The organizers of the Seattle Boat Show have announced that the 2015 event will feature 35 new free seminars, bringing the total to 235 and prompting the addition of a fourth stage on weekends.
One of the most popular features year in and year out at the Seattle Boat Show is the extensive line-up of free boating and fishing seminars and the advanced training classes for a fee through Boat Show University. Indeed many out-of-town attendees plan their travel arrangements around the seminar schedule. Others buy a 5-day pass in order to fit in all the seminars they want to attend. And it’s with good reason. No other show in North America matches the Seattle seminar schedule in terms of the quality, variety and number of seminars offered.
Many of the new topics center on the latest technologies and apps. There are also new topics for women and a cooking demonstration. There’s something for everyone and all skill levels.
The show, with two locations — indoors at CenturyLink Field Event Center and afloat at South Lake Union — opens Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 1, 2015. The complete schedule of seminars can be viewed online beginning Nov. 18, 2015.
Boating Seminars
The information ranges from enlightening to entertaining. Some of the seminars can even save your life. They run the gamut from beginner topics to advanced topics to the esoteric.
Technology: Keeping up with technology is hard to do. Not just what’s new with the latest in marine electronics but what about all those apps? And how do you integrate them with your onboard legacy systems? Many of the new seminars will help boaters sort through these issues, including:
• NMEA 2000 – Critical systems monitoring made easy. How multiple systems can be easily managed on any size vessel
• Using Smartphone Apps and Tablets Underway
• Staying connected while you’re getting unplugged – Wi-Fi, 4G cellular, and satellite tips and tricks
• Your multifunction display is listening, but is anything talking? A basic understanding of NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 and how and where they connect
• Do I Really Need a Satellite Phone on my Boat?
• An Update on AIS Solutions for Boaters
Cruising: There’s no shortage of advice and seminars to choose from for those planning a cruise, whether in our local waters, to Alaska or as far afield as Europe or Tahiti. New for 2015 include:
• Nuts and Bolts of Cruising to SE Alaska
• Blue Water Sailing in the Modern World –Myths, Misconceptions and what Technology Can Do For You
• Waggoner Cruising Guide’s 2015 Favorite Destinations
• Cool Products No One Knows About
• Cruising on a Budget
Women’s Day: Not only are the seminars free, but women get in for free on Women’s Day, Monday Jan. 26. One of the most popular sessions is always the Northwest Women in Boating Panel and it will be back in 2015. “Can I manage coastal kayaking?” “Being physically challenged, can I handle a long passage through multiple locks?” “Should I attempt power boating the Inside Passage solo?” “Is tent boating in challenging waters or cruising the Pacific really for me?” These women have done it; their accomplishments are impressive and will inspire all attendees – men and women alike – to greater boating adventures.
New seminars for Women’s Day include:
• Outfitting and Provisioning Your Gourmet Galley
• Effortless Onboard Entertaining – a cooking demonstration with tasty samples
• Diesel Engines Aren’t Just For Men – A Woman’s Guide to the Basics
• Captains Vs. Mates: Tips, Systems and Procedures So You Both Look Like Rock Stars
• Singlehanded Sailing
Just plain fun and informative
• Repairs at Sea: Items for your boat you never knew you needed. Learn how panty hose, duct tape, dental floss and more could all come in handy.
• Marine Refrigeration: How to keep your beer cold without draining your batteries.
• Always dreamed of your own drone and beautiful aerial photos of you boat? ‘Drones and Aerial Photography on Boats’ will get you started with general equipment recommendations and tips on how to photograph boats from the sky.
• The Race to Alaska is a new engineless boat race from Port Townsend to Ketchikan. It’s the first race up the Inside Passage and the only race where any boat of any size can enter—kayaks are racing against trimarans and dugout canoes. First prize is $10,000, second prize is a set of steak knives.
Fishing seminars
On the fishing stage there will be 60 free fishing seminars with the best experts in their field of fishing. Mark Gavin joins this year’s premier fishing team offering seminars on how to catch trout, perch, bass, and salmon in Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish. As in recent years, Clyde McBrayer will share with attendees everything they need to know to be more successful in capturing Puget Sound Dungeness crab along with Tom Nelson’s presentation on shrimping. For the tuna fishermen, Tommy Donlin’s presentation on albacore tuna fishing off the Washington coast is a must. And Gary Krein, along with Nick Kester, will share tips on salmon and lingcod fishing in Puget Sound. KIRO Radio’s Outdoor Line host TJ Nelson will be offering first class seminars on how to fish the San Juan Island and Puget Sound.
Boat Show University – celebrating a decade of expert, in-depth instruction
Now in its 10th year, the Seattle Boat Show University will be offering extended in-depth three-hour nautical training seminars and full-day seminar programs. With courses on weather, cruising to Alaska, and new technologies, the popular Boat Show U. program features well known nautical experts such as Lee Chesneau, Mike Beemer, Kevin Monahan, Sam Landsman, Mark Bunzel and others. Returning after a hiatus of four years is the ever popular Niger Calder. Calder will be presenting a seminar on Trouble Shooting Your Boat as well as several other topics.
The three hour programs are priced at $39 each with a special package including four courses and boat show admission for $149. All day expert training sessions during the week cover topics such as Women’s Cruising, Boating Maintenance and Marine Weather and Cruising. All courses are available for advanced registration on the Seattle Boat Show website.
Know Before You Go
When: Friday, January 23 – Sunday, February 1, 2015
Where:
CenturyLink Field Event Center: 800 Occidental Avenue South, Seattle
South Lake Union: 901 Fairview Avenue N, Seattle
Free shuttle running continuously between both locations
Hours: CenturyLink Field Event Center
Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 pm
Fridays: 11 am – 9 pm
Saturdays: 10 am – 8 pm
Sundays: 10 am – 6 pm*
South Lake Union
Weekdays: 11 a.m. – 5 pm
Weekends: 10 am – 5 pm*
* The show will close at 3pm on Sunday, February 1st
Tickets:
Adults: $12; Youth (11-17): $5
5-Day BIG Pass $24
Monday – Thursday after 5pm: $8 (And $5 parking after 5pm)
Kids 10 & under: Free
