13th Annual Strictly Sail Pacific

 
12th Annual Strictly Sail® Pacific Boat Show Opens in Oakland on April 16, 2008

Oakland (Calif.) January 3, 2008 – Strictly Sail Pacific will return to Oakland’s Jack London Square from Wednesday, April 16 to Sunday, April 20. The 12th running of this five-day sailing event, the largest sail-only boat show on the West Coast, is expected to draw close to 15,000 attendees, 300 exhibitors, and a fleet of some 100 boats.

Exhibitors from around the globe will bring a wide-ranging collection of boats and gear—giving showgoers a valuable opportunity to see the latest in sailboat design and equipment, all in one locale. Attendees can also take advantage of special events and free seminars by notable sailing authors and personalities.

As in previous years, Strictly Sail Pacific will be held in Jack London Square (Oakland, Calif.), which has proven to be a popular venue for exhibiting companies as well as for showgoers. Boat and gear manufacturers continue to report that Strictly Sail Pacific is the perfect venue to connect with sailing enthusiasts who reside west of the Mississippi. And, with a steady rise in attendance in recent years, including a 15% increase in 2007, exhibitors can reach a larger audience of sailing enthusiasts than ever before.

This year, with Jack London Square in the throes of a major expansion, the floorplan of the show will be modified to work around the ongoing construction. The 2008 show will utilize a slightly smaller land area than in past shows and will feature two large tents and a grouping of smaller tents for exhibitors. The in-water section of the show will not affected by the expansion, and Strictly Sail Pacific will again feature its trademark fleet of sailboats—from small dinghies to large blue-water cruising and racing boats.

"Jack London Square`s growing popularity and expansion have presented new challenges this year, but we have worked hard to create the best solution for exhibitors and showgoers,” said Sail America National Show Manager Kevin Murphy. “The end result is a modified layout on land, but all those who attend can expect another great year—with a large fleet of sailing boats, extensive gear displays, free seminars, and the same excitement about sailing that has marked this show since it first began."

Sail America, organizers of Strictly Sail Pacific, worked closely with the Port of Oakland and the Northern California Marine Association (NCMA), which runs the Pacific Powerboat Expo at Jack London Square, to devise a workable plan for the 2008 show. New locations are being considered for future.

For more information about the family of Strictly Sail boat shows organized by Sail America, visit www.strictlysail.com.

About Sail America Sail America is the trade association for the US sailing industry and plays a vital role for all companies that provide sailing-related products and services. Established in 1990 by members of the US sailing industry, Sail America’s mission is to promote the health and growth of SAILING.

In 2008, Sail America will produce four of the country’s best sailboat shows—Strictly Sail Chicago, Strictly Sail Miami, Strictly Sail Pacific, and Strictly Sail St. Pete—as well as SailFest events at NMMA’s Baltimore Boat Show and Virginia In-Water Boat Expo.

In addition to running Strictly Sail Boat Shows and SailFests, Sail America promotes the sailing lifestyle, introduces thousands of new people to sailing, distributes industry and market information, provides valuable business tools and education, and supports industry-wide initiatives such as Discover Sailing and Grow Boating. Sail America members have access to cost-saving affinity programs and receive discounted space rates at all Sail America-owned shows.