The Big Seattle Boat Show, Indoors + Afloat, is just around the corner. The largest show on the West Coast, it will kick off on Friday, January 25th, 2013 and will last until Sunday February 3rd. It’s the place for boat owners to find everything for their boat, as well as the right place for those planning their year’s boating activities or looking for the boat of their dreams.
Seattle Boat Show in South Lake Union
As of press time some of the boats and exhibits of note at CenturyLink Field include:
• Harris FloteBotes will be on display for the first time ever at the Lake Union Sea Ray booth. This premium brand of pontoon boats is new to the Puget Sound. Lake Union Sea Ray will have 5-7 pontoons on display with a variety of models ranging from 18-25 feet. Also at Lake Union Sea Ray will be the new, affordable, towable category of Bayliner Boat – the Element, and the new for 2013, Bayliner Deck Boats with outboard power.
• From Sea Ray will be the new sport boat series – Jet Boats featuring four-stroke engines and the very latest in jet propulsion technology.
• The latest wakesurfing innovation, Malibu’s new SURF GATE system will be on display at Seattle Boat Company. This allows you to change the direction of the wave in mere seconds with the flip of a switch without filling or unfilling ballast tanks.
• Also on display at Seattle Boat Company will be the Cobalt 336 – a 33’ hybrid overnight cruiser/massive bow rider. Designed for the big waters of Lake Washington, Puget Sound and Lake Chelan, this new model can extend a sport specific day into extended cruising with overnight accommodations.
• Chris Craft returns to the show after a hiatus of five years. Their new dealer, Seattle Watersports, will have the Christ Craft Launch 22 yacht tender on display, an open bowrider that is one of Chris Craft’s most popular models.
• Signature Yachts will be featuring the new 29’ Beneteau Barracuda 9, an outboard-powered, Air Step fisher/cruiser, plus a Beneteau Swift Trawler 34 and two dramatic Beneteau sailing yachts, a 37 and 45.
• Gig Harbor Boat Works will be introducing the SCAMP – a 12 foot micro-cruiser commissioned by Small Craft Advisor magazine, designed by John Welsford of New Zealand.
• Lehr Propane outboard engines will be introduced at the show. With Lehr engines 97% of the emissions are eliminated from the environment and propane can be found at around half the cost of gasoline. Lehr will have a booth at the show and the following retailers will be selling Lehr Propane engines at the show: Cabela’s, Camano Marine, Fisheries Supply, Harbor Marine and West Marine.
Seminars galore:
The seminars are always a huge attraction at the show and 2013 is no different. No other show in North America matches the Seattle seminar schedule in terms of the quality, variety and volume of seminars offered. There are more than 200 free seminars during the course of the show and advanced seminars through Boat Show University for a nominal fee. Many presenters are returning and there are dozens of new seminars. The complete listing of all seminars is available online.
New seminars in 2012 include:
• 22 Feet to Alaska
• A Clear and Plastic Danger: Plastic in the Marine Environment
• A First Offshore Voyage, Power or Sail
• A Photo Journey with Commentary from Seattle to Sea of Cortez via Desolation Sound
• Bareboat Chartering in Exotic Destinations
• Bareboat Chartering in Exotic Destinations
• Cruising Alaska: Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Travelling the Inside Passage
• Cruising Lake Washington: Navigating the locks, where to dock, anchor, dine, party, what to see
• Cruising the Virgin Islands or Cruising the Canals of France
• Life Raft Deployment Demonstration
• Managing Tidal Rapids Near Stuart Island
• Mayday Mayday Mayday: The Emergency is at Hand. Thoughts on How to Proceed and What to Anticipate
• Pontoon Boats in the PNW: The pros and cons vs. traditional design
• Put your experience to work: What it takes to earn your captain’s license (two sessions)
• Sailing Made Easy
• Seafair Lake Washington and the 4th of July Lake Union: Navigating, anchoring, boating regulations
• The Evolution of Charting
• The Marine Parks of the San Juan Islands
• Top 10 Destinations of the Waggoner Cruising Guide for 2013
• Using the iPad Onboard
• Cruising the Canals of France
• Toward Marine Weather Self Reliance
• Visiting Haida Gwaii
Know Before You Go
When: Friday, January 25 – Sunday, February 3, 2013
Where:
– CenturyLink Field Event Center, 800 Occidental Avenue South, Seattle
– South Lake Union, 901 Fairview Avenue N, Seattle
Free shuttle running continuously between both locations.
Hours:
CenturyLink Field Event Center:
Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 pm
Fridays: 11 am – 9 pm
Saturdays: 10 am – 8 pm
Sundays: 10 am – 6 pm*
South Lake Union:
Weekdays: 11 a.m. – 5 pm
Weekends: 10 am – 5 pm*
* The show will close at 4pm on Sunday, February 3rd
Tickets:
Adults: $12; Youth (11-17): $5
Monday – Thursday after 5pm: $8
Kids 10 & under: Free
Official hotels: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Silver Cloud Hotel Stadium and Courtyard Marriott
