Interboot 2026: How Watersports Want to Attract New Target Groups
Watersports are fascinating to many, but not necessarily easily accessible. Initial costs, berth allocations, licensing issues, and lack of experience can be particularly daunting for newcomers. At the same time, the industry is undergoing technological changes: electric propulsion is becoming more significant, existing boats are being used longer and upgraded in an environmentally friendly manner. Interboot 2026 will address both of these developments. From September 23 to 27, the watersports fair in Friedrichshafen aims to show how entry can be made easier and the use of boats more sustainable.
In eight halls, on the trade fair lake and in the Interboot harbor, the range extends from sailing and motorboats to electric drive concepts to fun sports, diving, and maritime travel offers. One day after the start of Interboot, the diving fair InterDive opens, which can be visited with the same ticket from September 24 to 27.
Making the entry into owning a boat easier
A focus is again on the special show "My First Boat", which is implemented together with float Magazine and expanded after its premiere last year. In Hall B3, sailing and motorboats are displayed, specifically targeting people who are considering getting into boating for the first time. It's not just about the boat itself. Financing, insurance, licenses, and moorings are among the questions that are often just as important as length, motorization, or equipment before making a purchase decision. Specialist lectures, personal advice, and guided tours aim to provide orientation and reduce barriers. Behind the concept is a fundamental challenge of the industry: to reach new target groups, one must not only present attractive products but also make the entry more understandable. Especially with complex leisure offerings, consulting can thus become an important part of market development.
Electric Drives Reach the Leisure Market
With a new E-Boat Area, Interboot is bringing electric and alternative drive technologies into greater focus. In Hall B2, exhibitors showcase boats with electric propulsion and other solutions for lower-emission mobility on water. This marks a development reaching watersports that has already transformed other mobility sectors. Electrification promises quieter drives and reduced local emissions. Range, charging infrastructure, acquisition costs, and suitable usage scenarios remain open questions for buyers. For the industry, therefore, it may be less crucial whether electric boats fundamentally work. More interesting is which segments they can economically and practically dominate. An exhibition offers the advantage of making different concepts directly comparable.
Value Retention Becomes Part of the Sustainability Strategy
Sustainability doesn't just start with the propulsion. Prolonging the use of existing boats can also save resources. Precisely this is the focus of the new Refit Center in Hall A4. Here, exhibitors show how existing boats can be maintained, repaired, and modernized. The range extends from polishing work to the repair of teak decks. Workshops and expert tips complement the offerings. This makes a sector gain visibility that often appears less spectacular economically than a new purchase, but is immediately relevant for owners. Maintenance and modernization can preserve the value of a boat, extend its usage duration, and delay investments. Refit thus becomes not only a technical question but also one of business economics and resource management.
Watersports Should Not Only Be Exhibited but Also Tried Out
Simultaneously, Interboot is focusing heavily on participatory formats. The standing wave returns to the Fun Sport Hall A5, complemented by skimboarding offers. At the exhibition lake, demonstrations by DLRG rescue dogs and JetSurf are planned. The Interboot harbor emphasizes direct access to watersports, where visitors can try out various offerings during test drives, including the DSV Sailing Days. This experiential character is more than just a side program. Especially for sports that may appear technical or expensive to outsiders, practical experience can be crucial. Anyone who tries a boat, board or other watersports equipment themselves gains a different perspective than just visiting a booth.
From Cordless Drills to Canoe Drives
That technical competition can also work in a playful manner is demonstrated by a new format in Hall A4. For the first time, teams from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will compete against each other with self-developed canoes, whose propulsion is based on cordless drills. After development and construction, the constructions are tested on the fair's lake. The format combines craftsmanship and technical knowledge with competition and fostering young talent. At the same time, it sharply illustrates what is at stake in many areas of the industry: rethinking propulsion concepts, testing solutions practically, and making technology tangible.
The Water Sports Fair is Expanding
Besides the new formats, traditional areas remain part of the Interboot. The Swiss Boatbuilders Association is once again present and will host the "Swiss Day" on September 24th. Hall A3 focuses on sailing, complemented by a maritime travel market as well as charter and cruise consulting. Recreational vehicles and towing vehicles continue to be part of the offer. In Hall B4, a trailer driving training is planned again. There will also be presentations of the Ocean Film Tour and the concurrently held InterDive, which offers around diving. Thus, Interboot 2026 shows an industry that is developing in several directions simultaneously. New drives and resource-conserving refits are changing the technical side of water sports. At the same time, the industry is trying to lower barriers to entry and reach new target groups through consulting and practical experiences. For water sports, this connection is likely to become crucial: innovation alone does not create new customers. It must be understandable, accessible, and ideally directly tangible.