Come join us at Trawlerfest in sunny Hutchinson Island, Stuart, Florida from February 27-March 2, 2024.

This is the premiere event for boat owners and prospective buyers to hone their boating skills or to find their next boat. Powerboaters and sailors alike will have unparalleled access to a wealth of industry experts, from manufacturers to other experienced cruisers.

Seminar Registration & Tickets

IN-WATER BOAT SHOW

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29 – SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024
Boat Show is open 10am – 5pm Thursday and Friday & Saturday from 10am – 4pm 
TICKETS: General Admission is $15 in advance. Seminar tickets include General Admission to the boat show on the day of the seminar.

TRAWLERFEST SEMINARS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 – SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024

LOCATION:
HUTCHINSON ISLAND MARRIOTT BEACH RESORT & MARINA
555 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996

IN WATER BOAT LIST – WILL CHANGE WEEKLY

Questions on attending?
Contact us at [email protected] or (954) 761-8777

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION:
If you wish to become an exhibitor and display your boat for sale at Trawlerfest, please contact Ryan Davidson at (954) 328-7573 or [email protected].

SEMINARS: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 – SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024. All seminars will be held onsite at the Riverside Conference Center. Seminar registration will be on the 2nd floor with the seminar rooms. 

General admission is included for the day of the boat show with all seminar purchases. If you are attending a seminar on Tuesday or Wednesday, please reference that seminar and bring your name badge for general admission to the show.

DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOMS ON SHOW SITE – for more information on how to book please email [email protected] .  We will try and squeeze you into the hotel.  The room block is currently sold out.

5 & 3-DAY VIP PACKAGES

5-Day VIP Package (Tuesday – Saturday)

  • Unlimited access to seminars (Tuesday-Saturday). The following seminars are NOT included in VIP package: Boat Handling on the Water, Maritime Medical Emergency Management Hands On, and Marine Apps with Eric Kunz. 
  • General Admission to all Three (3) days of Trawlerfest’s In-Water Boat Show
  • Entry on Thursday for one Happy Hour Boat Cruise social activity
  • Entry on Friday for one to the Trawlers at Twilight happy hour

3-Day VIP Package ( Thursday – Saturday)

  • Unlimited access to seminars (Thursday-Saturday). The following seminars are NOT included in VIP package: Boat Handling on the Water, Maritime Medical Emergency Management Hands On and Marine Apps with Eric Kunz. 
  • General Admission to all Three (3) days of Trawlerfest’s In-Water Boat Show
  • Entry on Thursday for one Happy Hour Boat Cruise social activity 
  • Entry on Friday for one to the Trawlers at Twilight happy hour

Tuesday, February 27 Seminars:

Principles of Close Quarters Boat Handling with Bob Arrington

Tuesday, February 27 | 9 am – 12 pm

This classroom session, combined with “Boat Handling on the Water” will help you develop skills in close quarters maneuvering and docking. You will learn how to prepare the boat for docking in a variety of situations, along with how to predict and adapt to wind and current. Taught by one of the best instructors in the business, Bob Arrington holds a USCG 100 Ton Masters License with over 40 years of practical experience at the helm. He enjoys sharing his passion for the water with new boaters, having taught boat handling skills in multiple venues for the past 25 years. Arrington also writes boat handling and cruising columns for Passagemaker and Power & Motoryacht Magazines. The Wednesday morning session is all class time followed by five on-the-water sessions on Wednesday – Friday. (SEPARATE REGISTRATION FOR ON-WATER SESSIONS REQUIRED). The certificate of completion awarded to attendees may enable some to save money on their boat insurance. An example of Arrington’s training can be found here at: https://www.passagemaker.com/technical/settle-down-skipper

“On The Water” Boat Handling with Captain Bob Arrington

Wednesday, February 28 thru Friday, March 1

Six people per session. Principles of Close Quarters Boat Handling with Bob Arrington is a required prerequisite for Boat Handling on The Water. ** Not Included in VIP Package

Session 1: Wednesday, Feb 28,1 PM – 3 PM

Session 2: Wednesday, Feb 28, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Session 3: Thursday, Feb 29, 8 AM -10 AM

Session 4: Thursday, Feb 29, 3 PM – 5 PM

Session 5: Friday, March 1, 8 AM -10 AM

How to Maintain a Cruising Powerboat with Steve Zimmerman

Tuesday, February 27  & Wednesday, February 28 | 9am – 12pm | Day 1 of 2  

These two sessions (Tuesday & Wednesday) class will provide practical in-depth information about maintaining your boat. Whether you plan to perform your own maintenance or pay someone, this class will help you avoid costly mistakes.

Topics include:
• Corrosion prevention
• Understanding modern fiberglass boat construction and repairs, including blister repairs, gelcoat maintenance, and core materials
• Shore power principles and safety
• Gelcoat Maintenance and core materials
• Bottom paints
• Sealants and adhesives – proper selection and application
• Engine checks

Sanitary Systems- Drinking Water, Sewage System Air Conditioning and more with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Tuesday, February 27 | 9am – 11am 

This might not be your dream topic, but your Sanitary Systems are the foundation of every successful boat trip. Potable drinking water, holding tanks, hoses, and capacity of all that you can carry are essential considerations. Learn about toilet systems and what you need to do to keep it flushing. What’s that noise? And what’s that smell? Let’s hope it’s coming from the cookies you’re baking and not your sanitary systems in distress. Learn what you can do to keep your boat smelling fresh and your crew happy. To flush or not to flush. That is the question! Ask Captain Chris.

Navigation & Boating with Electronics with Bob Sweet

Tuesday, February 27 | 12pm – 2pm

Electronics have vastly improved boating. This seminar provides an overview of the electronic devices available to you to help you select, install, and use them. Unfortunately, available manufacturers’ data and manuals are often lacking and confusing. We’ll help unravel the mysteries and make it easier for you to use these tools to your advantage.

Some devices such as chartplotters, radar and sounders need to be compatible models from the same manufacturer in order to work together. Other electronics can be from any manufacturer. This seminar in not brand-specific. We’ll give you some guidelines for making selections that will work for you. We’ll talk about what’s new and what you should consider if you choose to add gear on your boat.

We’ll also provide important tips and tricks for using these devices. Manufacturers compete with each other to offer more “features.” However, while they might make nice screen candy, they may or may not be useful. You have a lot to do as skipper, monitoring your electronics should help you, not demand your attention.

Today’s electronics make extensive use of virtual buttons, and functions are buried in a menu system which may not be intuitive. Most boaters really need a limited set of functions, and want to learn how to quickly access them when needed. We’ll talk about setting up the main display for charting and radar.

This will a good chance to share experiences and ask questions to help focus you use of your electronics, and make you a more informed buyer when selecting and having electronics installed on your boat, and when setting them up for use.

The Great Loop with Kim Russo

Tuesday, February 27 |  1pm – 4pm

Boaters who circumnavigate the East Coast of U.S., using the Hudson River, Erie Canal, Great Lakes, Mississippi River and Intracoastal Waterway are called “Loopers” for having completed “The Great Loop.” Kim Russo, executive director of the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, will give a detailed briefing with plenty of time to answer questions. She will also address which boats are most suitable and how to budget. For more information and a Loop photo gallery, click here. Attendees will receive a complementary one-year membership to the American Great Loop Cruising Association.

Heading Offshore with Jeff Merrill, CPYB

Tuesday, February 27 | 3pm – 5pm

The view doesn’t change much tied up at your slip. Isn’t it time to see more by cruising your trawler offshore? Before you uncleat, there are some things to consider. This course is designed to help you learn what to expect, and/or give you a refresher on cruising the deep blue. Jeff Merrill has been a TrawlerFest presenter for over twenty years. As a veteran trawler yacht broker, he has enjoyed spending time aboard with many of his clients after the purchase and, as a result, has amassed an informative and entertaining collection of photos, ideas, lessons and stories to share on the topic of heading offshore. Jeff will touch on safety, planning, weather, navigation, pilothouse operations, engine room checks and more.

Charts have Changed – You Need to Know with Bob Sweet

Tuesday, February 27 | 3 pm – 5 pm

Your charts are essential – they are your primary reference for what’s there and how to safely get to where you are going. For decades, we have had both paper and electronic charts available. They form a complementary set of tools to provide us with the information we need.

NOAA has fundamentally changed charting, and it’s not necessarily good news for boaters. In a need for efficiency, NOAA is eliminating the paper chart and its electronic equivalent, RNC (Raster Navigation Chart). The push to focus on international standards makes your job as a cruiser or recreational boater a bit more of a challenge. The ENC (Electronic Navigation Chart) has become your sole resource. ENCs lack much of the information that you have likely used as a frame of reference while out on the water. And, ENCs are also changing. You will need some added skills to effectively understand and use them.

We explain how charts are changing and how best to get what you need to safely travel on the water. Ultimately, these changes impact both electronic and printed chart media. Commercial suppliers are looking at ways to fill the void with supplemental information and effective ways to portray the information you need. This is evolving, and we’ll discuss what is happening and how best to get what you need for your cruising.

Wednesday, February 28 Seminars

What to Expect from a Marine Survey with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Wednesday, February 28 | 9am – 11am

To better prepare you for what happens during a survey, our primary focus in this new Ask Captain Chris seminar is what you as the boat owner will expect from surveys of pleasure boats. We will include:

  • Types of surveys
  • How to find the right surveyor
  • What you will experience during the survey
  • Your responsibilities as the buyer.

This seminar is photo-rich with real world examples helping the new boater to identify quality equipment as well as potential problems.

How to Maintain a Cruising Powerboat with Steve Zimmerman

Wednesday, February 28 | 9 am – 12 pm | Day 2 of 2

This two session (Tuesday & Wednesday) class will provide practical in-depth information about maintaining your boat. Whether you plan to perform your own maintenance or pay someone, this class will help you avoid costly mistakes. Topics include:

  • How to inspect and service seacocks and thru-hulls
  • How to inspect and maintain your running gear, including props, shafts, and shaft seals
  • Corrosion prevention
  • Understanding modern fiberglass boat construction and repairs, including blister repairs, gelcoat maintenance, and core materials
  • Shore power principles and safety
  • Gelcoat Maintenance and core materials
  • Bottom paints
  • Sealants and adhesives – proper selection and application
  • Engine checks

Dialing In Your Trawler with Jeff Merrill, CPYB

Wednesday, February 28 | 9am – 11am

Over thirty years working with cruising clients and through his experiences on hundreds of trawlers, yacht broker Jeff Merrill has amassed a collection of good ideas that will help take some of the guesswork out of tracking various systems and equipment onboard your trawler. These are effective techniques that trawler owners are using to better monitor their vessels and they apply to most power cruising boats. It helps your awareness if you are observant and use quick reference reminders. Simple tips, like marking lines on your engine mounts, lines for tracking needles on analog gauges, color coding your anchor chain and many other common-sense tips make this an engaging and informative session.

Electronic Navigation with Bob Sweet

Wednesday, February 28 | 11am – 1pm

You have a chartplotter on board, but do you truly know how to use it? This moving map display has revolutionized marine navigation. Chartplotters provide our primary means of navigation, but using these devices can be a bit of a challenge. Many functions are buried in the menu system, and the screens provide a limited view to just a few miles around us.

There are several phases of navigation. Before we start, we plan. That is often best done on a computer or tablet. We can then transfer to information to the chartplotter. We’ll talk about how. Underway, our chartplotter is our window to following the planned route and what is around us. We need to stay on course. Winds and currents can alter our path, so we need to deal with that. Lastly, we need to have situational awareness of our surroundings as a check to make sure we are where we think we are. Landmarks and navigation aids help us there.

Chartplotters today are essentially special-purpose computers driven by software someone at the manufacturer’s facility programmed. What they show you depends upon that software and the digital charts stored in the chartplotter. How they perform their tasks is usually not in the manual. In fact, manuals are not very useful.

Our mission is to provide what the manuals do not – how to use the chartplotter to navigate. We will explore planning on or off the chartplotter, activating the path or route, and navigating to stay on course. Meanwhile, you can use the chartplotter to tap into all sorts of information while it is keeping track of your navigation. We will explore scrolling and using the cursor.

Underway, we need to pay close attention to the activities around us, so navigation needs to be clear and information easily accessible. That means, we need to quickly be able to adjust screen presentations to show our present status, and progress. Often, view of our destination is off the screen. All of this needs to done with a minimal amount of attention as you have other duties as well.

Screen allocation is an important task, as your radar usually shares the screen with your chart and often your sounder. Next to the chart display, the radar screen is your second most valuable resource as it shows what is physically around you rather than the chart interpretation presented by the GPS. No prudent navigator relies upon a single resource for his position, so radar helps. We will discuss how to use radar to support your navigation tasks.

Tools such as routes and auto-routing are available, but as with any computer-based system, they are prone to perils if used without supervision. Your chartplotter can be used to drive your autopilot along a route with changes of course, but you need to make sure that it is doing what you expect.

We will also discuss supplemental tools such as chart overlays, bathymetric data, and even AIS for navigation.

Galley Tips – Provisions for Your Pleasure Cruise with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Wednesday, February 28 |  1pm – 3pm

Planning a weekend trip? Maybe cruising for a few months? Captain Alyse will share ideas, shortcuts and hints that will make your time in the galley another fun adventure. All of our galley recipes are easy to make and can work perfectly in the small confines of a one burner stove or toaster oven and one small square foot of counter space….as well as in the spacious galley of a large cruiser. We will help you consider storage and trash options too. With the right tools and the right attitude everything tastes better on a boat.

Maritime Medical Emergency Management with Dr Robert Leviton

Wednesday, February 28 | 2pm – 5pm 

So, you’ve learned how to survey your boat, understand the basic stuff of marine weather forecasting, navigate the waterways, and anchoring your vessel, only to descend into the engine room, slip, striking your head, opening a gash in your scalp, bleeding miserably, your memory fading, only to notice your leg is askew in a painful manner what do you do next?

Join Dr. Robert Leviton and learn how to manage these and many other Maritime Medical Emergencies as you will learn about how to contact medical assistance, prepare for helicopter evacuation, organize your First Aid Kit, understand, and treat lacerations, concussion, shock, fractures, allergic reactions and more. With 30 + years practicing Emergency Medicine, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at NY Medical College, and medical director for US Sailing Disabled Sailing Regattas, Dr. Leviton will share countless stories and much needed practical information to survive the most common emergencies and be on your way to complete your journey.

During this presentation participants will gain in depth understanding of the following:

  • Allergic Reactions
  • Burns
  • Choking
  • Concussion
  • Contusions, Lacerations, and Wound Care
  • Dehydration
  • Drowning and Near Drowning
  • Fractured Bones
  • Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke
  • Hypothermia
  • Marine Bites and Stings
  • Nosebleeds
  • Seasickness
  • Strain and Sprains

Trawler Buying Tips

Wednesday, February 28 | 2pm – 5pm       

 There is a lot you can prepare for to make sure you are ready when you find the right trawler to purchase. The goal of this seminar is to provide trawler buyers with important information you need to know up front to maximize your boat purchasing success. This is a “team teach” event with individual presentations leading to a group panel session at the end. The seminar leads off with boatbuilder Steve Zimmerman helping you determine which hull form is best for the type of cruising you intend. Hull form matters and you want to select the right design. Captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell have lived and cruised aboard their own trawler for 20 years. They provide yacht services, training videos on docking, locking, anchoring and many other essential skills required to build your cruising confidence. Maritime attorney Matt D. Miller from Miller Watson PLLC navigates clients through the complex legal world of the yachting industry. Sterling Associates will discuss marine loan financing. John Posey from Total Dollar Insurance will help you understand the current boat insurance market. JP Skov, CPYB from YBAA (Yacht Brokers Association of America), will discuss the importance of choosing a qualified broker to guide you through the buying process. Jeff Merrill, CPYB (Trawlerfest veteran presenter for over 20 + years) will moderate the discussion and try to keep the panelists and audience on track so that when we wrap up you will have some great background on the trawler buying process.                                            

 Avoiding Collisions using Radar, AIS, & You with Bob Sweet

Wednesday, February 28 | 3pm – 5pm 

Your worst nightmare is a potential collision. Avoiding collisions forms the basis for the navigation rules, but we worry about whether other boaters know the rules or even follow them. Collisions are not limited to just other boats as you can potentially strike a fixed object, This puts you in a somewhat defensive posture, but there are tools to help you stay safe.

We explain those tools and how best to use them. You need a lookout. Your eyes are your first line of defense, First, we explain the navigation rules in a way that makes them easy to understand and follow. What do you do when someone is not responding as you expect? A few key strategies will give you the best advantage in an interaction with other boats.

Electronics can help significantly, but they must do so with minimal interruption to your primary tasks of lookout and operating the boat. The two best electronic tools for the job are radar and AIS. We explain how to use them effectively.

Radar is an essential tool in keeping tabs on other boats and obstacles. Radar forms your electronic eyes around the boat, above the water. Many cruisers have radar, but do you really know how to use it to your best advantage? We’ll explain. You need to understand what you are seeing on the radar screen and how to deal with dynamic situations. Some radar designs and tools are best for the job, we’ll explain.

The one radar deficiency is positively identifying a target. You may see an object, but do you know what/who it is? That’s where AIS comes in. For those vessels, navigation aids, and services that transmit AIS signals, you have a definitive resource to help you communicate, and/or avoid problems and predict what you should do. AIS is evolving, both in equipment and uses as an essential device to have aboard. The most common transceivers available for boaters, Class B, has changed, you need to know how to deal with the older and newer versions. At a minimum, you should have an AIS receiver to view other boats and resources. All of this will be explained.

Thursday, February 29 Seminars

Locking Through Bridge Etiquette with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Thursday, February 29 | 9am – 11am 

If you plan to cruise the Great Loop or are just curious about how you can navigate your own boat through a Lock or a Draw Bridge, this is your seminar!

Captain Chris will teach you how to contact the lock or bridge and safely navigate through. We will show you how to enter and secure the boat in a variety of lock designs and mooring styles and explore the many different types of bridges and how each may effect your cruising. We will cover VHF radio communication with a lock/bridge tender, including proper terminology and how to determine the correct channel. We will help you learn about bridge and lock schedules and where to find them. It’s important to understand how the height of your boat, the tide level, wave action and current flow all can influence your travel as you encounter these marvels. We’ve included some surprises you may never have anticipated.

How To Buy A Used Boat… As Told by the Boatyard with Steve Zimmerman

Thursday, February 29 | 9am – 11am

This talk provides a unique perspective on the boat buying process. Boatyards usually become involved AFTER the checks have been cashed and the boat changes hands. Too often the buyer finds out what he should have known before the purchase. This seminar will give you the tools you need to understand how the game is played, what questions to ask, and how identify the right kind of boat for your plans. This is a practical workshop, delving into the bilges of the boat buying process.

Topics include: How to identify the best design type for your plans using a Boat Selection Matrix, Understanding the brokerage process and how it has changed. The role of a marine surveyor and how to find a good one. Interpreting survey findings and post-survey negotiations.

20 Interesting and useful Marine Weather Tips with Chris Parker

Thursday, February 29 | 11am – 1pm 

Veteran marine forecaster Chris Parker learned these 20 tips through decades of observation, much of it while cruising. These tips include:

  • Basic stuff (like understanding wind flags on a weather chart
  • Characteristics of waves / seas you may not have considered)
  • More advanced topics such as how to observe the texture of clouds to gauge whether a thunderstorm is developing
  • Which side of a thunderstorm will generate the strongest wind.

Chris also shares forecasting “secrets” he developed over 20 years of forecasting weather daily for clients, including:

  • Understanding how wind parallels coastlines
  • Strong wind blowing over water generates mild squalls
  • Squalls are most common in the GulfStream at night
  • Understanding why wind generally weakens as its direction “backs,” and what it means when it strengthens instead. (Hint: Bad things can happen.)
  • Knowing on which side of a TROF you should expect weather to be worse than predicted.

Cruising the ICW with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Thursday, February 29 | 12pm – 2pm 

Heading south for the winter? This seminar will get you where you want to go. Ask Captain Chris to help you plot your course along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from the Chesapeake Bay through mile marker zero in Norfolk, Va., all the way to the warms waters of Florida. Learn a few tips to keep you in the deeper channel and off the sandbars from experienced cruisers who traveled the route in many different size trawlers- with as deep as a 7 foot draft. There are details to explore such as tide, currents and drawbridges that are specific to cruising the Atlantic coast. Here’s a peek at where you may travel when it’s your turn to live the dream.

Voyage “Hands-On” with Eric Kunz from Furuno

#1 Thursday, February 28 | 1pm – 3pm | Not included in the VIP Package

Voyage “Hands-On” into the latest marine electronics technology and navigation sensors utilizing touch-screen MFDs (Multi-Function Displays). Technological innovations in solid-state doppler radar combined with a web-connected MFD are changing the navigation and route planning game. Touch and see how this situational awareness paradigm shift simplifies navigation solutions for both novice and experienced navigators alike. 

Take a technology deep dive into how new sensor technology and MFD integration make navigation less complicated. See how solid-state doppler radar provides amazing and innovative local rain and weather detection for safer navigation. Understand the building block approach to MFDs that apply to every vessel and every MFD manufacturer with the latest charting technology. Use Marine Apps and learn which hardware you will need to seamlessly connect your devices to the MFDs on your vessel. Then log into your own free, secure personal cloud space to develop and save navigation and weather routing plans from anywhere in the world. Senior Product Manager, Eric Kunz from Furuno will also explain how new acoustic navigation sensors and multi-beam acoustic technology is critical for navigating shallow harbors and gunkholing to find the perfect remote anchorage on any cruising vessel.

(Limited Attendance with six MFD Display and 2 people per display)

Metal Boats with John Clayman from Seaton Yachts

Thursday, February 29 | 2 pm – 3:30pm 

Why a steel or aluminum trawler could be your best choice? John Clayman, President of Seaton Yachts will present the pros & cons of steel and aluminum boat building specific to trawlers. John has decades of experience in design & construction worldwide. His firm is partnered with Vripack Design in the Netherlands where they build their steel / aluminum Doggersbanks and aluminum Korvets. The Dutch are renowned for their expertise in metal construction. 

Building a Boat in Southeast Asia – From Initial Contact to Delivery in the States

Thursday, Feb 29, 3:30 – 4:30 pm 

Tucker West, President of the Kadey-Krogen Group, discusses the benefits of boat building in Southeast Asia and what the process looks like for the buyer. Topics include shipping, duties, tariffs, selecting a builder, what the build process looks like and commissioning the boat when it arrives in the US.

Friday, March 1 Seminars

Great Loop Boats, Great for Bluewater, too with John Clayman

Friday, March 1 | 9am – 10:30am

Would-be cruisers often ask, “What do I need to look for in a boat for The Great Loop,” as if maybe they didn’t intent to cruise anywhere else. And maybe some do not. The Loop is a magnificent adventure, usually with land to starboard and port, but there are plenty of boats that do a great job on inland waters that can also go offshore and even cross an ocean. The Great Loop is a magnificent adventure in and of itself, but there are affordable boats that can do both the Erie Canal and the Atlantic Ocean in comfort and safety. John Clayman, president of Seaton Yachts with tens of thousands of ocean miles under his belt, will review the particular requirements for Great Looping and for more strenuous cruising. He will provide examples of dual-purpose vessels for every budget. Donning his yacht broker cap, Clayman will also discuss how to find and purchase the best boat for your needs. There will be ample time to respond to questions about design, construction, surveys, and the purchase process.

FLOOPin’ Florida Loop Cruising with Chris and Alyse Caldwell

Friday, March 1 | 9am – 11am 

Want to try a new adventure? We are FLOOPin’…Boating along the Florida Loop. Join us for a virtual cruise on a full circle around Southern Florida. Make a loop, north from Miami then west through the Okeechobee Waterway, south on Florida’s west coast into the Gulf of Mexico, around the Florida Keys and back to your starting point. Enjoy our Sunshine State and Ask Captain Chris how you can FLOOP too!

Voyage “Hands-On” with Eric Kunz from Furuno

#2 Friday, March 1 |  9am – 11am | Not Included in the VIP Package

Voyage “Hands-On” into the latest marine electronics technology and navigation sensors utilizing touch-screen MFDs (Multi-Function Displays). Technological innovations in solid-state doppler radar combined with a web-connected MFD are changing the navigation and route planning game. Touch and see how this situational awareness paradigm shift simplifies navigation solutions for both novice and experienced navigators alike.

Take a technology deep dive into how new sensor technology and MFD integration make navigation less complicated. See how solid-state doppler radar provides amazing and innovative local rain and weather detection for safer navigation. Understand the building block approach to MFDs that apply to every vessel and every MFD manufacturer with the latest charting technology. Use Marine Apps and learn which hardware you will need to seamlessly connect your devices to the MFDs on your vessel. Then log into your own free, secure personal cloud space to develop and save navigation and weather routing plans from anywhere in the world. Senior Product Manager, Eric Kunz from Furuno will also explain how new acoustic navigation sensors and multi-beam acoustic technology is critical for navigating shallow harbors and gunkholing to find the perfect remote anchorage on any cruising vessel.

(Limited Attendance with six MFD Display and 2 people per display)

Navigating Your New Trawler Purchase: Build, Payment Terms, Taxes, and Tariffs: A Comprehensive Guide with Wayne Goldman from Selene Yachts Americas

Friday, March 1 |  11am – 12pm 

Join us as we illuminate the path to understanding the intricacies of the new trawler yacht purchase process. This talk offers invaluable insights into many facets of purchasing a new trawler, from identifying your specific needs and setting a suitable budget to navigating negotiations with dealers and salespeople. Learn how to effectively inspect and evaluate trawlers, understand the nuances of contracts and payment terms and plan for the responsibilities of trawler ownership. Covering the process, from selecting the right size and options to taking delivery and conducting sea trials, this talk equips you with the knowledge needed to confidently make informed decisions aligned with your boating goals.

Waves / Seas with Chris Parker

Friday, March 1 | 12pm – 2pm 

Everything you really need to know about seas, and how to interpret seastate forecasts. Topics include: Define wave height and interval (period), Explore the concept of “apparent wave interval”, Why waves develop, How waves dissipate energy, How waves impact your vessel, How fast waves propagate, Multiple wave trains and their interaction (phasing of wave trains) How waves are influenced by currents, landmasses, shoaling and fetch.

Chris will share his unique rule of thumb so you can create your own accurate forecast for wind-chop (wind driven waves). We’ll show you a handy, free online tool which will help you understand how waves respond to changes in wind speed, weather depth, and fetch. And He will finish by looking at a few examples of wave forecasts, and offer tips on how to interpret them so you make better decisions with respect to seas.

Cape Cod to Maine with Bob Arrington

Friday, March 1 | 12pm – 2pm 

Prepare for your “Down East” adventure with cruising authority Bob Arrington, as you explore together the beautiful New England coast from Cape Cod to Maine. A summer cruising destination for boaters from around the world, the New England coast chock-full of picturesque bays, uninhabited islands and quaint fishing villages. From the urban vibe of Boston, Portsmouth and Portland to the remote islands of Casco and Penobscot Bays, this stretch of the New England Coast has something for everyone. We will also offer an introduction to the Canadian Maritimes of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Maine are rich in sea-life with seals, dolphins and whales seemingly ready to escort you along the way. In this program, Bob Arrington will share his years of experience to help you safely prepare for:

  • Navigating the Cape Cod Canal
  • Coastal cruising and offshore waters
  • Avoiding lobster pots
  • Favorite anchorages and harbors
  • Maine’s Islands
  • Navigating in Fog
  • Launching point for the Canadian Maritimes

HANDS ON Maritime Medical Emergency Management with Dr Robert Leviton         

Friday, March 1 | 2pm – 5pm | Not Included in the VIP Package 

Suture and Splinting Skills and Techniques, Laceration Repair Skills and Techniques. Price includes personal 5-piece suture kit, suture material, latex skin, and video links

Participants will learn about the structure of skin and bone, wound and bone healing, and steps taken to control bleeding stabilize injuries, before receiving definitive medical treatment.

Your crewmate is bleeding, and compression alone is not stopping the hemorrhage, what do you do? During this session sailors will learn how to clean wounds while draping and prepping the injury, then learn how to hold and use surgical instruments, when to apply steri-strips, skin staples, or skin glue, and wound closure techniques from simple interrupted sutures to the vertical and horizontal mattress techniques.

Following this hands-on session, we’ll continue with the basics of splinting skills and techniques applying elastic bandages, short arm and leg splints, buddy taping fingers and toes, and stabilizing complex long bone fractures.

1. Sterile Technique
2. Draping and Prepping
3. Anesthesia Considerations
4. Suture and Needle Selection
5. Instrument Use
6. Steri-Strips
7. Skin Glue
8. Wound Closure Techniques
9. Simple Interrupted
10. Simple Running
11. Running Locking
12. Horizontal Mattress
13. Vertical Mattress
14. Corner Stitch
15. Figure of 8 Stitch
16. Staplers and Removal
17. Two Handed Hand Tying with Left & Right
18. Splinting Skills and Techniques
19. Ace Elastic Bandage Wrap
20. Short Arm/Volar Splint
21. Thumb Spica Splint
22. Ulnar Gutter Splint
23. Short Leg/Posterior Splint

Stabilization for Trawler Yachts & More with Patrick Noor from DMS Dynamic Marine Systems

Friday, March 1, 2 pm – 3 pm

Dynamic Marine Systems (DMS Holland) are specialists in stabilization and roll reduction systems for Motor Yachts. This Trawlerfest Stuart presentation will give background into the company and its products and explain how DMS aims to provide the best stabilization solution for all motor and trawler yacht designs.

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Ask the Experts with moderator Jeff Merrill

Friday, March 1 | 3pm – 5pm 

In this “town hall” event, our panel of veteran cruisers will field audience questions on a wide-range of topics, sea stories always resulting. Jeff Merrill, CPYB, the moderator, is a yacht broker, author and trawler specialist with thousands of cruising miles with clients. Steve Zimmerman can discuss repairs and boatyards from the point of view of both a cruiser and boatyard owner. Capt Bob Arrington enjoys sharing his passion for the water with new boaters, having taught boat handling skills in multiple venues for the past 25 years. Chief weather forecaster, Chris Parker joins our panel with his expertise on the weather and routing information for small vessels. Wayne Goldman has a profound passion for yachts and unwavering commitment to excellence. Wayne represents Selene Yachts Americas a world premier trawler brand. Captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell have lived and cruised aboard their own trawler for 20 years. They provide yacht services, training videos on docking, locking, anchoring and many other essential skills required to build your cruising confidence. Eric Bescoby is a Nordhavn 40 full time cruiser who has completed the Big U (Seattle to Maine – and back) with an engineering background and joy for sharing his experiences from a life afloat. 

Saturday, March 2 Seminars

Personal Heath Record Consult with Dr Robert Leviton

Saturday, March 2 | 9am – 10:30am | Not Included in the VIP Package 

Do you know the last time you had a tetanus shot? How about the names and telephone number of your primary care physician, consulting physicians, hospitals maintaining your personal medical and surgical information? What is your pharmacy name and telephone number, or the dose, route, and frequency of your current medications?

When traveling and suddenly confronted with an acute medical / surgical emergency, having your Personal Health Record immediately available can be lifesaving.

During this consultation, Dr. Robert Leviton will review the key components of a personal health record and together will construct your PHR while also developing content that may be linked to your personal electronic health records. These PHR’s may be provided to you by your private physician, hospital, health insurance plan, pharmacy, or may be purchased independently. All options will be explored and reviewed and finalized so you may begin your voyage knowing your personal health record is complete. 

Safety for Cruising Couples with Bob Arrington

Saturday, March 2 | 9am – 11am 

This popular program originally developed by the Cruising Club of America, helps couples work better together during challenging situations. You will learn confidence building skills, specifically geared towards how to prepare for onboard emergencies. The course will cover the most important skills you would need if you had to over command of the boat. This kind of training is like insurance for emergencies – you hope you won’t need it, but you will be glad you have it. The course covers a range of essential boating safety practices, with particular emphasis on completing a safe voyage as a couple.

Safety for Cruising Couples Topics Include:

1. Importance of Teamwork and Confidence Building
2. Dealing with Emergencies
3. Person Overboard and Recovery Skills
4. Basic boat skills necessary to know in an emergency
5. Know Before You Go: GPS, VHF, Using Charts and Chart-plotters
6. Navigation and Safety Equipment
7. Getting Help DSC Distress Communications
8. Preparing yourself and your boat
9. Additional Resources and Checklists https://sas.cruisingclub.org

The Other Loop the Down East Circle with Steve Zimmerman

Saturday, March 2 | 9am – 10:45am 

The Downeast Loop provides a unique combination of seaways and scenery. This journey takes you up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal, into Lake Ontario, out the St. Lawrence River, and into the Atlantic Ocean, providing an enticing variety of conditions. Scenery includes the enchanting Thousand Islands region, a scenic fjord, the remote Magdalene Islands, the spectacular Bras d’Or Lake and Cape Breton, and the historic Atlantic side of Nova Scotia. This talk will provide practical information for those planning the trip, as well as beautiful photographs to whet your cruising appetite.

What is Stabilization and How Can it Effect Comfort and Safety On- board? with Joseph D’Alelio from CMC Marine

Saturday March 2, 11 am – 12 pm

A single solution for dockside, anchor, shallow water, and navigation.

Comparing the existing technologies for the stabilization of boats; fins, gyro, and Magnus effect. What are the differences and what is the best under what conditions?

How has technology changed in recent decades? In-depth analysis of the main components that have revolutionized the design of stabilization systems.”

Financing and Insuring your Dream Boat with Phil Hawkins from Sterling Associates and Arthur Buhr from Total Dollar Insurance

Saturday, March 2 | 12pm – 1pm

What you need to know about financing and insuring your boat. The requirements lenders will have, for insurance and financing. What you want to have to protect yourself on insurance and financing. Finance and insurance programs that fit your needs.

“Cruising the Bahamas With the Lucky Me” by Greg & Susan Costa

Saturday, March 2 | 2:30pm – 4:30pm

Want to take your boat to the Bahamas? Stop dreaming about it and make it happen! Greg and Susan Costa guarantee to give you the confidence to plan your own special Bahamas trip.

  • ●Free Bahamas Book & Map: This exciting two-hour presentation also includes a FREE printed copy of Greg & Susan’s updated 77-page book “Cruising the Bahamas With the Lucky Me” (Version 7 * 1/2024) along with a FREE copy of the Bahamas Cruising Map & Marina Directory from the Association of Bahamas Marinas.
  • Bahamas Program Overview: This presentation will assist the first time Bahamas boater with helpful information on Florida departure ports, pre-planning, weather, provisioning, Customs & Immigration, ports of call, expenses, side trips and island highlights.
  • 30 Islands & Cays: The Costas will include detailed information of their extended stays cruising the Bahamas. The seminar will cover 30+ different islands and cays. Attendees will be introduced to a mix of the more popular tourist stops, well known ports, and some out islands that would not be on the typical boaters’ port of call. The goal is that after this presentation, you will walk away with the confidence to plan your own Bahamas trip.

Speaker Biography:

Greg and Susan Costa have traveled over 15,000 miles on the Lucky Me in the past 5 years. This includes the Bahamas, Canada and twice around the Great Loop. When not planning their next long-distance adventure, they can be found enjoying the beautiful waters of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

They wrote “Cruising the Bahamas With the Lucky Me” to give boaters a simple book to assist with planning a trip to the Bahamas. Their book has been well received with over 23,000 copies (e-book & print) distributed in the past 5 years. The Costas are well known in the boating community and are often featured speakers on the Bahamas before major boating groups including the Great Loop Association (GreatLoop.org), Trawlerfest and Seven Seas Cruising Association. Follow their next adventure on Facebook at: Lucky Me Looping