off to a strong start on Wednesday and continues through Sunday.

Hagadone Marine Group announced the return of the Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday and 9 to 6 on Sunday. 

While boats, of course, are the main attraction spread over three rooms, there’s a zone for kids to play, a photo booth, a surfing simulation inflatable, places to sit and relax between boats, while drinks and snacks are available for purchase.

But wandering around the watercraft, checking out the ins and outs of yachts, was a crowd favorite.

Expo pricing touted discounts and some boats already sported a red "sold" sign.

“Remember, it’s only going to be us 90% of the time, so we don’t need a big boat,” a woman said as she and a friend eyed a 38-foot Regal that offered an array of highlights, including side walk-around and high dock access, retractable sunroof, 350-gallon fuel capacity and oversize bow seating.

Craig Brosenne, president of the Hagadone Marine Group, said they were excited to host the first Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo last year, a family-friendly boat sale experience for the community.

“This year, we are proud to host it once again, with an impressive lineup of brands such as Cobalt, Regal, Malibu, Axis, Chris-Craft, Barletta, Harris and more,” he said.

Admission to The Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo is free and so is the parking, but registration at cdaboatexpo.com is required.

“While 2020 may have had many challenges, we were excited to be able to welcome many new customers to our boating community this past summer,” said associate sales manager Bret O’Brien in a press release. “Our sales team is excited to have another opportunity to help more families find their dream boat at the best prices of the year.” 

With the safety of customers and team members in mind, Hagadone Marine will have the following COVID-19 Precautions in place at the 2021 Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo: 

● Temperature Checks: guests’ temperatures will be checked upon entrance (temperature must be below 99.9 degrees) 

● Face Masks: Required for ages 2+ (complimentary masks available)

● Limited Capacities: We will have a limited number of people allowed in our showrooms per Kootenai County guidelines

● Sanitizer & Disinfection: There will be plenty of sanitizer available throughout our showrooms, and we will have team members disinfecting the boats between tours

● Groups of 6 or less: We ask that customers come in groups of six or less