The increasingly popular United States Powerboat Show will start Thursday, Oct. 5, and run through Sunday, Oct. 8, in Annapolis, the heart of cruising in the Chesapeake and one of the premiere cruising destinations in the world.
The Annapolis show always draws a crowd, for a whole lot of reasons. It’s easy to get to (less than an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C. or Baltimore); it’s easy to see a lot of new boats and gear displayed there, and it’s in Annapolis, with boatyards, marinas, waterfront restaurants and watering holes all around.
And then there’s the U.S. Naval Academy, with grounds next to the show, and historic Annapolis stretching up Main Street to the state capital where the Continental Congress met in 1783 at the end of the Revolution.
The show is centered around City Dock (“Ego Alley”) in the middle of town, and it will have about 300 new boats on land and floating docks, everything from kayaks to large motoryachts and long-range cruising boats. Burr Yacht Sales will have the latest Flemings. Sabre and Back Cove, and the GB Marine Group will be there and they’re easy to find; they’re basically next to each other over by the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel. MJM is just down the dock. Beneteau always has a big display of its fleet, including its popular Swift Trawlers.
Pocket Yacht will be showing new Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats, as well as the new Solara S-310 SC that just won two prizes at the Newport show. For larger yachts, Krogen will be displaying a new 52, Nordhavn a 60, and Outer Reef a 610.
In addition to new boats, the show has tents of displays of everything from new electronics to knife sharpeners. During the show, BoatU.S. will hold on-water classes for people 18 and older; topics include Intro to Boating, Precision Docking, and Open Water Boat Handling.
The show is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $25 if you buy them online, or $30 at the gate. Children 7 to 15 are $10; children 6 and under are free. Sunday is military personnel day, when tickets cost $20 at the gate with valid ID.
If you want to get away from the crowds, you can sign up for the VIP Experience, which includes entry to a VIP Lounge (for people 21 and older) that starts serving Bloody Marys and Mimosas at 10 a.m. and a full bar at noon. It also has catered breakfasts and lunches and afternoon appetizers. Cost: $250 a person.
For me, the Annapolis show is great place to see new boats and accessories and to take in some crab cakes at McGarvey’s or the Boatyard. I also try to work in my annual breakfast at Chick & Ruth’s Delly on Main Street just a few blocks up from the show, where everyone stands up and recites the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:30 a.m.
