Even the Most Experienced Boater Can Become a BETTER Boater in the New Year

The 57th annual Toronto International Boat Show January 10-18, 2015

 

Whether it’s advice on maintaining that new boat sheen, or sharpening your boat-handling skills, there’s a wealth of education at Canada’s premier Boat Show

 

A mid-winter rendezvous for the boating community, North America’s largest indoor boat show will launch at the Direct Energy Centre, January 10 – 18, 2015. With more than a million square feet of showroom and retail space, The 57th Annual Toronto International Boat Show is the premier destination where boaters flock to find great deals and to get a leg-up on the hottest new products.

 

Whether it’s upgrading, economizing, purchasing a new boat or simply window-shopping the latest marine advancements from power engines to navigational apps, the Toronto Boat Show has long been heralded as the best place to see boats and the best place to buy boats.

 

And it’s no wonder: more than 500 exhibitors will showcase hundreds of new boats and engines of all sizes, thousands of marine accessories, and more new products unveiled annually at the Show by Canadian and international manufacturers than any other boat show in North America.

 

But in addition to the allure of shiny cruisers, plushy pontoons and radical wakeboards, there’s a stronger gravitational pull that drives boaters to the Show each year. It’s the community gathering and “crowd-funding” of advice and education; where fellow boaters converge to engage, share tips, how-to advice, specialized knowledge and experiences. This year more than ever, Toronto Boat Show organizers have committed to cultivating boating education not just for novice participants, but for boaters of all experience and skill level.

The Show has significantly expanded its educational programming from 140 to more than 200 free seminars, presented hourly each day! An exceptional variety of topics are covered such as boat buying tips, adventures of cruising the world, using marine weather forecast tools, and overcoming fears of sailing solo as a female skipper.

 

An all-new “Do It Yourself” Stage offers how-to seminars on Boat Maintenance 101, Varnishing Techniques and much more. Don’t miss the new SailFest Theatre where boating experts share advice and stories of sailing the most beautiful worldwide destinations, plus adrenaline-packed competitive racing adventures.

Special guest speakers include renowned Irish sailor Damian Foxall presenting The Toughest Race on the Planet with live footage of the Volvo Ocean Race, as well as Ontario’s own Sandy Macpherson sharing his experience of offshore solo racing.

 

Also NEW to the Show is Discover Boating’s Hands-On Skills Training (HOST), a national program launched in August 2014 that offers practical skills development in-water and dockside with an instructor. A variety of clinics include Fundamentals of Close Quarters Boat Handling: learning to confidently maneuver close to other boats, piers, docks and fixed objects; Advanced Close Quarters Maneuvering: a hands-on session covering advanced, precision boat control and docking techniques used by professional captains including how to dock and depart confidently using spring lines and more; and Essential Boating Safety (presented dockside): an overview of important pre-departure safety elements with emphasis on passenger safety, use and care of required equipment and vessel systems check. Registration is required.

For more info on HOST clinics, go to: http://bit.ly/DiscoverBoating-Toronto2015.

 

There are plenty more educational freebies to soak in at the Toronto Boat Show such as the Great Canadian Fish Tank where you can watch daily demonstrations on how various fish react to different types of bait, stepby-step casting methods, and new this year, watch how to fillet and cook your next catch.

 

And what would the Toronto Boat Show be without bringing a boatload of SUMMER fun in January! Other new features for 2015 include a special opening weekend appearance by Dawn Wells who played the beloved character “Mary Ann” on Gilligan’s Island — not to mention waterskiing and tubing on World’s Largest Indoor

Lake in Ricoh Coliseum and a Wild & Wacky Water Ski Show! All activities are FREE WITH ADMISSION!

 

The 57th Annual Toronto International Boat Show drops anchor January 10-18, 2015, at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place. And don’t miss Special Preview Night on January 9th in support of children’s charities. Visit www.TorontoBoatShow.com for more information, features and complete schedules.