Americans, sensing a Republican victory in the US mid-term elections, were looking to spend their money at the prestigious Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, according to Chris Allix, founding director of Douglas-based Dominion Marine. “It was a truly vibrant show after a somewhat downbeat atmosphere at the last two shows when visitors looked decidedly depressed but the brokers this year definitely had a spring in their step,” said Mr Allix, who has attended what is the biggest boat show in the US for the past 20 years. There were, he added, strong indications of offers being made on boats at the Show where Cakewalk, the largest yacht ever built in the US at more than 90m, was moored in the harbour. “What came across was a definite air of confidence on what was virtually the eve of the US primary elections which saw the Republicans gain control of the House of Representatives and the Democrats only just holding on to their majority in the Senate,” he added. “While the Americans primarily use the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and more recently the Marshall Islands for registrations, the Isle of Man is another jurisdiction increasingly on their radar if yachts are going to be in Europe, particularly on charter, so I had a number of positive discussions.” ENDS