Are you a cruiser? Do you want to be? We do.
Jennifer and I have been dreaming of cruising full-time. Even if only for a few months a year to start. We’ve posted previously about our plans and goals of cruising in a trawler style vessel.
We are still searching and shopping for the right opportunity to grab a useable (as in; it runs) project boat with the features we want.
With a small budget and high expectations, it seems like the trawlers we have checked out are either too rough or don’t check the right boxes for us.
We really want a semi-project boat, but it definitely must run and be useable so that we aren’t stuck at the dock while we’re working on improving it.
Cosmetics are not as important to us because we know that much of the improvements are things that we can do. We’re looking for a solid hull with a good motor and good running gear.
I could go on and on about trawlers all day long. Anyway. . . this post is really meant to be all about the trawler show.
TrawlerFest Stuart 2019
Every year about this time, TrawlerFest comes to Florida. Actually, there are 3 different annual TrawlerFest show that I know of. Stuart, FL, Baltimore, MD, and the Pacific Northwest show in Seattle, WA.
The TrawlerFest is more than just a boat show. It’s a combination of in-water boat show, educational experience, and a rendezvous for many liveaboard cruisers from all over.
TrawlerFest is presented by the great folks at Passagemaker Magazine. Their publications have been a staple of the sailing and powerboat cruising community for 20 years. Not just in the U.S., but worldwide.
When & Where:
This year the TrawlerFest Stuart show dates are Tuesday March 5, 2019 – Saturday March 9, 2019.
As expected, this year’s show will once again be held at the beautiful Hutchinson Island Marriot Resort & Marina in Stuart, FL.
Why would they ever change the venue? This location has easy access by boat, great food, and sunrise / sunset views that are hard to beat. It’s a wonderful place to stay or even just to visit.
The show:
As I said, TrawlerFest is partly a boat show, which means “boats for sale”. There will be offerings from many of the major manufacturers and most will be open for walk-thru.
The in-water show begins on Thursday March 7, 2019 and will offer both new and pre-owned boats for sale. While these boats will be outside of our price range, we still enjoy seeing what’s new in design and layout on different vessels.
That’s how we get ideas!
Jennifer and I have accepted the fact that there probably won’t be any “project boats” on display at this show. Lol.
What we do look forward to the most is walking the docks and talking with folks that actually live on their boats and show up at TrawlerFest to graciously allow complete strangers into their homes. We really appreciate those that do!
What a fantastic opportunity for us to ask questions of the seasoned veterans and learn as much as we can about the cruising lifestyle from those who live it.
Jennifer is super excited to meet the crew of “Esmeralde”. She has been following their transit from Connecticut on FB for some time now.
We just missed them a couple of months ago as they passed right by our home. I believe they are in Key West now and are slated to be at TrawlerFest with their American Tug 395 Flybridge. Check out this video of “Esmeralde” right before it was finished.
The Seminars:
So, aside from the wonderful people there to show their boats, another big draw to TrawlerFest are the educational seminars.
While the in-water show starts on Thursday, the wide variety of seminar topics are scheduled to begin on Tuesday March 5, 2019. Topics range from weather, anchoring, and navigation to things like circumnavigating the Great Loop and crossing over to the Bahamas.
There will also be a seminar exclusively for cruising women and future cruising women. This seminar is hosted by an all-women panel and will be devoid of any men. I’m sure the boys will find something to do.
Same-day admission to the boat show is $18 and anyone attending the seminars will have FREE same-day access to the in-water show.
Check out The Blue Turtle:
Another liveaboard couple that we can’t wait to meet are Randy and Kim Kalisik from Ft. Myers, FL. Their 40′ Defever “Blue Turtle” is their full-time home, and has been for 6 years.
For the last 5 years or so, we have enjoyed following the Kalisik’s blogsite BlueTurtleTrawler, and Randy and Kim will be at TrawlerFest Stuart to host a seminar on “Cruising the Dry Tortugas”.
BTW, Kim Kalisik will also be one of the women moderating the women-only seminar.
Ask the Captain. Which one?!
We have to tell you about one more of our favorites. Chris and Alyse Caldwell of Captain Chris Yacht Services. Both Chris and Alyse are USCG licensed 100 Ton Masters. They are also hosting a number of seminars at TrawlerFest Stuart 2019.
Jennifer and I attended a couple of their tutorials a few years back at the Stuart Boat Show. Not only are they great folks, but the wealth of information and experience they’re able to share seems unlimited.
If you have any interest whatsoever in cruising, whether it be the ICW, the Loop, the Keys, or even the Bahamas, they’ve done it all. Check them out.
P.S. If you’re a foodie like me, check out this link to a Passagemaker article by Alyse Caldwell that has many good words about some quick food ideas when underway and cool hacks for the galley: “Confessions of a Galley Slave“.
We can’t wait !!
TrawlerFest Stuart is coming and we’re stoked! We’re only gonna get 2 days at the show, but it’s way better than no days.
We’ll get to spend time on a variety of sizes, layouts, and styles of trawlers. Trips like this help us to narrow down the options that we want for our boat.
And again, we’ll get new ideas for things we want to change on whatever “project boat” we do land on.
Jennifer and I hope that you guys found this post interesting. If you share our interest in trawler-style cruising, we hope you’ll try to make it to TrawlerFest Stuart 2019.
Whether you are currently a cruiser or want to be soon, please leave us a comment. And if you plan to make it to the show, let us know. Maybe we can meet up.
“See you on the Water!”
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