A $5 million yacht isn’t in everyone’s budget. Fortunately, you don’t need a mega bank account—or even a boat—to enjoy some of the coolest stuff at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2026.
From smarter electronics and fishing technology to high-tech safety gear, underwater scooters and floating toys, FLIBS is essentially a giant showcase of the products that make time on the water more comfortable, entertaining, efficient, and safe. And with more than 1,000 exhibiting brands and 1,300-plus boats on display, there is plenty to explore beyond the yachts themselves. Some of the most interesting products may be the ones you never knew you needed.
The trick is knowing where to look.
Each part of FLIBS offers a different way to discover what's new in boating
Convention Center
Best for: Marine accessories, electronics, fishing and dive gear, apparel, bags, sunglasses, coolers, speakers, safety equipment and product debuts.
Bahia Mar
Best for: Engines, electronics, stabilization, propulsion, boat systems and technology installed aboard boats.
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Superyacht Village / Las Olas
Best for: Tenders, water toys, premium equipment, exotic vehicles, luxury accessories and things you didn’t know existed for yachts. For 2026, Las Olas Marina introduces a floating pickleball court to the show, complete with a tournament for yacht crew.
Hall of Fame / Pier Sixty-Six
Best for: Seeing sophisticated equipment and products in their natural habitat and actual installations aboard large yachts.
Shop It: Broward County Convention Center
This is where the show gets particularly accessible for the everyday boater. You can wander from a new piece of electronics to a better pair of sunglasses, a fishing accessory, a new PFD, or a speaker you can bring aboard for the weekend.
Marine electronics should be high on the shopping list. Manufacturers including Garmin, Raymarine, and Simrad are constantly finding ways to pack more capability into the helm, and many of the newest systems, like Garmin’s new LiveScope 2 or Simrad’s AutoCaptain, are easier to understand when you can stand in front of a working display and try them yourself.
If fishing is your thing, don’t miss ROFFS. The brand already known for using satellite imagery and oceanographic data to help anglers identify productive fishing areas has teased a “next-generation tool for automated fish finding” for release at FLIBS, developed with a major chartplotter/electronics company. For anglers, this could be one of the booths where a quick stop turns into a serious technology rabbit hole.
Another piece of cutting-edge technology SEA.AI, which uses machine vision and artificial intelligence to identify objects on the water. SEA.AI’s 2026 developments include Sailing Software V8.0, camera-motion compensation technology, and a new partnership with Anschütz to integrate SEA.AI’s machine vision into the Autonomics Navigation Suite. Visitors can get a glimpse of how AI-based vision could supplement radar and AIS by identifying things those systems can’t necessarily see.
New for 2026, The Blue Wild, located in the middle lobby of the Broward County Convention Center, has a different flavor from the general exhibition floor, focusing on fishing, diving, conservation, education and hands-on activities. Expect fishing gear and tackle, diving and snorkeling equipment, underwater cameras and lights, safety equipment and other products geared toward getting closer to the water.
It isn’t all shopping, either. Seminars cover subjects ranging from conservation and sustainability to fishing techniques and best practices. Families can also check out the FLIBS Kids Corner for crafts, and Captain Don Dingman’s Hook the Future fishing clinics return Saturday and Sunday, with participants receiving a free fishing rod and reel.
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See It in Action: Bahia Mar
If the Convention Center is where you shop for the gadget, Bahia Mar is where you go to see what that gadget—or something much bigger—can do on an actual boat.
This is particularly valuable for products that are difficult to appreciate sitting on a display stand. Engines, stabilization systems, navigation equipment, and other integrated technologies make much more sense when you can see how they fit into the larger boating experience.
One of the headline pieces of propulsion technology at FLIBS 2026 will be the new mtu 12V 2000 M96Z, which produces 2,222 mhp per engine. Even better, a Viking 64 Convertible J&T will showcase the new mtu engines, giving visitors a chance to see the propulsion technology paired with a serious sportfishing platform. HMY has reported sea-trial results of a 40-knot cruise and speeds exceeding 45 knots in the Viking application.
Then there’s MAN’s new i6X, which will make its international premiere at FLIBS. The six-cylinder, 12.4-liter engine, scheduled to release the first quarter of 2028, is available in 900 and 1,000 hp versions and has a power-to-weight ratio of approximately 0.8 PS/kg.
When it comes to the smoother side of boating, Humphree is introducing its three-component system to the U.S. market. The system combines a new integrated gyro with electric fins and interceptors, allowing the three technologies to work together across different speeds and conditions. The system will be on display at Booth 753 and aboard a Riviera at Bahia Mar. You may not leave FLIBS knowing exactly how an interceptor works, but you can certainly appreciate the difference between a boat that’s moving around and one that’s riding comfortably.
For something a little more off the beaten path, head to the German Pavilion at Bahia Mar. One particularly eye-catching product is DEXLIT Ultra, a yacht-deck technology that combines programmable RGBW lighting with temperature control. The concept essentially turns a deck surface into an interactive element, with lighting that can respond to touch, vibration, music, or movement. It sounds futuristic—and worth seeing in person.
Experience the Lifestyle: Superyacht Village and Las Olas
Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South is where FLIBS leans hard into the fantasy. The show specifically highlights the latest tenders and water toys, along with exotic vehicles and the world’s largest and most luxurious vessels.
This is the section for the “I didn’t know they made that for yachts” discoveries.
Want to explore underwater without putting on scuba gear? Or fly above the water on an electric board? If you remember the AquaZone from previous years, this is an area to see how far the definition of a “boat toy” has evolved. The concept has offered a hands-on way to experience SEABOB underwater scooters, electric boards and hydrofoils from brands such as Awake, Fliteboard and Lift, Seakart and JetSurf watercraft, and AquaBanas floating platforms. Even if you can’t justify buying one, watching somebody else demonstrate it is still pretty entertaining.
For 2026, Las Olas Marina adds another dose of lifestyle to the show. FLIBS will take a popular land-based pastime and put it on the water, introducing a floating pickleball court, complete with a tournament for yacht crew.
And that’s the beauty of FLIBS. You can walk in without intending to buy a boat and still walk out with a new piece of gear, a new idea for your boat, a new favorite water toy, or having played a game of pickleball floating next to multimillion-dollar yachts.
FLIBS runs October 28 to November 1, 2026. Go to flibs.com for tickets, maps, exhibitor information, and additional product and show announcements.
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