The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), North America’s premier technical trade event for the recreational marine industry announced today that registration for visitors is now open for this year’s Show, set to take place at the Tampa Convention Center, October 7-9, 2025.
IBEX 2025 is set to feature over 700 exhibitors on display across three floors of exhibition space, of which more than 50 are new exhibiting companies, and welcome an anticipated total attendance of 8,000 industry professionals, including boat builders, manufacturers, naval architects, distributors, wholesalers and many more. This year’s Show theme, Fast Forward, reflects the pace of innovation currently shaping the marine industry, from advanced electronics and smarter build technologies to next-gen propulsion and sustainable materials.
“In an industry undergoing rapid change and an uncertain future, IBEX is where we come together to navigate what’s next. Boatbuilding is a decentralized, resilient, and remarkably inventive community – and IBEX is the one place each year where those innovations, challenges, and ideas take center stage,” said Mary Velline, IBEX Show Director. “It’s where builders connect, learn, and push each other forward. The show floor is packed with new technologies, the seminars offer critical insights, and the conversations you have will shape the year ahead. IBEX is where momentum is built – and where we go Fast Forward, together.”
Many of the industry’s favourite displays and events will return to IBEX this year, including the always sold-out IBEX Industry Breakfast, the Tech Talk Theater, a Start-Up Pitching Competition, the Start-Up Pavilion in an all-new location on the first-floor exhibit hall, the popular Opening Night Party and Mid-Show Mixer at the Sail Pavilion, and much more. The full schedule of events can be reviewed here.
IBEX 2025’s seminar program offers forward-thinking content for today’s boatbuilders. Highlights include “AI Afloat,” exploring practical applications of AI with experts from Hefring Marine, Tocaro Blue, and MIT; “Winning the Next Generation of Boaters,” featuring leaders from Freedom Boat Club, Lund Boats, and Tiara Yachts; and “The Perils of Paint: Creating Consistency in Yacht Coatings” with experts from Peake Coating and Front Street Shipyard. In “Good Ideas Gone Bad,” DLBA’s Chris Swanhart examines design missteps and their impact on performance. Plus, ABYC’s E-11 Update unpacks major 2025 changes to electrical system standards – critical insight for engineers and installers alike.
Visitors and accredited press can click here for registration. For exhibitors looking to add booth staff, click here for exhibitor registration. Due to high demand and early bookings, show management strongly recommends securing hotel reservations soon by clicking here. To begin planning for IBEX 2025, visitors can review the exhibitor list, floor plans, schedule of events and more by visiting the website here. The Education Conference will include Monday Pre-Conference sessions, Tech Talk workshops on the show floor, the technical Seminar Series and the returning IBEX Main Stage lineup of sessions.
To learn about the products, services, and companies that are driving the future of marine industry technology, click here to visit IBEX 365.
