The Annapolis Sailboat Show is the longest-running in-water sailboat show in the world. Launched in 1970, it has drawn sailors to City Dock every October for over five decades. It is where the sailing community converges on Annapolis to see new boats on the water, handle gear up close, and talk directly to the people who stock, test, and use it.
Fawcett Boat Supplies has been part of the Annapolis Sailboat Show since the earliest years of the event. This October, we are at Booth Land 9 with eight brands confirmed across sailing gear, personal safety, shore power, navigation, sailing hardware, and inflatable boat technology. This is what is at the booth and why it is worth planning a visit around.
Table of Contents
- When and Where Is the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show?
- Where Is the Fawcett Boat Supplies Booth?
- What Sailing Apparel Is Fawcett Featuring at the Show?
- What Safety Equipment Is Fawcett Bringing to the Show?
- What Navigation and Signaling Products Is Fawcett Featuring?
- What Shore Power Products Is Fawcett Bringing to the Show?
- What Sailing Hardware Is at the Fawcett Booth?
- What Is NeverSoft and Why Is It at the Booth?
- How Do You Plan Your Visit to the Fawcett Booth?
- Frequently Asked Questions on Annapolis Sailboat Show 2026
When and Where Is the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show?
The 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show runs October 15 through 18 at City Dock, Annapolis, MD. The show has operated continuously since 1970 and draws sailors from across the mid-Atlantic region and beyond every fall.
The Annapolis Sailboat Show is an in-water event, meaning boats are tied at the docks and can be stepped aboard rather than simply viewed. Gear, apparel, safety equipment, and hardware are demonstrated live by exhibitors across the dock layout. For sailors preparing for the fall season, planning passages, or evaluating equipment upgrades, it is one of the most concentrated opportunities of the year to see and handle products side by side.
For full show details including exhibitor listings, seminars, and tickets, visit the official 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show page.
Where Is the Fawcett Boat Supplies Booth?
Fawcett Boat Supplies is at Booth Land 9 at the 2026 Annapolis boat show. The booth is 20 by 25 feet, 500 square feet of floor space, covering eight brands across six product categories.
For anything not at the booth, the Fawcett store at 919 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis remains open throughout show week with the full inventory available.
What Sailing Apparel Is Fawcett Featuring at the Show?
What Gill Sailing Gear Is at the Fawcett Booth?
Gill sailing gear has been built for offshore and coastal conditions for over 50 years. Gill is a UK brand whose products are developed with direct input from professional offshore racers and tested in conditions that recreational sailors hope they never encounter.
The 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show runs in mid-October. Those four days in Annapolis are some of the most representative conditions imaginable for evaluating Gill foul weather gear: variable sky, northwest breeze, water temperature dropping through the 60s, and chop that sends spray over the bow. Trying on Gill sailing gear at the dock in those conditions is a better test than any product description.
The Gill OS26 Offshore Jacket is built on XPLORE 2-layer waterproof and breathable fabric with greater than 20,000mm waterproofing and Shield PFAS-free DWR. Fully taped seams throughout, stowable face guard, stiffened peak hood with 3-way adjustment, PU inner wrist seals, and 2-way corrosion-resistant YKK zip with double storm bonnet. Available in men's and women's sizing.
The Gill OS26 Offshore Bib pairs with the OS26 Jacket for a matched offshore system with XPLORE fabric, fully taped seams, and a stretch back panel for sailing movement.
Gill sailing gear is available at 25% off retail at the Fawcett booth during show week. For a full guide to choosing between offshore, coastal, and inshore sailing gear, see our foul weather gear guide.
What Helly Hansen Sailing Gear Is at the Fawcett Booth?
Helly Hansen sailing gear has been on the water since 1877 and covers the full layering system from base layer through waterproof outer shell. It is one of the most recognized names in sailing apparel globally.
The Helly Hansen sailing gear at the booth covers three of the most practical layers for fall sailing in Annapolis. The Helly Hansen Men's Seven J Rain Jacket is the lightweight coastal option: a packable Helly Tech waterproof shell that layers easily over mid-layers for day sailing and club racing. The Helly Hansen Crew Midlayer Jacket 2 is the performance fleece mid-layer with an articulated cut for active sailing movement. For women, the Helly Hansen Women's Crew Midlayer Jacket 2 delivers the same performance in a women's specific fit.
The show is one of the few opportunities to try all three pieces together and build a complete Helly Hansen sailing gear layering system with guidance from the Fawcett team on the dock. Helly Hansen sailing gear is available at 25% off retail at the Fawcett booth during show week. See our Helly Hansen sailing gear guide for the complete range and sizing guidance.
What Safety Equipment Is Fawcett Bringing to the Show?
What Mustang Survival Products Are at the Booth?
Mustang Survival is one of the leading names in automatic inflatable personal flotation devices. The Mustang Atlas 190 DLX Hammar is Fawcett's best-selling life jacket by revenue and one of the most important pieces of safety gear for any offshore or overnight sailor.
The 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show is one of the best opportunities of the year to try on a Mustang automatic inflatable PFD, check the harness fit over sailing gear, and understand how the Hammar automatic inflation system works before purchasing. A PFD that fits correctly and triggers reliably is not a product to buy without handling it first. The Mustang range at the booth also includes offshore-rated waterproof jackets and bibs from the Taku and Callan lines. Mustang products are available at 15% off retail at the Fawcett booth during show week. For guidance on choosing the right PFD for your sailing activity, see our life jacket guide.
What Kong Safety Equipment Is at the Booth?
Kong is an Italian safety equipment brand whose elastic tethers meet all ISAF (International Sailing Federation) requirements for strength, design, and features for sailboat racing.
The Kong Elastic Tether Single features a lightweight aluminum double-action safety hook that automatically locks closed and cannot accidentally release from jacklines or attachment points. A nonmagnetic stainless steel snap shackle at the chest releases from the harness even under load. The built-in stress indicator becomes visible when the tether has been stressed to approximately 900 lbs of force, signaling it needs replacement regardless of external appearance. Internal elastic retracts the tether when not under load.
The Kong Elastic Tether Double provides two hooks for offshore passages and racing where continuous connection through tacking and gybing is required. Kong tethers are available at 10% off retail at the Fawcett booth during show week.
What Navigation and Signaling Products Is Fawcett Featuring?
What Signal Mate Products Are at the Booth?
Signal Mate makes compact LED navigation light systems certified USCG/ABYC A-16 and 72 COLREGS. Signal Mate lights are rated for power vessels, sailboats, and commercial vessels up to 50 meters and are used by military, commercial, and recreational mariners worldwide.
The Signal Mate Bi-Color Navigation Light delivers 2 nautical miles of visibility, the minimum COLREGS requirement for vessels under 20 meters. Construction is hard-coated anodized aluminum with a polycarbonate lens and a 5-year limited warranty covering materials and workmanship.
Signal Mate products are available at 15% off retail at the Fawcett booth during show week. The Fawcett team at the booth can confirm which Signal Mate configuration is correct for the specific vessel type and COLREGS requirement before purchasing.
What Shore Power Products Is Fawcett Bringing to the Show?
What SmartPlug Products Are at the Booth?
SmartPlug is a direct replacement for the standard round-pin twist-lock shore power inlet found on most production boats. SmartPlug uses a press-fit connection with flat contact surfaces that create a larger electrical contact area than round pins, reducing resistance and lowering the risk of heat buildup at the connection point. SmartPlug is ABYC and NFPA 303 approved and is now standard on many new production sailboats.
Featured at the booth:
- SmartPlug 30A Inlet and Connector: the complete 30 amp upgrade system including both the hull-mounted inlet and the cord-end connector
- SmartPlug 30A Dual Cordset 50FT: the 30 amp shore power cord for boats with a SmartPlug inlet already installed
- SmartPlug 50A Inlet and Connector: the complete 50 amp upgrade for larger vessels
SmartPlug inlets and standard Marinco twist-lock inlets are not interchangeable. The Fawcett team at the booth can confirm compatibility before purchasing. For a complete guide to shore power systems, 30 amp vs 50 amp connections, and adapter selection, see our shore power guide.
What Sailing Hardware Is at the Fawcett Booth?
What Barton Marine Products Are at the Booth?
Barton Marine is a UK sailing hardware brand producing blocks, mainsheet travelers, clutches, cam cleats, and deck organizers for racing and cruising applications. Barton covers hardware from entry-level cruising one-design through performance racing, built to marine-grade specifications for corrosion resistance and long-term reliability.
The Annapolis Sailboat Show is one of the best opportunities to handle Barton deck hardware in person. Evaluating the action of a block, the grip of a clutch, or the movement of a traveler before selecting components for a refit is an assessment that catalogue photos cannot replace.
What Is NeverSoft and Why Is It at the Fawcett Booth?
NeverSoft is an automatic tube pressure management system for rigid inflatable boats. It solves a problem every RIB owner knows: tube pressure changes constantly with temperature, sunlight, and natural air leakage, and manually checking and adjusting every time is impractical.
What NeverSoft solves:
- Ambient temperature drops overnight reduce tube pressure, leaving the hull soft in the morning
- Direct sunlight causes dangerous pressure spikes that stress seams and fabric
- Natural daily air leakage degrades hull performance and handling over time
NeverSoft valves compensate for all three automatically, maintaining optimal tube pressure without any manual pump or adjustment. Consistent pressure maintains rigid hull integrity for optimal handling, reduces water drag from under-inflated tubes, and prevents fabric and seam breakdown from over-inflation.
NeverSoft is compatible with standard Halkey-Roberts, Leafield, and Zodiac valve types covering the majority of RIBs in service. The valves are available at Fawcett for $139 per chamber. The Fawcett team at Booth Land 9 can confirm valve compatibility and walk through installation before purchasing.
How Do You Plan Your Visit to the Fawcett Booth at the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show?
Show dates: October 15-18, 2026. Location: City Dock, Annapolis, MD
Fawcett booth: Land 9
| Category | Brand |
|---|---|
| Sailing apparel | Gill, Helly Hansen |
| Safety | Mustang, Kong |
| Navigation and signaling | Signal Mate |
| Shore power | SmartPlug |
| Sailing hardware | Barton |
| Inflatable boat technology | NeverSoft |
The Fawcett store at 919 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis is open throughout show week for the full inventory. Show visitors who stop by the store during show week will receive a complimentary 10% coupon. Visit the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show for full show details, exhibitor listings, and tickets.
See Fawcett at Booth Land 9 This October
Fawcett Boat Supplies has been serving the sailing community in Annapolis since 1948. The Annapolis Sailboat Show brings that expertise to the dock for four days every October. Booth Land 9 covers sailing gear, safety equipment, shore power, navigation, hardware, and inflatable boat technology from eight confirmed brands.
Browse the full range of booth brands at Fawcett before the show:
Gill | Helly Hansen | Mustang | Kong | Signal Mate | SmartPlug | Barton
Or visit us at 919 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis during show week for the full inventory. Every store visitor during show week receives a complimentary 10% coupon.