James Nolan Associates Inc.

Pusser’s Rum “Painkillers” are a signature item at the Annapolis sailboat show.   Visitors to the show wander around with the distinctive mugs in hand while exhibitors send one of their team to bring a round of “Painkillers” back to the stand.  Drinking them has been known to cause attitude adjustment and to introduce emotions such as optimism and euphoria.  Optimism was certainly alive and well at this year’s show and it was not due to the over consumption of “Painkillers.”

There were fewer boats on display this year than last year but there was still a good number to be seen including nine new ones.  Most of the new were at the larger end of the range, the Hodgdon Yacht’s Tripp 65ft Café Racer, Passport Vista 615, Jeanneau 57 and Morris 52 followed by the Maine Cat P-47 and Fountaine Pajot’s 41 Lipari.  Sunsail premiered their 384 catamaran, Sensei Yachts world – premiered their sexy Sensei 9M while Topaz Sailing Systems introduced the Topaz Sailing Dinghy.

Talk on the docks was that business was better than last year although that would not have been hard and that some boats were sold.  Almost everyone said there was a lot of good interest in their boats but that there was no urge to buy immediately.  Similar views were expressed by the exhibitors in the tents.

There was also a contemplative mood in evidence at the manufacturer level about how best to address the US market going forward.

Sail America featured market researcher Nick Hayes and his forthcoming book “Saving Sailing” at their members meeting during the show.  Hayes says sailing participation has dropped 70% since 1979 and 40% since 1997.  His book provides an action plan he believes is necessary to reverse the downward trend.  Euphoria, like “Painkillers”, will have to wait another year.