Happy New Year! This past year has been a time of tumultuous panoptic upsets: The pandemic, political unrest, and nature's mayhem of hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires. However, boaters still have our beautiful waterways, lakes, harbors, and our oceans to enjoy and use as an oasis of tranquility, peace, and sports.
We eagerly look forward to the boat shows across the country to learn new techniques, sample new products, and get ready for a safe and fun-filled boating season. The following is a snapshot and calendar of 2021 Boat Shows going live and in-person and shows going virtual. Before attending an in-person show, please go to the show's link to find out about COVID-19 policies.
The big three shows that draw national and international crowds are the Ft Lauderdale, Annapolis, and the Chicago Boat Shows.
Chicago
The Chicago Boat Show, usually held the second week of January, was cancelled for this year. Show promoters have told fans to plan on the in-person show from January 12-16, 2022.
Annapolis, MD
Annapolis, MD, promises a wonderful in-person United States Sailboat Show October 14-18, 2021, at the City Dock in beautiful downtown, historic Annapolis. This internationally acclaimed sailboat show is recognized as the world's largest and most prestigious sailboat show.
Fort Lauderdale
Miami -The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (or FLIBS as it is affectionately called) will be held October 27 - 31, 2021. The show claims to be the largest boat show globally, covering more than 2,992,367 square feet.
The 2021 Boat Shows
Cleveland Boat Show & Fishing Expo. January 15-24, 2021. Virtual
Seattle Boat Show. January 28-31, 2021. Virtual
Michiana Boat & Sports Show February 19-21, 2021
The Boat Show in Springfield, IL February 26-28, 2021
Lake County Boat Show February 26-28, 2021
Akron Boat Show & Water Sports February/March 2021
Downtown Knoxville Boat Show March 4-7, 2021
World Fishing & Outdoor, Suffern, NY March 4-7, 2021
Orlando Boat Show March 5-7, 2021
Atlantic City Boat Show April 7-11, 2021
Tampa Boat Show September 10-12, 2021
Norwalk Boat Show, Norwalk, CT September 23-26, 2021
2020 – Catalina Yachts Suffers Two Losses
Frank Butler, the founder of Catalina Yachts, died in late November 2020. Frank Willis Butler, 92, president and Chief Executive Officer of Catalina Yachts, died at Westlake Village on Nov. 15, 2020, from unexpected complications from a recent illness.
Butler founded Catalina Yachts in 1969 in Hollywood, CA. The company has grown to become the largest builder of fiberglass production sailboats in the United States.Long Beach Yacht Club Commodore Charles Legeman said, "Frank Butler is the one person who helped take the Congressional Cup to the top level in the world by his donation of the Catalina 37s, which were specifically built for match racing."
Catalina Yacht fleets of Catalina owners sprang up across the county. Many skippers, both of us included, owned Catalina sailboats throughout our sailing history. Catalina sailboats provided sailing ease in addition to sound design and were very forgiving for the less-than-experienced sailor.
Another Blow to Catalina Yachts
In mid-December of 2020, the Catalina Yacht factory in Largo, FL, was hit by a tornado. The high winds did extensive damage to the factory building, and boat molds that weigh 20,000 pounds were pushed around like paper. Sharon Day is the company's president and explained, "Workers at the plant work a 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. shift, so no workers were on duty when the tornado hit."
As we venture into 2021, we wish our readers safe boating, fair winds, and smooth sailing.
To obtain more information about the products and services mentioned in this article, please contact CLR Marine https://www.clrmarine.com/.
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Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past- Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 -Chicago region. 3happycampers.com
©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com
