SSCA at Annapolis: Cruisers Connecting
SSCA’s Tent M, Booth 5 was a lively meeting place at the Annapolis Sailboat Show. Members stopped by to reconnect, new members joined the community, and conversations about new boats and future passages kept the booth busy. With cruisers visiting from around the world, SSCA enjoyed a strong, welcoming presence throughout the show.
The show’s new venue construction and layout gave this year’s gathering a different feel, but familiar faces and cruising friendships soon made us feel at home. Visitors included Lisa McDonald of PredictWind and Craig White, who has returned with his Oyster 56 from years of cruising in the Pacific. Their visits brought opportunities to catch up, exchange experiences, and hear what comes next.
SSCA sponsors and partners were part of those connections. Giorgio and Claudio of Aqua Map and Ed Tillett of Waterway Guide were among our visitors. Health is International, represented by Arno Chrispeels, welcomed a good turnout, while Brown & Brown shared insurance products of interest to cruisers and enjoyed visits from members.
Nearby, Lin Pardey and Carolyn Shearlock were at The Boat Galley. Cruising hosts from Shelter Bay Marina in Panama and La’Nika Jackson of Willoughby Marina in Norfolk, Virginia, were also among our show connections. We welcomed a new Seattle, Washington, host, Backstay.net, to the SSCA network.
Our friends at Latitudes & Attitudes, behind the SSCA booth, added to the fun with their amazing rum drinks and their new Youth Cruising Editor. AMG Insurance contributed to the show’s hospitality with a complimentary breakfast and an all-day libation event on Saturday.
Show seminars were next door to SSCA, and the popular Mimosa Barge drew plenty of visitors. Several members loaded and tested the new HAL 4A2, available at "ssca.org/quickstart" (https://ssca.org/quickstart). Between demonstrations, answering cruising questions, and helping our boat show partners, it was a busy, active booth.
A great new video by Don Preuss played on our booth television setup, bringing SSCA’s activities and cruising community to life. Nina Preuss also provider her excellent provisioning guide for vistors.
The Bahamas Gathering 2027 was a particular favorite, sparking conversations and interest in getting together again. Lots of interest from cruising couples with youngsters stopped to chat.
El Niño and seasonal weather were frequent topics as cruisers considered their passage plans. The Bahamas Gathering has moved to late March. SSCA’s Florida conference and annual meeting will take place in late April, offering a gathering point for cruisers heading north and those preparing for passages toward the tropics before hurricane season.
Save these 2027 dates:
- Bahamas Gathering: March 25–29, 2027, at Black Point, Exumas.
- Florida Spring GAM and Annual General Meeting: April 23–25, 2027, in St. Augustine, Florida.
Beyond the booth, Joni Thomas ran a morning VHF radio net for the roughly 100 boats at anchor or in slips. The net helped visiting cruisers stay connected and informed during their time in Annapolis—another example of SSCA members sharing their time and local knowledge to help fellow sailors.
Throughout the show, the booth offered a place to discuss cruising plans, share practical information, meet other members, and introduce newcomers to SSCA. Some arrived with newly purchased boats; others brought years of experience and stories from distant anchorages. Together, they represented the breadth of our cruising community.
Thank you to the volunteers who set up, staffed, and packed away the booth, and to everyone who stopped by. Your time, enthusiasm, and willingness to share made SSCA’s presence at Annapolis welcoming and memorable.