Helping to Empower Better Boaters
Jan 11, 2018
Toronto Boat Show offers free boating education
Lee Chesneau
Even good boaters can become better boaters. In addition to being the preeminent selling and buying marketplace for boats and marine accessories, there’s a stronger gravitational pull that drives boaters to the Toronto International Boat 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.
Over the past several years, Toronto Boat Show organizers have placed a priority on cultivating boating education for every type of boater. Their commitment to finding new seminar speakers, incorporating hands-on experiences and introducing seminar topics that are inclusive to all boating communities and lifestyles, has helped to empower better boaters.
One of the more recent features that has proven popular with visitors is The Boathouse, where boaters can talk one-on-one with leaders in their field, attend hands-on workshops and receive answers to boating questions. This year’s demonstrations include how to create a non-skid deck surface, patterning and installing faux teak decking, and to how to paint your fiberglass topsides. For more hands-on experience, visitors can also try the Boat Skills Virtual Training and learn manoeuvres such as pivot turns, emergency stopping and docking, without the risk.
Pamela Bendall Key
There’s also plenty of programming on the presentation stages with free daily seminars on variety of topics from boating at night (Ken Gillstrom), becoming a ‘weather-wise’ boater (Lee Chesneau) and the importance of sustainable oceans (Pamela Bendall). Learn from boating enthusiasts and share in the incredible adventures of accomplished ocean racers and sailors – back this year is Diane Reid (who is also featured in this CYOB issue) and Melissa Mayhew, an environmental and marine scientist, both who were members of the all-female crew that circumnavigated Great Britain.
NEW this year, the Toronto Boat Show will offer all-day seminars, Jan 12, 13 & 14. This three-day symposium (registration and payment required) will provide both the beginning and advanced boater (sail or power) substantive knowledge of value, whether coastal or offshore blue water cruising. It will help boaters to understand why, and more importantly how to predict variable weather scenarios, sea state conditions, plan and execute routing strategies, as well as properly equip and handle your own boat in all weather and sea state situations. The end result is all about gaining confidence in one’s ability to make safe, prudent decisions. The symposium offers a combination of lecture, hands-on exercises and ample time for student Q&A and interaction with the instructor(s).
New this year, the Toronto Boat Show is offering a $5 after 5pm ticket (any day except VIP Preview Day) and free parking after 4pm on weekdays! A great value proposition to accommodate those who prefer to visit the show during the week after work and/or revisit multiple days to see, shop and compare from hundreds of new products and boats. For more information, go to www.torontoboatshow.com.
– Information supplied by TIBS
