What is FLIBS, and why does it matter?
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is the largest in-water boat show on Earth, and one of the most important weeks of the year for the yachting industry. Builders time their biggest launches around it — world premieres, U.S. debuts, flagship reveals — because more serious buyers walk through Fort Lauderdale in five days than almost anywhere else, all year. For Biagio Yachts' clients across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, it's also the fastest way to see six-figure and eight-figure options side by side before making a decision.
Fort Lauderdale has earned its nickname, the "Yachting Capital of the World," largely because of this show. If you're serious about buying — whether your budget is a 45-foot express cruiser or a 140-foot superyacht — FLIBS is, in our experience, one of the richest data points you'll get all year.
FLIBS 2026 Dates, Hours, and Venues
Dates: October 28 – November 1, 2026 (67th annual show)
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Oct 28 (Preview Day) | 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Thursday, Oct 29 | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Friday, Oct 30 | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Saturday, Oct 31 | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Sunday, Nov 1 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
The Six Venues
The show spans six locations connected by shuttle, golf cart and water taxi, covering close to 90 acres and more than three million square feet of docks, tents, and display space:
Broward County Convention Center — Central hub — indoor exhibits and seminars
Bahia Mar Yachting Center — Flagship in-water displays
Hall of Fame Marina — In-water yachts and tenders
Las Olas Marina — Downtown in-water displays
Pier Sixty-Six Marina — Large-yacht displays
Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South — Home to the show's largest and most luxurious yachts
Getting there
Free shuttles and golf carts connect the venues; water taxis are also available. Brightline offers direct rail service from Miami and Palm Beach into Fort Lauderdale with a shuttle connection to the show — worth considering over driving, since parking near the venues fills early on weekend days.
Tickets
FLIBS sells tickets online only — there is no on-site box office, so buy before you go. Options include a Wednesday preview pass, one- and two-day general admission, and the Windward VIP Experience. See current options at official FLIBS tickets at flibs.com before you go.
What's New at FLIBS 2026: The Headline Trends
Before the individual yachts, three patterns stand out across this year's debuts:
Hybrid and electric propulsion is no longer a niche feature.
Builders like Pearl and Prestige are putting hybrid drive and silent-running "house battery" modes on flagship models, not just concept boats — a real shift from five years ago when this was mostly a superyacht-only conversation.
Outboard power is climbing into bigger, more luxurious hulls.
Princess's new C-Class line puts triple and quad outboards on a proper 48-foot luxury day boat for the first time in the brand's history, chasing the speed and low-maintenance appeal that's driven the center-console boom into higher price brackets.
Flagship-size day boats and crossovers keep growing.
Bluegame's new 83-footer and Ocean Alexander's completed Puro series both blur the line between "explorer yacht" and "superyacht" — long-range, open-plan boats built as much for owner-operators as for full-time crews.
Top 10 Must-See Yachts at FLIBS 2026
This list focuses on confirmed world and U.S. debuts in the size range most of our clients actually buy in — roughly 35 to 140 feet — rather than one-off concept boats you'll never see for sale. Where a yacht already had its global debut at another show earlier in 2026, we've noted that its FLIBS appearance is a U.S. debut.
Ocean Alexander 40P
World DebutThe flagship of Ocean Alexander's new Puro series and the biggest story of the show for long-range motoryacht buyers.
- LOA: 132'1" (40.27 m) | Beam: 28'2" | Draft: 6'6"
- Power: Twin 2,600-hp MAN diesels
- Layout: 5 staterooms, 10 guests, multiple entertaining decks including a full open-air top deck
Hull No. 1 makes its first public appearance at this show — in our experience, expect it to be one of the most photographed boats in Superyacht Village.
Ocean Alexander 30P
World DebutThe 30P completes the Puro series alongside its larger sibling, aimed at owners who want the Puro design language — abundant stowage, long range, semi-custom interiors — in a more manageable footprint.
- LOA: 103'7" (31.58 m) | Beam: 24'5" | Draft: 5'11"–6'0"
- Power: Twin 2,000-hp MAN diesels
- Layout: 5 staterooms, 10 guests, fully open-air top deck
Viking 90C
Public DebutViking's 90-foot Convertible closes out the model's full 21-hull production run, built for owners who want an open-bridge helm with direct sightlines to the cockpit — a serious sportfishing and family-cruising hybrid.
- LOA: 90' (27 m)
- Power: Twin Caterpillar C32 ACERT diesels, 1,900 hp each
- Layout: 6 staterooms, up to 10 guests, three-deck configuration
Fuel capacity over 14,000 liters makes long-range offshore runs realistic, not theoretical.
Pearl 100 Hybrid
U.S. ShowingPearl's first hybrid-powered flagship had its world premiere on the European show circuit earlier in 2026; FLIBS is where U.S. buyers get their first real look.
- LOA: 98' (30 m)
- Power: Standard hybrid propulsion system; 24-knot top speed available on demand
- Layout: 5 staterooms including two full-beam masters
Naval architecture by Bill Dixon, interiors by Kelly Hoppen CBE — genuinely silent, zero-emission cruising when you want it.
Bluegame BGX83
U.S. DebutBluegame's new flagship globally debuted at Boot Düsseldorf earlier this year; FLIBS 2026 is its U.S. debut and first American in-water showing.
- LOA: 83' (25.6 m)
- A crossover design blending Bluegame's adventure-boat DNA with full luxury-yacht accommodation — one of the more talked-about "explorer" silhouettes on the water this year.
Prestige M8 Evo
U.S. DebutThe evolved flagship of Prestige's power-catamaran line, following its Cannes Yachting Festival world premiere in September 2026.
- LOA: 65'6" | Beam: 29'
- Power: Twin 730-hp MAN i6 diesels
- Layout: 4–5 staterooms plus optional crew quarters
The catamaran hull delivers noticeably more interior volume and stability than a monohull of the same length — and an optional Silent Mode Pack with solar assist lets owners sit at anchor generator-free.
Viking 50SC
World DebutA new Sport Coupe from Viking, sized for owners who want serious sportfishing capability without the crew requirements of the 90C above.
- LOA: 51'8" | Beam: 17'1"
- Power: Twin 1,200-hp MAN diesels standard (1,150-hp Scania optional)
- Layout: 2 staterooms
Princess C48 Open
World DebutThe entry point to Princess Yachts' brand-new C-Class — and the first outboard-powered model in Princess's history.
- LOA: 48'9" | Beam: 13'8"
- Power: Triple Mercury 400hp or 600hp Verado outboards, or twin Volvo D6-480 inboards
- Top speed: Up to 53 knots
A genuinely new direction for a builder known for classic flybridge motoryachts — worth seeing even if outboard power isn't your usual style.
Aquila 35 Sport
U.S. DebutA compact, high-performance power catamaran that debuted globally at Cannes; FLIBS marks its U.S. debut. Aquila's four-zone social layout packs a surprising amount of usable deck space into a 35-foot cat.
Bertram 35 Flybridge
U.S. DebutOne of the most storied names in American sportfishing returns with a modern 35-foot flybridge — a nostalgic, well-earned nameplate on a thoroughly current hull. A must-see for anyone who grew up around the original Bertrams.
Honorable mention: Watch for the De Antonio D36 Cabin (U.S. debut) if compact, design-forward day cruising is on your radar — it's a smaller footprint than the list above, but it's turning heads for a reason.
How to Actually Shop the Show (Not Just Walk It)
FLIBS is spectacular, and it is also five days, six venues, and over a thousand boats — an overwhelming amount of ground to cover if you're trying to make a real buying decision rather than just enjoying the spectacle. A few honest observations from doing this every year:
You cannot properly evaluate a boat in a 10-minute walkthrough with 40 other people aboard.
The boats that matter deserve an unhurried, private look — engine room included.
Brokers on the dock work for the builder or the seller, not for you.
A buyer's advocate who isn't paid by whoever's yacht you're standing on gives you a very different conversation.
The best boats get booked solid by mid-morning.
If there's a specific yacht on this list you want to see, line up your appointment before the show opens, not after you're already standing in front of it.
See Any of These Yachts Privately with Biagio Yachts
Biagio Yachts is a boutique brokerage serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, built around private, unhurried service for owners buying and selling in the 60'–140' range — plus premium day boats. We've closed more than $40 million in sales and are an IYBA member, and unlike a dockside builder rep, we work for you, not for the seller.
If any yacht on this list — or anything else on the water that week — catches your eye, we'll arrange a private, no-crowd walkthrough during FLIBS 2026, help you read past the show-floor polish, and talk through real numbers on financing, ownership costs, and resale before you commit to anything. Yachting is not just ownership — it's a lifestyle of elegance and freedom. Let's make sure the boat you choose actually delivers it.
FAQ: Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2026
When is the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2026?
October 28 – November 1, 2026. This is the show's 67th annual edition.
Where is FLIBS 2026 held?
Across six connected venues in Fort Lauderdale: the Broward County Convention Center, Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Hall of Fame Marina, Las Olas Marina, Pier Sixty-Six Marina, and Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South.
How do I buy FLIBS 2026 tickets?
Tickets are sold online only at flibs.com, in advance; there is no on-site box office. Options include a Wednesday preview pass, one- and two-day general admission, and the Windward VIP Experience. Check flibs.com closer to the show.
How many boats are at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show?
Around 1,300 vessels from roughly 1,000 exhibitors, with the largest yachts docked in the Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South.
What's the biggest yacht news at FLIBS 2026?
The world debuts of Ocean Alexander's Puro-series flagships (the 40P and 30P), Viking's 90C, and Princess's first-ever outboard-powered model, the C48 Open, are the headline stories — alongside U.S. debuts of the Bluegame BGX83 and Pearl 100 Hybrid.
Can I get a private tour of a yacht at FLIBS instead of a public walkthrough?
Yes. Biagio Yachts arranges private, unhurried viewings of specific yachts during the show for serious buyers — call +1 (786) 507-9983 to set one up before the crowds arrive.
Is FLIBS a good place to actually buy a yacht?
It's the best place to compare boats in one trip, but not the best place to negotiate — show pricing and floor traffic work in the seller's favor. Most experienced buyers use FLIBS to shortlist, then handle the actual purchase, survey, and negotiation afterward with an independent broker.
Planning Your FLIBS 2026 Purchase
Biagio Yachts is a Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach-based luxury yacht brokerage specializing in private acquisition, sales, and financing for vessels 60'–140' and premium day boats. IYBA member. Whether you're shortlisting debuts at the show or ready to move on a specific yacht, we'll help you compare, negotiate, and close on your terms — not the seller's.