Second Annual Sausalito Boat Show Kicked Off at Clipper Harbor Last Weekend

The second annual Sausalito Boat Show was a great second success. The event has grown as a grassroots effort of the local maritime professionals who not only want to see a show built in the Bay, but want to be the conduit for the industry to connect with the entire West Coast boating community.

The days were hot, and the evenings were perfect, with glassy water across Richardson Bay, and the vibe at the show was festive. This year’s boat lineup had grown substantially, with more than 70 boats on display — everything from tenders to 90-ft luxury yachts, while on shore, the tents were filled with happy, familiar faces from over 50 Bay Area marine businesses.

The weekend started with show owners Mitch Perkins and Ethan Hirschfeld opening the event, with Clipper Yacht Harbor owner Ken Pedersen and his son KC, doing the honors of cutting the official ribbon. Members of Sausalito’s city council and local organizations and media joined the crowd.

The weekend’s highlights included Friday night’s Waves of Opportunity happy hour, hosted by Helmut’s Marine Service, the San Rafael Channel Association and Big C Charters. The happy hour raised $4200 for the Canal Alliance. Also popular, alongside the beautiful boats and excellent displays by the vendors, were the local live music, food trucks, the Dunk Tank, which raised money for Sausalito Nursery School, and a meet and greet with Bravo’s Below Deck stars Daisy and Fraser, hosted by Marquis Charter.

The Sausalito Boat Show has come to life through the heart and soul of the people who live and work on this waterfront every day. People who understand the importance of the industry and connecting the community to the businesses to share this thing that is so special to us all — life on the water. It’s supported by family businesses that are the backbone of the working waterfront in Sausalito and around the Bay, including H & M Marine and KKMI, along with a team of volunteers from the Sausalito Yacht Club, managed by Ed Shea, who provided critical support throughout the weekend.

Here’s a snapshot of the weekend:

Mitch Perkins was understandably emotional at the end of the event and shared these words. “A new boat show is growing in Sausalito, and it is all about the community, giving back, and growing what we all love.”