When Atlantic Sail Expo--four-day sailboat show held January 24-27 at the
Atlantic City (N.J.) Convention Center--comes to the New Jersey shoreline,
the event will attract the largest indoor display of sailboats and
equipment of the East Coast. But the exhibit will be more than a collection
of gear and equipment. Notable people of the sailing world will converge in
Atlantic City to make this event a live mix of sailors, their stories, and
the boats that play stage to their sagas.

The ocean-going catamaran Team Adventure--or rather, a piece of it--will be
one such attraction.

One of the world's fastest sailboats at 110 feet, Team Adventure and its
crew met an unlucky fate during a record attempt in the north Atlantic. The
boat's bow was severed in a collision with a floating object last August,
and the crew had to make their way some 120 miles to Nova Scotia on the
damaged platform.While Team Adventure awaits repairs in Rhode Island,
team members bring to Sail Expo the severed 30-foot section of hull and
the exciting story of a crew that survived shattered hopes by making plans
for a comeback with a future attempt at the Atlantic run.

Team Adventure is part of Sail Expo's centerpiece exhibit on "Sailing into
the Future." Maxi catamarans such as Team Adventure and the record-breaking
PlayStation (whose designer, Gino Morrelli, will also stop in Atlantic
City) have been clocked at speeds of over 40 knots--a pace for an
ocean-going sailing craft that was unheard of just five years ago.

"We felt it was important for these maxi cats to have a presence in our
'Sailing into the Future' exhibit," said Scot West, executive director of
show producer Sail America. "The technology these boats tap into may not be
on the marketplace yet.But we all trust it will trickle down. Sailors who come to Sail Expo will see what they have to look forward to--and they'll
hear incredible stories of what it's like to push the speed envelope in the
loneliest and fiercest sections of the ocean."

Team Adventure navigator Larry Rosenfeld--who likens the exhilaration of
riding a maxi cat down a 60-foot wave to, "the wildest roller coaster
you've ever been on,"--will recount the Team Adventure tale in two sessions
(held on Friday at 12:45 pm; on Saturday, at 5 pm) and explain the
education effort behind the crew's record-breaking attempts. Rosenfeld and
Morrelli will also be joined by others pushing for speed records offshore
in a panel discussion on "Extremes at Sea" (Saturday, 3 pm).These
presentations are a handful of the 100 free sessions and seminars,
presented by leading figures in sailing, offered during Sail Expo.

Outreach for New York Harbor event: Where some looked to the Manhattan
shoreline and saw only reminders of tragedy, Commodore of Manhattan Yacht
Club Michael Fortenbaugh saw a phoenix rising-in the form of a harbor
filled with sails one year after the catastrophic day.

Fortenbaugh has spearheaded the idea for Operation Sail America, a sailing
extravaganza planned for New York Harbor on September 14 to commemorate the
September 11 tragedies.

"The goal of Operation Sail America is simple: to be the greatest gathering
of sailboats ever in the history of New York Harbor," said Fortenbaugh. The
event will welcome racing and cruising boats, and competitive events are
planned as part of the event.

At Sail Expo, event organizers will hold their first public presentation on
plans for Operation Sail America (on Saturday, 10:15 am) and will host a
show booth where the public can learn how they can become part of the
historic happening.

Events for experts and newcomers of all ages: Sail Expo's centerpiece may
focus on "Sailing into the Future" and the extreme edge of technological
development, but the four-day show includes seminars, presentations, and
products for all levels.

Show organizers have put a strong emphasis on including attractions for new
sailors: a special "New Sailors Day" will be held on Saturday to introduce
newcomers to the many aspects of sailing (pre-registration is required).
The indoor sailing pool-flanked by huge wind-generating fans-will be a site
of fun and competition for all ages, with model boats races and
boat-building and knot-tying activities at the Kids Club (held on the
weekend days of the show). A computerized Sailing Simulator, one of only
five in the world, will help non-sailors get a feel for small-boat sailing.

Sail America celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Atlantic Sail Expo in 2002.
The first Atlantic City show introduced a progressive idea in boat shows to
U.S. audiences: it was the first all-sail "super show" designed to draw
showgoers and exhibitors from a national pool of attendees. The first Sail
Expo included events for sailing industry and a slate of free seminars on a
vast range of topics. The concept of the first Sail Expo, as a show
designed expressly for sailing enthusiasts, has since been replicated
throughout the United States.

Atlantic Sail Expo opens Thursday, January 24 and runs through Sunday,
January 27 at the Atlantic City Convention Center (One Miss America Way,
Atlantic City, N.J.). The show features over 200 exhibitors, sailboats
ranging 8 to 47 feet in length, and free seminars and special events. Hours
Thursday through Saturday are 10 am to 7 pm; Sunday's hours are 10 am to 5
pm. For tickets, directions, and complete show information on exhibitors,
special events, and seminars, visit www.sailamerica.com or call
1-800-817-7245.

Atlantic Sail Expo is produced by Sail America (Middletown, R.I.) and the
National Marine Manufacturers Association (Chicago, Ill.). Sail America is
an independent affiliate of NMMA.