Boating Safety Certification Course

Get your Certification done in one day by the Kent County Sheriff Dept. Marine Division on Satruday, February 16th, and be ready to hit the water this summer!  Typically these classes take multiple evenings.  Here is your opportunity to get certified, a legal necessity in order to command a motorized vessel without supervision for all those under the age of 16.  (And simply a smart thing to do!)  Also, if you are born after 1978, you must have this certification to operate a PWC.

Fashion Show of Beach and Boating Wear

Endless Summer and HOT FM will be hosting a Fashion Show of Beach and Boating Wear.  The show will be held Friday night at 8pm at the Key West Crab Shack in the Ballroom.

Grand Rapids Power Squadron

The U.S. Power Squadron is America's largest non-profit boating organization dedicated to making boating more safe and enjoyable.  USPS has 60,000 members organized into 450 squadrons across the country.  The members of the Grand Rapids Power Squadron will be hosting 2 seminars this year!

Boat Handling Under Power

Presented by the US Power Squadron

This is a presentation on docking and departing the dock under a variety of conditions including tips on maneuvering your boat in tight areas.  This presentation will also cover trimming the boat underway.

How to Use a Chart

Presented by the Grand Rapids Power Squadron

This seminar teaches boaters about all the information that is found on a chart that is essential to boating safety.

Greg Hoffman

This Muskegon resident is a senior certified marine electronic technician that has authored many marine electronic standards and testing criteria.  He is currently the Great Lakes Regional Director for the National Marine Electronics Association.

Latest Trends in Marine Electronics

Presented by Greg Hoffman of the Mariners Center

Greg will discuss the latest developments and how you can apply them to your boating lifestyle:

• Introduction to the newest products for 2008, including GPS, radar and cordless autopilot
• New safety equipment you can add to your boat now
• Satellite based stereo and TV entertainment - what is best for your boat and what will it cost?
• Computers and marine applications - sort out what will work for you
• Installing your own equipment?  Get expert information on how to do it correctly.

John Otterbacher

An expert sailor who survived life's curves on and off the water will share his incredible journeys at special seminars during the Grand Rapids Boat Show.  Otterbacher, a local clinical psychologist, crossed the Atlantic four times in his 50 ft. sloop, "Grace."

His book "Sailing Grace" recently achieved a Michigan Notable Books Award and is a finalist for USA Book News "Best Books Award" in the sports memoir category.  His dream, to sail the ocean on an extended journey with his family, was interrupted by a series of devastating heart attacks. 

The author / sailor logged nearly 50,000 miles on the high seas, including a six-year sojourn that ended in 2004 and produced much of the material for his book, which was released last June.  Autographed copies of "Sailing Grace" will be for sale druing these seminars and Otterbacher will take questions from the audience.

Sailing Grace

Presented by John Otterbacher

John relays his story as portrayed in his new book, Sailing Grace, a true story of death, life and at sea.  An exquisit tale of one man's journey into himself and of his family's dramatic crossing of the Atlantic.