EXPAND YOUR NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Mark Bunzel is the Editor and Publisher of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, long considered the "bible" for Northwest and Inside Passage cruising. Each season he cruises the Inside Passage from Olympia to Ketchikan to update and book and provide stories.

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Rachel Wold has taught navigation, participated in USCG Auxiliary safety cruises, and piloted boats through the Inside Passage. She is an oceanographer at the UW Applied Physics Lab leading cruises to monitor water quality. Combining her boating and science backgrounds, she is currently Engagement Lead for the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), demonstrating the NANOOS Boaters App to recreational boaters and collecting feedback to enhance usability.

Capt. Tommy Donlin has more than 30 years of experience fishing the waters from Alaska to Costa Rica and beyond. He chases everything that swims off the Washington coast, including tuna, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, halibut, crab and shrimp. Tommy spends countless hours on the water perfecting his strategies and skill sets. Catch him on Fish Hunt Northwest, airing weekly on Root Sports as well as YouTube and Facebook, where he shares his journey and successes.

Kevin VanderHeyden and his wife Carol are the owners of Premier Custom Ceramic Coatings. Kevin and his team have been applying high quality Ceramtek coating in the Seattle area for the last 4 years. His background in Auto Body work and attention to detail combined with his passion for boating is the perfect combination for bringing a high quality finish to local boaters. Always searching for the best has led Kevin to develop an unmatched process with the best results.

Jeff Paxson is owner of Marine Detail Specialists and has been professionally detailing and maintaining boats in the PNW for over 20 years, since the wide-eyed age of 16. He has tried so many techniques and detailing products to get the best results for his clients that he has lost track. He loves boating with his family, sharing his knowledge and new and exciting stuff.

Gio & Julie Cappelli are graduates of Skagit Valley College’s Marine Maintenance Technology Program and owners of Pelagic Blue Cruising Services. Gio is ABYC certified in Marine Diesel Engines and Marine Systems and previously worked as a fishery biologist and motorboat operator instructor. Julie is ABYC certified in Marine Electrical, a NMEA certified marine electronics and NMEA 2000 installer, and has worked as a scuba instructor, marine biologist, and expedition leader. Both hold USCG 25-ton Master licenses with sail endorsements and have sailed over 20,000 offshore miles in the Pacific. They cruised the west coast of Vancouver Island in 2023 and have previously spent many weeks kayaking, fishing, camping, and exploring there.

John Taussig- Founder of the nonprofits Backcountry and Maritime Medical Guides, John has spent 20+ years working on various ground and air rescue units as a flight medic, ski patroller, ambulance, and ranger paramedic. As an adventure cruiser and Merchant Mariner, he’s travelled to Alaska multiple times, and to points south via the Panama Canal on his Alajuela 38. In 2017, John crafted a makeshift trimaran from a Klepper sailing kayak and rowed to Alaska, raising $30,000 for Multiple Myeloma research grants. The experience inspired him to relocate to Bellingham, WA where he now lives with his wife and young son.

Capt. Tommy Donlin has more than 30 years of experience fishing the waters from Alaska to Costa Rica and beyond. He chases everything that swims off the Washington coast, including tuna, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, halibut, crab and shrimp. Tommy spends countless hours on the water perfecting his strategies and skill sets. Catch him on Fish Hunt Northwest, airing weekly on Root Sports as well as YouTube and Facebook, where he shares his journey and successes.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

John Sheppard is a USCG/STCW Licensed Master 500 ITC Tons and has over 40 years experience on the water ? located in Seattle, Washington, John specializes in boating education, sailing lessons and coaching, on the water instruction to meet insurance requirements, yacht delivery, buying and selling boats, and general vessel and safety consulting. At the age of sixteen, John and a friend impulsively pooled their money and bought a beat up Hobie Beach Cat. It ignited a life-long journey for all things sailing and maritime. That beat up Cat was only the first of many boats, from racing dinghies to blue water cruisers. John is grateful to have boating in his life, it led him to his closest friends and greatest adventures. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life.

Doug Miller founded Onboard Wireless, a company focused on Internet connectivity solutions for boaters, in 2021. Previously, Doug was the owner of Milltech Marine, an AIS solution specialist he founded in in 2006. Doug began sailing at an early age and has always had a passion for combining the thrill of sailing with a love for high tech toys. Doug and his wife Karin use “Naiad”, their Hunter Passage 420 sailboat, as a testbed for many of the solutions that are offered by Onboard Wireless.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Capt. Paul Kim has been a long time resident of the PNW for over 25 years, his love of the water and pursuit of all things aquatic led him to becoming a licensed skipper with Master Endorsed ratings. He loves sharing his passion of the water with guests from all over the world. Whether its chasing hard fighting salmon, to jigging for squid and flounder chances are if it swims he caught it. Capt. Kim is also a certified merit badge counselor for the Boy Scout organization and has taught and led Scouts how to catch fish. His patience and educational method of teaching has helped his guests catch more fish and have fun aboard his boat.

John Sheppard is a USCG/STCW Licensed Master 500 ITC Tons and has over 40 years experience on the water ? located in Seattle, Washington, John specializes in boating education, sailing lessons and coaching, on the water instruction to meet insurance requirements, yacht delivery, buying and selling boats, and general vessel and safety consulting. At the age of sixteen, John and a friend impulsively pooled their money and bought a beat up Hobie Beach Cat. It ignited a life-long journey for all things sailing and maritime. That beat up Cat was only the first of many boats, from racing dinghies to blue water cruisers. John is grateful to have boating in his life, it led him to his closest friends and greatest adventures. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life.

Leonard and Lorena Landon have been boating Pacific Northwest waters for nearly 40 years. Primarily power boaters, they have navigated the waters in sport boats to trawler vessels and crewed on sailing vessels. After cruising year-round for seven years on their 47’ Pilothouse DeFever and logging over 30,000 miles on the West Coast waters from Manzanillo, Mexico to Yakutat, Alaska, they now call Anacortes home port. They routinely cruise the Inside Passage waters between Puget Sound and Southeast Alaska. They have been Managing Editors of the Waggoner Guide for eight years. Leonard has extensive navigation skills both as a boater and a licensed aircraft pilot. Lorena enjoys the unique adventures that boating brings and is the prolific author of numerous boating articles for Waggoner. She authored the popular Cleats & Eats, a series of restaurant guidebooks for boaters, published from 2002-2010. Lorena served on the Boating Program Advisory Committee for the State of Washington RCO.

In 1997 Linda Martin assisted the authors of Boating Safety 4 Kids by illustrating the teaching manual. The Everett Sail and Power Squadron was the first squadron to teach this to the children of Everett under Linda's supervision. It is her passion to teach children to be safe while boating and near the water. Twenty five years of teaching hundreds of children these timeless tips. Linda not only teaches this seminar in the Everett area but has been invited to the USPS national meetings in Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, and Orlando, FL to train other Power Squadron members throughout the USA how to teach the seminar. Pre-Covid Boating Safety 4 Kids was taught multiple times each year.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Garth Wilcox grew up sailing in San Francisco Bay. When he was 13, when few people were cruising offshore, his family set off in the 70s for a round the world cruise aboard a 40-foot Maine Pinky (double-ender). A year into their voyage, the family was shipwrecked. Unwilling to give up their dream, they painstakingly rebuilt the boat in Fiji with parts they could find at the time. Garth quickly learned to McGyver his way past countless issues as they made their way around the rest of the globe, including a broken rig, broken engine, amid facing down gun boats, mines, thieves, scurvy and running out of food. The family’s incredible story is detailed in Wendy Hinman’s book Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. He was eager for another opportunity to explore the world under sail and completed a comparable distance sailing waters less traveled with Wendy from 2000-2007.

Will & Sarah Curry hatched a plan to sail to the South Pacific on their very first date. They purchased a Beneteau First 405 in Mexico and after Will showed newbie Sarah the ropes, they sailed into the sunset - west, across the incredible South Pacific. That boat sold quickly in Australia, and they moved onto a Jeanneau SO 43 to explore the Pacific Northwest, California, and beloved Mexico over the course of seven years. When the new crew arrived (twin boys) Will and Sarah were overcome with 'two-hull-itis'. In 2022 they said goodbye to Mexican hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! They purchased a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece and are planning for an Atlantic crossing later this year.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Barbara and Jim Cole started sailing on the Great Salt Lake of Utah, USA on a 16-foot Hobie Cat. A vacation trip to the Sea of Cortez with the Hobie of Cat brought out yearnings for bigger experiences. Dreams of crossing oceans were soon being discussed. They bought a 23-foot Hunter and kept it in a marina on Antelope Island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. They sailed it there even when freshwater lakes were frozen hard enough to drive cars on and ice fish. A move to Seattle introduced bigger and more complex waters for sailing. The next year was dedicated to a search for a suitable bluewater boat. After classes, boat shows and crawling through a broad spectrum of boats, they purchased a Hallberg Rassy 36 in 1999. After sailing and exploring the Puget Sound area of Seattle and western British Columbia for 6 years, they cruised the Inside Passage to Alaska. In 2008, an opportunity to move to Australia presented itself and they cruised across the Pacific there. They explored, sailed, and worked in Australia for 7 years then retired and went cruising again in 2016. They cruised the Pacific Islands to Asia, then stopped for a refit. In 2020 they completed a passage from SE Asia to the Med, which included stops in Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt and Cyprus. As they transited through the Red Sea in 2020, international borders closed due to the pandemic. After 78 days “stranded at sea” they cleared into Limassol, Cyprus where they lived aboard for 14 months during the pandemic and repowered their boat. They have cruised the eastern Mediterranean for the past three seasons and plan to cruise the western Mediterranean and cross the Atlantic in 2024.

Bill and Kathi Cuffel have been cruising their J-42 Jarana since 2009. They returned to Seattle in 2012 after a three-year loop of the Pacific, travelling as far as Hobart, Tasmania. After two long summer cruises in 2013 and 2014, they were off again in the spring of 2015, trucking the boat to Rochester New York. They travelled down the US coast to Florida and crossed the Atlantic in 2016. They entered the Med the following spring, where they are currently cruising. The boat is currently in Monastir Tunisia and are planning to cross to the Caribbean next year.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

USCG Master 100 Tons. Director of Operations and Instructor, Zenith Maritime Academy, have trained 1300 Captains. TowBoat US Captain, assisted 3500 vessels, 21 seasons. Approved by WA State Bar Assoc to teach Maritime Law for MCLE credits. Have trained; USCG Vessel Watch Standers, Homeland Security Crews, WDFL Crews, County and Tribal personnel, and Schooner Zodiac crew members. Prior Affiliate Professor at University of Northern Colorado

Garth Wilcox grew up sailing in San Francisco Bay. When he was 13, when few people were cruising offshore, his family set off in the 70s for a round the world cruise aboard a 40-foot Maine Pinky (double-ender). A year into their voyage, the family was shipwrecked. Unwilling to give up their dream, they painstakingly rebuilt the boat in Fiji with parts they could find at the time. Garth quickly learned to McGyver his way past countless issues as they made their way around the rest of the globe, including a broken rig, broken engine, amid facing down gun boats, mines, thieves, scurvy and running out of food. The family’s incredible story is detailed in Wendy Hinman’s book Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. He was eager for another opportunity to explore the world under sail and completed a comparable distance sailing waters less traveled with Wendy from 2000-2007.

Will & Sarah Curry hatched a plan to sail to the South Pacific on their very first date. They purchased a Beneteau First 405 in Mexico and after Will showed newbie Sarah the ropes, they sailed into the sunset - west, across the incredible South Pacific. That boat sold quickly in Australia, and they moved onto a Jeanneau SO 43 to explore the Pacific Northwest, California, and beloved Mexico over the course of seven years. When the new crew arrived (twin boys) Will and Sarah were overcome with 'two-hull-itis'. In 2022 they said goodbye to Mexican hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! They purchased a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece and are planning for an Atlantic crossing later this year.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Barbara and Jim Cole started sailing on the Great Salt Lake of Utah, USA on a 16-foot Hobie Cat. A vacation trip to the Sea of Cortez with the Hobie of Cat brought out yearnings for bigger experiences. Dreams of crossing oceans were soon being discussed. They bought a 23-foot Hunter and kept it in a marina on Antelope Island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. They sailed it there even when freshwater lakes were frozen hard enough to drive cars on and ice fish. A move to Seattle introduced bigger and more complex waters for sailing. The next year was dedicated to a search for a suitable bluewater boat. After classes, boat shows and crawling through a broad spectrum of boats, they purchased a Hallberg Rassy 36 in 1999. After sailing and exploring the Puget Sound area of Seattle and western British Columbia for 6 years, they cruised the Inside Passage to Alaska. In 2008, an opportunity to move to Australia presented itself and they cruised across the Pacific there. They explored, sailed, and worked in Australia for 7 years then retired and went cruising again in 2016. They cruised the Pacific Islands to Asia, then stopped for a refit. In 2020 they completed a passage from SE Asia to the Med, which included stops in Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt and Cyprus. As they transited through the Red Sea in 2020, international borders closed due to the pandemic. After 78 days “stranded at sea” they cleared into Limassol, Cyprus where they lived aboard for 14 months during the pandemic and repowered their boat. They have cruised the eastern Mediterranean for the past three seasons and plan to cruise the western Mediterranean and cross the Atlantic in 2024.

Bill and Kathi Cuffel have been cruising their J-42 Jarana since 2009. They returned to Seattle in 2012 after a three-year loop of the Pacific, travelling as far as Hobart, Tasmania. After two long summer cruises in 2013 and 2014, they were off again in the spring of 2015, trucking the boat to Rochester New York. They travelled down the US coast to Florida and crossed the Atlantic in 2016. They entered the Med the following spring, where they are currently cruising. The boat is currently in Monastir Tunisia and are planning to cross to the Caribbean next year.

Capt. John Keizer, a well known outdoor writer for local fishing magazines, newspapers but is best known in the Northwest as a pro angler, and seminar speaker. John can be regularly seen appearing on Angler West TV fishing for NW species or destination fishing around the world. His passion for introducing new anglers to the sport and led to his founding of his company Salt Patrol.

Lisa Vizzini has been sailing since childhood in various types of boats from one design dinghies to heavy displacement cruisers. Her current passion is empowering sail boat owners with the knowledge and skills to sail NOT motor their sail boats. Lisa and her fine staff, operate PTR Rigging & Spars where they strive to provide sailors with the knowledge, skills and equipment to sail where they want to go.

Jenna Miller and James Utzschneider completed a nine-year circumnavigation on their catamaran Sophie.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Will & Sarah Curry hatched a plan to sail to the South Pacific on their very first date. They purchased a Beneteau First 405 in Mexico and after Will showed newbie Sarah the ropes, they sailed into the sunset - west, across the incredible South Pacific. That boat sold quickly in Australia, and they moved onto a Jeanneau SO 43 to explore the Pacific Northwest, California, and beloved Mexico over the course of seven years. When the new crew arrived (twin boys) Will and Sarah were overcome with 'two-hull-itis'. In 2022 they said goodbye to Mexican hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! They purchased a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece and are planning for an Atlantic crossing later this year.

Capt. John Keizer, a well known outdoor writer for local fishing magazines, newspapers but is best known in the Northwest as a pro angler, and seminar speaker. John can be regularly seen appearing on Angler West TV fishing for NW species or destination fishing around the world. His passion for introducing new anglers to the sport and led to his founding of his company Salt Patrol.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 400,000+ offshore miles include six Cape Horn rounding's and expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and Spitsbergen. Since 1976 his focus has been helping over 10,000 want to be cruisers find and outfit their boats to fulfill their own cruising adventures.

Erica has been racing and cruising since she was a child in Maine and Vermont, and then in Puget Sound. She joined Hasse and Co. sail loft in 2017 and transitioned under new ownership with Port Townsend Shipwrights. Erica currently manages the loft and leads the sales department and enjoys helping sailors determine the best sail inventory for their cruising dreams. When not in the office our out on boats, she cruises locally on her 1938 Ed. Monk Sloop with her family.

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Will & Sarah Curry hatched a plan to sail to the South Pacific on their very first date. They purchased a Beneteau First 405 in Mexico and after Will showed newbie Sarah the ropes, they sailed into the sunset - west, across the incredible South Pacific. That boat sold quickly in Australia, and they moved onto a Jeanneau SO 43 to explore the Pacific Northwest, California, and beloved Mexico over the course of seven years. When the new crew arrived (twin boys) Will and Sarah were overcome with 'two-hull-itis'. In 2022 they said goodbye to Mexican hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! They purchased a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece and are planning for an Atlantic crossing later this year.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Captain Phyllis Woolwine brings passion and a lifetime of experience in boating, education, and natural science to her culminating life work: providing all types of boaters outstanding maritime training through Shearwater University. Phyllis holds a USCG Captain's License (Master, Near Coastal) built on 50 years of sailing, powerboating and kayaking on the Salish Sea and the Inside Passage - both recreationally and professionally - including 18 years in Southeast Alaska. Her qualifications include: - Over 30 years as a professional educator for adults and young adults, as a National Board Certified Teacher - US Sailing Instructor Certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Passage Making, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation - US Powerboating Instructor Certified to teach Basic Powerboat Cruising, Inshore Powerboat Cruising, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation. - American Canoe Association Instructor for Coastal Kayaking (through Level-3) Mostly, Phyllis is passionate about working with individuals to meet their boating/cruising goals.

Matt Mardesich is the primary propulsion instructor at Skagit Valley College. Matt has been around the water all his life and still does some commercial fishing when not teaching at the technical school. Matt is an ABYC certified Master Technician and holds certifications in Gasoline/Diesel engines and electrical. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, gasoline engines, outboard motors, and hydraulics.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Owner of Conny, the 1936 coaches’ boat.

ASUW Shell House tour founder

President of Pocock Racing Shells

Olympian and UW Women’s head coach

UW Rowing historian, Eric Cohen one of Daniel James Brown’s first contacts when researching his 2013 novel, “Boys in the Boat”.

Erica has been racing and cruising since she was a child in Maine and Vermont, and then in Puget Sound. She joined Hasse and Co. sail loft in 2017 and transitioned under new ownership with Port Townsend Shipwrights. Erica currently manages the loft and leads the sales department and enjoys helping sailors determine the best sail inventory for their cruising dreams. When not in the office our out on boats, she cruises locally on her 1938 Ed. Monk Sloop with her family.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 400,000+ offshore miles include six Cape Horn rounding's and expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and Spitsbergen. Since 1976 his focus has been helping over 10,000 want to be cruisers find and outfit their boats to fulfill their own cruising adventures.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

Erica has been racing and cruising since she was a child in Maine and Vermont, and then in Puget Sound. She joined Hasse and Co. sail loft in 2017 and transitioned under new ownership with Port Townsend Shipwrights. Erica currently manages the loft and leads the sales department and enjoys helping sailors determine the best sail inventory for their cruising dreams. When not in the office our out on boats, she cruises locally on her 1938 Ed. Monk Sloop with her family.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

100 T Masters license with Towing and Auxiliary Sail endorsements. Guided salmon and other fisheries. Towing for towboat US four years. Marine Search and Rescue Volunteer five years. Fly fishing for 20 years total. I have salt water in my veins (genes) and the tug is the drug.

Scott brings a vast knowledge of boating and fishing experience to the team. He has recreationally fished extensively in Southeast Alaska and in the Pacific Northwest for 20+ years. He is a retired Navy Officer having spent 24 years in the Navy as an Electronic Warfare Officer. He is also a Coast Guard licensed merchant mariner and currently a charter captain out of Anacortes Washington. His enthusiasm for educating, sharing experiences, and being on the water is the perfect match to get you on your next epic adventure. Fishing has been a part of my life for close to 50 years. The moment you feel that tug on the rod, there is an adrenaline rush, that erases everything else in your mind and focuses you on the immediate questions? What is it, how big, how well is it hooked, how’s that knot I tied a little while ago.

I am a 36-year SONAR professional absolutely committed to fishing! My passion is to seek to understand why fish do what they do and make time on the water more successful while fishing.

Steve has been fishing Northwest waters for over 50 years and retired after 43 years serving as regional hatchery program manager for WDFW. He knows the fish and he knows fishing.

Scott Jones is the Operations Manager and resident boatbuilding guru at Duckworks Boat Builders Supply in Port Townsend, WA. As a graduate of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (who later returned as an adjunct instructor) and former Boatshop Manager at the Northwest Maritime Center, he's had over 15 years of hands-on experience building, maintaining, and teaching others how to build boats. Scott is a woodworking enthusiast and native Washingtonian who finds equal enjoyment drifting on a river, sailing on the Sound, or getting his hands dirty with a boatbuilding project. Scott lives in Port Townsend with his lovely wife Briana and their two precocious daughters.

Mark Bunzel is the Editor and Publisher of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, long considered the "bible" for Northwest and Inside Passage cruising. Each season he cruises the Inside Passage from Olympia to Ketchikan to update and book and provide stories.

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

100 T Masters license with Towing and Auxiliary Sail endorsements. Guided salmon and other fisheries. Towing for towboat US four years. Marine Search and Rescue Volunteer five years. Fly fishing for 20 years total. I have salt water in my veins (genes) and the tug is the drug.

Scott brings a vast knowledge of boating and fishing experience to the team. He has recreationally fished extensively in Southeast Alaska and in the Pacific Northwest for 20+ years. He is a retired Navy Officer having spent 24 years in the Navy as an Electronic Warfare Officer. He is also a Coast Guard licensed merchant mariner and currently a charter captain out of Anacortes Washington. His enthusiasm for educating, sharing experiences, and being on the water is the perfect match to get you on your next epic adventure. Fishing has been a part of my life for close to 50 years. The moment you feel that tug on the rod, there is an adrenaline rush, that erases everything else in your mind and focuses you on the immediate questions? What is it, how big, how well is it hooked, how’s that knot I tied a little while ago.

I am a 36-year SONAR professional absolutely committed to fishing! My passion is to seek to understand why fish do what they do and make time on the water more successful while fishing.

Steve has been fishing Northwest waters for over 50 years and retired after 43 years serving as regional hatchery program manager for WDFW. He knows the fish and he knows fishing.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Joe has managed innovation efforts for firms in photovoltaics, medical diagnostics, air countermeasures, oral health, wearables, and skin/hair-care. His innovations collectively produce large amounts of annual sales, and he is lead inventor on 50 patent families. Joe and Linda are also lifelong boaters. They founded Propel Electric Boat Motors Inc. in 2009 to promote electric boating. Promotion efforts include boater outreach through speaking, mentoring students and designers, and by manufacturing outstanding propulsion solutions. Products include the Electric Paddle (an 8-lb electric outboard), Flex Drive-e for Jackson / Blue Sky Boats, and EP Carry, their flagship outboard platform. As part of his business, Joe keeps up on electric outboard developments and has modeled theoretical superiority limits for electric and solar propulsion.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Captain Margaret Pommert is a popular sailing and power boating instructor. She is VP for Safety at Sea for The Sailing Foundation and organizes their annual US Sailing International Offshore Safety at Sea training. Margaret chairs the US Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Award Committee, a national award which recognizes a significant accomplishment in seamanship which has saved a life, and collects case studies in rescues for analysis by the US Sailing Safety-at-Sea Committee. She's an appointed member of WA State Boating Program Advisory Council, providing recommendations on ways to enhance boating safety statewide. Sheds very active in the local boating community; racing, cruising, and promoting Safety at Sea and Northwest Women in Boating.

Pam founded Sisters in Action Sports (SAS) after 9 years of Directorship of the Snow Division for GRO. Her passion for the organic flow for the ladies in action sports led her to see the “Sisterhood” as something bigger and ground uncharted. In 2016 SAS was formed. Pam’s vision for progression, community and growth for all females is non-stopping. She found her own strength as a single parent and recovery from cancer in the life lessons she gained from what she calls LIFE SPORTS. The lessons of knowing how to fall and get up again, face fears, celebrate success and have a good laugh while doing it all have got her through. It’s this strength and a big smile that she brings to the sisterhood.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Captain Phyllis Woolwine brings passion and a lifetime of experience in boating, education, and natural science to her culminating life work: providing all types of boaters outstanding maritime training through Shearwater University. Phyllis holds a USCG Captain's License (Master, Near Coastal) built on 50 years of sailing, powerboating and kayaking on the Salish Sea and the Inside Passage - both recreationally and professionally - including 18 years in Southeast Alaska. Her qualifications include: - Over 30 years as a professional educator for adults and young adults, as a National Board Certified Teacher - US Sailing Instructor Certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Passage Making, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation - US Powerboating Instructor Certified to teach Basic Powerboat Cruising, Inshore Powerboat Cruising, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation. - American Canoe Association Instructor for Coastal Kayaking (through Level-3) Mostly, Phyllis is passionate about working with individuals to meet their boating/cruising goals.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

My name is Kendra Fisher. I am currently a stay-at-home mom of 2 boys (6 and 3 years old). I am passionate about fishing because I grew up fishing. Living in Alaska it was what most people did. I was lucky enough to have a dad who would take me out after work, and on weekends. I became passionate when he told me "You learn the ins and outs of a rod and how to tie your gear till take you out" so I went down to the hatchery in Juneau and would cast off the beach for hours. I proved to myself at a 7-year-old girl that I could do it and it was extremely rewarding. I've loved it ever since.

I am Karey Small and I am the president of the Puget Sound Anglers Fidalgo San Juan chapter fishing club. I am passionate about fishing because I love to excel at anything that people don’t expect me to be able to do! I only began fishing about 5 years ago and I quickly learned to pick my own gear, tie my own rigs and set my own depths. One of my favorite things to do is filet the fish and see what they have been eating to identify if I picked the right bait! I think I am a quick learner and I listen to everyone. I pick up on things that other people don’t pay attention to. I am also super competitive which makes fishing a great part of my marriage.

I'm Brianna Bruce, owner/operator/guide of Livin' Life Adventures. I have been fishing literally my whole life. My Mom fished with my Dad while she was pregnant with me, and they had me out on the ocean salmon fishing at 6 weeks old. Fishing was my Dad and Grampas number one past time, which meant most of our spare time and vacations were spent fishing. That was never a problem for me though, as I can't remember a time I wasn't addicted to it. My first memory is actually walking down the dock the day we got our Glasply, an upgrade from the 14' Mirrocraft we started out in. I spent my summers on the water, either fishing with Grampa for perch off the dock, or fishing in the boat for Lingcod and Salmon with Dad. Later on we got a 32' Carver Aft Cabin that we would take up the inside passage of Vancouver Island, where my dad would let me run the dingy on my own when we moved from one spot to another. I got my first boat of my own, a 16' Duro Boat, when I was 18 years old, and have since had several others including my current 18.5' Willie Predator and 23' North River Scout. I can't pass by a piece of water without wondering about the fish swimming in it and will take every opportunity to cast a line. I have always said, a bad day of fishing is better than sitting on the couch, and love the adventures, beauty and joy fishing can bring into your life.

My name Is Leanne Gardiner, I currently own and operate a custom fishing rod business called, The Reel Alibi. My headfirst dive into fishing wasn’t necessarily planned. I have always loved fishing, even thinking way back there are many fond memories of crabbing and fishing with my dad and Grandpa Bob. I was fortunate to grow up on the Olympic Peninsula, near Port Townsend, WA; but as a child fishing was kind of second fiddle to having a horse. With life and all its blunders, wrong turns, and wrong people, I lost myself and my purpose along the way. In January of 2018 I met my husband Rob Gardiner through a mutual friend. By April 2018 we were fishing for springers. I lost count of the hundreds of adventures we have shared together fishing for Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, Salmon, Sturgeon and many more. This spring my husband Rob ran a 6 pack Halibut and Lingcod charter out of La Push, WA and I worked as deckhand. It was a real treat to share what I love about bottom fishing with those who never had the experience of catching a Halibut or Lingcod before. I think my favorite memory is August 19, 2019, when we got married by Captain John Thiel aboard the Alpha Angler at Albacore Tuna # 36. Who else has tuna blood to memorialize their marriage license. In the end I would go as far to say that fishing saved my life; it has given me purpose when I felt I had none. It gave me back my confidence when I lost it. It gave me a place of solace when I needed to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life. It gave me a chance to build a new career after covid and while recovering from Microvascular decompression surgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Erica has been racing and cruising since she was a child in Maine and Vermont, and then in Puget Sound. She joined Hasse and Co. sail loft in 2017 and transitioned under new ownership with Port Townsend Shipwrights. Erica currently manages the loft and leads the sales department and enjoys helping sailors determine the best sail inventory for their cruising dreams. When not in the office our out on boats, she cruises locally on her 1938 Ed. Monk Sloop with her family.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

My name is Kendra Fisher. I am currently a stay-at-home mom of 2 boys (6 and 3 years old). I am passionate about fishing because I grew up fishing. Living in Alaska it was what most people did. I was lucky enough to have a dad who would take me out after work, and on weekends. I became passionate when he told me "You learn the ins and outs of a rod and how to tie your gear till take you out" so I went down to the hatchery in Juneau and would cast off the beach for hours. I proved to myself at a 7-year-old girl that I could do it and it was extremely rewarding. I've loved it ever since.

I am Karey Small and I am the president of the Puget Sound Anglers Fidalgo San Juan chapter fishing club. I am passionate about fishing because I love to excel at anything that people don’t expect me to be able to do! I only began fishing about 5 years ago and I quickly learned to pick my own gear, tie my own rigs and set my own depths. One of my favorite things to do is filet the fish and see what they have been eating to identify if I picked the right bait! I think I am a quick learner and I listen to everyone. I pick up on things that other people don’t pay attention to. I am also super competitive which makes fishing a great part of my marriage.

I'm Brianna Bruce, owner/operator/guide of Livin' Life Adventures. I have been fishing literally my whole life. My Mom fished with my Dad while she was pregnant with me, and they had me out on the ocean salmon fishing at 6 weeks old. Fishing was my Dad and Grampas number one past time, which meant most of our spare time and vacations were spent fishing. That was never a problem for me though, as I can't remember a time I wasn't addicted to it. My first memory is actually walking down the dock the day we got our Glasply, an upgrade from the 14' Mirrocraft we started out in. I spent my summers on the water, either fishing with Grampa for perch off the dock, or fishing in the boat for Lingcod and Salmon with Dad. Later on we got a 32' Carver Aft Cabin that we would take up the inside passage of Vancouver Island, where my dad would let me run the dingy on my own when we moved from one spot to another. I got my first boat of my own, a 16' Duro Boat, when I was 18 years old, and have since had several others including my current 18.5' Willie Predator and 23' North River Scout. I can't pass by a piece of water without wondering about the fish swimming in it and will take every opportunity to cast a line. I have always said, a bad day of fishing is better than sitting on the couch, and love the adventures, beauty and joy fishing can bring into your life.

My name Is Leanne Gardiner, I currently own and operate a custom fishing rod business called, The Reel Alibi. My headfirst dive into fishing wasn’t necessarily planned. I have always loved fishing, even thinking way back there are many fond memories of crabbing and fishing with my dad and Grandpa Bob. I was fortunate to grow up on the Olympic Peninsula, near Port Townsend, WA; but as a child fishing was kind of second fiddle to having a horse. With life and all its blunders, wrong turns, and wrong people, I lost myself and my purpose along the way. In January of 2018 I met my husband Rob Gardiner through a mutual friend. By April 2018 we were fishing for springers. I lost count of the hundreds of adventures we have shared together fishing for Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, Salmon, Sturgeon and many more. This spring my husband Rob ran a 6 pack Halibut and Lingcod charter out of La Push, WA and I worked as deckhand. It was a real treat to share what I love about bottom fishing with those who never had the experience of catching a Halibut or Lingcod before. I think my favorite memory is August 19, 2019, when we got married by Captain John Thiel aboard the Alpha Angler at Albacore Tuna # 36. Who else has tuna blood to memorialize their marriage license. In the end I would go as far to say that fishing saved my life; it has given me purpose when I felt I had none. It gave me back my confidence when I lost it. It gave me a place of solace when I needed to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life. It gave me a chance to build a new career after covid and while recovering from Microvascular decompression surgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

Joy and her husband recently returned from a two-year Pacific Ocean circumnavigation. Joy sailed with her parents as a teen but didn't embrace the sailing life until her first boat with her husband, a 34' Sparkman & Stephens yawl. With a later upgrade to a Mason 44' Joy learned close-quarters boat handling and accepted the responsibility of managing the boat whenever in a marina, an anchorage or entering or exiting atolls in the South Pacific. On their return journey from the South Pacific they sailed nonstop 35 days (5,000 nautical miles) from the Marshall Islands to Sitka, Alaska. Joy lives on Bainbridge Island where she swims in the Puget Sound year-round and writes for large technology companies. She's working on a travel memoir about their sailing adventure. Follow @joyarcher on Instagram, or subscribe for free to joyarcher.substack.com for the weekly stories of the adventure and other reflections.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Christa has been sailing most of her life, her family had a boat growing up and there were many day trips and local cruises. She started racing after college, and has done most of the races in the sound on a variety of different boats. Completed many Swiftsure, Southern Straits and three Van Isle races, she’s also done VicMaui, a couple Pac Cups, the last one was double handed on a SC27. She was on the CYC board, a J/24 fleet captain for 5 years and has volunteered with many other fleets over the years. She has owned a few sailboats during that time, a SJ24, then a SC27, and the current boat is a Beneteau 10R. Christa and her husband live in Kingston, they are Kingston Cove Yacht Club members and volunteer with community and YC events in Kingston, Port Madison Yacht Club members where Christa is the J70 fleet captain and manages the boat share program with a stellar team. Christa is also involved with Great Pyrenees Rescue Society, which is where her 4 dogs were adopted from, enjoys woodworking classes and playing in her garden when not writing code or planning the next sailing adventure.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Lindsey first began sailing in 2014 when she and her husband purchased a Catalina 30 for their family. Not wanting to co-own something she could not sail without her husband, Lindsey learned to dock and single-hand her boat. In 2017, Lindsey found and fell in love with sailboat racing. She crewed for other boats for several years before buying her own race boat, a Beneteau First 30, in 2021. Lindsey owns and skippers the boat, Firewing, competing in local Puget sound races and finished 4th in her first Swiftsure last year. She and her fellow crew won the 2023 R2AK aboard We Brake for Whales. Her favorite quote "Wonder just enough then go do" embodies her drive to continue to grow and improve as a sailor and female skipper.

Lisa’s real passion for sailing developed when she started skippering her own boat as an adult. She then sought opportunities to sail on many different boats, locally and abroad, cruising in the US and Canadian San Juan Islands, off the west coast of the US, in the Mediterranean, and in the Caribbean, and racing with anyone who would take her. Once she got her Captain's license, Lisa began participating in deliveries down the west coast, in the Mediterranean, and across the Atlantic Ocean. Lisa combined her passion for sailing, skills learned while getting her Master Degree in Education, and her USCG Master license to build and run a sailing school, SheSails Seattle, for seven years. During that time, Lisa introduced hundreds of people, mostly women, to the joys of sailing. Lisa describes her own boat, a Catalina 25, as perfect for a day sail or a summer weekend adventure, but she prefers to race on other people's boats. She races regularly in the Puget Sound and on Seattle's lakes. She has also participated in a few adventure races, including the Race to Alaska and the Washington 360 as part of Team Sail Like a Girl. She has been an active racer in the J105 fleet for years, and has raced, cruised, played on, and delivered a variety of other boats including monohulls and multihulls, ranging from a 14-foot laser to a 70-foot schooner in size.

Meredith works as a marine mechanic and engineer, teaching and repairing marine engines. She owns/operates the business Madame Diesel, LLC working with commercial and recreational boaters to fix and maintain their own engines. She also works part time as an Advanced Diesel Instructor at Seattle Maritime Academy, and works as the Port Engineer and Asst. Capt. Onboard Lady Washington.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited; where she and her partner Scott Propst of Goat Unlimited Charters host hands on classes to help people get started saltwater fishing in the San Juan Islands. She describes herself as fish-obsessed, enjoying everything from slaying kings in the San Juan Islands, clam digging on the coast, to fly fishing in Iliamna Alaska. As an active member of Puget Sound Anglers, Jamie's passion for fishing has grown beyond creating memories with the family. She loves connecting with other avid anglers and sharing tips, tactics, and resources that help more people enjoy the adventure of fishing our local waters. She brings practical, actionable knowledge and resources that you can apply immediately whether you are just getting started as a fisherman or looking to level up your skill set so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the

Joy and her husband recently returned from a two-year Pacific Ocean circumnavigation. Joy sailed with her parents as a teen but didn't embrace the sailing life until her first boat with her husband, a 34' Sparkman & Stephens yawl. With a later upgrade to a Mason 44' Joy learned close-quarters boat handling and accepted the responsibility of managing the boat whenever in a marina, an anchorage or entering or exiting atolls in the South Pacific. On their return journey from the South Pacific they sailed nonstop 35 days (5,000 nautical miles) from the Marshall Islands to Sitka, Alaska. Joy lives on Bainbridge Island where she swims in the Puget Sound year-round and writes for large technology companies. She's working on a travel memoir about their sailing adventure. Follow @joyarcher on Instagram, or subscribe for free to joyarcher.substack.com for the weekly stories of the adventure and other reflections.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Christa has been sailing most of her life, her family had a boat growing up and there were many day trips and local cruises. She started racing after college, and has done most of the races in the sound on a variety of different boats. Completed many Swiftsure, Southern Straits and three Van Isle races, she’s also done VicMaui, a couple Pac Cups, the last one was double handed on a SC27. She was on the CYC board, a J/24 fleet captain for 5 years and has volunteered with many other fleets over the years. She has owned a few sailboats during that time, a SJ24, then a SC27, and the current boat is a Beneteau 10R. Christa and her husband live in Kingston, they are Kingston Cove Yacht Club members and volunteer with community and YC events in Kingston, Port Madison Yacht Club members where Christa is the J70 fleet captain and manages the boat share program with a stellar team. Christa is also involved with Great Pyrenees Rescue Society, which is where her 4 dogs were adopted from, enjoys woodworking classes and playing in her garden when not writing code or planning the next sailing adventure.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Lindsey first began sailing in 2014 when she and her husband purchased a Catalina 30 for their family. Not wanting to co-own something she could not sail without her husband, Lindsey learned to dock and single-hand her boat. In 2017, Lindsey found and fell in love with sailboat racing. She crewed for other boats for several years before buying her own race boat, a Beneteau First 30, in 2021. Lindsey owns and skippers the boat, Firewing, competing in local Puget sound races and finished 4th in her first Swiftsure last year. She and her fellow crew won the 2023 R2AK aboard We Brake for Whales. Her favorite quote "Wonder just enough then go do" embodies her drive to continue to grow and improve as a sailor and female skipper.

Lisa’s real passion for sailing developed when she started skippering her own boat as an adult. She then sought opportunities to sail on many different boats, locally and abroad, cruising in the US and Canadian San Juan Islands, off the west coast of the US, in the Mediterranean, and in the Caribbean, and racing with anyone who would take her. Once she got her Captain's license, Lisa began participating in deliveries down the west coast, in the Mediterranean, and across the Atlantic Ocean. Lisa combined her passion for sailing, skills learned while getting her Master Degree in Education, and her USCG Master license to build and run a sailing school, SheSails Seattle, for seven years. During that time, Lisa introduced hundreds of people, mostly women, to the joys of sailing. Lisa describes her own boat, a Catalina 25, as perfect for a day sail or a summer weekend adventure, but she prefers to race on other people's boats. She races regularly in the Puget Sound and on Seattle's lakes. She has also participated in a few adventure races, including the Race to Alaska and the Washington 360 as part of Team Sail Like a Girl. She has been an active racer in the J105 fleet for years, and has raced, cruised, played on, and delivered a variety of other boats including monohulls and multihulls, ranging from a 14-foot laser to a 70-foot schooner in size.

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 400,000+ offshore miles include six Cape Horn rounding's and expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and Spitsbergen. Since 1976 his focus has been helping over 10,000 want to be cruisers find and outfit their boats to fulfill their own cruising adventures.

Mark Bunzel is the Editor and Publisher of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, long considered the "bible" for Northwest and Inside Passage cruising. Each season he cruises the Inside Passage from Olympia to Ketchikan to update and book and provide stories.

Joined NOAA Corps in 1972 as the first female commissioned officer. Served aboard five NOAA Ships (163-303?), working on both Coasts, Great Lakes, Alaska, plus South and Western Pacific. Total Sea Duty - 7 years. Duties included watchstanding; in charge of survey launches and field parties, Navigation Officer, Field Ops Officer. Operated workboats and 30? survey launches (single prop and jet drive). Navigated via traditional positioning, celestial, and various electronic systems. Held several onshore positions in hydrographic survey program management, including survey QA and supervising West Coast survey processing office. Retired at Commander. Lifelong boater. At college, sailed small boats and sloops with Sailing Club. Owned and rented sailboats on both Coasts ranging from small day-sailors to a coastal cruiser. Operated small to medium-sized motorcraft on both Coasts, Alaska, and BC for day, plus several week-long, trips/cruising. Alaska experiences included 9 years owning/operating a 26? motorcraft throughout Prince William Sound.

Jeff Cote is an avid boater, entrepreneur, and published author. His company, Pacific Yacht Systems and Roton Industries provides boaters with easy to use, reliable solutions for marine electrical and electronics. Jeff’s presentations and YouTube channel are designed for beginners, tech-savvy, and DIY experts alike.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Dave Rowe spent his life on boats small and large and along the way carved out a 35-year career playing folk music. In 2018, he purchased a 38' Bayliner motor yacht he named ?Stinkpot? and began to cruise the Great Loop. During their journey, he and his partner Stacey garnered a considerable following online? Mostly on their Facebook page "Our Adventures on Stinkpot," their monthly web-radio show, "Folk on the Water," at www.FolkMusicNotebook.com, and their occasional blog at www.AboardStinkpot.com.

Jeff Foulk grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay where he enjoyed discovering the bays many inlets and coves on his 22-foot Grady White. In 2019, Jeff formed Argo Navigation and developed a free marine navigation app, Argo, giving boaters the ability to easily route to new destinations, share local knowledge, and connect with other boaters. It has become very popular, particularly among new boaters, quickly amassing over 400,000 downloads.

Joe Pyburn brings a lifetime of hunting and fishing experience to the Outdoor Line radio show. He grew up in the "Ray's Bait" family, one of the largest fishing bait processors in the Pacific Northwest. Joe's got decades of experience plying the Puget Sound for salmon and the banks of Washington's famed rivers for steelhead. That knowledge led him to a job guiding anglers at a destination lodge in Alaska just out of high school and eventually to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where he guided for trophy rainbow trout for a season. His hunting knowledge runs just as deep and there are few hunters in the northwest with as much backcountry hunting experience as Joe. He's taken countless mule deer and elk in the backcountry of Washington, Idaho, and Montana and in the fall that's where you're likely to find him, in the backcountry. When he's not on the Outdoor Line radio show you'll find him at the helm of Ray's Bait processing and distributing bait of all kinds to tackle shops and anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

John Sheppard is a USCG/STCW Licensed Master 500 ITC Tons and has over 40 years experience on the water ? located in Seattle, Washington, John specializes in boating education, sailing lessons and coaching, on the water instruction to meet insurance requirements, yacht delivery, buying and selling boats, and general vessel and safety consulting. At the age of sixteen, John and a friend impulsively pooled their money and bought a beat up Hobie Beach Cat. It ignited a life-long journey for all things sailing and maritime. That beat up Cat was only the first of many boats, from racing dinghies to blue water cruisers. John is grateful to have boating in his life, it led him to his closest friends and greatest adventures. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life.

Chuck is a four time North American Champion, 2015 Transpac Champion, 2008 Etchells Worlds Grand Master Champion, Multiple National Champion, District Champion: Lasers, Thistles, International 14s, J-24, SJ-24, Olson 30s, Santa Cruz 27s, Beneteau 40.7s & Sleds, Sailed 20+ Cabo Races, Transpacs, Pacific Cups, Etchells Worlds, Rolex Big Boat Series, SD to PV, Baja HaHa, MEXORC, Cruised to Panama, Hawaii, & many more

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Katie Malik is a lifelong small-craft boater and the General Manager of Gig Harbor Boat Works. She grew up exploring the beaches of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands with her family in their fleet of traditional rowing and sailing dinghies, and enjoyed helping her father David Robertson to build boats in his workshop. She appreciates modern approaches to traditional boat design, and advocates for small craft boating as a way to make the maritime lifestyle accessible to people from all walks of life.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Joe Pyburn brings a lifetime of hunting and fishing experience to the Outdoor Line radio show. He grew up in the "Ray's Bait" family, one of the largest fishing bait processors in the Pacific Northwest. Joe's got decades of experience plying the Puget Sound for salmon and the banks of Washington's famed rivers for steelhead. That knowledge led him to a job guiding anglers at a destination lodge in Alaska just out of high school and eventually to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where he guided for trophy rainbow trout for a season. His hunting knowledge runs just as deep and there are few hunters in the northwest with as much backcountry hunting experience as Joe. He's taken countless mule deer and elk in the backcountry of Washington, Idaho, and Montana and in the fall that's where you're likely to find him, in the backcountry. When he's not on the Outdoor Line radio show you'll find him at the helm of Ray's Bait processing and distributing bait of all kinds to tackle shops and anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Doug Miller founded Onboard Wireless, a company focused on Internet connectivity solutions for boaters, in 2021. Previously, Doug was the owner of Milltech Marine, an AIS solution specialist he founded in in 2006. Doug began sailing at an early age and has always had a passion for combining the thrill of sailing with a love for high tech toys. Doug and his wife Karin use “Naiad”, their Hunter Passage 420 sailboat, as a testbed for many of the solutions that are offered by Onboard Wireless.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Zack Smith is an internationally recognized expert in the design and use of Para-Anchors and Storm Drogues. Smith continues to work with the US Navy and NASA to not only build better safety devices, but to simplify their use.

Ace grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. She built her first raft at age 6, learned to sail at age 8, and has spent more than 30 years teaching on the water. She taught swimming, sailing, canoeing, and waterskiing at summer camps back east, and was the Waterfront Director and Program Director for 15 years. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000, she started teaching sailing and cruising skills on her Yorktown 39, s/v Fraid Knot, which she lives aboard.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 400,000+ offshore miles include six Cape Horn rounding's and expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and Spitsbergen. Since 1976 his focus has been helping over 10,000 want to be cruisers find and outfit their boats to fulfill their own cruising adventures.

Dave Rowe spent his life on boats small and large and along the way carved out a 35-year career playing folk music. In 2018, he purchased a 38' Bayliner motor yacht he named ?Stinkpot? and began to cruise the Great Loop. During their journey, he and his partner Stacey garnered a considerable following online? Mostly on their Facebook page "Our Adventures on Stinkpot," their monthly web-radio show, "Folk on the Water," at www.FolkMusicNotebook.com, and their occasional blog at www.AboardStinkpot.com.

Jeff Foulk grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay where he enjoyed discovering the bays many inlets and coves on his 22-foot Grady White. In 2019, Jeff formed Argo Navigation and developed a free marine navigation app, Argo, giving boaters the ability to easily route to new destinations, share local knowledge, and connect with other boaters. It has become very popular, particularly among new boaters, quickly amassing over 400,000 downloads.

Joe Pyburn brings a lifetime of hunting and fishing experience to the Outdoor Line radio show. He grew up in the "Ray's Bait" family, one of the largest fishing bait processors in the Pacific Northwest. Joe's got decades of experience plying the Puget Sound for salmon and the banks of Washington's famed rivers for steelhead. That knowledge led him to a job guiding anglers at a destination lodge in Alaska just out of high school and eventually to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where he guided for trophy rainbow trout for a season. His hunting knowledge runs just as deep and there are few hunters in the northwest with as much backcountry hunting experience as Joe. He's taken countless mule deer and elk in the backcountry of Washington, Idaho, and Montana and in the fall that's where you're likely to find him, in the backcountry. When he's not on the Outdoor Line radio show you'll find him at the helm of Ray's Bait processing and distributing bait of all kinds to tackle shops and anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 400,000+ offshore miles include six Cape Horn rounding's and expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia and Spitsbergen. Since 1976 his focus has been helping over 10,000 want to be cruisers find and outfit their boats to fulfill their own cruising adventures.

Mark Bunzel is the Editor and Publisher of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, long considered the "bible" for Northwest and Inside Passage cruising. Each season he cruises the Inside Passage from Olympia to Ketchikan to update and book and provide stories.

Trevor MacLachlan began training new boat owners over 10 years ago. He holds a USCG 100 Ton Master's license and has over 40 years sailing and power yacht experience in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide. Having spent his entire life sailing, Trevor is competent on virtually any sailing or power vessel from tiny sailing dinghies to over 85' luxury yachts. He has circumnavigated Vancouver Island twice and runs deliveries up and down the US coast with his Seattle Seafaring team. A cruising highlight was a two year cruise from Seattle through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean with his young family aboard a Taswell 43 sailboat. Since graduating from the UW, Trevor has worked in many capacities in the local marine industry, including yacht outfitting, sales, electronics, systems, and more. Trevor continues to provide professional training, consulting and yacht deliveries worldwide on both sail and power, large and small.

Captain Phyllis Woolwine brings passion and a lifetime of experience in boating, education, and natural science to her culminating life work: providing all types of boaters outstanding maritime training through Shearwater University. Phyllis holds a USCG Captain's License (Master, Near Coastal) built on 50 years of sailing, powerboating and kayaking on the Salish Sea and the Inside Passage - both recreationally and professionally - including 18 years in Southeast Alaska. Her qualifications include: - Over 30 years as a professional educator for adults and young adults, as a National Board Certified Teacher - US Sailing Instructor Certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Passage Making, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation - US Powerboating Instructor Certified to teach Basic Powerboat Cruising, Inshore Powerboat Cruising, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation. - American Canoe Association Instructor for Coastal Kayaking (through Level-3) Mostly, Phyllis is passionate about working with individuals to meet their boating/cruising goals.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

John Sheppard is a USCG/STCW Licensed Master 500 ITC Tons and has over 40 years experience on the water ? located in Seattle, Washington, John specializes in boating education, sailing lessons and coaching, on the water instruction to meet insurance requirements, yacht delivery, buying and selling boats, and general vessel and safety consulting. At the age of sixteen, John and a friend impulsively pooled their money and bought a beat up Hobie Beach Cat. It ignited a life-long journey for all things sailing and maritime. That beat up Cat was only the first of many boats, from racing dinghies to blue water cruisers. John is grateful to have boating in his life, it led him to his closest friends and greatest adventures. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life.

Gio & Julie Cappelli are graduates of Skagit Valley College’s Marine Maintenance Technology Program and owners of Pelagic Blue Cruising Services. Gio is ABYC certified in Marine Diesel Engines and Marine Systems and previously worked as a fishery biologist and motorboat operator instructor. Julie is ABYC certified in Marine Electrical, a NMEA certified marine electronics and NMEA 2000 installer, and has worked as a scuba instructor, marine biologist, and expedition leader. Both hold USCG 25-ton Master licenses with sail endorsements and have sailed over 20,000 offshore miles in the Pacific. They cruised the west coast of Vancouver Island in 2023 and have previously spent many weeks kayaking, fishing, camping, and exploring there.

Joe Pyburn brings a lifetime of hunting and fishing experience to the Outdoor Line radio show. He grew up in the "Ray's Bait" family, one of the largest fishing bait processors in the Pacific Northwest. Joe's got decades of experience plying the Puget Sound for salmon and the banks of Washington's famed rivers for steelhead. That knowledge led him to a job guiding anglers at a destination lodge in Alaska just out of high school and eventually to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where he guided for trophy rainbow trout for a season. His hunting knowledge runs just as deep and there are few hunters in the northwest with as much backcountry hunting experience as Joe. He's taken countless mule deer and elk in the backcountry of Washington, Idaho, and Montana and in the fall that's where you're likely to find him, in the backcountry. When he's not on the Outdoor Line radio show you'll find him at the helm of Ray's Bait processing and distributing bait of all kinds to tackle shops and anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Doug Miller founded Onboard Wireless, a company focused on Internet connectivity solutions for boaters, in 2021. Previously, Doug was the owner of Milltech Marine, an AIS solution specialist he founded in in 2006. Doug began sailing at an early age and has always had a passion for combining the thrill of sailing with a love for high tech toys. Doug and his wife Karin use “Naiad”, their Hunter Passage 420 sailboat, as a testbed for many of the solutions that are offered by Onboard Wireless.

Erik Rhyne is a captain who runs the on-water training and boat handling and safety programs at Carefree Boat Club of Washington state. He is active in the US Coast Guard.

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Nigel Calder got into motorcycles and sailing dinghies as a teenager and has never been far from mechanical things and boats ever since. Before becoming a full-time sailing writer he worked on an automotive assembly line, in a foundry and machine shop, and on offshore oil production platforms. He and his wife, Terrie, built a couple of 70-foot canal boats (on which they lived in Oxford), and a 39-foot Ingrid cutter. They then sailed a Pacific Seacraft 40 for 5 years, following which they had a Malo 45 built in Sweden. This was replaced by the same boat but with experimental electrical and propulsion systems. It was used for extensive testing of hybrid propulsion systems which, in recent years morphed into a multi-year development of advanced generator technology now sold under the Integral brand name. Nigel has been an active participant in the American Boat and Yacht Council’s (ABYC) electrical Project Technical Committee (PTC), which writes the standards for recreational boat electrical systems, for 30 years. Nigel and Terrie have sailed in the North Sea, the Atlantic as far north as the Faroe Islands and as far south as Portugal, the U.S. east coast, the Bahamas and extensively in the Caribbean, with Pippin (now aged 38) and Paul (36) augmenting the crew along the way. Nigel is best known for his Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual, now in its 4th edition, and his Marine Diesel Engines, in its 3rd edition. In addition to hundreds of magazine articles, he has also authored a ‘Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean’, ‘Cuba: A Cruising Guide’, ‘Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook’ and ‘How to Read a Nautical Chart’. He recently released a memoir of his family’s first long cruise titled ‘Shakedown Cruise’. He is the co-developer of an online marine technical education website at www.BoatHowTo.com. Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley College’s marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a master’s degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailor. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as “The Boat Doctor” who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Diane is a Seattle native who started boating as an adult when her late husband decided it was a good idea to purchase a 1929 97’ fantail motor yacht called MV Olympus. Prior to the acquisition of the Olympus, Diane had only owned a 16’ Bayliner Speedboat on Lake Washington. She is a retired lawyer. Diane owned the MV Olympus from 1994-2017. In 2009, her husband John died suddenly at age 57 and she had a decision to make about the MV Olympus. She kept the yacht for 8 more years, but in that 8 years decided that she wanted a smaller yacht she could run herself without a crew. So she purchased the Marian II, a 1928 42’ Lake Union Dreamboat in 2014. With little or no navigation and captaining experience, she took every class and seminar she could get her hands on and eventually took the Marian II as far as Desolation Sound. The boat, her owner, and her two French Bulldogs, Calais Elyse and CoCo Chanel are fixtures at local and Canadian Wooden Boat Shows where they frequently win! Diane is a member of the Seattle Yacht Club and very active in the Classic Yacht Association. She has served as Commodore of the CYA for all five fleets in the US and Canada. She has also served as PNW Fleet Commodore. She has led the Wilson Seamanship Team to 3 victories at Opening Day. She serves on the SYC Women’s Boating Skills Weekend committee and is very committed to showing women that boating does not require a man to participate in our wonderful sport!

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Joy and her husband recently returned from a two-year Pacific Ocean circumnavigation. Joy sailed with her parents as a teen but didn't embrace the sailing life until her first boat with her husband, a 34' Sparkman & Stephens yawl. With a later upgrade to a Mason 44' Joy learned close-quarters boat handling and accepted the responsibility of managing the boat whenever in a marina, an anchorage or entering or exiting atolls in the South Pacific. On their return journey from the South Pacific they sailed nonstop 35 days (5,000 nautical miles) from the Marshall Islands to Sitka, Alaska. Joy lives on Bainbridge Island where she swims in the Puget Sound year-round and writes for large technology companies. She's working on a travel memoir about their sailing adventure. Follow @joyarcher on Instagram, or subscribe for free to joyarcher.substack.com for the weekly stories of the adventure and other reflections.

After many years as a sailing instructor, delivery skipper, charter boat captain and blue water cruiser, Harry and his wife Joy returned in October 2023 from a 24,000 mile circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean. Sailing from Seattle to Mexico to French Polynesia to New Zealand to Glacier Bay and home, there aren’t many conditions or destinations that Harry hasn't experienced firsthand. Harry manages Harry Pattison Yacht Services, Mates First boater training, and Dreamboat Adventure Sailing charters. He works with mariners all over the Salish Sea and beyond.

Mark Bunzel is the Editor and Publisher of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, long considered the "bible" for Northwest and Inside Passage cruising. Each season he cruises the Inside Passage from Olympia to Ketchikan to update and book and provide stories.

Capt. Tommy Donlin has more than 30 years of experience fishing the waters from Alaska to Costa Rica and beyond. He chases everything that swims off the Washington coast, including tuna, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, halibut, crab and shrimp. Tommy spends countless hours on the water perfecting his strategies and skill sets. Catch him on Fish Hunt Northwest, airing weekly on Root Sports as well as YouTube and Facebook, where he shares his journey and successes.

I am a life long sailor, adventurer, racing sailor, sailing skills instructor and boat builder. As a small boat sailor I have sailed and explored many remote locations ranging from N Africa to the Pacific islands. I have twice around Cape Horn solo aboard a 15 foot sailing canoe, 91 days solo. Have sailed the Strait of Magellan and south through Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Ocean aboard an 11' 11" wood yawl I built. This voyage was 62 days solo. I have officiated at 167 regattas including Olympic Games, several world championships, European championships and Caribbean championships. As a former college professor in Micronesia I spent 10 years exploring islands in the western Pacific by sailing canoe I am a boat builder and operate a boat shop and sailing school in the Oki Island UNESCO Global Geopark, Shimane Japan.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Joined NOAA Corps in 1972 as the first female commissioned officer. Served aboard five NOAA Ships (163-303?), working on both Coasts, Great Lakes, Alaska, plus South and Western Pacific. Total Sea Duty - 7 years. Duties included watchstanding; in charge of survey launches and field parties, Navigation Officer, Field Ops Officer. Operated workboats and 30? survey launches (single prop and jet drive). Navigated via traditional positioning, celestial, and various electronic systems. Held several onshore positions in hydrographic survey program management, including survey QA and supervising West Coast survey processing office. Retired at Commander. Lifelong boater. At college, sailed small boats and sloops with Sailing Club. Owned and rented sailboats on both Coasts ranging from small day-sailors to a coastal cruiser. Operated small to medium-sized motorcraft on both Coasts, Alaska, and BC for day, plus several week-long, trips/cruising. Alaska experiences included 9 years owning/operating a 26? motorcraft throughout Prince William Sound.

DR. DEBORAH GILES (she goes by her last name) is the Science and Research Director at the non-profit Wild orca. She received her PhD from the University of California Davis in 2014 – her dissertation was focused on the federally listed Southern Resident killer whales. Giles is currently a resident scientist and lecturer at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, where she teaches Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea and Marine Biology. Between 2009-2021 Giles worked as the vessel captain for the University of Washington, utilizing a scat detection dog to locate floating killer whale scat to monitor the physiological health of southern resident killer whales. This killer whale health assessment program is now a program of the non-profit WILD ORCA. Giles is also a killer whale scientific adviser for the Orca Salmon Alliance, a program advisor for Killer Whale Tales, and she is the co-founder of the San Juan Island Naturalist Program.

Richard Anderson is the owner of Sea-Tech Systems, a leading provider of marine technology and communications solutions. He is a lifelong technologist, licensed USCG captain, student pilot, and experienced cruiser. Richard has over 26 years of experience in technical consulting and advising at the small business and enterprise level. He also sailed from Alaska to El Salvador with his wife and two daughters aboard SV Mobert. Richard is passionate about helping cruisers stay connected and safe at sea. Richard is also a passionate educator and provides remote coaching services. He offers one-on-one coaching on marine electronics and electrical boat systems, DYI specification/installation coaching, and remote ?Oh It's Broken" troubleshooting for cruisers worldwide. He is committed to providing his clients with the best possible solutions and support, and he is always happy to answer questions and share his knowledge.

Chuck is a four time North American Champion, 2015 Transpac Champion, 2008 Etchells Worlds Grand Master Champion, Multiple National Champion, District Champion: Lasers, Thistles, International 14s, J-24, SJ-24, Olson 30s, Santa Cruz 27s, Beneteau 40.7s & Sleds, Sailed 20+ Cabo Races, Transpacs, Pacific Cups, Etchells Worlds, Rolex Big Boat Series, SD to PV, Baja HaHa, MEXORC, Cruised to Panama, Hawaii, & many more

Richard Anderson is the owner of Sea-Tech Systems, a leading provider of marine technology and communications solutions. He is a lifelong technologist, licensed USCG captain, student pilot, and experienced cruiser. Richard has over 26 years of experience in technical consulting and advising at the small business and enterprise level. He also sailed from Alaska to El Salvador with his wife and two daughters aboard SV Mobert. Richard is passionate about helping cruisers stay connected and safe at sea. Richard is also a passionate educator and provides remote coaching services. He offers one-on-one coaching on marine electronics and electrical boat systems, DYI specification/installation coaching, and remote ?Oh It's Broken" troubleshooting for cruisers worldwide. He is committed to providing his clients with the best possible solutions and support, and he is always happy to answer questions and share his knowledge.

Joe Pyburn brings a lifetime of hunting and fishing experience to the Outdoor Line radio show. He grew up in the "Ray's Bait" family, one of the largest fishing bait processors in the Pacific Northwest. Joe's got decades of experience plying the Puget Sound for salmon and the banks of Washington's famed rivers for steelhead. That knowledge led him to a job guiding anglers at a destination lodge in Alaska just out of high school and eventually to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where he guided for trophy rainbow trout for a season. His hunting knowledge runs just as deep and there are few hunters in the northwest with as much backcountry hunting experience as Joe. He's taken countless mule deer and elk in the backcountry of Washington, Idaho, and Montana and in the fall that's where you're likely to find him, in the backcountry. When he's not on the Outdoor Line radio show you'll find him at the helm of Ray's Bait processing and distributing bait of all kinds to tackle shops and anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Brad has grown up on and around boats since before he could walk. His family had sailboats they raced competitively and cruised throughout his life. Brad started helping out at the Corinthian Yacht Club summer sailing camps at the age of 10 and was an assistant sailing instructor by the age of 12. He was an artist growing up, drawing and painting for as far back as he can remember. After graduating high school in 1992 he went straight into buying Prism Graphics which was founded by some family friends. Since then he and his staff has worked with thousands of boat owners to customize their boat graphics. Brad continues to enjoy art and boating, racing sailboats and hydroplanes competitively while living on his 48' trawler cruising as much as possible meeting past customers though out the Puget Sound and beyond.

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Nigel Calder got into motorcycles and sailing dinghies as a teenager and has never been far from mechanical things and boats ever since. Before becoming a full-time sailing writer he worked on an automotive assembly line, in a foundry and machine shop, and on offshore oil production platforms. He and his wife, Terrie, built a couple of 70-foot canal boats (on which they lived in Oxford), and a 39-foot Ingrid cutter. They then sailed a Pacific Seacraft 40 for 5 years, following which they had a Malo 45 built in Sweden. This was replaced by the same boat but with experimental electrical and propulsion systems. It was used for extensive testing of hybrid propulsion systems which, in recent years morphed into a multi-year development of advanced generator technology now sold under the Integral brand name. Nigel has been an active participant in the American Boat and Yacht Council’s (ABYC) electrical Project Technical Committee (PTC), which writes the standards for recreational boat electrical systems, for 30 years. Nigel and Terrie have sailed in the North Sea, the Atlantic as far north as the Faroe Islands and as far south as Portugal, the U.S. east coast, the Bahamas and extensively in the Caribbean, with Pippin (now aged 38) and Paul (36) augmenting the crew along the way. Nigel is best known for his Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual, now in its 4th edition, and his Marine Diesel Engines, in its 3rd edition. In addition to hundreds of magazine articles, he has also authored a ‘Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean’, ‘Cuba: A Cruising Guide’, ‘Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook’ and ‘How to Read a Nautical Chart’. He recently released a memoir of his family’s first long cruise titled ‘Shakedown Cruise’. He is the co-developer of an online marine technical education website at www.BoatHowTo.com. Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley College’s marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a master’s degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailor. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as “The Boat Doctor” who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

I am a life long sailor, adventurer, racing sailor, sailing skills instructor and boat builder. As a small boat sailor I have sailed and explored many remote locations ranging from N Africa to the Pacific islands. I have twice around Cape Horn solo aboard a 15 foot sailing canoe, 91 days solo. Have sailed the Strait of Magellan and south through Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Ocean aboard an 11' 11" wood yawl I built. This voyage was 62 days solo. I have officiated at 167 regattas including Olympic Games, several world championships, European championships and Caribbean championships. As a former college professor in Micronesia I spent 10 years exploring islands in the western Pacific by sailing canoe I am a boat builder and operate a boat shop and sailing school in the Oki Island UNESCO Global Geopark, Shimane Japan.

Zack Smith is an internationally recognized expert in the design and use of Para-Anchors and Storm Drogues. Smith continues to work with the US Navy and NASA to not only build better safety devices, but to simplify their use.

Captain Phyllis Woolwine brings passion and a lifetime of experience in boating, education, and natural science to her culminating life work: providing all types of boaters outstanding maritime training through Shearwater University. Phyllis holds a USCG Captain's License (Master, Near Coastal) built on 50 years of sailing, powerboating and kayaking on the Salish Sea and the Inside Passage - both recreationally and professionally - including 18 years in Southeast Alaska. Her qualifications include: - Over 30 years as a professional educator for adults and young adults, as a National Board Certified Teacher - US Sailing Instructor Certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Passage Making, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation - US Powerboating Instructor Certified to teach Basic Powerboat Cruising, Inshore Powerboat Cruising, Night Operations, and Coastal Navigation. - American Canoe Association Instructor for Coastal Kayaking (through Level-3) Mostly, Phyllis is passionate about working with individuals to meet their boating/cruising goals.

Scott Jones is the Operations Manager and resident boatbuilding guru at Duckworks Boat Builders Supply in Port Townsend, WA. As a graduate of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (who later returned as an adjunct instructor) and former Boatshop Manager at the Northwest Maritime Center, he's had over 15 years of hands-on experience building, maintaining, and teaching others how to build boats. Scott is a woodworking enthusiast and native Washingtonian who finds equal enjoyment drifting on a river, sailing on the Sound, or getting his hands dirty with a boatbuilding project. Scott lives in Port Townsend with his lovely wife Briana and their two precocious daughters.

Capt. John Keizer, a well known outdoor writer for local fishing magazines, newspapers but is best known in the Northwest as a pro angler, and seminar speaker. John can be regularly seen appearing on Angler West TV fishing for NW species or destination fishing around the world. His passion for introducing new anglers to the sport and led to his founding of his company Salt Patrol.

Meredith works as a marine mechanic and engineer, teaching and repairing marine engines. She owns/operates the business Madame Diesel, LLC working with commercial and recreational boaters to fix and maintain their own engines. She also works part time as an Advanced Diesel Instructor at Seattle Maritime Academy, and works as the Port Engineer and Asst. Capt. Onboard Lady Washington.

I am a life long sailor, adventurer, racing sailor, sailing skills instructor and boat builder. As a small boat sailor I have sailed and explored many remote locations ranging from N Africa to the Pacific islands. I have twice around Cape Horn solo aboard a 15 foot sailing canoe, 91 days solo. Have sailed the Strait of Magellan and south through Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Ocean aboard an 11' 11" wood yawl I built. This voyage was 62 days solo. I have officiated at 167 regattas including Olympic Games, several world championships, European championships and Caribbean championships. As a former college professor in Micronesia I spent 10 years exploring islands in the western Pacific by sailing canoe I am a boat builder and operate a boat shop and sailing school in the Oki Island UNESCO Global Geopark, Shimane Japan.

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Tom "Nelly" Nelson has spent over a half-century on the waters, uplands and mountain ranges of his beloved home, the vast Pacific Northwest. For the past decade and a half, Nelly has been the voice of Seattle Saturday morning outdoor radio where his lifetime of hunting & fishing experience and his communication skills have been put to the test. In 2019, Salmon & Steelhead Journal named Nelly to it's list of "The 25 Most Influential Anglers In The West." From his childhood on the rivers and bays of Puget Sound to the salmon, herring and charter fishing fleets of Alaska, Tom has taken full advantage of all that the challenging outdoor classroom has to offer. Tom's education as a fisherman continued at the University of Washington's School of Fisheries, earning a Degree in Fisheries Biology. Nelly was subsequently employed by the school's Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects allowing Tom to explore the Nushagak, Chignik, and Lake Illiamna regions. "Nelly's" fishing career has included guiding and writing for Salmon Trout Steelheader, Salmon and Steelhead Journal, Fishing & Hunting News, Washington Game & Fish, The REEL News as well as several websites. A fixture at fishing clubs and the seminar circuit, "Nelly's" fishing PowerPoint presentations are very popular and well attended. Tom spent over five years at the upstart outdoor radio show "Northwest Wild Country" before leaving in March of 2009 for a chance to co-host his own outdoor show, "The Outdoor Line" at KIRO 710 ESPN Seattle with Robbo Endsley and Robbie Tobeck. The original Outdoor Line with Bill Davis entertained and informed anglers and hunters on KIRO Radio for three decades, ending in the late 1990's with Mr. Davis untimely passing. Tom Nelson was once a guest on Bill Davis show and it seems now that the torch has been passed.

Mark Riedesel is the Gerneral Manager at Barlean's Fishery Inc. located in Bellingham, WA.

Chuck is a four time North American Champion, 2015 Transpac Champion, 2008 Etchells Worlds Grand Master Champion, Multiple National Champion, District Champion: Lasers, Thistles, International 14s, J-24, SJ-24, Olson 30s, Santa Cruz 27s, Beneteau 40.7s & Sleds, Sailed 20+ Cabo Races, Transpacs, Pacific Cups, Etchells Worlds, Rolex Big Boat Series, SD to PV, Baja HaHa, MEXORC, Cruised to Panama, Hawaii, & many more

Capt. John Keizer, a well known outdoor writer for local fishing magazines, newspapers but is best known in the Northwest as a pro angler, and seminar speaker. John can be regularly seen appearing on Angler West TV fishing for NW species or destination fishing around the world. His passion for introducing new anglers to the sport and led to his founding of his company Salt Patrol.

Richard Anderson is the owner of Sea-Tech Systems, a leading provider of marine technology and communications solutions. He is a lifelong technologist, licensed USCG captain, student pilot, and experienced cruiser. Richard has over 26 years of experience in technical consulting and advising at the small business and enterprise level. He also sailed from Alaska to El Salvador with his wife and two daughters aboard SV Mobert. Richard is passionate about helping cruisers stay connected and safe at sea. Richard is also a passionate educator and provides remote coaching services. He offers one-on-one coaching on marine electronics and electrical boat systems, DYI specification/installation coaching, and remote ?Oh It's Broken" troubleshooting for cruisers worldwide. He is committed to providing his clients with the best possible solutions and support, and he is always happy to answer questions and share his knowledge.

Rachel Wold has taught navigation, participated in USCG Auxiliary safety cruises, and piloted boats through the Inside Passage. She is an oceanographer at the UW Applied Physics Lab leading cruises to monitor water quality. Combining her boating and science backgrounds, she is currently Engagement Lead for the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), demonstrating the NANOOS Boaters App to recreational boaters and collecting feedback to enhance usability.

Richard Anderson is the owner of Sea-Tech Systems, a leading provider of marine technology and communications solutions. He is a lifelong technologist, licensed USCG captain, student pilot, and experienced cruiser. Richard has over 26 years of experience in technical consulting and advising at the small business and enterprise level. He also sailed from Alaska to El Salvador with his wife and two daughters aboard SV Mobert. Richard is passionate about helping cruisers stay connected and safe at sea. Richard is also a passionate educator and provides remote coaching services. He offers one-on-one coaching on marine electronics and electrical boat systems, DYI specification/installation coaching, and remote ?Oh It's Broken" troubleshooting for cruisers worldwide. He is committed to providing his clients with the best possible solutions and support, and he is always happy to answer questions and share his knowledge.

Capt. Tommy Donlin has more than 30 years of experience fishing the waters from Alaska to Costa Rica and beyond. He chases everything that swims off the Washington coast, including tuna, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, halibut, crab and shrimp. Tommy spends countless hours on the water perfecting his strategies and skill sets. Catch him on Fish Hunt Northwest, airing weekly on Root Sports as well as YouTube and Facebook, where he shares his journey and successes.

Kevin VanderHeyden and his wife Carol are the owners of Premier Custom Ceramic Coatings. Kevin and his team have been applying high quality Ceramtek coating in the Seattle area for the last 4 years. His background in Auto Body work and attention to detail combined with his passion for boating is the perfect combination for bringing a high quality finish to local boaters. Always searching for the best has led Kevin to develop an unmatched process with the best results.

Jeff Paxson is owner of Marine Detail Specialists and has been professionally detailing and maintaining boats in the PNW for over 20 years, since the wide-eyed age of 16. He has tried so many techniques and detailing products to get the best results for his clients that he has lost track. He loves boating with his family, sharing his knowledge and new and exciting stuff.

Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley Colleges marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a masters degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailer. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as ?The Boat Doctor? who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Nigel Calder got into motorcycles and sailing dinghies as a teenager and has never been far from mechanical things and boats ever since. Before becoming a full-time sailing writer he worked on an automotive assembly line, in a foundry and machine shop, and on offshore oil production platforms. He and his wife, Terrie, built a couple of 70-foot canal boats (on which they lived in Oxford), and a 39-foot Ingrid cutter. They then sailed a Pacific Seacraft 40 for 5 years, following which they had a Malo 45 built in Sweden. This was replaced by the same boat but with experimental electrical and propulsion systems. It was used for extensive testing of hybrid propulsion systems which, in recent years morphed into a multi-year development of advanced generator technology now sold under the Integral brand name. Nigel has been an active participant in the American Boat and Yacht Council’s (ABYC) electrical Project Technical Committee (PTC), which writes the standards for recreational boat electrical systems, for 30 years. Nigel and Terrie have sailed in the North Sea, the Atlantic as far north as the Faroe Islands and as far south as Portugal, the U.S. east coast, the Bahamas and extensively in the Caribbean, with Pippin (now aged 38) and Paul (36) augmenting the crew along the way. Nigel is best known for his Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual, now in its 4th edition, and his Marine Diesel Engines, in its 3rd edition. In addition to hundreds of magazine articles, he has also authored a ‘Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean’, ‘Cuba: A Cruising Guide’, ‘Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook’ and ‘How to Read a Nautical Chart’. He recently released a memoir of his family’s first long cruise titled ‘Shakedown Cruise’. He is the co-developer of an online marine technical education website at www.BoatHowTo.com. Michael Beemer is the department chair for Skagit Valley College’s marine maintenance and repair program. Michael has been presenting and teaching professionally for almost 20 years and holds a master’s degree in education. At the college he teaches all the systems courses, including ABYC certifications. He and his wife have cruised extensively from Anacortes to southeast Alaska for many years on their motor-sailor. In the cruising community, Michael is well known as “The Boat Doctor” who can diagnose and fix almost anything on a vessel. Some of the many topics he has done include: diesel engines, electrical systems, solar, new battery technologies, extended inside passage cruising, and more.

Katie Malik is a lifelong small-craft boater and the General Manager of Gig Harbor Boat Works. She grew up exploring the beaches of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands with her family in their fleet of traditional rowing and sailing dinghies, and enjoyed helping her father David Robertson to build boats in his workshop. She appreciates modern approaches to traditional boat design, and advocates for small craft boating as a way to make the maritime lifestyle accessible to people from all walks of life.

Gio & Julie Cappelli are graduates of Skagit Valley College’s Marine Maintenance Technology Program and owners of Pelagic Blue Cruising Services. Gio is ABYC certified in Marine Diesel Engines and Marine Systems and previously worked as a fishery biologist and motorboat operator instructor. Julie is ABYC certified in Marine Electrical, a NMEA certified marine electronics and NMEA 2000 installer, and has worked as a scuba instructor, marine biologist, and expedition leader. Both hold USCG 25-ton Master licenses with sail endorsements and have sailed over 20,000 offshore miles in the Pacific. They cruised the west coast of Vancouver Island in 2023 and have previously spent many weeks kayaking, fishing, camping, and exploring there.

Garth Wilcox grew up sailing in San Francisco Bay. When he was 13, when few people were cruising offshore, his family set off in the 70s for a round the world cruise aboard a 40-foot Maine Pinky (double-ender). A year into their voyage, the family was shipwrecked. Unwilling to give up their dream, they painstakingly rebuilt the boat in Fiji with parts they could find at the time. Garth quickly learned to McGyver his way past countless issues as they made their way around the rest of the globe, including a broken rig, broken engine, amid facing down gun boats, mines, thieves, scurvy and running out of food. The family’s incredible story is detailed in Wendy Hinman’s book Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. He was eager for another opportunity to explore the world under sail and completed a comparable distance sailing waters less traveled with Wendy from 2000-2007.

Wendy Hinman grew up sailing, beginning in the Hawaiian Islands, before moving on to sailing in Chesapeake Bay, San Diego, and the Pacific Northwest. She and has cruised and raced in venues around the globe in all sorts of boats as skipper and crew, sometimes winning. She spent seven years at sea, sailing 34,000 miles aboard a small, simple boat and learned the most essential ingredient aboard is a good sense of humor. She has published articles in a variety of publications and is the award-winning author of two hit books: Tightwads on the Loose and Sea Trials: Around the World with Duct Tape and Bailing Wire. She is a regular speaker at yacht clubs and boat shows around the country and her presentations are filled with examples and infused with humor. She and her husband are currently building a 38-foot boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Elsie Hulsizer is the author of "Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on the West Coast of Vancouver Island" and "Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real SE Alaska." In addition to her books she has written articles in both local and National boating magazines. She has cruised extensively in the northwest including 7 trips to SE Alaska, 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Haida Gwaii. In 1978-79, she and her husband sailed their Chesapeake 32 sloop from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii. Between writing and sailing adventures she is a board member for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Jenna Miller and James Utzschneider completed a nine-year circumnavigation on their catamaran Sophie.

Capt. Paul Kim has been a long time resident of the PNW for over 25 years, his love of the water and pursuit of all things aquatic led him to becoming a licensed skipper with Master Endorsed ratings. He loves sharing his passion of the water with guests from all over the world. Whether its chasing hard fighting salmon, to jigging for squid and flounder chances are if it swims he caught it. Capt. Kim is also a certified merit badge counselor for the Boy Scout organization and has taught and led Scouts how to catch fish. His patience and educational method of teaching has helped his guests catch more fish and have fun aboard his boat.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Jim owns Merrick Marine and is a SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor, ABYC Certified Systems Advisor, USCG-licensed Master Captain, and a member of the International Association of Marine Investigators (IAMI). A PNW native, Jim has raced, cruised, lived aboard, commercially fished, done numerous deliveries, and is a life member of the Seattle Yacht Club.

Neal Booth, President of Boat Insurance Agency Inc. Neal began his career in the insurance business in 1984 and has been insuring “only boats” since 1989. His expertise has always been in pleasure boats and yachts, but he has grown to be a well-known insurer of fishing guides, charter boats, rental boats, and more. The Boat Insurance Agency started in the 1980s, has been under his sole ownership and control since 1995. Neal is often found speaking at industry events and functions, yacht clubs, and sportsman shows and is happy to be one of the seminar participants today.

SVP / Marine Loan Manager at Peoples Bank. Jennifer has over twenty years of combined banking and lending experience. She will use her skills and knowledge of the Marine industry to help you obtain the right financing for your unique situation. Beyond extensive experience as a marine lender, Jennifer enjoys recreational boating with her family. She takes pride in following through on your loan from start to finish – so everything will sail smoothly.

Capt. Linda Lewis holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters License and has 45 years of hands-on experience (sail and power) cruising the Inside Passage (including nine trips to SE Alaska). A retired Emeritus Associate Professor from the U of WA, she brings her professional educator background to presentations on all things boating at many venues, including the Seattle Boat Show and Trawlerfest. She has taught hundreds of couples on-the-water through her business ? Private Boating Instruction LLC. She provides customized on-the-water instruction, on-your-powerboat (www.privateboatinginstruction.com)

Mike is a life-long boater and 30-year veteran of the marine industry. His passion for sailing and powerboating has inspired him to learn as much about boats and marine systems as possible. Mike is a professionally trained Marine Surveyor and Marine Canvas Fabricator. He has seven ABYC Certifications, including Marine Electrical, Corrosion, Systems, Diesel Engines, AC/Refrigeration, and more. In previous roles, Mike has managed sailboat rigging shops and installed & serviced marine systems. He has also worked for many of the industry’s premier manufacturers and suppliers of heating systems, marine hardware, running gear components, and propellers. When not helping his clients, Mike and his wife Linda can be found cruising in Northwest waters on their 40-foot trawler or racing around the buoys on their 30-foot sailboat.

Jim owns Merrick Marine and is a SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor, ABYC Certified Systems Advisor, USCG-licensed Master Captain, and a member of the International Association of Marine Investigators (IAMI). A PNW native, Jim has raced, cruised, lived aboard, commercially fished, done numerous deliveries, and is a life member of the Seattle Yacht Club.

Neal Booth, President of Boat Insurance Agency Inc. Neal began his career in the insurance business in 1984 and has been insuring “only boats” since 1989. His expertise has always been in pleasure boats and yachts, but he has grown to be a well-known insurer of fishing guides, charter boats, rental boats, and more. The Boat Insurance Agency started in the 1980s, has been under his sole ownership and control since 1995. Neal is often found speaking at industry events and functions, yacht clubs, and sportsman shows and is happy to be one of the seminar participants today.

SVP / Marine Loan Manager at Peoples Bank. Jennifer has over twenty years of combined banking and lending experience. She will use her skills and knowledge of the Marine industry to help you obtain the right financing for your unique situation. Beyond extensive experience as a marine lender, Jennifer enjoys recreational boating with her family. She takes pride in following through on your loan from start to finish – so everything will sail smoothly.

Joe has managed innovation efforts for firms in photovoltaics, medical diagnostics, air countermeasures, oral health, wearables, and skin/hair-care. His innovations collectively produce large amounts of annual sales, and he is lead inventor on 50 patent families. Joe and Linda are also lifelong boaters. They founded Propel Electric Boat Motors Inc. in 2009 to promote electric boating. Promotion efforts include boater outreach through speaking, mentoring students and designers, and by manufacturing outstanding propulsion solutions. Products include the Electric Paddle (an 8-lb electric outboard), Flex Drive-e for Jackson / Blue Sky Boats, and EP Carry, their flagship outboard platform. As part of his business, Joe keeps up on electric outboard developments and has modeled theoretical superiority limits for electric and solar propulsion.