Baltimore TrawlerFest - 2026

Seminars September 22-26
Courtyard Marriott - Inner Harbor, Baltimore

In-Water Boat Show at Harbor East Marina
September 24-26

Featuring Maritime Professionals from across the country presenting a wide range of topics for all boaters, plus premium trawlers on display

Captain Wooly's Seminar Schedule

Knothing But Knots

Tuesday Sept 22
9:00 - 11:00 AM

Types of Rope & Applications
The 3 Core Boating Knots
Knot-tying methods you will Knever Forget
More Knots as time permits
Leave with Knot Cards
& a practice line

Buyer Be Aware:
From Selection to Surveys

Tuesday Sept 22
1:00 - 3:00 PM

Ground tackle needs/options
Choosing an Anchorage
Scope Basics
Crew Communication
Deploying the Anchor
Setting the Anchor
Monitoring the Anchor
Retrieving the anchor
Other Anchoring strategies

Navigation Essentials: The Primer

Wednesday Sept 23
9:00 - 11:00 AM

The Essential Elements for Safe Navigation
Chart Interpretation
Navigation Aids
Identifying & Mitigating hazards
Tides & Currents
Marine Weather
Plotting a Safe Route
Monitoring Your Position
Trip Planning

Anchoring 101:
Getting & Staying Stuck!

Wednesday Sept 23
1:00 - 3:00 PM

Ground tackle needs/options
Choosing an Anchorage
Scope Basics
Crew Communication
Deploying the Anchor
Setting the Anchor
Monitoring the Anchor
Retrieving the anchor
Other Anchoring strategies

Captains' Dinner at Cinghiale

Wednesday Sept 23
6:30 - 9:00 PM

Savor a four-course dinner paired with drinks in the heart of Baltimore. This intimate evening offers a rare chance to talk shop with featured presenters Jeff Merrill, Phyllis Woolwine, and Steve Zimmerman, alongside PassageMaker Editor-in-Chief Jeff Moser.

Navigating the New Charting Environment

Thursday Sept 24
9:00 - 11:00 AM

Understanding the new ENC Chart System
How ENCs interface with your chart plotter
How to use the NOAA Custom Chart Tool
to make the best, most updated
paper charts ever available

Maneuvering Strategies
in Close Quarters

Thursday Sept 24
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Best Practices for Full Control

Close Quarters Maneuvering Strategies based on effective physics, for any size or type of boat, in any conditions, including approaches to the dock.

Demystifying Locks & Bridges

Friday Sept 25
9:00 - 11:00 AM

Getting Around with Skill, Safely and Good Etiquette

Going safely under Bridges
Evaluating & Raising Bridges
Preparing for Locks
Maneuvering in Locks
Signaling & Communication
Types of locks & bridges

Docking for Two People and One Line

Friday Sept 25
12:00 - 2:00 PM

In Any Conditions with Full Control

Using Dynamic Springlines as
Your Core Docking Strategy
Addressing a wide rage of conditions
Challenging Side-Tie Scenarios
Works for Any Size/Type of Boat

Explore More Topics - Get Tickets

Can't make the in-person presentations? No worries!
These topics and much more are available online on-demand in Captain Wooly's Navigation Essentials course.