Trawler Fest San Diego, CA Seminar Schedule

This Seminar will demonstrate the latest in Marine Safety Equipment and will describe the basic "Emergency Problems" including, Person Over-Board ,distress Signals and Communication, Fire Suppression, and limited medical training and equipment descriptions.

Once upon a time all the small boats going around the world were powered by wind. But there's a new breed of voyager in a new style of boat with a new approach to the cruising life. How do you decide when to go, where to go, what to see, how to get there? Where are the fuel pumps? Learn how to build your cruising library so you’ll have the most critical and up-to-date information at your fingertips when you're planning that voyage, and while you're underway.

Helping you shop for a trawler and prepare for ownership whether you are buying new or used. Important aspects to consider – How do you “fit”? How much time will you spend aboard? Where will you cruise? How much will it cost? Suggestions on how you can prepare for ownership (classes to take – weather, diesel engines, navigation, etc.) web site resources and reading materials will be reviewed. Plus, behind the scenes tips from an industry veteran who will explain how the business side of things work – signing a contract, deposits, surveys, etc., so that you can go into this process with a strong understanding of what to expect and what to look for.

USN Captain Michael Elliott recently ran several war ships and will give a first hand account of his career experiences and video of the newest US Naval war ship cruising at 42 kts.

Learn the importance of checking engine systems each day, parts, pieces, and related systems. Know where things are located, what they look like, and how they work.

PassageMaker authors and seasoned cruisers Denis and Mary Umstot cover the passage from San Diego to Alaska, touching on weather issues, ports and timing going north, Puget Sounds, Vancouver Island, North to Prince Rupert, and Alaska.

A Formative Overview of Modern Radar and Integration Navigation System Concepts and Capabilities. This seminar will cover the effective use of Radar/ARPA/AIS on a multi-function display and will help teach how to improve situational awareness with 3D Navigation Displays. Understand network display redundancy and PC plotter software integration with networked systems.

After living aboard a new Nordhavn 40 over the past three years this couple splits their time on land and water which has allowed them to calculate accurate cost comparisons of the two lifestyles which many will find surprising. John and Maria will discuss the decision making process, finding the perfect boat, Pro's & Con's of life aboard and of the true costs associated with this great lifestyle.

If you have ever considered “crossing the border” and venturing into Mexico’s tropical waters, then this seminar will equip you with local-knowledge tools for plotting your safest and most enjoyable course among Mexico’s pristine cruising grounds, resort ports and dream destinations. Capt. Pat Rains will help you identify a realistic itinerary based on the best seasonal routes and the newest services available for the power-cruising community. She is a frequent cruiser to Mexico and writes nautical guidebooks of the areaYou will also gain an understanding of the latest security and communications issues faced by yacht cruising south of the border, so you can prepare with confidence and follow the best practices for voyaging safely in Mexican waters.

Learn how to “read the water” in a new tropical cruising area. What do you need to know when there are no aids to navigation, and should you trust your charts?

Marine Insurance and Surveys- Bruce Wixson and John Strong (ACE insurance) Description coming soon! Yacht Insurance 101: Navigating Insurance Basics and Marine Surveys” presented by ACE Recreational Marine Insurance Please join the marine insurance professionals from ACE Recreational Marine Insurance as they discuss the nature of marine insurance for yachts and boats, including how an insurance provider properly underwrites, rates and insures a vessel. With special focus on the insurance needs of those boaters who spend extended periods living on their vessels or travel extensively on the water, this seminar is tailor made for Trawler owners who want to learn more about their particular exposures and the insurance coverages available to address these risks In addition to the insurance policy aspect of this seminar, one of ACE’s experienced marine surveyors will also discuss yacht and boat surveys, valuation and the surveyor’s interaction with the underwriter as coverage is reviewed. Practical boating safety tips will also be shared.

Jeff Merrill has been selling cruising sailboats and trawlers for nearly 20 years. Whether your boat is brand new or simply new to you (used) there are common situations you will encounter and experiences you will share that he can help you plan and prepare for... Learn some of the secrets & tips to successful trawler operating by viewing photos and learn by hearing about real life situations. What can you do to get your trawler ready for sea and make your time underway more enjoyable. Includes a tip sharing session and many helpful handouts.

Whether you have a Ford Lehman engine, Perkins, John Deere, Cummins, or Yanmar, the power supply of your boat is the most critical piece of equipment on board. If you have questions about parts, service, maintenance, or why it makes a certain sound, Bob Smith, developer of the Ford Lehman, can help. He will share his years of hands-on experience and expertise in a relaxed and conversational way. This is a practical session, so bring your questions and learn the answers.

Learn about available technologies and choices for internet/email capability and communications including SSB radios anda email systems, satellite phone systems, cellular/wireless systems, and Wi-fi equipment.

Weather basics and surface pressure map interpretation. Attendees will be introduced to the structure of the atmosphere and its composition and how the atmosphere works to produce clouds and weather. Cloud types and identification, what they mean to mariner, will then be integrated with surface map interpretation (synoptic scale high and low pressure system, including fronts, troughs, and ridges). Attendees will then be given some reinforcement exercises on what they leaned (exposed to different weather maps for a number of geographic areas from New England to Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and even the West Coast, from Seattle to Los Angeles). Handout atlas of pictures cloud types along with summary of surface map symbols for future use on board their trawlers.

Have you ever thought, “Why can’t my boat be as reliable and trouble-free as my Lexus or Mercedes”. As the manager of a busy boat yard for over a decade I’ve heard that comment countless times. While the marine industry may never reach the point of “Lexus-ization”, there’s a lot that can be done to improve vessel reliability and the bulk of this effort starts with improved attention to detail. Thorough attention to detail on the part of the folks working on your boat makes all the difference to in the world when it comes to reliability, safety, seaworthiness and cost of ownership. In this interactive, image-intensive session delivered by PassageMaker’s Technical Editor, and resident attention to detail fanatic, Steve D’Antonio, you’ll be introduced to many of the seemingly small but maddeningly common faults, defects, errors and oversights that occur every day in the boat building and repair trades. Steve will photographically detail each one of these issues while explaining the methods you can use to identify them in a vessel you own or are intending to buy. The session’s interactive, so questions and comments are welcome.

Jason Kennedy from Standard Horizon, the leader in marine VHF communications will be discussing the WHAT, WHO and HOW of DSC - Digital Selective Calling. WHAT is DSC, WHO is listening to DSC, and HOW to install DSC on your boat. Since June of 1999 all new VHF radios manufactured were required to add DSC, however it is a misnomer that DSC is just for Distress. As the name implies Digital Selective Calling can be used to make selective calls, Jason will demonstrate how to use DSC for everyday boating: calling fellow cruisers, requesting their position, sending out an all ships call contact all boater’s within VHF range. Since there is a misconception that DSC is complicated to install, Jason plans on using a person from the audience to obtain an MMSI number and connect a GPS Chartplotter to a VHF radio for DSC live during the seminar.

An introduction to upper air 500 Mb charts, the foundation for the cause and effect of surface weather. 500 Mb charts are a powerful tool for any mariner to have in order to not only understand the three dimensional process involved with synoptic surface weather systems of high and low pressure (including fronts,troughs, and ridges), but their application to the marine weather forecast. Attendees will also be given an introduction to sea wave formation, propagation, and decay, along with the sea height products available in the public domain from the National Weather Service (specifically the OPC. TPC, and the local NWS forecast offices. Thus, at the end of Part 11, attendees will have been introduced to the core graphical products as produced by the National Weather Service's (NWS) Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) and the Tropical Prediction Center (TPC) for self reliant marine weather forecasting and routing use, in either coastal offshore cruising. Some selective handouts will be provided for future reference while cruising.