Seminars and Special Events
Take the Wheel Interactive Workshop
This full-day program combine’s on- and off-the-water instruction geared towards fast-tracking your boating knowledge. $175 per person or $290 for couples.
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Photo by Paul Jacobs[/caption]
First Sail Workshop
Experience the joy of sailing with this hands-on workshop designed for beginning sailors. Participants will learn the basics of sailing in a 45-minute classroom session immediately followed by 90 minutes on the water with SailTime and ASA instructors on the new Beneteau First 22. Workshops will be held four times per day, each day of the show at the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Advanced registration required and includes one-year membership to Boat U.S. and same-day admission to the Boat Show. $75 per person on October 8, VIP Day, or $55 per person Friday through Monday. Click to annapolisboatshows.com and register under the purchase tickets tab.
Chesapeake Bay Magazine/Annapolis School of Seamanship’s Seminars
Free seminars will be held in the Ballroom of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel (formerly the Marriott Waterfront Hotel). Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Topics include Sailboat Rigging, iNavigation, Cruising the ICW, Getting Your Captain’s License, and Boat Buying, among others. Registration for the free seminars will be held in the lobby each day starting at 9 a.m.
There will also be Premium Workshops in the Arnold Room of the AWH, during the same times. Topics include Electronic Navigation and Radar, Diesel Troubleshooting, Docking and Line Handling, ICW Planning, Weather To-Go, and more. Preregistration is required. $99 per person includes one same-day ticket to the Boat Show and a $50 gift certificate to Annapolis School of Seamanship. Complete schedule for both programs can be found here.
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SpinSheet's editor Molly Winans will be leading two Start Sailing Now seminars, Friday and Sunday, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Ballroom of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel.[/caption]
Start Sailing Now
Q&A with local experts, moderated by SpinSheet editor Molly Winans. Everything you ever wanted to know about sailing but were afraid to ask! Friday and Sunday, 10 to 11 a.m. in the Ballroom of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel. startsailingnow.com
Cruising World’s Free Seminars
Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Old Fawcett’s Building (110 Compromise St.) Thursday kicks off with citizen scientist Theresa Carey, followed by Tucker Thompson with an inside look at what to expect at the 35th America’s Cup. Other topics include Cruising the Bahamas, Sailing the Arctic with Matt Rutherford, Cuba is Waiting, and more. Admission is free. Speakers and schedule subject to change. Find details here.
The Schooner America in Annapolis with Dave Gendell
On Saturday, SpinSheet's founding editor will discuss the legendary Schooner AMERICA, throughout the charmed and checkered history that brought her from the famous 1851 race in England, to service as a Confederate Blockade Runner, to decades as a beloved private yacht. Yet 90 years after her historic victory she ended up in ruins on the shores of Spa Creek while the extraordinary wartime boat-building of the Annapolis Yacht Yard swirled around her.
SpinSheet Magazine Founding Editor David Gendell has spent years researching the history and mystery of the schooner and her final days in Annapolis. His presentation includes plenty of visuals, first-hand accounts, and explorations along the Annapolis waterfront during World War 2. Gendell will be discussing the schooner Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel.
David Gendell is the co-founder of SpinSheet magazine. He lives in Annapolis with his family and can usually be found in, on, and along the Chesapeake Bay.
Schooner Woodwind Special Sale
This year, the team from the Schooner Woodwind is running a killer sale for boat show attendees. If you book online from one to six days in advance (no day-of booking), Friday through Monday, tickets will only cost $41 for a boat show adult ticket and a 90-minute sail. Cruises run four times a day (two sails on Monday) with the last sail at sunset. On Thursday, VIP day, tickets cost $52. Book online at schoonerwoodwind.com
Cruiser’s University
October 12 to 15, between the Sailboat and Powerboat shows. Choose from one- to four-day programs in which you can customize your curriculum, with more than 40 courses to choose from. Prices range from $230 for a one-day program to $660 for the four-day Master Cruiser Series. Packages include continental breakfast, lunch, and social activities, admission to the Sail or Powerboat show, one year membership to Boat U.S., and discounted hotel room rates (first come, first-served). Classes held at the Historic Inns of Annapolis.
Meet the Pros
Members of U.S. Sailing Team Sperry—Caleb Paine (Finn), Rick Doerr (Sonar), Brad Kendell, and Hugh Freund—will be at the U.S. Sailing booth Sunday between 1-3 p.m. among other show locations over the weekend.
ussailing.org/olympics
VIP Preview Day
Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is the best day to shop, tour sailboats, and speak with exhibitors while the crowds are down. The America’s Cup will be on display, but the real treat will be snagging a photo with the “Auld Mug” herself at the launch party Thursday night. $35.
Brokerage Cove
New to the show last year, Brokerage Cove is back and better than ever. St. Mary’s Cove, just on the other side of the Eastport Bridge, will overflow with previously owned sailboats, presented by regional yacht brokers. Your regular show wristband works as your ticket into the brokerage area. Buses and water taxis will ferry attendees between the two sites, or it’s a short walk across Duke of Gloucester Street and past the historic Carroll House.
Vacation Basin
Whether you’re a charter veteran or a dreamer, this special section in Ego Alley is where you’ll find the professionals who can help plan a successful sailing vacation. Browse among dozens of charter companies, tour mono- and multi-hulls designed especially for cruising, speak with tourism boards, consider fractional ownership, and explore exotic destination resorts.
Weems & Plath Tent Sale
Across Spa Creek Bridge in Eastport, Weems & Plath will hold its annual tent sale, which has become a boat show tradition. Find great discounts on navigation tools, clocks, barometers, lamps, binoculars, compasses, and much more. Ten percent of all sales on Saturday, October 10 will be donated to Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB). And as in past years, Weems & Plath will be offering free shuttle rides at the Tent Sale to and from the Annapolis Boat Shows, allowing customers to park for free. The sale will run from October 8 to 18. Visit weems-plath.com for an updated schedule closer to show time.
Premier Launch Party
6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Loews Hotel on West St. Hear first-hand what’s ahead for the 2017 America’s Cup from keynote speaker and host of the 35th America’s cup, Tucker Thompson. Tickets cost $45 per person and include a photo with the America’s Cup, food, drink tickets, a gift bag, door prizes, and island music. The evening will culminate in the presentation of the Sailing Industry Distinguished Service Award.
Manufacturer’s Owners Parties
Most of the big-name boat manufacturers will host owner’s parties. These are “invite only,” but if you’re a serious buyer or already an owner, inquire with your yacht broker about special events. This is one of the many ways manufacturers and dealers are actively encouraging rendezvouses and socializing among owners and would-be owners.
Annapolis Boat Show Bash
Hosted by Annapolis School of Seamanship and Chesapeake Bay Magazine from 5 to 9 p.m. at Pusser’s Caribbean Grill on Compromise Street. Expect dancing and merriment above Pusser’s deck with music by Annapolis’s own Dublin 5. Entry to the party is free (cash bar). All are welcome, though you must register online to get on the official guest list.
“One Simple Question” Film Screening
Award winning sailors and filmmakers, Teresa and Ben Carey, will share their film about their northbound journey to Greenland. Afterward, they will discuss the launch of Hello Ocean, a non-profit ocean conservation initiative. The film screening will be at Bacon Sails on Friday October 9 at 7 p.m. with refreshments at 6 p.m. Seating is limited, so plan to arrive early. A $40 donation will be requested upon entrance. simplequestionmovie.com; helloocean.org
