The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Spring means Trawlerfest comes to the Pacific Northwest, specifically to the venerable event’s Bremerton, Washington location on May 1 to 5. The series of boat shows, organized by Passagemaker magazine, has been a mainstay on boating calendars for decades. One part trade show, another part educational seminar extravaganza, and third part rendezvous, Trawlerfest 2018 features a packed lineup of exhibitors and organized offerings with the Pacific Northwest iteration being no exception. The in-water show is hosted in the Bremerton Marina, and the seminars are held at the Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside right up the road.
The action begins on May 1 and 2 (Tuesday and Wednesday) with the high-quality seminar and boating education intensives. These seminars range from “Everything You Need to Know About Diesel Engines” with Mike Beemer and Matt Mardesich, a two-full-day marathon of knowledge from 08:30 o 17:00 hours both days, to more bite-sized talks like “Medical Preparedness and First Aid for Boaters” with Dr. Jim Chimiak of DAN Medical Services (0830 to 1200 hours on May 1). The seminars are individually priced, but if you plan to attend multiple seminars, the VIP Packages are by far the most cost-effective option. The 5-day ($499) and 3-day ($399) VIP Packages include unlimited seminar access. Check out passagemaker.com for details.
The in-water boat show runs May 3 to 5 (Thursday through Saturday) and can be visited as a standalone event or as a complement to the seminars. General admission is $15 in advance (see the above website) or $18 onsite for one day. Kids up to 16 years of age are free. Hours are 1000 to 1700 hours. VIP Packages also include unlimited boat show access, entry to a welcome dinner, raffle and trivia night events on Thursday evening, and entry to the “Trawlers at Twilight Docktail Party” on Friday night.
This year marks the second at the Bremerton location. Traditionally held in Anacortes, the move to Bremerton last year was hailed by some as great exposure for the boat-friendly South Sound location and decried by others as a sudden change too far. Regardless, we at Northwest Yachting look forward to the event as we always do and hope to see you there.
