The Newport International Boat Show, marking the start of the big show season on the East Coast, starts on Thursday, Sept. 15, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 18. One of the largest and most important shows in the United States, the Newport show covers 14 acres in historic Newport, Rhode Island, centered around the Newport Yachting Center downtown.
The Newport show has always been one of my favorites, because almost all of the news boats are there, and then, well, because it’s in Newport, one of the iconic boating destinations in the world. This year the show, the 51st annual, will have hundreds of new power and sail boats in the water and on land, as well as displays for marine engines, electronics and accessories.
The new cruising boats include the Sabre 43 Salon Express, the 46-foot MJM 4, the Hinckley Picnic Boat 40 S with SilentJet Technology, the Nordhavn 41, and the Hood 35 by Lyman-Morse. But the docks will be full of others from most of the leading manufacturers here and overseas.
There are educational seminars and on-the-water courses throughout the show. The Freedom Boat Club and the Narragansett Sailing School will offer courses on basic docking, intermediate cruising and a few courses for women only.
If you get tired of walking the docks, you can relax in the Bohlin Tent at the end of Commercial Wharf and enjoy some music or a drink. On Sunday, you can see a fleet of 12 Meter Yachts parade through the harbor at 10 a.m. before the start of their North American Championship races.
The show will have limited box offices on site; the organizers urge you to buy tickets on line in advance. Thursday is a preview day when tickets cost $40. Friday through Sunday they are $28. Tickets for children under 12 are free all four days. The hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For parking, you can buy a $40 pass on line for space at Easton’s Beach in Newport. Free shuttle buses run to and from the show, 1.5 miles away, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You also can take an express Jamestown/Newport ferry to the show, or the Seastreak ferry from Providence or Bristol. The ferries drop off at Perrotti Park, a short walk to the show. Read more:
