Annapolis SailBoat show 2007

[Redbull addict]

Hi,

Annapolis Sailboat Show 2007

Any suggestions or words of advice from folks who've been there? My wife and I are flying in from he west coast and only attended the Strictly Sail show at Jack London Square in Oakland previously. We were able to see everything in less than an afternoon, but is the Annapolis show much bigger? We were thinking of going on Sunday and Monday, but if the show can be carefully walked in one day then maybe we would just go on Monday and miss some of the crowds.

Regards,
Tom

[JusDreaming]

it is a very large show, but it all depends on what you are looking for. If you are walking the boats and listening to the sales pitches, or stopping at all the booths and looking at stuff, it will take a couple of days. If you are just walking, looking and not touching , you could do it in a long day!

[bottleinamessage]

Just Dreaming is spot on. Takes us 2 -3 days and we look at very few boats.

[Pblais]

The first VIP day is the best day. The tickets cost a lot more but far fewer people. Sat and Sunday can be huge crowds. It will depend on thw weather. If you get there early enough to wait for the gate to open you'll get a few hours of reasoanbale access to places you may have a high priority seeing. Before lunch time the crowds will be pretty thick. So maybe go early Sunday and scout the things you may want more time with for the next day. The Monday crowd will be less but not a lot less. This is a big show and folks come a long way to see it.

It is set up well you drive to a large area for parking then ake a bus into town and are dropped off at the gate. Since it's in the hrbaor you have access to all the shops, pubs, and assorted buildings adjacent to the show. There are other things going on as well SSCA will have an all day event of talks and other features going on as well as a lot of vendors and boats. We prefer to do booths in the morning then do baots in the afternoon.

[Sunspot Baby]

Get a hotel reservation NOW. It is already late enough that you may have trouble. Get a hotel with a shuttle to the show, parking in Annapolis is a nightmare.

George

[Vasco]

When we used to go we always stayed in Baltimore where there's a lot more hotel rooms and drove to the shuttle parking spots in the outskirts of Annapolis and took the shuttle in. A lot easier than trying to book a place in Annapolis.

[schoonerdog]

plan accordingly, it's a big show and you can have a hard time trying to find what you want. We're looking at different marine refrigeration units and trying to see if frigaboat is worth literally twice the money of a isotherm. Anyway, go to this site, find out where the exibits are that you are interested in and plan your way around in advance. Otherwise you'll just be going in circles along all of the tents.

United States Sailboat Show Products

[MCathcart]

Ahoy Tom,

Wait, you're going to the Annapolis show from Sunny California? Last year we went to Annapolis and regretted it. If you haven't booked a room, you're late already. The Annapolis show has out grown the area plus lack of motels, lack of parking, terrible traffic and the worst weather... forget it (I'm going to Florida! Booked my room as soon as I got back from Annapolis last year) but it is the largest Sailboat show. On most boat shows, Friday is OK for looking at the boats, Saturday and Sunday hit the tents 'cause herds of people with (wild) kids will be there Saturday and Sunday. I've gone back to look at a boat again on Saturday and couldn't get on (or there was 12 pair of shoes already on the dock).

**What Scoonerdog and Sunspot said is Coooorect!

(Might be my first post here but Hello Denny and Diane. Also Sunspot Baby; New Bern... The Home of Pepsi Cola, great area.)

Come on down to St. Petersburg the first of November, less boats but more fun. (In my opinion.)

Mike

[Pblais]

We were there last year too. It was wet, it was stormy. If you went on VIP day you had a great show. This normally is a great time of the year to come to the show. being from Virginia it pains me to talk up Maryland but it is a special show as Miami isn't held all in one place. if you drive you just use the special parking / shuttle and forget about it. I don't like parking in Annapolis even where there isn't a show. It is a cool boating town though. You just need to watch out for politicians. The capital is very close and they have a habit of begging for money.

[Jentine]

Newport is a much better show a month earlier. I have gone to the Annapolis show for the past six years and will go again this year, but only after Newport. Most of my purchases are at the Newport show. We generally attend the Annapolis show for the uniqueness of the city.

[Jentine]

The wife and I went to the Newport Sailboat show on Friday. What a DUD. Of the six items I was interested in, only two were on display. There were no stoves, no wind generators, and only a couple of watermakers. What a disappointment. I hope the Annapolis show is better or I will have to make the journey to Miami in February. That would be a shame.

[will@polyplanar.com]

Everything mentioned so far is correct. There are more vendors at Annapolis than the others. If you want gear it is the show. The number of boats has dropped over the years and seems full of Catamarans these days. There is a West Marine on Forest Drive that runs a shuttle if you do not like the Navy Stadium . Every day will be crowded. You just have to put up with it. Go early if you have a specific boat to see.

Two days is a good idea. Hotels are hopless at this point. Many of us rent our houses out and stay on the boat for a few days. If you are comming all the way from the Left Coast you should stay a few days. DC is 40 miles and has great sight seeing. Air & Space, Smithonian etc. Just don't visit congress without your hip waders!

[schoonerdog]

I see from the website U.S. Sailboat and Powerboat Shows, Bay Bridge Boat Show, Yacht Show at National Harbor, Maryland, Washington, D.C. that there will be a couple different types of wind generators there.

[vonotto]

My son and I will go Thursday and Friday. Do they have a two day pass or do I need to buy tickets each day ?? Also we are driving in from Virginia and I wanted to know if there will be plenty of easy to see signs directing me to parking ??

[S/V Antares]

Vonotto, If comming in from Rt 50 (DC) there are signs directing you to the Navy/Marine Corps Stadium for parking. < 2mi bus ride to show. I am not sure about 2 day tickets. Check the show site.