Connecticut Spring Boat Show

The 5th Connecticut Spring Boat Show will take place Friday April 30, Saturday, May 1 and Sunday May 2 at Safe Harbor Essex Island, located at 11 Ferry Street in Essex, CT. This unique show is a production of WindCheck Magazine and is sponsored by Safe Harbor Essex Island, Yacht Brokers Association of America, Essex Boat Works, Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, and YachtWorld. As always, 50% of ticket sales will go to Sails Up 4 Cancer. Over the past several years, the show has raised over $25,000 for the organization.

“After having to cancel the show last year, we are happy to be one of the first events to make a comeback this spring,” said Show Director Ben Cesare, the owner of WindCheck. “We will adhere to all State of Connecticut and Town of Essex health and safety guidelines. This year, the show will be ticketed to help measure capacity numbers. Masks will be required, as well as social distancing. We are looking forward to having a safe and customer-friendly boat show and fundraiser for our friends at Sails Up 4 Cancer.”

Attendees will see a wide range of new boats including center consoles, fishing boats, luxury cruisers and sailboats, as well as select brokerage sail- and powerboats, with sea trials available. Boating gear, accessories, waterfront real estate and “water lifestyle” service companies will also be on site. The Griswold Inn, conveniently located in downtown Essex, will offer a 20% discount Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2 for boat show dealers, vendors and attendees.

“Boaters enjoy the in-water style of this show, offering a wide selection of power and sailboats,” said Tom Pilkington, owner of Prestige Yacht Sales. “Attendees arrive from all over New England down to New York in excitement for the boating season ahead. The venue makes it easy to hop aboard and spend time chatting with knowledgeable brokers in a relaxed and fun environment. The 2019 change to Connecticut tax law lowered the state tax on boat purchases from 6.35% to 2.99%. This change, along with the increased demand for outdoor family friendly activities during the pandemic, has proved to show a growing interest in boat purchases and expected increased attendance for Connecticut boat shows.”

“Safe Harbor Marinas looks forward to hosting this annual event,” said Doug Domenie, Regional Vice President of New England West. “Our beautiful, family-friendly venue in the historic waterfront village of Essex is truly unique. No other boat show, boutique or otherwise, has a setting like ours. This year, we are particularly excited to have a new restaurant on the island where boat show attendees can enjoy a meal while visiting the show.”

Safe Harbor Essex Island is located on a 13-acre private island on the Connecticut River, accessible by a complementary ferry service, and offers 125 slips, accommodating vessels up to 200 feet. In addition to the boats in the water, many land-based nautical exhibitors are expected to grace the dockside lawns on the island.

Three-day tickets will be offered at $20 per adult, granting access to the show all weekend long, and there’s free admission for children 13 and under. Half of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Sails Up 4 Cancer, a Mystic, CT-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting cancer care, education, prevention and research along the Shoreline and Southeastern regions of Connecticut.

The CT Spring Boat Show is open to the public at Safe Harbor Essex Island with advance purchase of tickets. Free parking is available, and tickets can be purchased by visiting windcheckmagazine.com/shop/.

Visit ctspringboatshow.com for specific event details. For dealer and vendor application information, please contact Ben Cesare of WindCheck at contactus@windcheckmagazine.com. To learn more about Sails Up 4 Cancer, please visit SU4C.org.