Best Boat Shows for Multihulls

[wannabe1]

Hi, I saw there was already a recent questions about the best boat shows. I have been trying to decide between Miami and Annapolis (can't do both as both mean a long flight and a day to get there! ) We are very seriously working toward a liveaboard life (within the next two years) and our objectives at the boat show are to:
1. see several different brands of catamarans in the 40-50' range (leaning toward Dean and Dolphin or an old Prout ... but open minded... depends in the end on what's available used and the end oat budget)
2. take a glance at the monohulls (although feel pretty sure about a cat)
3. talk with current or been there done that liveaboard families and circumnavigating families... I see at Annapolis that there are several seminars by Jimmy Cornell, Pam Wall, and Liza Copeland
4. Meet with potential broker to help us in our boat search to take place later

So... which of these two shows has the widest variety of cats and best speakers ... or they equal??

The input is greatly appreciated! (You can laugh... yes, we're in Montana... no not on a lake even... yes we've been on lots of boats.... )

[DPJ]

Originally Posted by wannabe1

1. see several different brands of catamarans in the 40-50' range (leaning toward Dean and Dolphin or an old Prout ... but open minded... depends in the end on what's available used and the end oat budget)
2. take a glance at the monohulls (although feel pretty sure about a cat)
3. talk with current or been there done that liveaboard families and circumnavigating families... I see at Annapolis that there are several seminars by Jimmy Cornell, Pam Wall, and Liza Copeland
4. Meet with potential broker to help us in our boat search to take place later

)

Either show. I have been to both. The weather in Miami in February is much like the weather in Annoplis in October.
1. Have not see a Dean or Dolphin at either show. Many other brands in various sizes.
2. Plenty of monohulls at each.
3. There is a Lattitudes and Attitudes cruiser party at Miami on Saturday night. Last year at Miami, I saw seminars by Pam Wall, Charles Katner and Corine Kanter.
4. Plenty of brokers at each.

[Jeff]

There has been a Dolphin 460 at the last 3 Annapolis shows. They've redesigned the 460 to give it more headroom so I'm guessing you'll see it again this year at Annapolis

j

[schoonerdog]

Annapolis promises to have a good number of catamarans, but when travelling in Annapolis at night anywhere but the historic district take care to travel more in larger groups. Annapolis has more public housing than any other city of it's size and has had a constant battle with crime (8-10 murders last year in a town of 38,000). Recent reports are that bars in East Port, where we live, are getting hit by small gangs mostly robbing people but often roughing them up. For heavens sake, never ever go into Robinswood off of Forest Drive where most of this is concentrated, even in the daytime. Even police only travel there in mass.