by Greg Koski

The Annapolis Boat Show remains one of the premier in-the-water boat shows in the world, drawing over 250,000 attendees from across the U.S. and Europe. It’s a vital event for showcasing the latest innovations in sails, boats, hardware, electronics, and marine gear, and this year was another strong showing for Ullman Sails.

While it will take another month or so to fully gauge the show’s success, the early results are encouraging. We’ve already sold about 15 sails directly from the event and gained numerous repair orders and new customer relationships, exactly what this show is all about: expanding our customer base and market presence while keeping our brand front and center among sailors nationwide.

Compared to the past few years, especially during the Covid boom, this year’s numbers are steady and promising. We’re seeing increasing interest from owners of larger boats, particularly in the 40–60 foot range, while still maintaining a steady stream of smaller-boat customers. The growing catamaran segment was also well represented, making Dallen’s presence from Cape Town invaluable; his expertise with multihulls helped us connect with this expanding audience.

We were also joined by Mark Loe from Ullman Sails Northeast, as many of our Annapolis leads come from the New England area, and by Bronwen McKiever from Grenada, who attended to see how we operate during such a high-traffic event. With the volume of visitors we get, it’s essential to keep the booth well-staffed and energized, and the team did a fantastic job.

Annapolis is more than just a sales event; it’s where connections are made. Like METSTRADE, it’s a week of networking, supplier dinners, and boat gatherings with brands like Balance, Leopard, Jeanneau, and Beneteau. We had the opportunities to make sure the Ullman name is seen, heard, and remembered. It’s all part of the ongoing effort to grow new business and strengthen our global sailing community.

photos Bronny Daniels