The Boat Show!

The Annapolis Boat Show is quite a big deal. The literature claims that it is the largest and oldest boat show. The entire inner harbor of Annapolis is filled with floating docks. The boats that are tied to the docks are so close together it is hard to imagine how they maneuver them in and out. I have heard it is quite a sight to see how they assemble and disassemble it.

Pictures don't do it justice.

View from the water taxi after closing

 

In addition to wall-to-wall boats that have several tents full of vendors. It can be quite overwhelming.

We have been attending the boat show most years for the past eight years. Early on we went because we happened to be in town visiting our daughter in college. We bought a few odds and ends, like a soft-sided cooler one year and an electric gadget to help us with our starts in races another year. Last year we were shopping for our cruising boat.

This year we returned to look at some items we may want to add to Breeze On if we take her to the Bahamas. (My dream.) We talked to some vendors about solar panels and wind generators. We also talked to vendors about composting heads. (Send me a comment if you would like to know more :-). George had a few of his questions answered about the navigation system. It was easier to get information about products and have questions answered when we could actually see the products and speak to someone face-to-face about them. We bought only a few things; a couple of nice, sharp knives to use on the boat, some Kanberra gel and and this cool little solar light that I am hoping we can use at the dinner table tonight.

Charging the solar light

Now that we have Breeze On I really don't have much interest in looking at other boats. We did spend a little bit of time checking a few out anyway. We looked at an Amel just out of curiosity. It was 55 feet long and a mere 1.4 million dollars. It had real glass windshields (or something very much like real glass) and the interior was like a fancy Manhattan apartment.

 

We saw a 90 foot catamaran. Ninety feet long!!! It was humongous!!

 

We looked at this year's version of the Hanse 415 which is very much like ours. We also looked at the Hanse 575 which has a garage in the stern into which you can pull your dinghy! What a hoot!

There were a few added treats for us in this year's boat show. We went with friends, Dawn and Ray, the first day. I also was able to meet up with some women from the wonderful Women Who Sail FaceBook group. I so enjoy talking with other women who enjoy sailing as much as I do. On the second day we met with other Hanse owners at a Hanse owners cocktail party. We also met some very nice couples who belong to the Sailing Happily Ever After FaceBook group.

Our two days there were exhausting but educational and fun.

 

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