The 2026 Newport International Boatshow is in full swing in the heart of the sailing capital of the Northeast. This is the unofficial kick off of America’s autumn boatshow season, and it brings builders, manufacturers, and other exhibitors from around the world to Rhode Island to show off what they’ve been working on.
There are quite a few debuts on the power side, and a modest offering of new sailboats as well, including the Jeanneau 455, Swan 51, Saffier SE 28, and Seawind 1160XL, all of which will be nominees for the Top 10 Best Boats competition this year.
Also of note is the XR 41, which received an honorable mention in last year’s Top 10 competition, fully deserving of highest accolades but not officially meeting eligibility requirements due to its uncertain US arrival date. Now it’s here, and we encourage you to check it out.
Other new products include apparel from Gill and Henri Llyod, furler tech from Facnor and Selden. Facnor’s Tackfurl received accolades as the show’s most innovative new product, allowing you to adjust the tension of a headsail by moving the furling drum, rather than using the halyard, freeing up a cockpit winch and improving the trim of the sails you already have. Selena debuted a two-way rachet system in their latest furler—protecting fingers and sails from slippage—as well as a clever new installation system that integrates the cable straight into a terminal that plugs into the furler, no splicing necessary.
