It's boat show time again, and your thoughts may be turning to the coming spring and summer. Whether you imagine yourself on the water going after your favorite gamefish or enjoying a day of waterskiing with the family, your local boat show is likely to have just what you are looking for. With all those boats and motors to choose from at the show, it pays to do your homework ahead of time so you will know exactly what you want.

"Boat shows are a great place to shop for a new boat because of the sheer number of products on display, and the more prepared you are the more successful and fun the show will be," said Dave Bolton, marketing division manager for Yamaha Marine. "The Internet has made it possible for consumers to go on-line before heading out to the show to find manufacturers and dealers who provide what they want. Consumers can then narrow down their plan of attack for the show and spend their time checking out the boats and dealers that interest them.

"More and more dealers and manufacturers are offering websites showing the brands they carry and describing their dealership and its services. Manufacturers of boats and motors, as well as many accessory makers, have a presence on the web making it easy for interested consumers to quickly and easily find what they are looking for before heading to the boat show."

Yamaha Outboards and boat companies offering Yamaha-powered boats are online with lots of product information. In addition, the websites have a dealer search function to aid in locating a dealer close to you. To visit the Yamaha Outboard site and those of boat companies offering Yamaha-powered packages, point your web browser at http://www.yamaha-motor.com.

Here are some links to additional manufacturers...