If you’re planning to spend several hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a boat, you might be wise to invest $375 to ensure you do it right. TrawlerFest-Baltimore has a plan for you.
Besides general admission to all four days of TrawlerFest’s in-the-water boatshow, the VIP Package allows you to take includes seminars over a three day period from Thursday, Sept. 25 to Saturday, Sept. 27. The venue is the Baltimore Marine Centers at Harborview.
You may take any courses you’d like, but here’s what we recommend to a perspective buyer:
On Thursday, attend “Boatbuying Basics” and “Ten Things Every Buyer Should Know About How Boats Are Built.”
There are many questions to ask yourself before purchasing a new or used trawler: How do you fit? How much time will you spend on board? Where will you cruise? How much will it cost? In this seminar, industry veteran Rob Dorfmeyer offers suggestions to help you prepare for ownership, covering resources such as classes, websites and reading materials. Plus, get behind-the-scenes tips on how the business side of things works—signing a contract, deposits, surveys, etc.—so that you can enter the boat-buying process with a strong understanding of what to expect and what to look for.
Steve Zimmerman, owner of four boatyards, helps you understanding how boats are built enables boat owners and buyers to make informed decisions about maintenance, repairs, and boat condition. Participants will learn about the following critical topics:
· Gelcoat – its purpose, and maintenance and repair considerations
· Core materials – why they are used and how to avoid expensive repairs by following simple procedures when installing hardware
· Resins and laminates – what you need to know before repairing or allowing someone else to repair your boat’s structure
· Aging – data about how well composite structures fair over the years
· Blisters – structural implications, value considerations, how to prevent and how to remedy
· Best practices – how to interpret builder’s literature about how a boat is built so that you can make informed decisions when searching for a boat.
On Friday, PassageMaker Electronics Editor Ben Ellison gives a workshop on “The Wonderful World of Onboard Wireless” and answers questions about marine electronics in general.
Then later in the morning, Naval architect Lou Codega explains “Why Hull Form Matters,” the differences in performance between full-displacement, semi-displacement, planing and catamaran, and why some may suit your cruising style better than others.
On Saturday, Veteran yacht broker Curtis Stokes’s topic is “What Everyone Needs to Know About Surveys and Surveyors.” This is critical intelligence that anyone who ever plans to buy or sell a boat needs to hear. He’ll address how to identify the right surveyor for the results you need, and what can happen when you hire the wrong one.
And finally “Pride of Ownership” with another veteran broker Jeff Merrill. Merrill has been selling cruising sailboats and trawlers for over 20 years and has discovered some of the secrets diligent trawler owners use to reflect great care and attention. Whether your boat is new to you or you have enjoyed her for years there are common secrets and tips to successful trawler maintenance and organization that will be shared by viewing photos and through descriptions of real life examples. Learn what you can do to keep your trawler shipshape and show pride of ownership. This seminar will include a tip sharing session and helpful handouts.
Here’s what your $375 package includes:
* General admission to all four (4) days of TrawlerFest
* Unlimited access to seminars
* Light lunch
* Entry for one (1) to Thursday ‘Trawlers at Twilight’ docktail party
* Entry for one (1) to Friday ‘Dinner and a Movie’ night
* Entry for one (1) to Saturday night concert with Nashville recording artist Ciara Rae and her 7-piece band
Order online, the same deal will cost $450 on the days of the show.
