Scott and I returned to Annapolis to attend the United States Sailboat Show last week. This was the third time we have attended the Sailboat Show. I know, you’re wondering why would we attend the Sailboat Show and not the Power Boat Show? Well, we’ve attended both in Annapolis and honestly the Sailboat Show has a better vibe and we enjoy it more. It was also nice to attend the show as an attendee and not an exhibitor. It’s difficult for me to completely enjoy a boat show, when I’m working it.
Press Passes
Now that our YouTube channel is growing (we have almost 5500 subscribers) and have a legitimate media company, we are able to get press credentials. To us, that’s a pretty cool thing! We’ve worked really hard on this blog and vlog since 2015 and it’s nice to see our hard work paying off.
Scott and I headed to the show first thing Friday morning to get a jump on the crowds. Our plan of attack would be to tour our favorite catamarans on Friday and mon-hulls on Saturday. We definitely found some favorites, so tune in over the next few weeks and we’ll take you on a few tours.
Being from Seattle, we are not used to seeing so many catamarans. At the Boats Afloat Show in Seattle, we were lucky if two catamarans were on display. This weekend, we had our pick of over thirty catamarans to tour.
The weather was absolutely perfect for the show. Blue skies and mid-70’s temperatures. Sometimes I do miss that.
Vendors, Vendors and Vendors
If you are looking for boat parts, clothing, financing, insurance, lessons or vacation charters you will find them here. Scott and I talked to a number of sailing companies that offer lessons in the Caribbean and we are seriously considering getting our ASA101 thru ASA 107, plus ASA 114 Catamaran Cruising next year.
Scott talked to the Annapolis School of Seamanship about getting his 100-ton Captain’s License. They have a great program and it’s too bad they don’t have a satellite office here in Florida.
Meeting Other YouTubers
The highlight of the weekend for us, was meeting the YouTube channels that we support through Patreon. (We also have a Patreon account, but we only have one supporter – LOL – Some day.) During the show, we were able to head over to the YouTube booth and meet three of our channels. As soon as we arrived, we immediately ran into Beau & Brandy from Beau and Brandy Sailing and Gary and Brooke from Sailing One Life. They happen to be friends and ironically, we have had two near misses with Beau and Brandy.
The last two times we have visited St. Thomas, we had planned on meeting up with Beau and Brandy. However, on both occasions, they were flying back to the US! It was so nice to finally hug each other and meet in person, rather than Zoom.
We found Gary & Brooke’s channel thru Beau and Brandy. Gary and Brooke have made it thru the Panama Canal and now are in Mexico. That’s a bucket list for us (the canal that is).
At the end of the YouTube booth we found Lihn, Teal and Emma from Onboard Lifestyle. These guys are from Seattle and they lived on Lake Union right below our first apartment in DT Seattle. Teal is amazing when it comes to boats, so this is a channel you will want to subscribe to and start from the beginning!
A trip to the Annapolis Sail Boat Show wouldn’t be complete without a pain killer from Pussers!
DT Annapolis
This was my second trip to Annapolis this year, as I was there back in April for work. I love Annapolis and I especially love the history and quaintness of downtown. There are tons of cute shops, restaurants and bars.
My Favorites
I couldn’t resist a few of my favorites during our visit too. Every dog we encountered I had to say hi! Isn’t this gal a cutie?
I will also admit, I miss one of my favorite boating brands, Boston Whaler. I couldn’t resist getting a photo!
Patreon Meet-Ups
One benefit of being a Patreon of a channel, is the personal connection with the creators. We have monthly Zoom calls and local meet-ups when they are in town. We’re hoping to connect again with Brooke and Gary when they head to Florida next month.
Our first meet up was with Beau and Brandy at a location walking distance from the show. We didn’t know what to expect and it was so cool to meet everyone we talk to each month on Zoom. Beau and Brandy moved from New York to Florida and had never sailed before. They never took sailing lessons before buying a sailing boat This is a channel you want to start from the beginning!
The following day we had a meetup with the crew of Sailing Parlay Revival. Colin and his crew bought a hurricane damaged Lagoon 450 after Hurricane Irma, repaired it and now they are sailing around the world. Bucket list!
Our last Patreon meet up was with Brooke and Gary of One Life Sailing. I thought the event was 4:30pm to 6:30pm and at 4pm I looked at my calendar and said to Scott “Oh crap! Their event is 3pm to 5pm!” We were so bummed that we missed out on most of the meetup. We did get to spend time with Gary’s parents and get their perspective on their son’s sailing adventure. They are so supportive of their journey and that is so cool to us! Thank you to Brooke and Gary for giving us all t-shirts! What a fun surprise.
All Good Things Must End
What a fun weekend we had and I really needed this. It was awesome to meet everyone and and spend time at the Sail Boat Show. I can’t wait until next year!
If you didn’t notice, we also have new Boating Journey swag and you can also order swag for yourself. Check out our link here!
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be showcasing some of our favorite boats, so be sure to tune in and check them out. In addition, we just launched our new store! So if you are interested in getting some Boating Journey swag, check it out here!
As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe and also subscribe to our channel on YouTube (see video below). You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.
Cheers, Scott and Ally
