img5817Some 13,000 sailing enthusiasts flocked to Atlantic Sail Expo
--held January 9-12 at the Atlantic City (N.J.) Convention Center--to
once again attend this 11-year-old sailboat show that has become a
tradition for Northeast sailing enthusiasts. After four days of show
commerce--complemented by seminars and special events with notable racers
and world cruisers--exhibitors packed up with a positive sense of the sales
and potential generated by this New Jersey shoreline happening.

"We had a very good show this year and sold several boats," said Bruce
Mundle of Barvaria Yachts (Annapolis, Md.). "What we noticed most this year
was a higher percentage of serious shoppers. In terms of numbers, those
kinds of sailors seemed to be on the rise this year."

Although there is no statistical model to tabulate exhibitor sales or the
demographics of attendees, many exhibitors felt the show gave them the
opportunity to connect with qualified buyers in this region of the country.

According to Scot West, Executive Director of show producer Sail America,
this year's gate represented a dip in attendance by 15 percent, compared to
a highpoint in 2002. Yet the level of attendance is above the three-year
average for this sailboat show.

"We were down this year in terms of attendance. But I look at that number
in relation to a huge 33-percent jump in our gate in 2002: we pushed, but
last year's gate was a tough one to beat," said West. "We are still above
our recent averages--and in light of the economy and the fact that we were
earlier in January, just over a week from the New Year holiday, I'd
consider our turnout a strong one."

For the 2003 show season, Sail America instituted a "dividend rewards"
program, whereby exhibitors could put a pre-show marketing program in place
via Sail America to draw more of their customers to the show and thereby
earn discounts on exhibitor rates. Companies that took control of their
own destinies and put a focus on pre-show marketing felt their efforts came
to fruition in Atlantic City.

"We had a fantastic show," said Peter Cook of Sunsail (Annapolis, Md.), who
took advantage of these marketing opportunities. "Our bookings doubled,
compared to last year... People came to the show knowing what chartering
was all about. That isn't the case at every show. But here, we had some who
had already narrowed their choices down to two different boats in our
fleet."

According to Geoff McCord of Beneteau USA (Charleston, S.C.), marketing
programs done through their local dealers, which included pre-show open
houses with added incentives to purchase at the show, were an important
part of their gameplan this year.

A slate of over 100 free seminars were held at Sail Expo, and blue-water
sailors with tales of high drama and world cruisers with endless summer
lives proved to be the biggest draws.

In her seminars, author and circumnavigator Liza Copeland (Vancouver, B.C.)
gives sailors encouragement to pursue their cruising dreams. "I have a
range of people in my seminars," says Copeland, "from the person who is
going cruising in ten years, to the ones who are leaving in six months!"

Copeland--who has been giving seminars at Sail Expo since the show's
beginnings--sees many cruisers who use Atlantic Sail Expo as part of their
educations. "People who attend are dedicated. They come for the
seminars--and they come for the duration: they may attend three days of the
show and attend as many sessions as they can."

Several industry awards and nominations are made each year at Atlantic SAIL
EXPO, including the following.

--The American Sailboat Hall of Fame inducted two new designs into its
collection of American classics that have profoundly influenced the sport
of sailing. This year, the O'Day Daysailer and Sabre 28 joined this group
of notable boats.

--Sail America presented a Special Recognition Award to Michael
Fortenbaugh, who as Commodore of the Manhattan Yacht Club in 2002 organized
Sail for America in New York Harbor. This historic, massive rendezvous of
sailboats commemorated the tragedies of September 11. Fortenbaugh was
recognized for his vision, in seeing a phoenix rising from terrible tragedy
by filling New York Harbor with sails one year after the catastrophic day;
and for his leadership in transforming this idea into reality.

--The Wilbur Pokras Best Booth Awards were presented to the following
exhibitors: Sunsail (Annapolis), for the best booth over 200 square feet;
Hamilton Ferris, Co. (Ashland, Mass.), for the best booth under 200 square
feet; Hunter Marine (Alachua, Fla.), for the display of boats over 21 feet;
and Vanguard Sailboats (Portsmouth, R.I.), for the display of boats under
21 feet.

Atlantic Sail Expo is the first of six sailboat shows coproduced annually
by Sail America and the National Marine Manufacturers Association. In
January, Strictly Sail Chicago comes to the Chicago Navy Pier (January 30
to February 2). From February 13-18, Strictly Sail Miami takes place at
Miamarina at Bayside. The premiere all-sail shows in their respective
regions, these shows feature extensive displays of boats and gear, free
seminars, and special events for sailing enthusiasts.

For more information on Sail America boat shows, visit www.sailamerica.com