Six slots remain open for the “Boat Handling on the Water” next week at TrawlerFest in Bremerton, Washington. The course this year will feature the KingFisher 33, a stunning 18-knot cruiser powered by a 260hp Yanmar and designed and built by Sam Devlin of Olympia, Washington.
The onboard instructor is Linda Lewis, a 100-ton USCG-licensed skipper, who teaches boat handling, boat systems, navigation and specializes in helping couples learn how to operate their boats together. She has cruised to Southeast Alaska nine times. The Kingfisher is scheduled to go out six times May 2-4 with four students and Lewis on board. Consequently, the course is limited to 24 students and nearly always sells out.
The course is designed to familiarize students with docking techniques and close-quarters maneuvering, easily the most stressful and potentially embarrassing aspects of boating.
The prerequisite for “Boat Handling on the Water” is a classroom seminar called “Boat Handling Illustrated,” taught by veteran trainer Bob Sweet. Sweet is a senior navigator and author of “Powerboat Handling,” “The Weekend Navigator,” “GPS for Mariners” and “Using GPS with Charts.” He is also a consultant to OceanGrafix, a chart-on-demand provider.
Both courses issue attendees a certificate of completion. Depending on the type of boat insurance you are seeking and the underwriter, such a certificate can help lower your premium.
“There are few people like Sam Devlin,” PassageMaker once wrote. “He is an artist and a perfectionist, a dreamer caught in the profession of boatbuilder. But he is also highly analytical.” Read the article.
SAVE as a VIP
You can attend Boat Handling Illustrated (but not the on-the-water course) and most of the other seminars for fixed prices with a four- or six-day VIP Pass. The cost is $399 for a four-day VIP pass and $499 for the six-day pass. Visit our ticketing site and do some math. You’ll see how being a VIP maximizes your seminar buying power.
SEMINARS: Tuesday, May 1 – Saturday, May 5, at the Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside, 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337.
IN-WATER BOAT SHOW: Thursday, May 3 – Saturday, May 5
Open 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. at Bremerton Marina, 120 Washington Beach Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337
360-373-1035
