September 27, 2026
Friedrichshafen – Get on board, give it a try, and experience water sports in all their diversity: For five days, the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds were once again devoted entirely to the maritime world as the Interboot celebrated its 65th edition. From September 23 to 27, 36,100 visitors came to discover the latest motorboats and sailing yachts, accessories, and industry trends. Particular emphasis was placed on offerings for newcomers as well as sustainability, electric mobility, and women in water sports. The international water sports fair introduced several new highlights, including the special “My First Boat” showcase, expanded for the first time to include sailing boats, the new E-Boat Area, and the Refit Center. On the exhibition lake and at the Interboot Marina, visitors were once again invited to get active and experience water sports firsthand. “The Interboot brings together people and companies who share a common passion. From Friedrichshafen, boats and new ideas find their way to international water sports destinations. This combination of an industry meeting place and a hands-on experience for visitors is what makes the event special, and it is something we intend to strengthen further in the future,” says Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann, summing up the event.
Project Manager Felix Klarmann looks back on his final Interboot in this role: “This edition was a very special one for me. Over the past few years, together with our team, exhibitors, and partners, we have continued to develop the Interboot step by step and have repeatedly come up with new ideas. I am delighted to now hand over the fair to the experienced hands of Zuzanna Sroda.”
Productive conversations and concrete business
Despite lower visitor numbers than in the previous year, exhibitors reported productive conversations, concrete sales, and promising contacts for post-fair business. Davor Panarese, Sales Manager at KIBAG, says: “Unfortunately, we didn’t see the number of visitors we had expected. [...] Nevertheless, considering the visitor numbers, our business at the fair was okay.” The company sold three boats – including an electric boat – and also received winter storage orders from existing customers. Electric mobility also attracted interest at TB Yard. “Overall, we are satisfied with the event. [...] However, there was definitely interest, particularly when it came to electric boats,” says Ernst Houtman, Head of Direct Sales Europe. The company has already decided to exhibit at the Interboot again next year. Dennis Pfister, Managing Director of Boote Pfister, has observed a positive development, particularly among newcomers: “Last year, we welcomed many familiar, long-standing customers to our booth, whereas this year we saw more new faces and new customers again. [...] In addition to our existing customers, we also closed deals with new customers. You can tell that prospective buyers who have been rather hesitant until now are slowly becoming more confident about spending money in the leisure segment again.” For Dennis Pfister, who has now attended the event for the twelfth time, the Interboot holds particular significance: “On the one hand, the event has become a tradition for us; on the other, the Lake Constance region is a very important market. Almost 40 percent of the boats we sell end up in the Lake Constance area. [...] So for us, Interboot is a must-attend event.”
Interested visitors and returning customers
In addition to concrete sales, the quality of conversations was a key factor for many companies. “We are very satisfied with how the fair went. We received a very positive response to our product [...] Visitors were very interested,” reports Günter Ambrosi, Sales Manager at Sunbeam Watersports. The swing-keel version the company had brought to the fair proved particularly popular given the current water level of Lake Constance. Ambrosi also praised the design of sailing hall A3. Richard Mathias Furrer, Managing Director of Nautica’s Services, draws a similar conclusion: “While visitor numbers were not particularly high, the ratio of visitors to genuinely interested prospective customers was quite good.” Although he was not engaged in conversations throughout the entire event, the discussions that did take place proved worthwhile for the company. Vito Catalano, Sales Manager at Alife & Kickin, also highlights the quality of the visitors and the high number of returning customers: “The audience in Friedrichshafen has been really excellent this year. We also welcomed many customers to our booth who had already visited us last year or the year before.” After a quieter start to the fair, business picked up towards the weekend. “So overall the fair went very well for us.”
Get involved, give it a try, and discover
Alongside product innovations and expert advice, hands-on experiences also played a central role at the Interboot. Both inside the exhibition halls and on the exhibition lake and at the Interboot Marina, visitors had numerous opportunities to try out water sports for themselves. While the Ladies-Only Motorboat Driving Training was fully booked on every day of the event, Olympic athlete Alina Kornelli, who was attending the Interboot for the first time, was delighted by the strong participation in her pump foiling course on the exhibition lake: “I was really surprised by the huge response, as so many people had already contacted me beforehand. There was a great deal of interest, and the participants were motivated, courageous, and all happy at the end. I also really enjoyed my presentation on stage. It’s great fun to motivate other people to get involved in water sports themselves.” Visitors also responded positively to the combination of exhibition and hands-on experiences. Johannes from Stuttgart says: “It was my first time at the Interboot, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. There is a relaxed atmosphere throughout the exhibition grounds, and the shows on the exhibition lake were fantastic.”
Further information
The Interboot 2027 will take place from September 22 to 26. Further information is available online at www.interboot.de, www.facebook.de/interboot, and www.instagram.com/interboot.friedrichshafen.