With winter upon us, and HIPPOKAMPOS in her burrow until spring, there’s no better way to keep living the dream than by attending boating events. In this case it was TrawlerFest (yes, there is such a thing) in Riviera Beach, Florida. If nothing else, it meant escaping the January chill in Kentucky.
The main event was to attend a 2-day intensive course on diesel mechanics being presented by Nigel Calder and Steve Zimmerman, two the the best resources for all thing mechanical and electrical on boats. Besides the featured diesel event, the rest of the week was spent popping in on other lectures about cruising, safety, and the list goes on. Of particular interest was Ben Ellison’s presentation on Cruising Maine since it’s on our horizon.
Another one of highlights for this Pilgrim-enthusiast was getting to meet the Dave and Bobbie, owners of LIBERTY, hull #43, who were wintering over in St. Petersburg. This was one of the last Pilgrims built so it’s always interesting to see how they evolved. Not only did we have brief introductions after flying into Tampa but I was invited back for lunch on the veranda before my trip back to Louisville. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough Pilgrim exposure already, PAPILLON, hull #33, was at the Fest showing off her stuff and looking for a new buyer. Last I heard she found one quick and was heading up to life in the big city at the West 79th Street Boat Basin.
