Bring Your Boat to Tacoma for Next Weekend's YachtoberFest

 
Boats, beer and bratwurst: sounds like a fun time, right? 

Bring your boat down to the Tacoma waterfront next weekend for the inaugural YachtoberFest. The event, which mixes the Northwest's penchant for boating and craft beers, is open to the public (ages 21 and up) and will feature several craft brewers, wineries, German food and live entertainment.

Moorage is available at Delin Docks, Dock Street Marina, Foss Harbor Marina and the Foss Waterway Seaport. More info is available on the event website under the "Boaters" tab. 

Renting a slip gets you four tickets to YachtoberFest and two tickets to a Friday night cocktail reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at Social Bar and Grill. Beer, wine and light hors d'oeuvres are included, and the featured guest is Chip Hanauer, aka The Boat Guy. 

Proceeds will benefit the Tacoma Youth Marine Foundation, Citizens for a Healthy Bay and the Tacoma Waterfront Association, which is organizing YachtoberFest. The three organizations work to promote and improve the Tacoma waterfront.

"We are very excited to bring such a unique event to Tacoma," said Gregg Reynolds, TWA president. "YachtoberFest will merge two of our local community's passions, boating and craft beer, and bring people down to the Historic Foss Waterway to enjoy a great day at one of Tacoma's best assets, its waterfront."
 
YachtoberFest will be held directly behind the Museum of Glass and officially kicks off at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, with a traditional  "tapping of the keg ceremony." Beer will begin flowing at noon. Food, drinks and entertainment will be available until 6 p.m.


Tickets are $12 per person in advance and $20 at the door. Valid ID is required for entry, and the event will be held rain or shine. Costumes and traditional dress are encouraged, but leave Fido at home — pets are not permitted.

Video Shows the Beauty of Northwest Boating

Over the summer, the NMTA staged three photo and video shoots for Seattle Boat Show advertising for the first time. The shoots were held on Lake Washington and Lake Union, around Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, and on Elliott Bay in July and August.


The result is a rich variety of images and footage depicting the breathtaking beauty of boating in the Northwest and the joy of recreational boating. This video shows a sampling of the material collected during the shoots. Doesn't it make you want to get out on the water?



Seattle Boat Show 2014 – Sizzle Reel Footage from Garrett Wesley Gibbons on Vimeo.

American Construction Makes Rare Leadership Shift

In an era when people switch careers about as often as cars, a company changing leadership only a handful of times in more than a century is highly unusual.
But that's the case with American Construction Co., Inc. The Tacoma company and NMTA member recently changed leadership for just the fifth time in 111 years, underscoring its stability and longevity in the region's maritime sector.
Effective Sept. 1, Steve Brannon became the company's new chief executive officer, focusing on strategic direction and expansion. Brannon has led the company for the last 23 years, giving him a unique perspective on its role in the Pacific Northwest's marine construction marketplace.
Kevin Culbert was named president of American Construction, with responsibility to lead the firm and implement its vision and mission. During his 28 years with the company, Culbert has served as vice president and previously managed its construction operations. He is the company's fifth president since its inception in 1903.
Rod Gowdy was promoted to project operations manager and will supervise the execution of all construction and dredging contracts. Gowdy has 24 years of marine construction experience, including the last 12 at American Construction.

Save Money - Apply for the Boat Show Now

There's still time to apply for the 2015 Seattle Boat Show, and you can save money by applying before the Sept. 30 deadline. But space is limited, so don't delay.
If you have questions about the show or the application process, contact Show Director Katie McPhail at katiemc@nmta.net

Promotional Opportunity with Seattle Sports Celebrity

The NMTA has a unique opportunity to create a promotion involving a well-known Seattle sports figure who wants to get into boating. This person is willing to participate in a promotion in exchange for a discount on a boat purchase, and is looking for a fiberglass runabout/cruiser in the 22- to 25-foot range. Any member dealers or manufacturers who are interested can contact NMTA President George Harris at george@nmta.net or at 206.634.0911.

West Marine's New Seattle Store Opens This Weekend

NMTA President George Harris will cut the ribbon for the grand opening of West Marine's new Seattle store, which officially kicks off its opening festivities at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12.
Opening celebrations will go through Sunday, Sept. 14, and include tips from experts, electronics demos, door-buster deals, giveaways and raffles. The new store is located at 1827 15th Ave. W, Suite A22, across the parking lot from Whole Foods and between Fishermen's Terminal and Elliott Bay Marina.
The new store will cater to anyone who likes spending time on or around the water. Paddling enthusiasts will find a great selection of kayaks, paddleboards and paddling accessories. For powerboaters, there's a dedicated engine parts counter with more than 1,000 replacement parts for everything from fuel filters to steering cables.
In addition to core boating departments such as maintenance, sailboat hardware and anchoring, the store will have marine electronics available to touch and test, a wide selection of men's and women's apparel and footwear, and lifestyle accessories ranging from floating phone cases to waterproof Bluetooth speakers.
"We're really excited about the new location," West Marine Seattle store manager Peter Avlogitos said. "It's conveniently located and we have lots of parking."
The crew of around 25 associates at the store has more than 250 years of combined boating experience and some 10,000 cruising miles under their belts. Operations Manager Randy Sandell is an expert in inflatable boats and engines. Captain Bob Starita and Lauren Gallegos are cruising sailors with expertise on the cruising lifestyle. Cliff Hennen is a professional rigger, while Port Supply Hub Manager Karen Audett is a powerboater and avid waterskier.
"I'm looking forward to welcoming existing and new customers to our location," Avlogitos said. "Whether you're visiting the San Juan Islands for the weekend, getting prepared for a longer cruising break or just enjoying the local waterfront, we have everything waterlovers want and need."
Directions to the store are available here.

Harbormaster Sought for La Conner Marina

The Port of Skagit is looking for a new harbormaster to run La Conner Marina.


The position is responsible for managing and overseeing day-to-day administrative operations of the marina office and dry boat facility, including supervising staff. The salary range is $60,000 to $80,000, with an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, Public Employees' Retirement System, long-term disability, life insurance and defined contribution plan.


The application period will close on Sept. 20, 2014, or earlier if a sufficient candidate pool is gathered before then.


A full job description and application link are available here.