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The 2014 Birmingham Boat Show begins Thursday at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. Joe Songer/jsonger@al.com). It has been 43 years since the Birmingham Boat Show became the first event held in the then-new Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. Show promoter Bob Coffen, Jr. says he has witnessed a lot of changes not only to the boating industry but to the BJCC itself over those four decades."My dad started the show when my brother and I were young," the Texas native said. "I remember running around here, and there wasn't much here. "The first boat show we had was in the North Hall. There weren't any East or South Halls. There weren't any parking decks."Coffen, who lives in Texas, says it has been a memorable ride."I guess we've about seen it all through the years," Coffen said of his much-anticipated annual show. "We've survived the oil embargo in the 1970s, we've had ice storms that shut the entire show down, we've had the high gas prices and we've had years when the economy was way down."We survived it all and we're still kicking. There are boat dealers that have survived that, and they are still strong."The 2014 Birmingham Boat Show begins Thursday at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. Joe Songer/jsonger@al.com). The Birmingham Boat Show is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Foremost, it serves as a showcase for boat dealers and their new products. The show is their first real opportunity to sell their product after a long, slow winter.They offer special boat-show deals and special boat-show financing to prod potential customers.For many show visitors, the hundreds of sparkling boats inside the cozy confines of the BJCC serve as a reminder of summers at the lake and a promise that brutal winter temperatures aren't going to last forever. Families gather to ponder the feasibility of a pontoon or ski boat while many dads eye the fishing boats.For fishermen it is the first real opportunity to get reacquainted with fishing buddies and announce upcoming fishing tournaments and tell fishing stories.Coffen says after 43 years it is a constant struggle to keep something new and fresh to attract the crowds."We think we've really hit on something that's going to be big this year," he said. "We're going to focus on two lakes -- Smith Lake and Lake Logan Martin. "Organizations from Smith Lake and the Chamber of Commerce from Lake Logan Martin will be on hand to talk to everyone about their lakes about what is available on those lakes. There will be fishing guides that will be there to talk about fishing on those lakes."We believe that's going to be big hit. We hope to expand that to a lot of other lakes next year."Other new features this year include the Humminbird traveling show, during which technicians from the Eufaula-based electronic manufacturer that will give hands-on instruction on electronic fish-finding units. Lucas Oil will also bring its traveling road show with technicians to answer any visitor's outboard oil questions.A lot of boat-show visitors expect to see the exhibits that have been there for years. The trout pond that offers fishing for kids returns, as does the Oklahoma Bass Tub, a huge aquarium that allows demonstrations of fishing techniques in the presence of live fish.Giveaways are a big draw, too. The first 500 visitors on Thursday night will get free lures, and the first 500 visitors on Saturday will receive a free hat and a coupon for a free hot dog at the concession stand.One lucky visitors during the show will win a 2014 Yamaha Wave Runner.Mike Bolton is editor of Alabama Outdoor News. He may be reached at aloutdoors@aol.com.