Winter Got You Down? Set A Course For Chicago Boat Show

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – A fleet of yachts, sailboats, power boats, fishing boats, and motorized rafts has docked at McCormick Place for the Chicago Boat, RV, and Sail Show.

Show manager Keith Ogulnick said Friday the show can help break up the winter blahs by getting attendees to think about warmer weather and a summer day on the water.

The Boat Show has also been an unofficial barometer of the economy. Ogulnick said it took years to recover from the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009.

"The recreational boating industry was devastated,” he said.

Now, people are either buying boats or upgrading to a larger model.

"What you've seen is people upgrading to much larger boats/yachts than ever before," said boat salesman and licensed Captain Chris Connor.

He was showing off the Greenline, a 40-foot yacht with a hybrid engine. The diesel and electric engine can run for 1,000 nautical miles on a single tank of fuel.

The Chicago Boat, RV, and Sail Show runs through Sunday at McCormick Place.