October 11, 2002 -- Sail America, the trade association for the sailing
industry, announced plans today to launch a new sailboat show in the New
York City metropolitan area. New York Harbor Sail Expo will take place
September 25-28, 2003 at the Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City (New
Jersey). This in-water show will take place just over a mile from
Manhattan's Battery Park, in a metropolitan region densely populated with
sailboat owners and sailors.

"For years, the sailing industry has asked for a boat show that would put
companies in touch with consumers in the New York metropolitan area," said
Scot West, Sail America's Executive Director. "We listened to the feedback
and we did the research, and a fall show at Liberty Landing became the
marketing opportunity the industry has been asking for. . . If you draw a
50-mile circle around the marina, you will encircle a region with the
highest number of registered sailboats in the United States."

The Sail America Board of Directors and the organization's National Show
Committee expressed overwhelming support for the show, as well as members
who have advocated for finding a way to reach the New York market for
years. "A show in New York is exactly what this industry needs: the
potential is huge," said Hans Bernwall, a Sail America member and president
of Scanmar International (Pt. Richmond, Calif.).

Fall is a busy boat show season for the sailing industry, and Sail America
did not take the step of adding a new show lightly. A long process of
research preceded the establishment of New York Harbor Sail Expo.

"It was clear that there was no show that gave the industry access to the
New York market, at a price sailing companies could afford," said West.
"Still, we weighed the pros and cons of adding a New York venue very
carefully." The key criteria were the show's location, timing, the cost to
exhibitors--and the assurance that a new show would create sales and
marketing opportunities for the industry that did not exist before.

Liberty Landing Marina is a prime location--an 8-minute ferry ride from
Battery Park, 6 miles from Newark Airport, and just over a mile from a city
that sees millions of commuters on a daily basis. The region is densely
populated with sailors: according to FCC VHF licensing statistics, the
highest number of registered sailboats reside in a 50-mile radius of
Liberty Landing Marina. The region is one of the largest readership areas
for the nation's leading sailing magazines: for one, SAIL magazine readers
within a 50-mile radius from the show's locale are the magazine's largest
subscriber group, 35% larger than the next readership region. Many
shoreline communities where sailing is a popular pastime--such as
Larchmont, City Island, Stamford, Glen Cove--are also within a 50-mile
radius of the show, and sailing enthusiasts in coastal towns in New Jersey,
New York, and Connecticut will be able to travel easily to the show.

New York Harbor Sail Expo also has the potential to develop into a
destination show, drawing international showgoers and those from outside
the Northeast who plan to combine a visit to a national sailboat show with
a stay in New York City.

In regard to timing, the late September dates fall two weeks after the
Newport (R.I.) International Boat Show and two weeks before the U.S.
Sailboat Show in Annapolis (Md.), both of which are popular shows for the
sailing industry. New York is a stopping point as exhibitors and their
boats migrate from New England to the Chesapeake Bay each fall.

When comparison cost studies were done, space rates and hotel rates for
Liberty Landing were ranked lower than those at the other boat shows. And
exhibitors can transport larger sailboats to the show by water, thus
keeping their transport costs in check.

When Sail America committee members were canvassed about exhibiting at the
New York show, some 21 companies confirmed their commitment to be at the
first New York Harbor Sail Expo. Included in that group are industry
leaders such as Beneteau USA, Catalina Yachts, Cruising World and Sailing
World magazines, Edson, Hunter Marine, Offshore Sailing School, Sunsail,
and West Marine.

"When we put all this data together, we knew we had a very powerful
opportunity for the industry--an opportunity the industry had been asking
for, for many years," said Scot West. "All of us at Sail America look
forward to working with exhibitors on the first New York Harbor Sail Expo."

New York Harbor Sail Expo will follow the same format as the other all-sail
shows run by Sail America, with an extensive collection of boats and gear,
free seminars for showgoers, opportunities for new sailors to gain an
introduction to the sport, and a host of sailing stars and personalities.

Based in Middletown (R.I.), Sail America's mission is to promote the growth
of the sailing industry. The organization runs Discover Sailing, a national
introduction-to-sailing program, and boat shows in St. Petersburg (Fla.),
Atlantic City (N.J.), Chicago (Ill.), Miami (Fla.), and Oakland (Calif.).

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scot West, Executive Director, Sail America
401-841-0900 / [email protected]