Annapolis boat show, is it worth it?

[Atcowboy]

Hi all. Not trying to start a troll here...

I'm working my way South and will be in the Chesapeake soon. Most of my adventuring is nature centric. So while my friends might say a place was nice because of the cute little shops, I'll tell you about the crick I jammed my dinghy up until it would no longer fit or the beach my dogs and I beached on. I don't hate crowds, but I don't seek them out.

So too someone who has been to the boat show">Annapolis boat show, would I enjoy it? Is it dog friendly, ie will I be able to use a bathroom and get food with dogs in tow? Is it just a big vendor circle $#@& of no substance?

I need to weigh if I want to be this far north the middle of October - I think it will mean slowing down to be there. Though I would love to meet the crew of Atticus :-)

- AT

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

... Is it dog friendly, ie will I be able to use a bathroom and get food with dogs in tow? ...

Typically only service dogs. Not dog friendly crowded, no wear to the walk them, and just not a place for them.


I enjoy it, but largely because I write.



There is a lot to look at. Always a few rigging, cabin, or gear ideas, even if you are not buying anything. It's fun and worthwhile if you are in the area. Bear in mind, you will not be able to anchor anywhere nearby unless you get there quite early.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

Hi all. Not trying to start a troll here...

I'm working my way South and will be in the Chesapeake soon. Most of my adventuring is nature centric. So while my friends might say a place was nice because of the cute little shops, I'll tell you about the crick I jammed my dinghy up until it would no longer fit or the beach my dogs and I beached on. I don't hate crowds, but I don't seek them out.

So too someone who has been to the Annapolis boat show, would I enjoy it? Is it dog friendly, ie will I be able to use a bathroom and get food with dogs in tow? Is it just a big vendor circle $#@& of no substance?

I need to weigh if I want to be this far north the middle of October - I think it will mean slowing down to be there. Though I would love to meet the crew of Atticus :-)

- AT

I live in Annapolis and go to the boat show most years and enjoy it. I only know you from what you just posted, but it sounds like it wouldn't be your cup of tea. Definitely wouldn't be able to bring your dogs, if it's a nice day it's pretty thronged with people, many of whom are just there for the spectacle, there are often long waits or even reservations required to go on boats, and as mentioned if you don't have a slip reserved already you're not going to be able to get one, or probably a decent anchorage anywhere nearby.

There is a spring boat show that I think would be much more your speed, if you happen to be passing by in the spring. If you do decide to go to the fall show, I think you would be best off to recharactarize it in your mind as a major trade show like the CES of boats where you can see pretty much anything under the sun sailboat related and talk to anyone in any niche of the industry, but to get that you have to put up with crowds and portapots and the like. And Annapolis is a charming town, highly recommend a stop after the power boat show has packed up if you haven't visited us already.

[Muaddib1116]

The only time I've been to a real boat show was just recently at the Newport show. If the Annapolis show is anything similar, there's only really two reasons to go, in my opinion. One is to get on the boats there, and the other is if you have a specific goal in mind, like going to a particular vendor to get a deal on something. Newport didn't allow dogs, and even if they did, it would have been a bad choice to bring mine. It was very crowded. There was an unaffiliated brokerage show at a different boat yard, that I actually sort of enjoyed more. It was nice to get on board some boats that were actually for sale to see what's out there.

[Atcowboy]

So I actually staged for my passage across the NJ-NY bight the weekend of the boat show. My buddy boat wanted to go to the show, so I gave them pointers since they weren't from the area. I chose to stage out of Dutch harbor /Jamestown to avoid the mess. A weekend or two before I anchored in Newport and it was just a rolley nightmare I did not like. The empty northern shore of Dutch harbor was much much nicer.

I feel like as much as I'd like a chance to meet Atticus, even the presentation they're giving on boat buying isn't something I am super interested in...

- AT

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

So too someone who has been to the Annapolis boat show, would I enjoy it? Is it dog friendly, ie will I be able to use a bathroom and get food with dogs in tow? Is it just a big vendor circle $#@& of no substance?

Lots of boats, lots of venders, you might or might not enjoy that part.

Originally Posted by thinwater

Typically only service dogs. Not dog friendly crowded, no wear to the walk them, and just not a place for them.

This^^

Only service dogs allowed, way WAY too crowded to walk a dog in the scrum anyway, no way to temporarily ground a dog while you shop on something (a boat, a doo-dad, whatever)...

OTOH, away from the docks/show grounds Annapolis is a decent enough place for paws.

-Chris

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

The only time I've been to a real boat show was just recently at the Newport show.

I just noticed your user name. I loved dune, must have read the book thrice by now. The sci-fi mini series was pretty great also.

- AT

[Mlp48]

I have gone in many many years and alone or with both cruising and racing friends. I'd say its in my blood as I have worked in booths and representing products that I learned about very much on-the-spot. I've worked in several other capacities including "sweeper-upper". I go excitedly as I am interested in all kinds of coatings and equipment as I have maintained and managed boats. I also might go to see what's new and what the latest pitches are, and how problems may be solved. It is VERY good for the latter and more effective than phoning or emailing ! it's often the small and overlooked booth that has the most interesting wares.

The last day of the Sailboat Show used to be Columbus Day and a Monday and I'd go with the expectation that vendors did not want to carry their goods home as I, as an exhibitor, had. We preferred to leave empty handed but for orders ! So there'd be "deals", and there often very much were. The crowds were much thinner that day until late or when there's the "great disbanding" and a lot of convivial hoopla. No part of the Show is a good for animals, children, or the socially anxious ! If you must go, find an anchorage, mooring or slip to the north or south of the Severn and Uber in. Also arrange for a dog sitter or groomer and let them see another space too !

[Rohan]

I think the boat show is fantastic. It's one of the few times you can go aboard other boats and compare the sizes and layouts. Even if you already have a boat and aren't interested in buying another one you can spend all day just browsing the vendors and looking at equipment and clothing, etc.

I believe this is the first one since covid so I don't know how crowded it will be. I assume everyone will have to wear masks. But either way, it's not going to be dog friendly.

[TBW]

Go first thing Thursday; will help with crowds a little.
Puppies are a non starter.
As mentioned, for some, a fun time just wandering around.
Or, see a specific vendor or two - or boat.
TW

[Muaddib1116]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

I just noticed your user name. I loved dune, must have read the book thrice by now. The sci-fi mini series was pretty great also.

- AT

Thanks! My boat's name is Caladan. I wasn't a huge fan of the scifi series, I think it suffered for the low production quality. I'm a big fan of the David Lynch movie, despite it's departures from the book. I am cautiously optimistic for this new movie.


As far as the show, I think my biggest problem was the crowds. A fair bit of why I like sailing is getting away from people, and dealing with all the people at the show wasn't my idea of fun. If there's a time or day you can go where it's more empty, and when you might get good deals on show equipment, then that sounds pretty appealing. I would advise seeing if there's going to be a brokerage show somewhere nearby. I think getting on boats that have actually been used is pretty interesting.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Thanks! My boat's name is Caladan. I wasn't a huge fan of the scifi series, I think it suffered for the low production quality. I'm a big fan of the David Lynch movie, despite it's departures from the book. I am cautiously optimistic for this new movie.


As far as the show, I think my biggest problem was the crowds. A fair bit of why I like sailing is getting away from people, and dealing with all the people at the show wasn't my idea of fun. If there's a time or day you can go where it's more empty, and when you might get good deals on show equipment, then that sounds pretty appealing. I would advise seeing if there's going to be a brokerage show somewhere nearby. I think getting on boats that have actually been used is pretty interesting.

Funny, I don't remember the production value of the sci-fi series being that bad... But this is long ago also.. I think I remember liking it because of its faithfulness to the book.

I think with the input I've gotten about the show I'm going to keep happily trucking along. I don't make many miles a day, but hopefully I'll be further south than that when the time comes.

Did you know there is a crick at the back side of Chesapeake City anchorage basin my dinghy fits in? Getting under the bridge at full ebb took almost full throttle - lots of fun!

- AT

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Thanks! My boat's name is Caladan. I wasn't a huge fan of the scifi series, I think it suffered for the low production quality. I'm a big fan of the David Lynch movie, despite it's departures from the book. I am cautiously optimistic for this new movie.


As far as the show, I think my biggest problem was the crowds. A fair bit of why I like sailing is getting away from people, and dealing with all the people at the show wasn't my idea of fun. If there's a time or day you can go where it's more empty, and when you might get good deals on show equipment, then that sounds pretty appealing. I would advise seeing if there's going to be a brokerage show somewhere nearby. I think getting on boats that have actually been used is pretty interesting.

They've had a brokerage show in conjunction with the boat show in past years back behind St. Mary's, but I think they ditched that the last year they had the boat show before Covid and not sure if it's coming back. It only had about a dozen boats the year I went and certainly wouldn't be worth coming to Annapolis during boat show week just for that. Plus I think you had to pay the full boat show fee to get in.

[NPCampbell]

i've gone several times and I'll be there this weekend. I'm not close to buying my dreamboat but it lets me drool and stay abreast of new technologies. I'm a geek so that appeals to me. I will say, many vendors offer discounts that you won't see outside of the major boat shows. I loaded up on electronics two years ago and the discounts were more than my airfare and hotel stay.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Thanks! My boat's name is Caladan. I wasn't a huge fan of the scifi series, I think it suffered for the low production quality. I'm a big fan of the David Lynch movie, despite it's departures from the book. I am cautiously optimistic for this new movie.


As far as the show, I think my biggest problem was the crowds. A fair bit of why I like sailing is getting away from people, and dealing with all the people at the show wasn't my idea of fun. If there's a time or day you can go where it's more empty, and when you might get good deals on show equipment, then that sounds pretty appealing. I would advise seeing if there's going to be a brokerage show somewhere nearby. I think getting on boats that have actually been used is pretty interesting.

The Lynch movie is great, must have watched it dozens of times. Not a big fan of reading sci-fi books but the movies have had me hooked since the hilariously campy black and whites in the early sixties.