Trawlerfest Anacortes 2026 Recap
Anacortes Equals Trawlers
If you own a trawler, you probably already know how special Anacortes, Washington is. If you're searching for a trawler, there may be no better place in North America to see such a wide variety of cruising boats in one location.
Anacortes is home to several marinas, many of them gated, but Cap Sante Marina remains open to the public and serves as the host venue for TrawlerFest Anacortes. Visitors can walk the docks, explore the boats on display, attend educational seminars, and immerse themselves in the cruising lifestyle for a few days.
Any excuse to fly to the Pacific Northwest and spend time around trawlers is a welcome one. Jeff has been doing business in the Pacific Northwest for more than 25 years, and always enjoys returning. The scenery is beautiful, the boating community is active, and the people are some of the best you'll find anywhere.
Anacortes was the second of three TrawlerFest events scheduled for 2026. The JMYS team attended the first event in Fort Lauderdale and will be heading to Baltimore, Maryland this September for the final TrawlerFest of the year.
A First TrawlerFest for Max Merrill
This year's Anacortes event was particularly memorable for the JMYS team because it marked the first TrawlerFest attended by our newest broker and teammate, Max Merrill.
Max traveled north with our Southern California contingent and experienced his first visit to the Seattle and Anacortes area. Like many first-time visitors, he was immediately impressed by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the incredible concentration of cruising boats throughout the region.
While Max was getting acquainted with the show, Jeff spent much of Wednesday and Thursday in the classroom.
The week began with the seminar, Trawler Transactions, which covers the entire purchase process from making an offer through closing. If you attended the presentation, the PowerPoint PDF is available for download below.
Thursday afternoon featured a team-teaching seminar focused on Trawler Buying Tips, where Jeff was joined by several respected industry professionals to share insights and answer audience questions.
Panelists included:
Jeff Merrill, CPYB – JMYS (moderator)
Kieran Conaty – Sterling Associates
John Posey – Total Dollar Insurance
Matt Maynard, CPYB – Irwin Yacht Sales
Gregory Singer - Lochner Law Firm, P.C.
Beyond the Docks
One of the many reasons we enjoy attending TrawlerFest Anacortes is the town itself. Anacortes has developed a vibrant food scene with numerous excellent restaurants, and over the years we've accumulated several favorites.
Thursday evening we enjoyed dinner with Evan and Karly Nietzel of the popular YouTube channel Navigating Nietzels. Their Great Loop adventure has attracted a large following, and they are currently evaluating options for a more offshore-capable, long-range trawler as they plan future cruising adventures. If you haven't discovered their channel yet, it is worth following along.
Learning Never Stops
The educational component of TrawlerFest remains one of its strongest attractions.
On Friday, Jeff attended Bryan Calvert's presentation, Make Your Dream Your Story, and also enjoyed presentations by Wayne Goldman, CPYB and Dylan Hildebrand of Selene Yachts Americas.
Later in the day Jeff moderated one of his favorite events of every TrawlerFest: the Cruising Experts Panel. This seminar was originally created by the late Bruce Kessler, whose remarkable cruising accomplishments inspired generations of trawler owners. Bruce envisioned an open forum where attendees could ask experienced cruisers any question they wanted. The format remains one of the most popular sessions at every TrawlerFest.
Jeff has had the privilege of moderating this panel for several years at all three TrawlerFest venues and always enjoys assembling a knowledgeable group of experienced cruisers.
This year's panel included:
Jeff Merrill, CPYB – JMYS (moderator)
Evan and Karly Nietzel, (just completed the Great Loop, sold their trawler and are on the hunt for a long-range trawler to continue their fantastic YouTube channel)
Kevin and Alison Jeffries, (along with lap crew Max and Josie) from the Nordhavn 55 Red Rover
Wayne Goldman, CPYB and Dylan Hilderbrand, from Selene Americas
Gregory Singer, experienced cruiser and maritime attorney from Lochner Law Firm, P.C.
Phyllis Woolwine, experienced training captain from Shearwater University
Brian Calvert, veteran cruiser and yacht broker
Bud LeMieux, career boat builder and founder of Northern Marine
One of the highlights came after the conclusion of the session hosted by Selene Americas and open to everyone. The conference room had seats added and a computer video projection was set up where Nathan and Lindsey from The 71 Percent joined us live via Starlink from their Selene 49 Ruth Pearl somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.
Their ability to connect with us from thousands of miles away demonstrated just how far modern cruising technology has come. They shared updates from their Pacific crossing, answered audience questions, and provided a fascinating glimpse into their ongoing adventure.
Success on the Docks
As always, much of the action happened on the docks.
Max and Jeff spent considerable time meeting with prospective buyers and touring boats throughout the show. One particularly productive conversation resulted in an accepted offer on a beautifully maintained, one-owner DeFever 56.
By Saturday, the boat was sporting a "Sale Pending" sign, and the survey is scheduled for June. We are excited for our clients as they begin a new chapter in their cruising journey.
Filming Around the Show
The weather was mostly cooperative throughout the event. It was definitely jacket-and-sweater weather, but aside from a few passing showers, conditions were pleasant.
Saturday morning Jeff and Max planned to film their annual Dock Walk and Talk video. A brief rain shower delayed the start, but as anyone familiar with the Pacific Northwest knows, conditions can change quickly.
Soon enough the cameras were rolling and Max joined Jeff for his first JMYS video appearance.
The docks were busy with weekend crowds, and it was great reconnecting with old friends while meeting many new people. We were able to board several interesting vessels and found time to film a new TrawlAboard tour aboard the DeFever 56 Flyin' Low.
Keep an eye on our YouTube channel for those videos if you haven't seen them already.
The last session of the event was a wonderful recap of a successful Great Loop cruise presented by Evan and Karly Nietzel.
Looking Ahead to Baltimore
Before long it was time to pack up, say our goodbyes, and head home.
The team continues to think very highly of the PassageMaker TrawlerFest series and strongly encourages anyone serious about trawler ownership to attend. Whether you are actively shopping, planning for retirement cruising, or simply gathering information, there is no substitute for seeing boats in person and learning directly from experienced owners and industry professionals.
The next TrawlerFest will be held in Baltimore, Maryland this September. Seminar schedules and final boat lineups will be announced closer to the event, but based on recent years we expect another excellent turnout.
If you attended one of Jeff’s seminars, the presentation PDFs are linked below and will remain available through July.
As always, if you would like to learn more about trawlers, buying opportunities, or the cruising lifestyle, we invite you to subscribe to our email list at JMYS.com.
We hope to see you at the next TrawlerFest.