Six plus two days working the Seattle Boat Show

The announcer, “The Seattle Boat Show is now open.” It’s day one of the Seattle Boat Show.
​The doors opened to a crowd filled with anticipation and excitement. It reminded me of the races when they yell, “and they are off.”
The boats gleamed under the bright lights, inviting visitors in for a closer look. Exhibitors stood tall, greeting the visitors with a welcome smile. It’s opening day and all were ready to explore what is new and exciting in the boating world.
This was my first year ‘working’ the Seattle Boat Show. It’s a different view as an exhibitor in a booth versus just attending the Seattle Boat Show. I work for the Waggoner Cruising Guide and Fine Edge Publishing and each year we provide a staff person to work in Captain’s Nautical Supply’s booth, answering questions about our wide selection of cruising books and maps and helping customers with their selections. I wasn’t sure what to expect and day one was a crash course in exhibiting at the Seattle Boat Show.

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It’s Day two, Saturday, the busiest day. The doors opened and the crowd swelled throughout the day. Vendors hustled to greet the crowds. Families, small children, young boaters, experienced boaters, all of which enjoyed a day of exploration in boats. Working the Captain's Nautical Supply booth I observed inspired boaters who were ready to visit new destinations or revisit previous haunts.
Day Three, Sunday normally a day of rest. But not for boat show goers, they were on a different mission. Not quite as busy as Saturday, but still packed with enthusiastic boat show visitors.
Day Four, Monday, the first day of the workweek. Also known as women’s day at the Seattle Boat Show. Classes on everything from cruising to an all day class on Dock, Diesel, Navigate, Crew Overboard and more with Captains, Margaret Pommert and Linda Lewis. After a full day of education from these two amazing women, the Captain's Nautical Supply booth filled with women on a mission, looking for specific books, which would help continue what they learned.
Tuesday, Day Five. The crowd waned down a bit. It was quieter and the tone of the show was more serious. Exhibitors were able to slow down a bit and attendees experienced more one-on-one and had time for lengthy conversations and Q&A periods.
Wednesday, Day Six. For me, it was my last day working at the booth. Quiet, like Tuesday, the atmosphere was less hectic with a steady flow of visitors.
Six days flew by. I met so many boaters and soon-to-be-boaters. Heard great stories. Learned more about the Waggoner Cruising Guide’s customers. Sold a lot of books. And my poor feet recovered faster than expected.
The plus two days were set-up and tear down. If everything is well organized, these two events can happen quickly and this year that is exactly what happened.
Sales were high at the Seattle Boat Show this year. Fine Edge Publishing sold lots of cruising books through Captain's Nautical Supply, and close to a thousand Waggoner Cruising Guides will help boaters find their way during the cruising months. Six, plus two days working the Seattle Boat Show was worth every moment.