Tune in to Seattle Boat Show Live

How many of us have thought about purchasing a low priced boat too good to pass up. Basically, a project boat instead of a fully outfitted, ready to cruise vessel? How much work could it be? How do you weigh the expense of replacing electrical and mechanical systems on a boat and giving her that new fit and finish to achieve your dream boat? Is it worth the effort? Join Kurt Dilworth, Vice-President of Engineering for Tomco Marine Group, builders of the popular American Tug expedition-style trawler, to hear Kurt’s first-hand experience working on a bargain boat his friends bought for him, sight unseen. Kurt is a career boatbuilder, who three years ago acquired an old single-engine trawler built in China as a project boat. Kurt is joining Waggoner and NMTA hosts to share the pros and cons of project boats. Spoiler Alert – the finished boat is beautiful. Was it worth it, even for an experienced boat builder? Tune in to see the project and the results.

Perhaps you have seen harbor patrol boats providing assistance at special marine events on Lake Washington or Lake Union, but did you know that harbor patrols provide other vital services like helping disabled boats, investigating water-related accidents, and other response services? Sergeant Kevin Haistings of the Seattle Harbor Patrol joins Waggoner and NMTA hosts to share his stories and on-the-water experiences while serving the boating community. Be sure to join us to hear about future boating trends and services. 

What does it take to convert a steam-powered British fire boat to a sailing rig and then a West Coast cruiser? Join Waggoner and NMTA hosts to hear how Malcolm Harker – Yorkshireman, engineer, shipbuilder, and sailor – accomplished this special make-over for the Sarah Elizabeth Banks, aka the ssSEB. Learn about the history of this unique vessel, including her classic steam gauges, her riveted steel plates, and other trappings left-over from its steam-powered heritage as described by guest Malcolm Harker.

Have you always dreamed of cruising or sailing in the Pacific Northwest but want to test the waters before purchasing a boat? Chartering a boat is the perfect way to experience the boating life-style and gain some knowledge about boats before making a purchase. Or perhaps you want to try something different, power vs sail. Most charter companies have a variety of boat types and sizes to charter, and they also provide introductory lessons for a fun, safe cruise. Maybe you want to add your boat in the charter fleet to help off-set the costs of owning a boat. Mike Lovell of Anacortes Yacht Charters joins Waggoner and NMTA webcast hosts to share the many benefits of chartering a boat. Join us for this interesting discussion and don’t forget to bring your questions.

Have you dreamed of cruising or sailing down the West Coast, but would prefer to do that in the company of other boats and new-found friends? Or perhaps want to volunteer as a crew member. Then the Coho Ho Ho Rally is the answer for you. USCG Captain Doug Lombard and Manager Bob Vizenor will walk us through the process, the rally schedule, educational seminar offerings, and how to prepare for the journey of a life-time – a blue-water adventure from Seattle to San Francisco and San Diego. Join Waggoner and NMTA hosts for this inspiring rally, as described by our Coho Ho Ho guests.

Childhood dreams often come true in our adult lives. That certainly is true for Richard “Bud” LeMieux, a self-taught boat builder, who turned his childhood hobby of boat building into a great-paying job and career later in life. Bud constructed six vessels before finishing high school, including an eight-foot pram and an eighteen-foot power catamaran. Continuing his hobby part-time during college, he decided to turn his boat-building skills into a career. Join Waggoner and NMTA hosts to hear Bud share his journey from boyhood dreams to adult success as one of the world’s most celebrated boat builders and recognized boat-building entrepreneurs. Bud is the founder of Northern Marine, which constructs luxury yachts, superyachts, and commercial fish boats in the Pacific Northwest.

Captain Amy Eberling, Executive Director of the Salish Sea School, will be with Waggoner and NMTA hosts on July 15 to share the opportunities afforded school age students to learn about marine conservation through education and on-the-water research programs. Did you know that students can participate in pinniped and porpoise surveys, water quality testing, and marine bird research? And yes, Orca behavior and fisheries. Programs are available for students 10-12 and students 13-17, with plans to launch a year-round internship in 2022. Jump onboard with us to learn more about this unique boat-based school.

Marine Park buoys offer convenient overnight moorage and easy access to hiking trails and picnicking, or venturing out with the dinghy or kayak. Have you ever wondered how these buoys are installed, inspected, and maintained? Or perhaps you would like to know who to contact to report a missing buoy. Are there plans to add more mooring buoys for the growing number of boaters in our State? Will there be an online app in the future to pay moorage fees or reserve a buoy? Listen in to hear these and other questions answered.

Lower Unit, Powerhead, Clutch Dog, and Cavitation Plate – you may not need to know what these elements of an outboard motor are, but it’s important that your mechanic who works on your outboard motor does. Outboard motors are a complex integrated package of systems that make up a marine propulsion system. What do you do when one part of this integrated system no longer works? Should you make the repairs yourself? Or should you have a professional make the repairs? Join us on July 1^st at 7pm PDT with Wayne Evens of Anacortes Outboard Motors for a discussion about maintaining and making repairs on an outboard motor, and what parts you should have at the ready. What you can do yourself and what you should leave to the professionals.

Are you looking for a unique on-the-water adventure, a thrill of a lifetime? Did you know that you can join a guided PWC (personal watercraft) flotilla to Southeast Alaska, or participate in shorter trips within Southeast Alaska? Imagine motoring with an expedition watercraft through remote channels and bays, or seeing and hearing whales on your journey through incredible mountain scenery! Or perhaps you have always wanted to venture through Rocky Pass worry free.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to run a boatyard? How do you balance the needs of the customer with the needs of the environment? What are the regulations that boatyards must adhere to when pressure washing boats, replacing zincs, sandblasting and making fiberglass repairs? What about bottom preparations and bottom painting for your vessel? Can individuals work on their own boat in a boatyard? Are these regulations harming or benefitting the boating industry? Hear from guest George Harris, President of NMTA (Northwest Marine Trade Association), and guest Phil Riise of Seaview Boatyard to learn more about the industry standard and best practices. Phil and his family are the owners of Seaview Boatyards with locations in Seattle, Bellingham, and Fairhaven.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to run a boatyard? How do you balance the needs of the customer with the needs of the environment? What are the regulations that boatyards must adhere to when pressure washing boats, replacing zincs, sandblasting and making fiberglass repairs? What about bottom preparations and bottom painting for your vessel? Can individuals work on their own boat in a boatyard? Are these regulations harming or benefitting the boating industry? Join us on June 17th at 7 p.m. PDT with our guest George Harris, President of NMTA (Northwest Marine Trade Association), and guest Phil Riise of Seaview Boatyard to learn more about the industry standard and best practices. Phil and his family are the owners of Seaview Boatyards with locations in Seattle, Bellingham, and Fairhaven.

Have you wondered how to report an abandoned or derelict vessel that poses a navigation hazard or threat to the environment? Or would like to learn more about how the Derelict Vessel Program works? Perhaps someone you know needs information about how they can turn-in their vessel, or what options are available for disposal. Guest, Troy Wood, Derelict Vessel Removal Program Manager for DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources), is an expert on the topic and answers all of your questions.

Did you know that Sargo boats are 100% hand-made in Finland and are available for purchase or sea trial in Anacortes, Washington? Brian Krantz, an avid boater and boat dealer represents various makes and models, with a special appreciation for the tuff and well-built Sargo. In this episode, learn more about the boating experience in Finland and the unique Sargo boat building center and it’s seaside location.

Learn about the latest status of Lakebay Marina and other acquisitions, marina improvements, and boating projects that benefit from program grants offered through RCO (Recreation Conservation Office) of Washington State. Guests Allison Dellwo and Karl Jacobs, Grant Managers for RCO, walk us through what types of projects qualify for grants, who can apply, and how projects are evaluated and scored. Learn about the many in-water and upland projects that have benefited the boating community over the years.

Are you wanting to cruise to far-off places but perhaps don’t have the needed time to reach your destination, or perhaps you don’t want to deal with the uncertainties of the U.S./Canada border? Why not hire a Delivery Captain to take your vessel to your desired location. You will have the convenience of arriving by air and joining up with your vessel at a specified marina. Captain Jack De Friel of Yacht Deliveries NW will be joining NMTA and Waggoner on May 20 at 7 p.m. PDT to share the process and logistics of boat transport by sea, and what you need to know. Join us to learn more about the convenient option of boat delivery.

Did you know that the Port of Everett Marina is the largest public marina on the West Coast? And it’s getting bigger and better than ever, with on-going extensive development of the uplands, along with new and improved docks. The Port of Everett Marina is on a fast-track to becoming a first-class destination for boaters of the Pacific Northwest. Join Waggoner and NMTA on May 13th at 7 p.m. PDT to learn more from our guests Kate Anderson and Jeff Lindhout about the new features and activities happening at the Port of Everett Marina – new restaurants; a splash park; apartments and a hotel; summer concerts, movies, and festivals; a new pedestrian bridge connecting the waterfront to Grand Avenue; trails & beaches; and tours of the Port’s working waterfront. Join us for this fun and entertaining look at the latest offerings found at the Port of Everett Marina.

Are you thinking about a Transit Through B.C. to cruise in Southeast Alaska this summer? There are many logistics and challenges to consider before making such a decision. Join Waggoner Team hosts and NMTA, along with our guest Craig Norris from Victoria International Marina in British Columbia to learn more about the pros and cons, and the how for a Transit-Through B.C. waters under current Covid restrictions.

NOAA is in its second year of a five-year process to end all raster chart products. The sunsetting of raster charts also means the dawn of improved electronic navigational charts, including large scale coverage, data consistency, and a new grid system. Crescent Moegling, NOAA’s Northwest & Pacific Islands Navigation Manager, will be joining NMTA and Waggoner on April 29 at 7 p.m. PDT to explain the sunsetting process and the implementation of the NOAA ENC National Charting Plan. You won’t want to miss hearing about this important topic, along with other navigation tips. Bring your drinks, questions, and stories.

Did you know that you can charter a Le Boat to explore the Rideau Canal, an inland waterway in Ontario Canada? The Le Boat charter business arrived in Canada in 2018, and established a fleet of canal boats like those based in Europe. Lisa McLean, Sales & Marketing Manager for North American Le Boat, will be sharing the many reasons to boat Ontario’s UNESCO World Heritage Rideau Canal. Tune in to learn about the history, picturesque towns, wildlife, and the 47 locks along the 125-mile Rideau Canal that takes you from Ottawa to Kingston.

Has your boat been sitting idle all year during COVID-19? Or perhaps you have an older boat that’s overdue for fuel tank cleaning. No one wants to experience clogged fuel lines when dealing with choppy seas during a cruise. Join Kalen Welter of West Coast Tank, along with NMTA and Waggoner hosts, to learn more about fuel polishing and the importance of keeping your fuel tank clean. Learn about microbiological growth, bacteria and fungi, which eventually causes corrosion and pits in your fuel tank. Bring your questions that you’ve always wanted to ask – How do I know if my tank needs cleaning? How are fuel tanks repaired? How often is fuel polishing necessary? What about fuel additives and onboard fuel filters? – these and other questions will be covered during a lively discussion around this important topic.

Steve Mitchell, a Marine Electronics Design Consultant, helps boaters choose and design systems that allow redundant and reliable connectivity for working professionals. As a consultant, Steve does extensive research and field tests on various products. His respected website, SeaBits.com, is loaded with helpful information. Learn all the tricks of the trade on how to put a system together for your boat.

Guest speaker Larry Graf shares his Northwest Territories boating adventure down the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean aboard his 34-foot Aspen, the same waters explorer Mackenzie first saw in the 1800’s. Larry spent two weeks and traveled 2,200 miles in some of the most pristine and untouched waters in the world. Join us to learn more about this incredible journey – where they got fuel, villages they visited, and how they dealt with weather and river current.

Join Doug Miller of Milltech Marine, along with NMTA and Waggoner for an interactive discussion regarding maintaining an internet connection while cruising. Learn about WiFi boosters, cellular boosters for phone and data, cell plans, antennas, and LTE routers. Discover the options to make it all work in today’s virtual-meeting bandwidth demands.

Casey Mclean, Executive Director and Veterinary Nurse discusses SR3’s efforts to build the first dedicated marine animal rehabilitation center in the Pacific Northwest. Hear Casey’s first-hand accounts about marine animal rehabilitation, threats our local wildlife face and the need for this hospital in our region. You will also learn about the organization’s work to help save entangled whales and drive conservation efforts for Southern Resident killer whales.

The Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Program has taken on an ambitious refit program as a learning experience for its students. At the end of this program, a global cruising sail boat will emerge and be available for a lucky purchaser. Kings Pride is a 39′ Westsail designed by the Pacific Northwest legendary naval architect, Bob Perry. It was the floating home for a former student in the Skagit Valley College program, Jennifer King, who now is a working professional in the marine business. Her family sailed Kings Pride to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska. Today, she is still in good shape but was ready for a refit. The good news is you get to follow along as the students are documenting their progress in a series of YouTube videos showing how they have replaced the engine and drive train and are now in the midst of refurbishing the interior, the plumbing and the electrical system. The videos show the before and after and the steps required to bring this vessel to a like new condition to take its next owner on adventures around the world.

Some of us need to stay in touch from remote locations while we are out enjoying cruising in the Northwest or offshore. When cell phones won’t do, Satellite is our next best option. Luckily the costs are coming down and there are different options now available. Local expert, Jeff Thomassen and his wife Katie from Ocens join Seattle Boat Show Live to give us a complete update on the different options for data, text and voice communications using the different satellite networks, and devices now available for purchase or rental. Jeff’s company, Ocens, provides satellite communications for many of the oceanic sailing races and global  cruisers who need to keep in touch when out at sea.

Having just moved to Southeast Alaska, guest Chuck Wengenroth shares his lifestyle living aboard his vessel in the community of Sitka, Alaska. Learn how he and crew successfully did a transit through B.C. during Covid-19, how they endured gale warnings, and re-started their careers as RN’s. Their Journey began with a trip to Puget Sound from San Francisco before continuing to SE Alaska last summer. They share first-hand recommendations for preparing the boat and making preparations for a move to Southeast Alaska, all from the boater’s perspective.

Have you ever thought about spending the winter on your boat in Southeast Alaska? Or perhaps you plan to cruise in Southeast Alaska this spring and summer, then liveaboard during the winter months to begin a second season. Join the NMTA/Waggoner Webinar hosts and their guests, Jim and Rosy Addington, currently living aboard their vessel, Sea Venture, located somewhere in Southeast Alaska. Learn where they have been, and what they have learned.

Imagine this. Buy a boat sight unseen on Craigslist in an exotic location. Bring your tools and allow time to fix up the boat. Cruise among exotic islands. At the end of your vacation, post the boat for sale on Craigslist and sell it. Crazy? Maybe not. Tune in to hear how Jake Beattie, the Executive Director of the Northwest Maritime Center, did just this in two exotic locations and had the adventure of a lifetime.

Who says you need a big boat to go to Alaska? Karl Krueger showed it can be done in 2 weeks on his paddleboard! Hear how he did it as part of the 2019 Race to Alaska. Learn about how he prepared and how he did underway starting from Port Townsend and Victoria and then on up to Ketchikan, Alaska. Karl is an experienced Inside Passage Cruiser but this was a unique trip with many unusual experiences.

Pete McGonagle has it all. A wonderful family with his wife Kirsten, a 52’ Amazon Steel hull sailing sloop, a successful business with Swiftsure Yachts in Seattle. There was only one thing missing on his master bucket list. He wanted to take his family for a 2 year cruise in the Caribbean so that they too could – Live the Dream – like he had helped so many of his customers do. Pete and Kirsten tell us how they prepared for and took their two year adventure leaving business, school, their home and everything behind. It was not easy but they did it and were able to take the trip of a lifetime.

Warning – This show contains cruising pictures with deep blue waters, warm sandy beaches with quaint beach front towns and villages. You too could decide you want to do the same after watching this show.

M/V Freedom is a 2004 Nordhavn 43′ trawler proudly owned and operated by Shawn and Elizabeth along with their boat dog, Mr. Sully (RIP to our beloved Sandy who passed away in December 2019). Prior to owning Freedom, Shawn & Elizabeth owned MV Orca, a 40′ Searay, a 36′ Carver Sport Sedan and a 24′ Glastron Cruiser that started their boating journeys. In March 2020, they moved aboard Freedom full time in Seattle, WA and enjoy cruising within Puget Sound, north into British Columbia and down the west coast into Oregon. After years of dreaming and scheming, Shawn & Elizabeth found their dream boat and aptly named her Freedom to signify what she represents to them and the life she can make possible…a life at sea with the freedom to safely explore destinations most people can’t get to by car, plane or train. They are currently planning to cruise around the globe starting with Alaska in 2021!

For those of us very interested in following the weather and weather forecasts, there is new news coming from NOAA. They are about to announce significant improvements in the ability to forecast the weather with more detail than ever before. To help us understand this we are joined by Bruce Hedrick, a well known local weather router and sailing tactician. Bruce is also a former chairman of the NMTA Board of Trustees and the former Managing Editor of Northwest Yachting magazine. Bruce tells us more about the mysterious world of weather models and the use of government information to make a go or no-go decision for a boating trip. Bruce also fills us in on the main things to look for in gathering your weather information on the web. He tells us about some of the handy tools such as Windy.com or PredictWind and how to use them.

Thanks to the dedicated work of the San Juan Preservation Trust, numerous properties in the San Juan’s have been preserved and dedicated as wildlife habitats, nature preserves, or working farms and forests in perpetuity. Many of these sites are open to the public, offering fabulous views and hiking trails maintained by the Trust. Take Turtleback Mountain on Orcas Island as an example. The west end of the island would look much different today if a developer had bought the property and populated the side of Turtleback Mountain with homes or condos. The view would be much different today. When you look at the map of sites acquired by the San Juan Preservation Trust, you can see the breadth of properties that are now protected from future development and preserved for generations to come.

Craig Canine tells us about some of the exciting properties you might want to visit by boat and why these properties are so special, as well as future plans for new properties.

Amanda and John spend seven months at sea sailing 10,000 miles annually, with over 700,000 miles logged collectively. Tune in to learn everything you’ve ever wondered about long distance cruising.

How do those wonderful Canadian charts get produced? There is an entire team of specialists, located just west of the Sidney, BC International Airport that manage the charting data for this region. We are pleased to have Mark LaBlanc, the Director of the Pacific Region for the Canadian Hydrographic Services as our guest to tell us about the challenges they are facing as they evolve and transition to new ways of producing and distributing mapping and other information of interest to recreational boaters.

Join us as we cover the steps of what to do to get your boat ready for the winter. Waggoner Editors Mark Bunzel, Leonard Landon and Lorena Landon will go through the steps they go through to prepare their boats for the winter. Mechanic Shaun Quinn will keep them honest and add his input as a professional mechanic and even tell of some of the mistakes he has seen boat owners make that end up costing them money.

Vesper, the leading designer and manufacturer of AIS systems, has just released their new Cortex system. Cortex takes a fresh new look at the VHF radio and combines it with AIS and boat monitoring into a new system that also offers many new capabilities.

Lets say your AIS system alerts you to a possible collision. Wouldn’t it be great if you could use your radio’s DSC capability to alert and directly communicate with the other vessel. Done.

Or, wouldn’t it be great to have an anchor watch system that could alert you via your smartphone if your boat is dragging while you are away onshore. Or, how about a system that can let you know that your boat is taking water while sitting in its slip in the marina due to a leak in a through-hull.

Through an intelligent design, Vesper has built many new capabilities into this system.  AIS expert Doug Miller of Milltech talks about this exciting new system.

Accidents happen. And when they do you hopefully have the insurance coverage to pay for the damages. Understanding coverage and the language of insurance can be confusing when you buy an insurance policy. And if you have to file a claim – the confusion could be finding out you don’t have the coverage you need or you did not understand the limits of your policy. Peter Ricks from Novamar Insurance Group joins us to help us all understand marine insurance. What coverage should you have to cover your vessel, your crew, yourself and even another boat or the environment. And if the unfortunate happens, what are some of the tips you should know about reporting an accident and filing an insurance claim. This webcast could save you money by making sure you know more about having the right coverage and how to work with your insurance company to cover a claim.

Planning for pumpout is just as critical as planning for water, provisioning or getting rid of garbage. It used to be that we could just pump our effluent overboard. No longer. It is against the law in the Salish Sea right up to the Canadian border, and in many places in Canada it is prohibited. Washington Sea Grant has taken the lead on pumpout education and information. In partnership with the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act program, Wsshington Sea Grant manages the popular Pumpout Washington program, which educates boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal, informs them about where to find pumpout stations, helps marina operators secure grants to install more stations and advises on the deployment of mobile pumpout services on heavily used waters. In the past year, more than 8.3 million gallons that would previously have been dumped into vulnerable waterways were instead collected for safe onshore treatment, thanks largely to training, outreach and federal funds provided by the pumpout program.

Washington Sea Grant’s Aaron Barnett presents a new program to help find the nearest pumpout location with an app on your smartphone or tablet. The app is called Pumpout Nav and is free on either the IOS or Android platforms. The app will map out the nearest pumpout stations and give you the distance and direction. This is a pretty convenient way of getting to the nearest pumpout – when your tank is full.

Mobile App for Boaters Expands to Washington State

Cooking on a boat offers its challenges. The galley is typically small and you may not have all the tools you have at home. Your crew is often famished especially if it is the middle of a race on a spirited day on the water. But there is the motivation with a family or crew that says “Everything tastes better on a boat.” Northwest sailor and racer Carol Buchan has prepared a new book, Northwest Cooking Afloat. Through her photography, stories and her selection of compelling recipes she has captured the essence of why we boat in the Pacific Northwest where cooking and sharing a scrumptious meal on board for many of us is part of the allure. The concept for this book started during a 10 day race around Vancouver Island when the joke began of the need for a cookbook entitled “Meals you can serve in a mug”. Carol goes beyond this with a collection of meals that can be prepared on board to satisfy a hungry and demanding crew. Like any great cookbook, her stories and photography gives you the motivation to dive in and prepare something memorable. Watch this episode to see some of Carol’s ideas and recipes for the quick Happy Hour appetizer and elegant and easy to prepare lunches or dinners on board. She even has that breakfast to warm you up before you slip the mooring for a day of cruising in the Northwest.

AIS offers a lot of new capabilities to mariners on the water. It is another tool for collision avoidance and going forward may be a new means of receiving weather information and even critical navigation information. The cost to add AIS keeps coming down and it may be a small additional cost to add it to the marine electronics on your boat. Learn more about AIS with our guest, Doug Miller of Milltech in Port Orchard. Doug is one of the leading experts on AIS.

Nothing can ruin a passage faster than one crewmember getting seasick, or worse the captain! There are things you can do for someone prone to seasickness. Annie Feyereisen, a live-aboard boater and Harborview Hospital nurse has come up with a number of recommendations to prevent or deal with seasickness. This webcast takes a fun look at what you can do covering techniques, remedies, medications and best practices to prevent sea sickness.

Fishing  – Catching Fish

1.      Different ways to catch fish – keep it simple

2.      Great places to fish – know the areas

3.      Mind the regulations before you go

4.      Crabbing and Prawning – are also fishing

5.      State resources and website –

6.      Bait and Tackle shops are a great resource

7.      Book a charter to learn how to fish

8.      What do you do once you catch them – great ways to cook and prepare fish.

9.      Innovative ways to catch fish at the dock – using fresh banana bread!

Learn best practices and laws around boating and whales and what to do if/when you encounter whales on the water.

A good Co-Captain or First Mate can be a huge help when managing all of the details for a boating trip. A knowledgeable extra set of eyes and hands can add to your safety and enjoyment on the water too.

We talk with three cruising couples for ideas and tips on how they work together to make their boating fun and safe. They have figured out how to divide up the boating duties for what works for them. For one couple, she is the captain as her boat handling skills are better. For another couple, they change off being captain every other year. And for one couple – after years of cruising in the Northwest to Alaska and down through Mexico – they have just figured it out. They are both skilled mariners and have their boating duties sorted out and sometimes overlapping. We discuss tips for cruising couples and many tips for use when going out for the day with a buddy.

Hear all about the historic Lakebay Marina and the campaign to save the marina for public use.

Many fear anchoring out for an overnight stay at many of the beautiful, quiet anchorages in the Northwest.  With a few practical tips, anchoring in your favorite cove can be easy and secure, for a good night’s sleep on the hook.

Join the NMTA and Waggoner crew as we describe some of the great places to cruise to in the South Puget Sound area. Let us describe the best places to go such as Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Pleasant Harbor and Hood Canal, Filucy Bay and its beautiful views of Mt. Rainier, Poulsbo and Port Townsend.