What Is a Passagemaker?

Passagemaker's Trawlerfest is more than a boat show: it is where the builders, educators and community come together in an intimate, rendezvous atmosphere. We spoke to several exhibitors and educators at our Stuart Trawlerfest to get a sense of this incredible, not-to-be-missed gathering.

The Paulsons have spent the last few years blissfully exploring the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America onboard their 1968 Grand Banks 42 Classic, Splinters. It's a long way from the Colorado barn where the couple's herculean efforts gave the 42 a second chance at a seagoing life.

This couple had the boat of their dreams, a Marlow 62, built for them to take on the Great Loop—which they completed in 2023. And they're just getting started.

An intrepid couple who had undertaken a half-dozen refits bring Robert Beebe’s Passagemaker back from the brink.

Longtime captain Nakomis Nelson shares the planning and preparation behind his bucket list, 4,200-nautical-mile trip from Holland to Maine via Iceland and Greenland on an Elling E6.

For over four decades, Steve Zimmerman has run his eponymously named repair and service centers along the U.S. East Coast. Zimmerman tells us about his beginnings in the marine trade, what to expect from a boatyard that's worth its salt and what you need to know when buying a used boat.

This seasoned waterman took delivery of his SeaPiper 35 and has started a journey that, when completed, will see his compact trawler circumnavigate North America.

A few years ago, April and Rio DeGennaro had never heard of the Great Loop. But once they did, they never looked back. They attended several AGLCA events and spent significant time finding the right boat for the singular American adventure, which they plan on tackling in 2024.

We agree on what defines a recreational trawler, but what about a passagemaker? Are they one in the same? Host Jeff Moser and longtime marine journalist Kenny Wooton discuss.

We chat with the director of America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association about this uniquely American adventure.