Exhibitors’ testimonials on Interboot 2025:

Yannick Nürnberger, Managing Director of Europe Marine

“We had an exceptionally large crowd at the booth, especially on Saturday. That makes it clear that the original two weekends have been combined into one, and that about two-thirds of attendees now come on the weekend. Accordingly, we had an unusually large team of salespeople present to advise and assist everyone. We had already covered our costs by Thursday evening, and I am pleased to say that we were in the black from Friday onwards. I’d describe that as “going well.” You can tell that we are at a fair that takes place in southern Germany, as the audience here is particularly sophisticated, with conversations that are both polite and engaging. Visitors have a lot of purchasing power, and like the major manufacturers observed following Cannes, we too are seeing a steady, modest upswing. A number of sales were concluded, and as in previous years, we anticipate strong post-fair business. We were very pleased with our booth in B2, especially due to the special “My First Boat” exhibition in partnership with float magazine, where we also showcased two of our entry-level boats.

Sonja Meichle, Managing Director of Ultramarin Meichle + Mohr GmbH:

“We arrived here with very high expectations, as last year’s event was outstanding and left us with the impression of a very positive experience. This year began somewhat weaker than anticipated, but considering the economic situation compared to last year, we still achieved very good results. The atmosphere on Saturday was certainly that of a real trade fair, with aisles that were crowded and so many attendees present. There were many knowledgeable visitors at our booth. In the first few days, we engaged with highly interested customers who were well-informed, particularly in regard to the boats, and had excellent discussions, also in the sailmaking area, which was very encouraging. We were extremely pleased with our location at the Interboot, and we were excited to exhibit a diverse selection there. In addition, the positive atmosphere in the hall was partly due to the series of lectures presented there. That was what drew people to the hall. Spots in the AC40 Simulator were also in great demand. The supporting program, as well as the special “My First Boat” exhibition, was also impressive. Perhaps there’s another sailboat that could be included in next year’s event. I also thought the children’s program was a smashing success.”

Philip Schröder, Representative of Roto Nautica

“The Interboot was a source of great entertainment. I think they have hit the sweet spot with the current five-day runtime. The number of visitors we saw increased gradually over time, which suited us well since it’s impossible to have everything ready to go right from the start. The audience remained highly engaged throughout the event. We successfully implemented our plan to promote the brand. Attendance could have been slightly higher during the week, of course, but that’s typical at any trade fair. In spite of that, we were still pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors we saw, even on the first few days. We had expected the halls to be empty, but our booth was actually always bustling with activity. We even signed contracts directly at the fair, which is highly unusual. The era of impulse buying actually ended over a decade ago, but some people were so impressed by the products that they wanted to purchase them on the spot. We are thus extremely pleased with how the fair went. The exhibition center is easy to get to, and we especially appreciated the special show for those new to boating, which was very well received by the attendees.”

Pascal Ernst, Managing Director of Neptun Yacht

“The Interboot went well for us, and we engaged in productive discussions. In any case, we managed to sell one boat at the fair. We can only determine in retrospect whether additional contracts will be finalized. We had an excellent audience at our booth and engaged in interesting discussions, including fielding many expert and technical questions about our products. You could tell that visitors had already concerned themselves with the details of the boats beforehand and now wanted to inspect them in person – that was really great. The exhibition venue is gorgeous and features a remarkable ambiance.” 

Luca Enderli, After Sales at Ganz Yachting

“The Interboot went really well for us. We sold a boat and generally had a lot of promising prospective customers at our booth. We are also allowing prospective buyers to take the boats for a spin after the Interboot, and I am confident that we have gained 10 to 15 people from the fair who will be following up with us later. We were extremely satisfied with the fair and delighted with our location. We have come to Friedrichshafen for the past four years, and I believe we will continue to return in the coming years because the event remains highly interesting for us. We are also planning to add another boat next year.”

Michele Antgilletta, Managing Director of Graf Hardenberg

“The number of visitors was relatively low during the initial days, but those who were there were highly engaged and of excellent quality. By the weekend, we were seeing a lot more casual visitors just strolling through. We received a verbal commitment for a smaller boat, and we have likely sold our 320 model. Someone else is also considering a 280 model, and we should know their decision in the coming days. This was our first time at the fair. For us, it was mainly about raising our flag and honing our profile, and I’m happy with how it all turned out.”

Michaela Hörbrunner, Sales Manager at Star Clippers

“I was pleasantly surprised by the large number of interested attendees, many of whom were already familiar with the Star Clipper product. We welcomed to our booth not only sailing enthusiasts but also fans of water sports in general who were eager to learn about boat tours or interested in apparel, so it turned out to be a vibrant and diverse crowd. We typically finalize sales after the fair, as our products aren’t the kind that customers purchase impulsively. What I appreciate about the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds is the spacious and open layout. I also found the show stage very interesting.”

Yves Bosshart, Managing Director of Pro Nautik AG and President of the Lakeside Business Syndicate (Interessengemeinschaft Gewerbe am See)

“While we had fewer visitors to our booth, the quality of those who came was high. They are hesitant to make a decision at the moment due to factors such as the current economic situation and the ongoing war, so they prefer to wait before deciding. The trade fair grounds are stunning, particularly the Swiss hall, and the sense of quality is palpable.” 

Jens Böckmann, founder and consultant of Yachtverstand and audience advisor to the special “My First Boat” exhibition

“As we were offering the special exhibition for the first time this year, we were uncertain as to how it would be received. But I did, in fact, have quite a few conversations each day, sometimes so many that I’d forget to eat lunch amid all the excitement.
 Many people expressed to me that it was wonderful to have access to such a service and to be able to ask anything they wanted to know about buying a boat. There were also some who were interested in a particular model, who then visited the corresponding dealership to examine the boat more closely. I think it’s great that boats in the price range up to 35,000 euros were displayed together, rather than being scattered throughout the halls. I think the exhibition grounds in Friedrichshafen are exceptionally well organized and highly compact. There are numerous reputable suppliers present, along with a highly qualified specialist audience. We already have ideas for next year on how we can expand the special exhibition.”

Lukas Hesse and Jesse Lindstädt, members of the Youth & Women’s Team of the America’s Cup

“It was really cool at the Interboot. We welcomed many visitors to our booth, ranging from small children who already had experience sailing with the Opti training sailboat and those new to sailing, as well as adults, all of whom were eager to try out the simulator. Most of them did really well. We also had young sailors there who were familiar with the online game. We spoke with a lot of people and shared our enthusiasm for foiling and the America’s Cup. Our spot beside the lecture stage was excellent, and the hall’s infrastructure, featuring bright glass façades, is truly beautiful. We delivered two presentations during the day, where we discussed and demonstrated the simulator live, which worked really well. Perhaps the lectures could benefit from more advertising, because there wasn’t much going on, particularly during the week.”

Tobias Renz, Head of Sales for Fender Design

“We come from very close by, and the Interboot is always worthwhile for us. The layout is excellent, and there are usually a lot of trade visitors in Friedrichshafen, although this year there were slightly fewer than usual. We offered products at the trade fair that were available for immediate purchase and are not found in typical water sports equipment stores. Most of them were developed in-house. However, we were primarily here to promote our main products. Trade fair customers also received a 10% voucher at our booth.”

Reell, Thomas Gebka, Head of Sales

“We are thrilled to be returning to the Interboot after a long hiatus. We generally see our appearance here at the fair as a fun event to promote our brand. Overall, it was less busy during the week, so while increased sales would have been welcome, the atmosphere remained a bit subdued during that time. However, it was truly wonderful over the weekend, which brought back memories of the way things used to be and was really fun for us all. The booth attracted attention, visitor attendance was steady, and the overall mood was positive, so I have no negative feedback to report. We also enjoyed the exhibitors’ evening and the joint events.”