The US Sailboat Show is the nation’s leading display of traditional materials, craftsmanship and design in sailboats. The Tofinou 8 is a combination of modern composite construction with traditional joinery accents.
family. Overall, however, cruising monohulls and multihulls on display were no larger and sometimes smaller than in prior years. Was this because recreational sailboats have reached size limits set by the economy and technology, or were vendors hedging bets against a slow market just prior to the elections? The US Sailboat Show is the one in the United States where racing sailboats are on display. The Ker 40, purely a racing sailboat, received a “boat of the year nomination” from one of the magazines responsible for these designations. Perhaps the economy is improving enough for the one percent that racing boats are back on the shopping list. For those who can afford them, this was an impressive racing sailboat. Among premiering monohulls, the Zen 24 by AOKI Yachts is a family day sailer or weekend cruiser, as is the new Norseboat 21.5. The Cornish Shrimper 19 was another new day sailer introduced at the show this year. It is a very attractive wood boat for those who like novelty with a traditional feel. The Hunter 40, the Dufour 36p, the Jeanneau 41DS and Jeanneau 590 were all cruising monohulls premiering at Annapolis. Designating them in one category called “cruising monohulls” glosses over distinct design criteria that distinguish them in terms of size, sophistication and sailing technology. Interested buyers have plenty of choices among them to suit sailing habits and preferences. This year was the year of the trimaran at Annapolis. For the first time in memory, multiple trimarans were on display. Corsair, usually the only trimaran at sailboat shows, was joined by the Ultralight 120 (Warren Light Craft— onshore display); the SeaRail 19, a day sailing trimaran; the Motive Trimaran 25R, a flat-out racing trimaran; and the Neel 65, a 65-foot performance bluewater cruising trimaran. A proa, the Pacific Proa 31 by Chesapeake Light Craft, joined the trimaran section to round out a notable selection of multihulls not usually displayed at sailboat shows. (A proa is not a trimaran. It is similar to a sailing outrigger canoe because it has two hulls of different size. It is a traditional southwestern Pacific sail
craft, often considered ancestral to today’s catamarans.) For the multihull aficionados, this was one of the most interesting displays in years at an American boat show. Annapolis has always been the craft sailboat show where you could see and buy sailboats of all sizes made of fine woods, immaculate joinery, whether the design was traditional or contemporary. This year, it seemed like craft work was more widely used across all size ranges and types of sail boats. Teak and teak accents are on many fiberglass sailboats. Wood boats of all sizes were on prominent display. Such boats are always a pleasure to behold, even when you can’t use them just at that moment. Their diversity and number at this show is a distinctive reason to pay the admission and walk the docks. The number of new production sailboat designs has certainly plateaued, and by some accounts, is declining. That leaves fewer boatbuilders to display at all boat shows. “Broker boats” are taking up the slack, and some show attendees were making comments, both positive and negative about what they perceived as an increasing number of “used boats” at the show. Brokers offering previously owned yachts have always been part of this show, and have brought exceptional custom yachts to display in the water. There may have been a few more this year than in prior years. The buyer looking for a classic design no longer in production may find more reason to attend a sailboat show than was the case in prior years. This trend will likely continue for a few more years at least.
Specializing in Marine SSB Sailmail / AirMail / Winlink sailmail@docksideradio.com www.docksideradio.com FCC Marine Radio Licenses Ph: 941.661.4498 SSB/SailMail Training SSB Installation Radios & Modems in Stock Troubleshooting — Authorized Icom Dealer — Gary Jensen — Pactor-III Modem Sales — Owner/FCC Licensed Technician News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS December 2012
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