The truest thing that one can make about cruising is that cruising is an adventure shared by couples, and it begins with the collaborative decision about which boat to buy. That’s why TrawlerFest designs much of its seminar program around couples.

The TrawlerFest boat show and seminar series happens at Bay Bridge Marina Yacht Club on Kent Island at the foot of Maryland’s magnificent Bay Bridge Tuesday through Sunday, Sept. 29-Oct. 4. The boat show runs Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 1-4, and includes booths displaying marine products and services.

Jay Benford, father of the Florida Bay Coaster, has not only been designing liveaboard boats since 1962, but he and his wife Dona have lived aboard three different boats. In “Liveaboard Design & Improvements” the Benfords discuss liveaboard boats from three different perspectives: as a couple who have done it, as a veteran designer of liveaboard boats and advice on improvements to make your existing boat a better liveaboard. There will be plenty of time for audience questions.

“Basic Coastal Navigation for Husbands & Wives” builds confidence and a sense of team work in the essential art of knowing where you are and getting where you are going. Instructor Bob Sweet is a senior navigator and author of The Weekend Navigator, GPS for Mariners, Using GPS, Using GPS with Charts, and consultant to OceanGrafix. Sweet’s seminar is a comprehensive “quick start” guide to navigation.

Jay Benford, father of the Florida Bay Coaster, not only has been designing liveaboard boats since 1962, but he and his wife Dona have lived aboard three different boats. In “Liveaboard Design & Improvements” the Benfords discuss liveaboard boats from three different perspectives: as a couple who have done it, as a veteran designer of liveaboard boats and advice on improvements to make your existing boat a better liveaboard. There will be plenty of time for audience questions.

In “Couples Cruising With The Caldwells,” Captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell (photo at top) as they share their experiences cruising together–and still managing to like one another! To live and work together in a small boat–even 60 foot boats can seem small–couples will need to find your comfort zone and understand each person’s role aboard. True, you can only have one captain but if you both contribute different skill sets, then you’ll have 100 percent teamwork.

Denise and Harry Allen teach “Partner in Command” aboard PassageMaker project boat Arawak, with classes limited to just eight attendees. This U.S. Power Squadrons seminar is trains crew on how best to assist the skipper and to take over if need be. It includes an introduction to boating, understanding anchoring, docking, and navigation, preparing for bad weather, first aid and how to handle on board emergencies.

“Hands-On Boat Handling” with Bob Sweet and two on-the-water captains takes the “partner in command” concept one step further when our project boat Arawak and a second training vessel actually leaves the dock with attendees at the helm. Bob Sweet is the author of several marine titles including Powerboat Handling Illustrated and The Instant Handbook of Boat Handling, Navigation and Seamanship. Saturday is all class time, then on Sunday, the class breaks down into groups and goes out on the water to put what it has learned into practice. Class size limited to 20, so sign up early.

Destinations, too

Let’s face it, deciding where to go requires a unamimous vote. Besides these training courses, TrawlerFest seminars include three destination-based topics that should appeal to cruising bay-area couples. “The Great Loop & Amazing Sidetrips,” “Southbound on the ICW” and “The Pacific Northwest for East Coast Boaters.”

For information about International Cruising Boat Expo, call 954.703.4789 or email us at [email protected].