The St Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show Seminar Program
Geared to every level of sailor and power boater, high-quality seminars will be presented throughout the four-day boating festival in air-conditioned seminar tents. Produced by Sail America, the trade association for the sailing industry, the compelling seminars will give show-goers fascinating insights into the cruising lifestyle, plus essential know-how for navigating safely at sea.
Best-selling authors and magazine columnists, marine weather experts and adventurous world cruisers are part of this year’s exciting seminar program. The full schedule of seminars is posted on www.showmanagement.com. Here are some highlights of just a few seminars for show-goers to check out.
New Technologies-Energy Production & Storage
John Gambill
John Gambill is an “Integrator,” a new title for an expert who designs, fabricates and sells renewable energy equipment. With the current increased interest in green energy ideas, Gambill will discuss new improvements in technologies in battery, solar, wind and system components, many of which benefit sailing cruisers. Gambill is experienced in Caribbean cruising and technical troubleshooting.
Sailboats for A Serious Ocean - 25 Great Sailboats For World VoyagingJohn Kretschmer
This seminar is a candid and honest look at great boats for world voyaging. It focuses on new and used boats, and what to look for when considering a boat for crossing an ocean.
Basic Marine Weather Interpretation Skills
Lee Chesneau
Lee Chesneau is a highly seasoned senior marine meteorologist with a distinguished 36-year career in maritime weather forecasting, ship routing and writing. He has been a keynote speaker at seminars, and is a certified U.S. Coast Guard STCW Basic and Advanced Meteorology. Chesneau’s philosophy is that there are many tax-funded weather forecast products for mariners that need to be used and understood properly. His seminar will provide show-goers with “a road map” for understanding these products for safe, prudent, weather decision-making on board.
Understanding the Catamaran Phenomenon
Charles Kanter
Interactive audience participation description of the process and vessels features that lead up to today’s overwhelming acceptance of catamarans as cruising vessels. Covers performance amenities and cross-selection of vessels.
Charles Kanter has thirty plus years as a marine surveyor, delivery skipper, sailing school operator, lecturer, author and live aboard. He is the author of three books on catamarans and three on cruising.
Exploring Florida's Big Bend Coast
Rick Rhodes
This a multi-media program, with about 40 slides, explores about 300 miles of Florida's Gulf Coast - and the only part of the US coast between South Padre Island TX, and Norfolk, VA that has no ICW. Florida's Big Bend, or at least parts of this Gulf Coastal region, have been known as, 'the Nature Coast,' 'the Forgotten Coast,' 'the Hidden Coast,' 'Old Florida,' and 'Real Florida.' Considerations cruising Florida's Big Bend include unusual tidal fluctuations, shallow oyster bars, and an uncomfortably short wave interval. If your vessel is able to negotiate rivers, it may be possible to travel about 80 miles up the Suwannee River, and about 250 miles up the Apalachicola and Chattahoochee Rivers as far as Columbus, GA.
Healthy Cruising with Yoga OnBoardKim Hess
Just as we devote time & attention to the maintenance of our vessels, we must also give as much, if not more care to the health of our bodies. Join Kim Hess, author of Yoga OnboardTMin a session of Cockpit Yoga and a demonstration of Fender FitnessTM. We will also explore the various options we have available to maintain and possibly enhance our health as we cruise. This will be an interactive discussion so bring your questions & more importantly your ideas to share with others.
For a complete line up of all the power and sailboat seminars at the St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show visit http://www.showmanagement.com/st_petersburg_power_sailboat_show/event/seminars/
