Show time: Boat shows bring local business boom

As soon as the sailboat show ends on Monday, hundreds of powerboats will cruise into town.

The 34th annual U.S. Powerboat Show will be held Oct. 13-16 at the City Dock and harbor. The show features the wide world of powerboats, from luxurious motoryachts and trawlers to high-speed, high performance boats and offshore fishing machines, plus cruisers, center consoles and tenders.

The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday (VIP day), from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 14-15 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 16.Tickets are $16 adults and $8 for children (age 12 and under).

Parking will be at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium off Rowe Boulevard, except on Oct. 15, when parking will be in several lots on Riva Road. The fee is $10. Free shuttles will take you to and from the show.For more information, call 410-268-8828..

Annapolis will be inundated with about 100,000 strangers this week and next.But that’s a good thing for our maritime capital, particularly for downtown merchants.

The city will be bulging at the seams beginning with the U.S. Sailboat Show this weekend and ending with the closing of the U.S. Powerboat Show on Oct. 16. Crowds in excess of 50,000 per show are expected to attend, and that doesn’t include hundreds of exhibitors, the staff and the volunteers. that are the nucleus of the Boat Shows.

“The boat manufacturers tend to spend lots of money on parties while they’re in town,” said Rick Franke, publicist for the Annapolis Boat Shows.

“Generally, sailboaters come from old money and tend to count their pennies more, while many powerboaters are from new money and tend to spend more freely,” he said. “There are a lot of social activities after the shows where big money is spent.”

Spend is the key word here. Most downtown merchants view these two weeks as a most lucrative moneymaking opportunity.

In with the new:

Featured boats you haven’t seen

More than 200 boats will be on display at the sailboat show this weekend and here are just a few of the new boats that will be featured:

1. Fountaine Pajot: The No. 1 large cruising catamaran builder in the world will unveil its flagship. He modestly claims, “She will be the star of Annapolis Sailboat Show.” Eric Smith, president of Bay yacht Agency, told us that she’s ready for sea trial demos. Priced at $1.2 million, she is ready for delivery.

2. The 65-foot Kanter/Paine Pilothouse Sloop shook out in a 2,200 mile sea trial before coming to Annapolis. Head designer Mark Fitzgerald proudly reports: “We’ve achieved our mission statement to build a sailboat with high performance sailing characteristics while providing room and live-ability of a trawler. She is not a motorsailer, but a new generation of high performance world cruising yacht.”

Her $1.8 million base price represents good Maine design and equally fine Canadian build. See Annie Lannigan at Dock I to arrange a sea trial.

3. 523 Beneteau Sloop makes her U.S. debut at Annapolis and joins the complete range of Beneteau sailing yachts. This is the first boat show that Beneteau has featured every sailboat they build and market. Beneteau proudly claims: “523 sailing performance, reliability, cruising range, and live-aboard accommodation are its criteria to make an offshore cruiser. She has all the right things.”

The show unit at $402,000 is available. See the full range at Beneteau boat show dock or post show at Annapolis Yacht Sales. Call 410-267-8181, Ext. 217.

4. The 42-foot Bruckmann Daysailer. Designed by Doug Zurn, this classic sloop will appeal to devotees of a traditional and lively performance. Bruckman Daysailer is characterized by a low, short coach roof, large cockpit, an uncluttered deck and an aggressive sail plan. An 890-square-foot sail area delivers responsive performance. She will be alongside Dock I. For post-show demos, contact Wendy@BruckmannYachts.com, or call 908-855-1117.

5. The Hunter 41 DS comes from the drawing boards and out of the factory of Hunter Marine. With a particularly state-of-the-art factory in Alachua, Fla., Hunter is probably the largest U.S. production sailboat builder. DS (deck-saloon) is raised deck that delivers 6 feet, 10 inches of headroom along with large elevated port and deadlights.

With two or three cabin layouts and all amenities, the $196,000 price helps explain Hunter’s continual sales.

6. The Hallberg Rassy 37 is a rugged Swede. In a new 37-foot configuration, she follows the 600 Hallberg Rassy 36, which has cruised world wide. Designed by German Frers, the 37 continues the center cockpit and hard windscreen tradition.

With Scandinavian foresight, the companionway after hull-deck was joined for later removal. Moderately priced at $300,000, the HR 37 is a value-priced world sailor. Climb aboard at Dock H2. Annapolis dealer, Tidewater Marine, is available dockside or at 410-269 1343.

7. Elan 35-foot Trimaran. Her builder proffers his boat “for those who like 20 knots in comfortable flat and dry single-handed sailing with 6-foot-4 cabin headroom.” Two stateroom areas, a spacious main salon, galley and head appear to be ample room. Swing-wing system facilitates trailering and fitting into standard slip. The 20-knot speed attracts powerboaters. Multi Winds trimarans and their builder are available at Dock H. The $185,000 price value comes with the builder’s 15-year experience. Additional details at 410-849-3316.

8. Charlevoix Sharpie 40. Sharpie Class tradition prevailed in conceiving and building Charlevoix Sharpie 40. The builder’s photo shows a regional original wood planked, racing-cruising class, now WEST system epoxy covered. The interior is traditional. Specs indicate stoutness and strength. She’s ketch rigged, 40 feet by 8 feet with a 2 foot shoal draft. The hull is arc-bottomed. Displacement of 8,000 pounds is pushed by a 10 horsepower Yanmar sail drive. Builder describes cruising comfort for four. Price range: $ 85,000. See her at Dock H3. Builder, Lakeland Boat Works, is at 269-795-9441. E-mail Lakelandboat@core.com.

Sailboat Show odds & ends

Boats, of course, are the show’s major attention grabber. But there is much more to the U.S. Sailboat Show.

Roam along with me to some events in and out of the show, people, advice, traditions and food that make Annapolis the “world’s best boat show town.”

EAT AT THE FLEET: The Fleet Reserve Club is a good place to chow down. See the million-dollar view from the Bridge Deck. Food and libations are on each day after show closing. Try the upper deck food court and raw bar. During both the Sailboat Show and Powerboat Show, Fleet Reserve pit beef and crab cake sandwiches are it. Each day Fleet Reserve workers prepare and sell 1,300 pounds of beef, and throughout each show the Fleet staff makes its crab cakes using almost a half-ton of crabmeat.

BOATING SHOES: Stop at Tent A57 and get comfortably shod by the experts. Having displayed since the first show, Snyder’s Bootery are truly plank owners. Experts in Sebago, Sperry Topsider and Rockport, Cindy and Biz Snyder have 1,700 pair at hand and will send you along in comfort.PREPARE TO BOARD: On many boats, you won’t need boating shoes to board — you will be boarding shoeless, so be ready.

NEAT BOATING ART: Willard Bond is at Tent A13 and Annapolis Marine Art Gallery on Dock Street nearby. Mr. Bond’s sailing scenes are dramatically large sailboats racing with a punch. We have lived warmly with several for more than 40 years. After show hours stop at the shop, 110 Dock St., meet Jeff Schaub and ask him about the new John Barber editions.

SAILBOAT SHOW MORPHS TO POWERBOAT SHOW: See unbelievable choreography as the 36th Sailboat Show disassembles and almost instantly reassembles as the 34th Powerboat Show. Before 5 p.m. on Monday, go to the upper level of the Marriott or the Fleet Reserve’s Bridge Deck. At exactly 5 p.m. the show speaker system announces closing along with a signal for skippers to “start your engines.” Teams rapidly break open the various basins so that each boat in turn can exit. First chore is to clean out Ego Alley. Nothing stops until all sailboats afloat have shoved off and all incoming powerboats are in their assigned berths. Hundreds of booths and tents likewise exit and are also replaced for the powerboat show.

WATER TAXIS: A too well-kept secret are Annapolis’ water taxis. They are a great way to have a mini boat tour. Get on the taxi that goes back and forth to Back Creek, or special boat show cruises on Miss Anne. Take a ride around; you’ll be relaxed and pleased. Fares and schedules vary. During the boat shows, operating hours are 8 a.m. to midnight. If in doubt, double check. Boat show taxi loading dock is at Yacht Basin, next to Annapolis Yacht Club. See sign on Compromise Street. Taxis monitor VHF channel 68 or call 410-263-0033 or 410-268-7601, Ext. 100.

ART ON CHARTS: Picture of your boat painted on a favorite cruising chart. Impressionistic style done in acrylics, pastel, or fast drying oil. Artist Julie Gammack is in Tent F23, along the boats on Ego Alley. Details, appointments, call 443-223-0865 or visit www.gammick.com.

SWEETS: For some unbelievable Italian gelato, go through the boat show north gate at Phillips Restaurant. Turn left to Aromi d’Italia. The visual presentation is mouth watering. Try straciatella, my favorite flavor.

FREE BUS RIDES: During the boat shows, anyone wearing a boat show wrist band, an exhibitor badge or holding a ticket can ride Annapolis Transit buses free. For more details, call 410-263-7964 or visit www.annapolis.gov/transport. It’s a great opportunity for visitors or workers to get around and see Annapolis.

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