We came...we worked...we smiled...we shopped!
We worked every single day of the Annapolis Power and Sailboat Shows over the past two weeks, pre-opening to close each day! The Skipper even stayed on an extra day to help with show break-down. How was it? Well, having not worked a paying job together in nearly 20 years we are happy to report that both of us are alive and still speaking to each other! It’s been two years since these shows were held and you could feel the excitement! The booth we worked in this year was a combo of retail safety gear from Fawcett Boat Supplies and boats/motors from their other company, Annapolis Inflatables. It ended up being a great mix for us as we know a few things about dinghies after over a decade aboard and we actually personally use many of the safety items that were being sold! Though the days were usually crazy busy, it was quite fun and we enjoyed working with the FBS/AI team and reps from Highfield Boats, AB Inflatables, ACR, Viking, Gill, Mustang, and Tohatsu. We also managed to see old Navy buddies, college friends, old and new marina friends, cruising pals from our seasons in Bahamas, and cruising/homeschooling moms that I’d only previously “met” online, and we met TONS of new boaters and cruisers that we look forward to sharing an anchorage with in the future! And in addition to our tradition of boat show Painkillers I introduced Frank to pre-show Bloody Mary’s and bagels. He was a fan!
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| We worked nine full show days...we earned those Painkillers and Bloody Mary's! |
YouTube channels and influencers featured more heavily at the boat show this year and while the Skipper still can’t pick any of them out of a crowd except for the two we shared an anchorage and hiking trails with in Maine last year, it was interesting to see the crowds flocking to meet & greets and getting excited about sailing and cruising! Frank even spent a solid 15 minutes talking about RIBs with one popular YouTuber and had no clue who he was (though figured he was “someone” when a guy ran up to him and gushed over him briefly), but I was happy to say hello to Carolyn Shearlock of “The Boat Galley” book fame and thank her for sharing her knowledge over the years. For the most part all the influencers we interacted with around the shows were really nice, genuine, and funny (one super popular one thought they had been left off of our meet & greet schedule poster, but was actually at the wrong booth…we had a good laugh together!), but…like with any group there may be some people you could do without. One influencer approached our team…needed to get photos with the boats at the request of the brand, but “my partner doesn’t want to spring for the ticket to get in.” My manager got the rest of their group into the show (for free), but since I know they cruise on a $1M+ boat I was a little disgusted…tickets are $20 folks. Another (who I didn’t recognize as a YouTuber initially) asked me all about one of our popular products then said, “you want to give me one?” I said, “sure, I can ring you up right over here,” to which he replied, “oh no, that’s not how it works for us.” Um…that’s how it works for your fellow cruisers and pretty sure A-list folks hit up marketing teams and managers for free stuff, not bottom-rung, cruising cashiers. So I’m happy that they inspire others and I love free stuff (who doesn’t), but I can’t get onboard with the begging for/expecting freebies at every turn. Just not my thing. To keep it truthful here we actually did get freebies/swag/lunch from some of the vendors we worked with over the shows…we never asked for it but were offered it in thanks for our work on behalf of their brands—that, IMO, is how it should work and we were humbled by their appreciation.
So…SHOPPING! We actually didn’t have a huge list of “needs” for the boat this year…just some spare parts, cleaning supplies, a little bit of line, etc. But one “want” has been on our list for years and much to our surprise, Fawcett’s had it in stock so we didn’t have to order and ship it! That’s right, we scored a 42” Lewmar Folding Wheel!!!! I can’t wait to enjoy more freedom of movement in the cockpit while we are at anchor.
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| Trent was a SUPER shopping helper! And I am in love with the new wheel! |
Will we do it again next year? If we are in the country and they need/want us we will! It’s just fun hanging out with so many like-minded folks and getting paid!
~Jo, 1st Mate
