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A Celebration of Sailing at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show

Date: April 11, 2024

Click here for a pdf of the original press release.

Sunrise at the Spring Sailboat Show
Sunrise at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show | Annapolis Boat Shows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Annapolis, Maryland | April 11, 2024 | Annapolis Boat Shows will be hosting the 2024 Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show April 26-28 at City Dock in Annapolis, MD. The show will be open to the public 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. This year, there are expected to be more than 40 sailboats on display and over 100 total exhibitors. New to the show is the No Wake Zone – a space to house local wine and spirits tastings, live music, and an outdoor-wear fashion show. This year’s show has a renewed emphasis on getting new people into sailing with programming for both kids and adults. The show also serves as a gateway to the US Sailing Capital, with showgrounds only steps away from historic downtown Annapolis. Tickets can be bought for $18 online, $20 at the gate, and $11.25 for service members.

Boats in the Show

Smaller in volume than the fall show, the spring show offers an impressive range of boats. There will be a selection of electric yacht tenders, racing dinghies, daysailers, cruisers, and multihulls with LOAs ranging from 11’ to 60’ (see full list).

A notable outlier is the 157’ Pride of Baltimore II. The recreation 19th century Baltimore clipper may not be available for purchase but, like all the boats featured at the show, attendees are welcome to climb aboard and explore.

Couple Inspects Vessel
Couple Inspects Vessel | Photo by Ben Cushwa

Exhibitors & Entertainment

The 2024 Annapolis Spring Sailboat show will feature over 100 exhibitors – a quarter of which are displaying boats. The remainder offer a wide variety of goods and services that cover every facet of the marine sphere and beyond (see exhibitor list).

No Wake Zone

New to the show this year is the No Wake Zone – an area set aside for attendees to relax while highlighting local brands and artists. The outdoor lounge area has been furnished by Gabby & Summer Classics. Live music will be performed by local musician Sean Owen. Samples of Maryland-made bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, and wine will be offered, and bottles will be available for purchase. On Saturday, fashion shows will be held to showcase active wear from Shanks Golf Apparel and Made Plus shoes (read more).

Attendees Enjoying Drink Tasting
Attendees Enjoying Drink Tasting | Photo by Ben Cushwa

Education & Newcomer-Oriented Programming

Free Seminars

The show’s series of free boating seminars, presented by BoatUS, covers a wide variety of topics relevant to all skill levels. All attendees are welcome to participate in expert-led, 45-minute classes that cover crewing aboard tall ships, docking and dining, point-to-point racing, and more (see full schedule). Below is a selection of seminars:

  • Rules of the Road with Captain Deb Marlor (Friday, 1:15-2 p.m.)
  • Essential Knots and How to Tie Them with Ben & Teresa Carey (Saturday, 10:15-11 a.m.)
  • Line Handling and Safe Docking with Ben & Teresa Carey (Saturday, 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. | Sunday 1:15-2 p.m.)
  • VHF Etiquette on the Water with John Herlig (Saturday, 1:15-2 p.m.)
  • Empowering Women Behind the Wheel with Captain Deb Marlor (Saturday, 3:15-4 p.m.)

First Sail Workshop

Presented by the American Sailing Association, First Sail Workshop is a hands-on class that affords people aged 18 and up the opportunity to establish the foundations of sailing. The workshop is divided into a 45-minute classroom session and a 90-minute, on-water lesson aboard a Beneteau First 22. The class is priced at $65 per person and includes admission to the show and a one-year membership to BoatUS.

Start Sailing Now Reunion

SpinSheet Publishing will be holding a meetup at the Spring Sailboat Show on the morning of Sunday, April 28 for the sailors it has interviewed over the past 10 years as part of SpinSheet’s Start Sailing Now campaign. Start Sailing Now shares the stories of people who started sailing as adults and aims to encourage other adults to take up sailing. Show-goers who are at the show as it opens on Sunday morning are invited to join these sailors (made identifiable by their Start Sailing Now badges) huddled around the SpinSheet booth swapping stories and offering encouragement.

Ben Carey Leads Seminar
Ben Carey Leads Seminar | Photo by Ben Cushwa
First Sail Workshop
First Sail Workshop | Photo by Ben Cushwa

Youth Sailing

Along with a selection of dinghies, the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show has a lot to offer young sailors and their parents. A notable addition to this year’s show is the Rooster sailing gear trailer. There will be a wide variety of sailing apparel available for purchase as well as knowledgeable staff to direct parents as to what gear their child needs and proper fitting. Loaner life jackets will be made available at the show entrances courtesy of BoatUS.

Youth Sailing Panel Discussion

All are invited for a youth sailing panel discussion and Q&A session on Saturday, April 27 at 10:30 a.m. Whether parents have already registered their child for a youth sailing program this season or simply wonder whether such a program would be right for their family, they won’t want to miss the casual and lively panel discussion planned for families who have questions about youth sailing. Moderated by SpinSheet staff, this session will touch on all the essentials that families need to know to get their youngsters sailing. A group of coaches, parents, and recent college sailors will discuss the gear kids need, safety, costs, how kids progress to bigger boats, and more. More generally, panelists will discuss how sailing fosters life skills, problem-solving, and independence. Children are encouraged to attend accompanied by an adult.

Kids Enjoying Spring Sailboat Show
Kids enjoying Spring Sailboat Show | Photo by Ben Cushwa

Sponsors

  • Visit Annapolis
  • BMW
  • LaVictoire Finance

Visit the 2024 Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show Media Assets Library for information, materials, and high-resolution copies of the images included in this press release.

To sign up for media credentials to the 2024 shows visit the ABS Press Center.

Requests and inquiries should be directed to Ryan Gullang: ryan@annapolisboatshows.com

 

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