Features At a Glance

Thanks for visiting the 2012 show! See you next year, Jan. 24-27, 2013

NEW!  Jimmy Cornell to make a rare U.S. appearance at 2012 show

An accomplished sailor and successful author, Jimmy Cornell has sailed 200,000 miles in all oceans of the world including three circumnavigations as well as voyages to Antarctica, Alaska and Spitsbergen. Thousands of sailors have fulfilled their dream of blue water cruising with the help of Jimmy Cornell’s books, among them the bestseller World Cruising Routes. With 150,000 copies sold to date, this is one of the best selling nautical publications in the world. Most of Jimmy Cornell’s books have been translated into several languages.

As the founder of the highly successful ARC transatlantic rally, Jimmy Cornell is credited with having devised the offshore cruising rally concept. Now in its 25th year, the ARC continues to be the largest, and most popular, transocean event in the world. Until his retirement in 2000 Jimmy Cornell had organized 24 transatlantic rallies, five round the world rallies and one round the world race, with over 3,000 boats and 15,000 sailors having participated in his sailing events. Jimmy Cornell’s website www.noonsite.com, launched in 2000, is the main source of practical information for cruising sailors on the internet and attracts over one million visitors per month. 

Fluent in six languages, Jimmy Cornell holds lectures and cruising seminars at yacht clubs and international boat shows.

Enjoy your choice of days with Jimmy Cornell at the Progressive® Insurance Strictly Sail® Chicago Boat Show. Jimmy is offering his very popular Long Distance Cruising Seminar on both Friday January 27 and on Sunday January 29, 2012.


Long Distance Cruising Seminar (Five hour) Friday January 27, 2012  2:00 to 7:00pm

This seminar includes 5 hours with Jimmy and a two day ticket to the show.
The cost is $125.00. Click Here to book Jimmy's seminar.

For details on seminar content Click Here

Please note that attendees for the five-hour seminar should plan to attend Jimmy’s Planning Your Dream vacation on Friday morning as part of the hour-long seminars.  

  

Long Distance Cruising Seminar (Complete Course) Sunday January 29, 2012  9:00am to 3:00pm 

This seminar includes 6 hours with Jimmy, a buffet lunch and a two day ticket to the show.
The cost is $145.00. Click Here to book Jimmy's seminars.

  
For details on seminar content Click Here
 
Questions contact Kevin Murphy, kmurphy@nmma.org or 401-293-5207.
 
 Details of all Jimmy's books as well as his seminars and lectures engagements are available on www.cornellsailing.com

New! Come Sail Away—Sailing Simulator, Located in space 298

Sailing Maker Sailing Simulator – Get a feel for the water on a virtual sailboat ride. A qualified instructor will offer you a chance to experience how a boat reacts to wind and waves and teach you how to use the tiller, without getting wet.  Designed and built by a nuclear physicist, the simulator recreates the actual movement of a boat under sail. It’s a unique training platform for sailors of all abilities—whether you’re a new boater who wants to learn how to sail and or an experienced sailor who wants to practice under different sailing conditions. The simulator was built with youth in mind so bring the kids and have them experience sailing first hand.

NEW! Renowned Yacht debuts at the Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Chicago Show

Get a Glimpse at the Queen – No, not the Queen of England, the Queen of the show!  It’s not only one of the best looking sailboats around, but visitors will have a rare opportunity to see the largest sailboat EVER to be displayed indoors at a U.S. boat show. This renowned race yacht – the flagship of the Pinnacle Yachts fleet in Chicago – measures at 86 feet from stern to stern, her mast stands nearly at 100 feet, her largest sail measures at 5,000 square feet, and she is constructed of high-tech carbon fiber. Total cost to build – about $3.5 million. She has a pedigree of record-breaking performances and wins and is quite possibly the fastest sailing yacht to ever grace Chicago’s lakefront!
 
Please join Pinnacle Yachts for a brief discussion about the advanced technology and winning pedigree of this extraordinary yacht.  Brief seminars will be held at the booth at the following times: 
 
Friday: 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
Saturday: 10:30, 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00
Sunday: 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, 4:00

NEW! FREE interactive seminar series at the 2012 Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Chicago Boat Show.

Stop by Booth 294 to hear the Annapolis School of Seamanship 1 hour seminars on troubleshooting your diesel engine and how useful your radar can be. Click Here for the daily schedule.

Stop by Booth 296 and visit with the Second Wind Sailing group conducting an open forum discussion on boat repair, maintenance and modifications, boat construction — core repair, delamination and blistering; gelcoat vs. paint, and gelcoat repair and restoration. Click Here for the daily schedule.

And don't miss Nick Tourney from North Sails in Booth 203 presenting a seminar on the art of mast bend & tune. 
Click here for a full listing of the free interactive seminar schedule.
 

 

NEW! Welcome to the Water Discover Sailing Center - Your one-stop resource for sailing information and advice!


Get started in sailing and learn how to make the most of your time on the water. Stop by and chat with a crew of friendly experts for:
    • Straightforward answers to all your sailing questions.
    • Unbiased advice on choosing a boat that suits your lifestyle and your budget.
    • Information you can trust and local resources to help you get started.

Sailing on a Budget? When it comes to enjoyable ways to spend your leisure time, sailing is probably far more affordable than you realize. Be sure to stop by the Welcome to the Water Center to check out our special showcase of budget-friendly boats you can finance for less than $250 per month.

When you compare the costs of boating to a single day at an amusement park or a trip to any major league game, you'll find that dollar for dollar, boating is really quite affordable. 

NEW! Indoor Match Racing with the Chicago Match Race Center

 
Check out America’s Cup Style Match Racing at the Chesapeake Performance Models RC pool courtesy of the Chicago Match Race Center. A scaled down version of the real thing, the racing will feature eight teams competing head-to-head in a quarter-final knockout bracket complete with live umpiring & announcing. Competitors will be industry pro’s, local one design fleets, college & high school racing teams, and local match racers.
 
Founded in 2009 to grow match racing in the Midwest and United States, the Chicago Match Race Center is now one of the premier match race sailing venues in the world. In 2012 Chicago will play host to the first US stop of the World Match Racing Tour and two other Grade 2 Match Races all staged off the east end of Navy Pier, a fantastic venue for stadium sailing. Join us at RC pool this year during the following times:
 
Race Schedule:
Thursday: 2:00, 6:00
Friday: 2:00, 6:00
Saturday: 12:00, 3:00, 6:00
Sunday: 12:00, 2:00

NEW! Live Music with Frankendread

When: All Days of the Show

Frankendread is an accomplished Caribbean performer. His energetic performances have put smiles on faces around the world.
 
Known for his inexhaustible performance schedule of corporate events, weddings, private parties, pool parties, conventions, clubs, bars, tiki huts, backyards, schoolyards, restaurants, cruises, street performances, resorts, subways, and any other conceivable venue, Frankendread’s mission of presenting island music anytime, anywhere, anyplace has served him well.
 
Don't miss this rare appearance by one of the best steel drummers in the world. Live everyday!

Author’s Corner

When: All days of the show

Stop by the Author's Corner and visit with one of your favorite story tellers and pick up the latest adventure novels. Scheduled to be in attandance include: Stop back for a list of participating authors.

SAIL Magazine's Innovation Station 

This popular exhibit features the latest products to receive SAIL magazine’s Freeman K. Pittman Innovation Awards, recognizing the most technically advanced sailing products currently sold on the market. The Innovation Station showcases four product categories: Racing Gear, Cruising Gear, Electronics, Safety Gear and Systems.

NEW! Kids' Club

Parents—Give your kids a break!  Kids' Club is a hands-on activity center designed just for junior sailors where children can jump and bounce and slide away... Then have a seat and draw “sailboats of the future,” and build wooden sailboats and sail away in the pond. Daily prizes will be awarded for the most unique and innovative drawings of the future.