kateandjohnsail.boats

We have attended major boat shows, including the big daddy one in Annapolis, and it tends to be a big stinkin’ deal.  When you learn the event dates, you figure out if your schedule even allows it. Then you come to terms with the location of the show, how you are going to travel there, where and how long to stay. You purchase boat show tickets and figure out how to get to the venue and/or park without taking out a second mortgage. On boat show day you learn the layout of the event and strategize how to use your day(s) to see what you want to see.

Imagine our surprise when we landed in Venice with some time to spare and learned that not only was a major boat show about to happen, but the timing was perfect, our marina would comp us the tickets, and we could take a public waterbus 15 minutes to the venue. Woohoo!

Attending the first day of the show, we were treated to a flyover by the Italian equivalent of the Blue Angels, who striped the sky with red, white and green in their wake. We visited sailboats on the dock—mostly brand-new craft with bougie add-ons that actually did not prompt buyers’ remorse for these new owners of a 21-year-old boat. Then we visited the luxury powercraft at the prompting of our friend Atanas, with whom we were spending the day. There were also exhibits of some amazing historical boats, and of course vendors displaying the latest nautical gizmos and gadgets. Venezia Certosa Marina had a booth promoting itself and when the three of us arrived, that was reason for the proprietors to break out the prosecco to thank us for staying there (it’s not hard to convince Italians to break out the prosecco. ever.)

When we tore ourselves away from the festivities to return to the many tasks of preparing Quintessa for our absence, we were not too dazed by the spectacle of the Venice boat show, and were still content with our home sweet boat.