When is the 2026 Annapolis Powerboat Show?
The 2026 Annapolis Powerboat Show is scheduled for October 8–11, 2026 at City Dock in Annapolis. Organizers and local tourism officials are promoting more than 350 boats across center consoles, family cruisers, offshore boats, trawlers, luxury yachts and other powerboat categories. The live exhibitor list is still changing, so ABG will update this guide as the show gets closer.
Show dates: Visit Annapolis. Live 2026 boat list: Annapolis Powerboat Show exhibitor boat list.
The adventure and pilothouse boats on ABG's watch list
Rather than list every powerboat at the show, these are the boats most relevant to an ABG reader evaluating weather protection, offshore capability, family cruising, year-round usability and premium ownership.
Axopar 38
38.9 ft · East Coast Yacht Sales
The new-generation Axopar 38 is one of the clearest performance-oriented alternatives to a Nord Star 36+. It brings an outboard-first, modular crossover philosophy to roughly the same size class.
Compare Nord Star vs Axopar →Targa 37
41.2 ft · East Coast Yacht Sales
Targa remains one of the most relevant Scandinavian pilothouse references. Buyers can compare its workboat-influenced walkaround layout and protected helm directly against Nord Star's more premium family-cruising proposition.
Compare Nord Star vs Targa →Saxdor 340 GTWA
36 ft · MarineMax Northeast
The 340 GTWA is a useful show stop for buyers who like Scandinavian styling and enclosed protection but prioritize outboard performance and social-space innovation.
Compare Nord Star vs Saxdor →Navan C30
33.5 ft · Chesapeake Yacht Center
The enclosed-cabin C30 is a mainstream U.S.-market example of the same broader movement toward protected, versatile adventure boats.
Back Cove 372 & 39O
42–43 ft · Back Cove Yachts
These are strong U.S. reference points for buyers who want a premium enclosed helm and long-season family cruising but prefer the Downeast tradition.
Pursuit OS325 & OS405
34 ft and 43 ft · Pursuit
Pursuit's Offshore line is valuable context for buyers coming from U.S. center-console and fishing-oriented brands who want more cabin, weather protection and overnight capability.
Cutwater C308 & C-32
31–33 ft · Pocket Yacht
Cutwater offers another distinctly American answer to protected, owner-operated cruising, with a different mission and speed profile than the Nordic boats.
Jeanneau NC 895 Weekender & NC 1295 Coupe
30 ft and 42 ft · Rudy Marine
The NC line is worth boarding for cabin ergonomics, family utility and weather-protected cruising — especially for buyers deciding how much deck access versus interior volume they want.
Grady-White 240 Express
34 ft · Grady-White
A useful U.S.-brand reference for buyers who prioritize offshore capability and fishing utility but still want a protected helm and overnight accommodations.
Current boat models above are drawn from the show's live 2026 exhibitor list, checked Aug. 25, 2026. New exhibitors and boats are being added, so confirm the final list before traveling.
Also worth seeing: the broader adventure-boat field
The live show list currently includes Axopar 29 and 45, Targa 41 and 46, Nimbus T9 and W9, Pursuit DC/S models, Regulator offshore center consoles, Aquador 300 and numerous center consoles from Grady-White, Parker, Scout, Everglades, Cobia and others. Even when a boat is not a direct Nord Star substitute, boarding these boats helps clarify what matters most: side-deck security, visibility, cabin volume, ride, propulsion, cockpit utility and how much of your boating season you want to protect from weather.
Why a Nord Star 36+ would be especially relevant in Annapolis
The 36+ sits directly in the premium buyer conversation created by boats such as the Axopar 38 and Targa 37, but its value proposition is different: a handcrafted Finnish all-weather pilothouse, protected family cruising, walkaround utility and a more exclusive, low-volume ownership experience. Annapolis is also a natural market for the concept because Chesapeake buyers regularly deal with shoulder-season weather, open-Bay chop, family use and long cruising days.
Should a Nord Star 36+ come to Annapolis?
This is a quick demand check for prospective U.S. buyers. If enough qualified buyers are interested, ABG can share that demand signal with Nord Star USA. This is not a confirmation that a Nord Star will be at the show or that an on-water cruise is scheduled.
How ABG would shop the show
- Board the Axopar 38 and Targa 37 first. They create the cleanest direct context for the Nord Star 36+.
- Walk the protected-helm U.S. boats. Back Cove, Pursuit, Cutwater, Jeanneau and Grady-White show what familiar U.S. ownership alternatives deliver.
- Compare movement, not brochures. Walk the side decks, sit at the helm, check sightlines, move through the cabin and imagine a cold October or March day on the Chesapeake.
- Ask for delivered pricing. Base prices rarely capture engines, electronics, comfort packages, freight, commissioning and options.
- Decide whether you want common or distinctive. Nord Star's lower-volume U.S. presence is part of its premium appeal; the real comparison is whether its all-weather utility and exclusivity justify ordering a more individually specified boat.
Show information and verification
ABG checked these sources on Aug. 25, 2026. The official exhibitor list states that new exhibitors are added regularly.