Boats Go ‘Afloat’ Again on Lake Union This Month
Not only is boating season in the air, so is inaugural spring showing of the Boats Afloat Show, taking place on Lake Union in Seattle from April 28 to May 1. With the tail end of Covid hopefully in sight, the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA) has several new events and amenities planned for the show.
Located at Chandler’s Cove Marina—soon to be redeveloped by Vulcan as Lake Union Piers—the four-day show will include an array of maritime exhibitors showing off their wares as the boating season begins, as well as a stage with live music played throughout the event.
This year, the show will feature several new food and beverage options, such a floating bar and concessions stand from Waterways Cruises. The company’s 90-foot Olympic Star yacht will sit dockside to offer grab-and-go meals and snack options for show visitors. Twice a day, Waterways chef Trinity Mack will also hold demonstrations that focus on quick and easy appetizer ideas for onboard entertaining. Attendees will be able to sample some tasty spirits during the festivities, including batch cocktail demonstrations by the international beverage company Diageo, featuring Talisker single-malt scotch whiskey, Ketel One vodka, and non-alcoholic Seedlip cocktails.
The April show, however, is only the opening act for Boats Afloat in 2022. The much-beloved fall edition of the showcase will also take place at Chandler’s Cove September 15-18, and the NYBA will continue to produce two shows each year, in April and September. For the latest information on both shows, please visit: boatsafloatshow.com.
Vulcan Unveils Lake Union Piers Plan
The venerable Chandler’s Cove, located in the southeast corner of Seattle’s Lake Union since the late 1980s, will soon become Lake Union Piers following a renovation of the maritime property over the next year and a half, according to landowner Vulcan Real Estate.
Vulcan, which has owned much of the land around South Lake Union for the last 20 years, said in February that it plans to turn the 8.3-acre property into a more cohesive space for visitors interested in Seattle’s boating history. Located near the Center for Wooden Boats and the Museum of History and Industry, the Piers project aims to establish stronger ties to the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop trail with enhanced walkways and greenery.
Lake Union Piers will also feature numerous public seating areas and 5,700 square feet of space for outdoor events. Local architectural firm Miller Hull Partnership will design the project, with the help of HEWITT as the landscape architect. Abbott Construction will be the general contractor, Vulcan said. In 2017, Vulcan hinted at plans to demolish four existing structures on the property, but the company later decided to “refresh” the current footprint. The new development will take over about 60,000 square feet of existing commercial space. While some legacy tenants will remain, such as the popular Daniel’s Broiler, Waterways Cruises and Events, and the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association, Vulcan plans to add new tenants in the restaurant, entertainment, and retail sectors, said Robert Arron, Vulcan’s senior director of marketing and leasing.
The first, easternmost phase of the project is expected to open this fall, renovating a building that used to house the Novilhos steakhouse and now includes a Seattle Kraken team shop. The other three buildings, Vulcan said, should be ready by fall of 2023, with new boat moorage spaces and improved views from a lakefront promenade. For more details on the new development, go to: lakeunionpiers.com.
Canada’s Southern Straits Regatta Returns
One of Western Canada’s most beloved boating events, the Southern Straits Classic, is finally returning after a two-year Covid hiatus, most welcome news for Northwest sailors looking to get back to British Columbia racing once again. Scheduled for April 15-17 at the West Vancouver Yacht Club (WVYC), the regatta will be the 52nd such race event across the Georgia Strait.
The event, scheduled during Easter weekend, will feature the classic’s signature overnight races of three different lengths: 70, 98, and 145 nautical miles. Southern Straits will also include a shorter inshore course of about 20 nautical miles to be held during daylight hours on April 15.
To kick off the festivities, WVYC will hold a morning parade of the boats’ lineup at Dundarave Pier in West Vancouver between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on April 15, during which the boats often pass within 50 feet of the pier. The races will begin each day at 10:25 a.m.
An estimated total of 100 boats, with up to 800 sailors, will participate this year, the club said. Several hundred spectators are also expected to gather and celebrate with a Lions Pancake Breakfast, live music by the West Vancouver Pops Band, several sponsor displays, and perhaps even enjoy a visit from the Easter Bunny. For new boaters or those looking to refresh their sea safety skills, the WVYC will also offer a one-day Coastal Personal Survival Course before the regatta on April 3rd. Registration for the event will remain open until Sunday, April 10th. For more information about race times and other event details, visit: wvyc.ca/on-the-water/racing/southern-straits.
Trawlerfest to Tie Up with Anacortes Boat Show
Why settle for one springtime boat show when you can have two? The folks at the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA) used this logic to merge their annual event in Anacortes, WA, with TrawlerFest to form the 2022 Anacortes Boat & Yacht Show featuring TrawlerFest.
The combined show will be held May 17-21 this year at Cap Sante Marina. The afloat portion of the show will be overseen by the Anacortes Boat Show, while the staff at Trawlerfest will focus on holding seminars and educational sessions on various boating topics. Management of the show will be partnership between NMTA, Active Interest Media (producer of TrawlerFest), and the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. NMTA, which also produces the Seattle Boat Show, is the nation’s oldest and largest regional marine trade association, representing more than 600 companies in the recreational boating community.
Highlights of the outdoor part of the show will include in-water and on-land displays, with hundreds of boats expected at the marina and other boatyards around Anacortes. Attendees can visit shoreside displays, such trailer-ready boats, marine accessories, electronics, destinations, and service providers. In the evenings of the five-day event, the show plans to set up rendezvous activities.
The Trawlerfest portion of the show will include more than 25 sessions on various topics. The classes will be held at several walkable locations in town. A full schedule of times and topics at TrawlerFest, along with other show details, will be available this month at: anacortesboatandyachtshow.com.
Seattle’s Emerald Pacific Yachts Celebrates 25 Years in Business
Our congratulations go out to respected yacht dealer and brokerage house, Emerald Pacific Yachts, on the 25th anniversary of business. First opened in 1997 by Terry Cooke, Randy Buckell, and Lex Mitchell, with Brett Aggen joining the team the following year, EPY was a fixture at Chandler’s Cove on Lake Marina for 24 years and just last summer moved to a larger location on Portage Bay. The new offices boast brand-new interiors and a comfy client lounge. Then outside, there are 15 display slips, seven of which are covered, to moor the latest yachts for sale. Many of the models hail from the renowned Horizon and Riviera brands, as well as brokerage boats.
“Over 25 years we have certainly seen the highs and lows,” reflects Aggen. “We have taken this experience and facilitated the sale of many yachts around the globe, large and small. Today, many of our clients are repeat or referred clients. Looking ahead, we see a bright future. Our team of experienced brokers are ready to be an integral part of the Northwest marine industry. We thoroughly enjoy “talking boats” and helping clients navigate through the purchase, ownership, and sale of yachts.”
Stop by their new office location and say hello, or drop a note or to get in touch at: epyyachts.com.
Is Your Fire Extinguisher Up to Snuff?
As you prepare for the coming boating season, take a look at the portable fire extinguisher you have on board. If its date of manufacture is more than 12 years old, it will no longer meet U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) regulations and must be replaced.
The new guideline, effective April 20, is applicable to all disposable, non-rechargeable extinguishers used on recreational watercraft. To check the manufacture date for your fire extinguisher, look on the bottom of each bottle near the Underwriter Laboratory (UL) label. The date will be marked with either a two-digit or four-digit number corresponding to the year it was made. USCG is also changing the nomenclature for boating fire extinguishers, phasing out the old B-I and B-II classifications for newer codes, such as 5-B, 10-B, and 20-B. The numbers of the newer codes correspond with the square footage the extinguisher is designed to cover in the event of a fire.
Under the new rules, all vessels that are under 26 feet in length and made before 2017 are still allowed to carry the old B-I or B-II extinguishers, provided they are less than 12 years old. If they are manufactured 12 years ago or older, they no longer meet USCG guidelines and must be replaced with the new 5-B, 10-B, or 20-B codes, depending on the vessel size. Also, boats under 26 feet made in 2018 or newer must carry the new USCG codes as well. Vessels that are 26 feet or longer should carry extinguishers with the 20-B classification, as the 10-B classification does not equal two 5-B sizes. If you have questions about how to meet the guidelines, what types of extinguishers to purchase, or want to know more about the new codes, you are encouraged to visit: uscgboating.org.
