The 40th annual Fort Myers Boat Show has come and gone. Boaters who attended were greeted with a huge assortment of boats and all sorts of gear for on-the-water fun, but there was one thing that they didn’t see much of — the so-called “distress sale” merchandise that has been prevalent at such expositions for the past several years.

Although the economy may not have rebounded as much as we’d like, there’s no denying that it’s better than it has been in recent years. That’s been a good thing for the boating industry. Selling luxury items is tough enough without a dragging economy keeping people’s wallets closed.