(story appears on page 61 of the October issue of Proptalk)
Trawler owners know a thing or two about living the good life. For one, the dependable boats are some of the most comfortable on-water options out there. The spacious cabins and salons give you a veritable home away from home, and the flexibility and stability of
trawlers allow you to enjoy a much longer cruising season on the Bay. And hey, there’s no denying the aesthetic appeal of trawlers. They bring classic lines and traditional boatworks into the harbor, and we’ve definitely gotten kinks in our necks from straining to check out a raised pilothouse or two.
A great group of folks to be with out on the water, trawler owners are usually family-oriented, they like getting outside, and they’re some of the smarter boaters out there. And this isn’t just by chance, either. They get educated and get social together at Trawler Fest, PassageMaker Magazine’s annual convention of trawler owners and dealers that happens every year in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor at BMC HarborView Marina.
Trawler Fest action gets started September 24 with Trawler Fest University (TFU). This is your chance to hit the ground running with courses on everything from marine electronics to couples’ cruising. There’s certainly something for everyone, both trawler old hands and those newbies who are just getting involved, and you’ll receive a hands-on education from industry experts in both cruising and maintaining vessels.
If you don’t have enough time for the TFU, there are still seminars to get you all the info you need for making the most of your time on the water. You’ll learn everything from advanced boat maintenance to cruising outside the Chesapeake Bay. It’s a great opportunity to take notes and plan your next adventure with the right people to help you do that.
All seminars take place on the John W. Brown Liberty Ship, a World War II vessel built right in Baltimore at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in 1942 (see the September issue of PropTalk for a more-detailed look at the Shipyard and Liberty Ship construction). All seminars will take place in various cargo holds of the ship, giving Trawler Fest attendees an experience like no other.
And if the seminars are still too much for you, make sure you check out the afternoon demonstrations going on throughout the show. There’s a ladies’ roundtable, a man overboard recovery demonstration, a lecture on circumnavigation, and more. Captain Bill Eggert recently wrote the book Gentlemen of the Harbor: Stories of Chesapeake Tugboats and Crews and will be hanging around the dock to share his stories.
Outside the seminars and demonstrations, Trawler Fest offers a rare opportunity to climb onboard between 60 and 70 new and used trawlers, get the latest in gear, and connect with industry pros. And the social networking element to the show lets you sit down with the dealers, brokers, captains and mechanical engineers who will be happy to share their knowledge and skills over a cocktail or two while you check out Baltimore’s skyline.
Oh, did we say cocktail? This is definitely a party. A Friday evening cocktail party and dinner takes you onboard the Chesapeake Charm, a luxury yacht based in HarborView Marina. On Saturday, the can’t-miss party of the year is onboard the John Brown Liberty Ship with music, raffles, and more.
You certainly don’t need to own a trawler (or be in the market for one) to enjoy Trawler Fest. With all the seminars, demonstrations, and parties, it’s easy to forget that it’s a boat show. Make sure you get down to the dock and check out some of the most enjoyable boats on the Bay; trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
When and Where? Trawler Fest University runs September 24–25, while the boat show itself runs September 26-29. Come join the fun at BMC HarborView Marina at 500 Harborview Drive, Baltimore.
Who’s Coming: As for the trawlers, look for American Tug, Nordic Tug, Krogen, DeFever, Back Cove, Grand Banks, Fleming, Sterling Atlantic, Island Pilot, Nordhavn, Mainship, Meridian, Cutwater, and more. On land, you’ll find professional captains, insurance agents, interior designers, marina pros, electronics gurus, and all the diesel diehards you could ever imagine in one place.
School’s in Session: TFU courses include: Skills for Open-Water Cruising with Jeff Merrill; Diesel Workshop with Bob Smith; Women at the Helm with Captains Andrea Gaines and Sarah Lowell; Marine Electric Workshop with Captain John McDevitt; Building Cruising Confidence as a Couple with Captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell; Essential Technical Skills for Cruising with Steve D’Antonio and Keith Ruse.
Thursday Seminars: Diesel Engine Q&A; Essentials of Marine Fire Protection; How We Did It (Couples’ Cruising); Enjoying your Trawler; Boat Buying Basics; and Vessel Maintenance is More Than Oil Changes.
Friday’s Seminars: Cruising the Chesapeake Bay; Learning to Speak the Language of the Marine Industry; Built Right For You; Corrosion can be Costly; Aground!; Confessions of a Galley Slave; Lessons Learned Cruising the ICW; Basic Weather and Forecasting; Engine Room Tour.
Saturday Seminars: The Great Loop Experience; Keeping the Maintenance Genie in the Bottle; How to Buy a Used Boat; Dialing In your Trawler; Hurricane Sandy: A Game Changer for the Insurance Marketplace; Getting the Most from your VHF/DSC; Finding Your Cruising Style; Meet Your Electrical Systems; Confident Navigation with Charts; Engine Room Tour.
Registration: Online registration is available now, and many of the courses and seminars are already sold out. Get online and reserve your spot so that you don’t miss out on a second of the action. General admission tickets are $15/day, seminars are $50 each. Three-day All-Inclusive packages are available for $350 and TFU packages come in at $450. Prices reflect pre-registration, so expect a price increase on-site.
trawlers allow you to enjoy a much longer cruising season on the Bay. And hey, there’s no denying the aesthetic appeal of trawlers. They bring classic lines and traditional boatworks into the harbor, and we’ve definitely gotten kinks in our necks from straining to check out a raised pilothouse or two.
A great group of folks to be with out on the water, trawler owners are usually family-oriented, they like getting outside, and they’re some of the smarter boaters out there. And this isn’t just by chance, either. They get educated and get social together at Trawler Fest, PassageMaker Magazine’s annual convention of trawler owners and dealers that happens every year in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor at BMC HarborView Marina.
Trawler Fest action gets started September 24 with Trawler Fest University (TFU). This is your chance to hit the ground running with courses on everything from marine electronics to couples’ cruising. There’s certainly something for everyone, both trawler old hands and those newbies who are just getting involved, and you’ll receive a hands-on education from industry experts in both cruising and maintaining vessels.
If you don’t have enough time for the TFU, there are still seminars to get you all the info you need for making the most of your time on the water. You’ll learn everything from advanced boat maintenance to cruising outside the Chesapeake Bay. It’s a great opportunity to take notes and plan your next adventure with the right people to help you do that.
All seminars take place on the John W. Brown Liberty Ship, a World War II vessel built right in Baltimore at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in 1942 (see the September issue of PropTalk for a more-detailed look at the Shipyard and Liberty Ship construction). All seminars will take place in various cargo holds of the ship, giving Trawler Fest attendees an experience like no other.
And if the seminars are still too much for you, make sure you check out the afternoon demonstrations going on throughout the show. There’s a ladies’ roundtable, a man overboard recovery demonstration, a lecture on circumnavigation, and more. Captain Bill Eggert recently wrote the book Gentlemen of the Harbor: Stories of Chesapeake Tugboats and Crews and will be hanging around the dock to share his stories.
Outside the seminars and demonstrations, Trawler Fest offers a rare opportunity to climb onboard between 60 and 70 new and used trawlers, get the latest in gear, and connect with industry pros. And the social networking element to the show lets you sit down with the dealers, brokers, captains and mechanical engineers who will be happy to share their knowledge and skills over a cocktail or two while you check out Baltimore’s skyline.
Oh, did we say cocktail? This is definitely a party. A Friday evening cocktail party and dinner takes you onboard the Chesapeake Charm, a luxury yacht based in HarborView Marina. On Saturday, the can’t-miss party of the year is onboard the John Brown Liberty Ship with music, raffles, and more.
You certainly don’t need to own a trawler (or be in the market for one) to enjoy Trawler Fest. With all the seminars, demonstrations, and parties, it’s easy to forget that it’s a boat show. Make sure you get down to the dock and check out some of the most enjoyable boats on the Bay; trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
When and Where? Trawler Fest University runs September 24–25, while the boat show itself runs September 26-29. Come join the fun at BMC HarborView Marina at 500 Harborview Drive, Baltimore.
Who’s Coming: As for the trawlers, look for American Tug, Nordic Tug, Krogen, DeFever, Back Cove, Grand Banks, Fleming, Sterling Atlantic, Island Pilot, Nordhavn, Mainship, Meridian, Cutwater, and more. On land, you’ll find professional captains, insurance agents, interior designers, marina pros, electronics gurus, and all the diesel diehards you could ever imagine in one place.
School’s in Session: TFU courses include: Skills for Open-Water Cruising with Jeff Merrill; Diesel Workshop with Bob Smith; Women at the Helm with Captains Andrea Gaines and Sarah Lowell; Marine Electric Workshop with Captain John McDevitt; Building Cruising Confidence as a Couple with Captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell; Essential Technical Skills for Cruising with Steve D’Antonio and Keith Ruse.
Thursday Seminars: Diesel Engine Q&A; Essentials of Marine Fire Protection; How We Did It (Couples’ Cruising); Enjoying your Trawler; Boat Buying Basics; and Vessel Maintenance is More Than Oil Changes.
Friday’s Seminars: Cruising the Chesapeake Bay; Learning to Speak the Language of the Marine Industry; Built Right For You; Corrosion can be Costly; Aground!; Confessions of a Galley Slave; Lessons Learned Cruising the ICW; Basic Weather and Forecasting; Engine Room Tour.
Saturday Seminars: The Great Loop Experience; Keeping the Maintenance Genie in the Bottle; How to Buy a Used Boat; Dialing In your Trawler; Hurricane Sandy: A Game Changer for the Insurance Marketplace; Getting the Most from your VHF/DSC; Finding Your Cruising Style; Meet Your Electrical Systems; Confident Navigation with Charts; Engine Room Tour.
Registration: Online registration is available now, and many of the courses and seminars are already sold out. Get online and reserve your spot so that you don’t miss out on a second of the action. General admission tickets are $15/day, seminars are $50 each. Three-day All-Inclusive packages are available for $350 and TFU packages come in at $450. Prices reflect pre-registration, so expect a price increase on-site.