Boating & Fishing Seminars + Boat Show University

Dave Graybill has fished North Central Washington waters for over 50 years. He provides current information on angling for all species through his web site at fishingmagician.com, which he founded in 2001. His reports have been broadcast on six radio station in eastern Washington and on KVI-AM 570 in Seattle for over 20 years. His reports also appear in newspapers distributed throughout eastern Washington. He finished a six-year term as a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission this past December.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 391,000 offshore miles include six Cape Horn roundings 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.

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.

Dave Wilkinson holds a BS in Math Education and a MS in Atmospheric Science. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society and the American Sailing Association where he is a certified marine weather instructor. Dave is an instructor for the Starpath School of Navigation, Seattle Sailing Club and the Washington Sea Grant program.  His sailing experiences in the tropics, southern hemisphere, and the Pacific Northwest provide realistic context for explaining key weather concepts.

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.

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.

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.

Erik Ryhne 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.

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 Integrel 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 34) and Paul (33) 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’.

James and Jennifer Hamilton traveled around the world in their Nordhavn 52 trawler Dirona, across the Pacific, Indian and Southern Atlantic Oceans and twice across the Northern Atlantic, with themselves and their cat Spitfire as only crew. They particularly enjoy higher-latitude cruising and spent much time in southern New Zealand, Tasmania, Alaska, and Scandinavia. They also specialize in longer passages, including non-stop runs of 3,023 nm over 19 days from Australia to Mauritius and 3,689 nm over 25 days from St. Helena to Barbados. Before departing Seattle on their trip around the world, the Hamilton's boated year-round in the Pacific Northwest, and have logged over 110,000 miles. They are the authors of Waggoner Cruising Guide's Cruising the Secret Coast and dozens of articles in magazines such as PassageMaker and Pacific Yachting, and document their travels in detail at mvdirona.com and youtube.com/user/mvdirona

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. Will & Sarah and their adaptable crew (3 year old twin boys) have recently said goodbye to hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! Kaia II is their current boat, a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece.

Since sailing away from Seattle in 1974, John Neal's 391,000 offshore miles include six Cape Horn roundings 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.

Alex Wilken has lived on bluewater sailboats since before he was born, even his own 50 foot ketch has been his only home since he was 4 years old. Working on boats has always been a part of his life- from growing up helping the parents truck provisions down docks in the Mediterranean to opening his own full service boat building business after college, Seattle Boat Works. These days, he is helping folks deep-six their sputtering diesels for quiet, clean electric propulsions systems. Seattle Boat Works started twelve years ago developing custom electric hybrid systems, generating interest at boat shows, and converting a handful of boats every year. Now with the new technology, batteries, and solar on the market the demand has exploded into the main bread and butter of the business, and Alex is happy to use his experience to help boat owners understand and discover the possibilities.

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)..

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.

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.

Nancy Erley, Captain of Two World Circumnavigations Nancy Erley led two 5-year voyages from Seattle around the world aboard her Orca 38 sailboat Tethys. “As the skipper of an all-woman crew, Nancy fashioned a circumnavigation that should go down in the record books as one of the soundest, most seamanlike journeys in the modern cruising era.” George Day, publisher Blue Water Sailing magazine. Nancy holds a USCG 100-ton Master of Oceans license and is the recipient of the Leadership in Women’s Sailing award from BoatUS and the National Women’s Sailing Association. She is an Instructor Evaluator-Ocean Master for the International Sail and Power Association and specializes in private instruction.

Nancy Erley, Captain of Two World Circumnavigations Nancy Erley led two 5-year voyages from Seattle around the world aboard her Orca 38 sailboat Tethys. “As the skipper of an all-woman crew, Nancy fashioned a circumnavigation that should go down in the record books as one of the soundest, most seamanlike journeys in the modern cruising era.” George Day, publisher Blue Water Sailing magazine. Nancy holds a USCG 100-ton Master of Oceans license and is the recipient of the Leadership in Women’s Sailing award from BoatUS and the National Women’s Sailing Association. She is an Instructor Evaluator-Ocean Master for the International Sail and Power Association and specializes in private instruction.

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 Integrel 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 34) and Paul (33) 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’.

Trevor MacLachlan founded Seattle Seafaring in 2012. He holds a USCG 100 Ton Master’s license and has over 35 years sailing and power yacht experience in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide. Having literally 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 coast. A cruising highlight so far has been the two years cruising from Seattle down through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean with his young family aboard the Taswell 43 “Lea Scotia”, the original yacht in his fleet. Trevor provides professional training, consulting and yacht deliveries worldwide on both sail and power, large and small.

Partner / Instructor, Zenith Maritime (Director of Opps - Master 100 tons,) have personally trained over 1,300 Coast Guard Licensed Captains. Responsible for training and orientation of instructors across the United States. US Coast Guard approved you deliver Train the Trainer courses, Certified by Washington State Bar Assoc. to teach Continuing Education courses related to maritime law. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (trained 13 watchstanders on this 282 Medium endurance Cutter). Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa (trained three Captains for this 110' Island Class Cutter). Schooner Zodiac, have conducted crew training and qualifications on this 160' vessel. Qualified 28 San Juan County (Fire, & Public Works) Employees in navigation, basic rules and safety for the county's fleet. Tulalip PD, Marine Unit. Department of Homeland Security. Washington Department Fish and Wildlife Over 100 days per year on the water experience for the last 20 years.

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. Will & Sarah and their adaptable crew (3 year old twin boys) have recently said goodbye to hot sauce, and hello to tzatziki! Kaia II is their current boat, a Leopard 46 catamaran in Greece.

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.

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.

Capt. Paul Kim grew up in Colorado as an avid fly angler. His love for the salt began 23 years ago when we moved to Seattle to chase salmon. He owns and operates FishPNW guide service and specializes in Squid, Salmon, Bottomfish, and Shellfish.

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.

Meredith is a marine engineer who has been teaching Commercial and Recreational diesel here in Puget Sound for over 10 years. She currently resides on her sailboat in Olympia, WA and works all over the west coast repairing marine diesel power plants.

Linda Lewis: 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) Margaret Pommert: Captain Margaret Pommert is a popular Pacific Northwest boating instructor, teaching on both sail and power boats. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Sailing Foundation, which developed the Lifesling, and organizes their annual US Sailing International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training in Seattle and Portland areas. Margaret chairs the US Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Selection and Awards 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 to the program on ways to enhance boating safety statewide for all types of recreational boating. When not working as a skipper/instructor, she's active in the local boating community, racing, cruising, and promoting Safety at Sea and Northwest Women in Boating.

Rachel Wold grew up boating and fishing recreationally throughout the Pacific Northwest. As a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, she taught navigation courses and participated in safety cruises in the Puget Sound. She has worked as crew aboard private boats and yacht charters, logging time at the helm and navigating through the Inside Passage. Rachel studied physics at the University of Washington and now works as an oceanographer at the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory. She has led research cruises to monitor water quality and participated in oceanographic buoy deployment, recovery and maintenance. Combining her boating and science backgrounds, she currently is an Outreach Specialist for the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS; www.nanoos.org), demonstrating the NANOOS Visualization System (NVS) Boaters App with recreational boaters throughout the region and collecting feedback to enhance usability.

Meredith is a marine engineer who has been teaching Commercial and Recreational diesel here in Puget Sound for over 10 years. She currently resides on her sailboat in Olympia, WA and works all over the west coast repairing marine diesel power plants.

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 Southeast Alaska." She and her husband have cruised extensively in Northwest Waters including 7 trips to SE Alaska, two trips to Haida Gwaii and 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. In 1978, they sailed from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii in a 32ft Chesapeake 32 sloop. Elsie has a master's degree in oceanography and a certificate in fine art photography and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Center for Wooden Boats.

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.

Over 50 years of boating experience, both sail and power. Have been instructing both sail and power cruising classes for the 20 years. Currently one of the owners or San Juan Sailing and Yachting in Bellingham.

Cruiser and owner of Cruise RO Water Following a career in the water treatment, in 2008 Rich cast off on a 4 year cruise of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez with his wife and two kids (ages 8 and 9). Having a background in reverse osmosis, Rich built their own water maker and from an anchorage in Mexico formed Cruise RO Water.  Still living in Mexico where he runs the company's technical support and service, Rich has serviced and maintained all brands of water makers from piston pumps to energy recovery pumps.

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.

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 sold Milltech Marine in early 2022. 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 products that are offered by Onboard Wireless.

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.

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.

Captain Margaret Pommert is a popular Pacific Northwest boating instructor, teaching on both sail and power boats. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Sailing Foundation, which developed the Lifesling, and organizes their annual US Sailing International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training in Seattle and Portland areas. Margaret chairs the US Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Selection and Awards 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 to the program on ways to enhance boating safety statewide for all types of recreational boating. When not working as a skipper/instructor, she's active in the local boating community, racing, cruising, and promoting Safety at Sea and Northwest Women in Boating.

Founder and CEO of Raptor Deck.

Over 50 years of boating experience, both sail and power. Have been instructing both sail and power cruising classes for the 20 years. Currently one of the owners or San Juan Sailing and Yachting in Bellingham.

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.

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. John is a merchant mariner, has sailed hundreds of races, crossed oceans, cruised many of the world's most beautiful locations, and taught sailing for a decade. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life. John holds a USCG Masters License with an ITC 500GT endorsement. He and his wife live aboard their 51' sailing yacht and spend much of their time cruising the incredible waters of the Pacific Northwest.

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.

Captain Margaret Pommert is a popular Pacific Northwest boating instructor, teaching on both sail and power boats. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Sailing Foundation, which developed the Lifesling, and organizes their annual US Sailing International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training in Seattle and Portland areas. Margaret chairs the US Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Selection and Awards 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 to the program on ways to enhance boating safety statewide for all types of recreational boating. When not working as a skipper/instructor, she's active in the local boating community, racing, cruising, and promoting Safety at Sea and Northwest Women in Boating.

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. John is a merchant mariner, has sailed hundreds of races, crossed oceans, cruised many of the world's most beautiful locations, and taught sailing for a decade. Sharing his passion and knowledge is one of his greatest joys in life. John holds a USCG Masters License with an ITC 500GT endorsement. He and his wife live aboard their 51' sailing yacht and spend much of their time cruising the incredible waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Founder, President, and Head Instructor (AACWR) American Academy of Canine Water Rescue

Trevor MacLachlan founded Seattle Seafaring in 2012. He holds a USCG 100 Ton Master’s license and has over 35 years sailing and power yacht experience in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide. Having literally 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 coast. A cruising highlight so far has been the two years cruising from Seattle down through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean with his young family aboard the Taswell 43 “Lea Scotia”, the original yacht in his fleet. Trevor provides professional training, consulting and yacht deliveries worldwide on both sail and power, large and small.

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 sold Milltech Marine in early 2022. 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 products that are offered by Onboard Wireless.

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.

oug has been on and around boats since he was five years old. From Lake Washington to cruising the San Juan Islands as a youth Doug gravitated towards the racing circuit. He has had the honor of racing on some top notch Seattle area boats winning Seattle yacht club boat of the year and 48 N. number one ranking on multiple boats. Doug has been the manager of a boat yard, Sailed deliveries on both coast, teaches ASA and RPBA From Seattle to the Caribbean and currently captains an 80 foot Ketch to Alaska and back. Doug is the founder of the CohoHoHo sailing rally and proud father of two amazing daughters. Youngest Devon is a licensed captain, marine biologist And Doug's co-speaker

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.

Angel has worked on base with the USCG sector Boston and with the Italian Coast Guard on multiple occasions and has trained with the SICS in Italy extensively for the past 7 years. He has deployed from multiple sizes of watercraft from a zodiac RHIB, row boats, SUP and 45’ Coast Guard Response boats. He has trained in and has performed a helocast from the ASTAR (AS350) and TWINSTAR (AS355) helicopters. Angel works well in all environments, from rural to urban. Oakley is a qualified Italian School of Water Rescue dog and trained at the American Academy of Canine Water Rescue in land, water, and air deployment rescues. 4 Helicopter Helocast jumps (AS355 helo) He also has hisTherapy Dog Certification and aTask Trained Mobility Assistance Service Animal. Oakley has worked on base with the USCG sector Boston and with the Italian Coast Guard. She has deployed from multiple sizes of water craft from a zodiac RHIB, row boats, jet ski’s and 45’ Coast Guard Response boats. She has trained in and helocast from the ASTAR (AS350) and TWINSTAR (AS355)helicopters.

Over 50 years of boating experience, both sail and power. Have been instructing both sail and power cruising classes for the 20 years. Currently one of the owners or San Juan Sailing and Yachting in Bellingham.

Carolyn Ace Spragg grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, messing about in boats. Ace has her USCG 50 ton Master's License, International Sail and Power Association Yachtmaster Offshore teaching certification, US Sailing teaching certification, and is a US Maritime Academy Captain's License Instructor. She's skippered her boat to Hawaii and back with all-women crews. She's the Sailing Director of the Northwest Maritime Center and also speaks at various seminars on Docking, Anchoring, Navigation, Tides and Currents and Trip Planning.

Mike born and raised in Snohomish, WA and has been fishing the PNW for over 20 years. He's been the west coast sales manager for Raymarine for 10 years has seen the marine electronics world evolve to what it is today. Mike enjoys sharing his experiences and knowledge with new boaters as well veteran fisherman. Fishing is a way of life for him and has been a part of hi family since he was a kid. Let’s talk fishing and electronics!

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 Southeast Alaska." She and her husband have cruised extensively in Northwest Waters including 7 trips to SE Alaska, two trips to Haida Gwaii and 20+ trips to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. In 1978, they sailed from Boston to Seattle via the Panama Canal and Hawaii in a 32ft Chesapeake 32 sloop. Elsie has a master's degree in oceanography and a certificate in fine art photography and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Center for Wooden Boats.

Lorena and Leonard Landon have been boating Pacific Northwest waters for 35+ years and have logged over 35,000 miles on West Coast waters from Manzanillo, Mexico to Yakutat, Alaska with their 46-foot DeFever. As Managing Editors of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, they regularly cruise the waters of Southeast Alaska, West Coast Vancouver Island, Northern B.C., and Haida Gwaii in addition to their home waters of Washington State. They publish articles, provide presentations, work on marina consulting projects, and are co-hosts for Waggoner webcasts. Leonard’s nautical skills are complemented by his aircraft pilot experience. Lorena previously authored Cleats & Eats, a series of restaurant guidebooks for boaters. Lorena also served on the Boating Programs Advisory Committee for the State of Washington’s RCO for eight years.

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.

Lorena and Leonard Landon have been boating Pacific Northwest waters for 35+ years and have logged over 35,000 miles on West Coast waters from Manzanillo, Mexico to Yakutat, Alaska with their 46-foot DeFever. As Managing Editors of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, they regularly cruise the waters of Southeast Alaska, West Coast Vancouver Island, Northern B.C., and Haida Gwaii in addition to their home waters of Washington State. They publish articles, provide presentations, work on marina consulting projects, and are co-hosts for Waggoner webcasts. Leonard’s nautical skills are complemented by his aircraft pilot experience. Lorena previously authored Cleats & Eats, a series of restaurant guidebooks for boaters. Lorena also served on the Boating Programs Advisory Committee for the State of Washington’s RCO for eight years.

Wendy Hinman 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. 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 grew up sailing 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 and her husband are currently building a boat for more cruising adventures. www.wendyhinman.com

Lorena and Leonard Landon have been boating Pacific Northwest waters for 35+ years and have logged over 35,000 miles on West Coast waters from Manzanillo, Mexico to Yakutat, Alaska with their 46-foot DeFever. As Managing Editors of the Waggoner Cruising Guide, they regularly cruise the waters of Southeast Alaska, West Coast Vancouver Island, Northern B.C., and Haida Gwaii in addition to their home waters of Washington State. They publish articles, provide presentations, work on marina consulting projects, and are co-hosts for Waggoner webcasts. Leonard’s nautical skills are complemented by his aircraft pilot experience. Lorena previously authored Cleats & Eats, a series of restaurant guidebooks for boaters. Lorena also served on the Boating Programs Advisory Committee for the State of Washington’s RCO for eight years.

Chuck Skewes is a veteran of offshore racing and cruising. He has sailed across the Pacific 13 times and countless times to Mexico both racing and cruising. He has participated in 6 Baja Ha-Ha's and is a regular contributor to sailing magazines.  Chuck owns two Ullman Sails Lofts and sails more miles per year than he drives his car.

Capt. Paul Kim grew up in Colorado as an avid fly angler. His love for the salt began 23 years ago when we moved to Seattle to chase salmon. He owns and operates FishPNW guide service and specializes in Squid, Salmon, Bottomfish, and Shellfish.

Superintendent of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. Tuuli Messer-Bookman is a Professor Emerita from California Maritime Academy. Her books include The Master's Handbook on Ship's Business, 3rd ed., Close Quarters: A Woman's Guide to Living and Working in Masculine Environments, and Maritime Casualties: Causes and Consequences.  She was a contributing author to the 2019 edition of Bowditch. She has authored numerous articles and has been an invited speaker at venues including yacht clubs, boat shows, civic clubs, national parks and offered a Maritime Lecture Series at Tacoma Community College. She is a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and holds an  unlimited tonnage oceans masters license. She has over 300,000 miles at sea as a ship's officer and is also an avid recreational boater. She continues to teach as a contract instructor at Compass Courses in Edmonds, WA and MITAGS in Seattle. She can be reached at captmesser@gmail.com

Trevor MacLachlan founded Seattle Seafaring in 2012. He holds a USCG 100 Ton Master’s license and has over 35 years sailing and power yacht experience in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide. Having literally 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 coast. A cruising highlight so far has been the two years cruising from Seattle down through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean with his young family aboard the Taswell 43 “Lea Scotia”, the original yacht in his fleet. Trevor provides professional training, consulting and yacht deliveries worldwide on both sail and power, large and small.

Daniel Joram is currently the West Coast & Gulf Coast Sales Manager at the Nobeltec Inc. starting with the company in 2017. Since 1999, he has worked in the marine industry on board vessels as mate & master and later as a project manager and electronics equipment installer with a focus on integrated navigational systems. Daniel received his first United States Merchant Mariner Credential as Master in 2001. NMEA and ABYC recertified  in 2017. Along with his partner he has lived aboard their 58' Ketch Ariel of Victoria and sailed throughout the Salish Sea.

Joe's earliest memories are from boating trips. So much so that his career of three decades innovating in healthcare, solar and outdoors products gave way to starting a business manufacturing electric boat motors. In addition to sponsoring pacific northwest marine organizations like R2AK and the Wooden Boat Center, Joe's company sponsors solar boat racing teams one of which was invited to compete in the first offshore solar boat race in Monaco. He has also pioneered and modeled long distance solar cruising, has contributed to solar boat designs, and been a panelist at IBEX on electric boating. His background in Physics gives him a unique perspective of what is possible using solar and he is eager to share this with boaters, designers and builders alike.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited. 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 fishermen 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 skillset so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the water.

Jamie Peth is the founder and owner of Anglers Unlimited. 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 fishermen 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 skillset so you can out-fish your buddy next time you go out on the water. Scott is a Navy veteran. He’s fished Puget Sound for 23 years and is a Charter Captain for Goat Unlimited Charters in the San Juan Islands.