Speakers

SPEAKERS

LIVE SESSIONS

Live Sessions

BOAT SHOWINGS

Boat Showings

Prizes

Wayne Goldman

Chief Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Wayne has been around water his whole life and has sailed most of the waters of the world. He started out on his dad’s “huge” 21′ Chris Craft woodie cabin cruiser when he was still in diapers. He cried when his mom made his dad sell the boat to spend more time with the family. Once he had boating on his mind, he spent every chance he could on the lakes and rivers of upstate New York. Once he found the ocean when he went to college in New Hampshire, there was no turning back, buying and sailing boats wherever he went. He eventually ended up in California in a corporate job, but that did not stop him from buying his first cruising sailboat, a brand new Tayana 42′. During the next thirty years, Wayne would work a real job for a few years, then escape and go cruising for a few years.

Wayne has spent the last 20+ years in the marine industry, selling boating equipment to boat builders all over the world and doing international and local boat shows on the east and west coast. He has extensive experience with catamarans and has visited most of the catamaran factories around the world. For the past 5+ years, Wayne has focused his passion on helping other, like-minded boaters find the boat of their dream. With his vast knowledge of boats, and understanding what boaters are looking for, Wayne has been successfully finding the right boats for hundreds of boaters.

Pat Garfield

A woman’s Perspective – Farallone Yacht Sales

Kevin DeGulis

Marketing Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Kevin grew up on the shores of Lake Erie, creating a lifelong passion for being on the water. In college, Kevin worked for a light tackle fishing charter off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, eventually earning his Captain License.

While studying in school, he focused on video production, marketing, and communication, making him well versed in the online world. After school, Kevin moved to San Francisco to pursue Fly Fishing Guiding, Yachts Sales and Video Production.

His expertise and hard work help clients contact the buyers and sellers at a rapid rate.

Geli Burgin

Accounting & Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

As a little kid, growing up in the land of 10,000 lakes, Geli always knew she would be happiest working outside. It’s been 25 years since she moved out to California where her Mom and Step Dad first introduced her to sailing. While sailing with her parents, she jumped at the chance to introduce co-workers and friends to sailing on San Francisco Bay, as well as the boating lifestyle.

After 18 years in corporate America, Geli pursued her dream to become a captain and delivered boats up and down the coast for a few years before going back to the steady “eddy” office life where she served as Vice President in billion dollar companies and CFO in a fast growing start up.

Geli met Wayne just before he and her Mom delivered a boat from Cape Town, South Africa to Florida. Geli would call that time frame in her life, “peak envy”, which re-ignited her passion to buy a boat of her own, master it and live-aboard it. For the past four years she has lived her dream, living aboard ‘Irene’, her Grand Banks 42′.

Geli thoroughly enjoyed the boat purchasing experience so much that she wants to share that experience with others, ensuring that their boat buying/selling experience is a positive one. Geli’s vast background in finance, operations and boating will ensure you will have a positive and memorable experience with Atomic Tuna Yachts.

Peter Benziger

Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Peter Benziger is the newest addition to our team of expert yachting professionals. He and his wife, Margie, recently completed an eight-year circumnavigation of the world aboard their Tayana 47, Peregrina, covering 42,000 miles and visiting 44 countries. The couple had dreamed of circumnavigating since they married 41 years ago.

Peter worked in boatyards and marinas on the East Coast growing up. He had a successful career with several Fortune 500 international corporations and owned his own marketing company for many years. His understanding of business and financial planning helped him prepare and fund their cruising lifestyle.

Peter was an avid J-24sailboat racer for many years. He holds a current 100-Ton US Coast Guard Captains license. He is fluent in Spanish. He can help you find the right boat whether your dream is to leisurely explore the local cruising grounds, race competitively or voyage to distant shores.

While Peter is the licensed salesman, Margie and Peter operate as a team. Margie will be able to provide insight into what helps women enjoy the boating life and what women look for in a motor vessel or sailing yacht. They both agree that the hardest part of going cruising is leaving the dock. They can help you understand how to cast off the dock lines and follow your dreams.

John Longwell

Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

John has been involved in boating since his childhood, enjoying sailing and power boating on Cape Cod Bay with his father and sisters. After graduating from college with a Mechanical Engineering degree he resumed his boating passion by fixing up an old Tri-Hull outboard power boat and fishing and exploring the Louisiana Coastal area while he was working offshore on drilling rigs. His transfer to the Rocky Mountains enabled him to enjoy fresh water lake boating, owning several different power boats.

Most recently he has enjoyed buying, upgrading and selling several larger motor yachts and boating in the bays and offshore Southern California up to the San Francisco area. He has brought his passion for boating and his mechanical knowledge to use as a salesman for Atomic Tuna Yachts in the Bay area. John is always available to help you find the perfect boat.

Michelle Leonard

Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Michelle learned to sail by taking Sailing 101 in college for a PE credit. After graduation the choice was: Buy a new car or buy a boat. She bought a used boat and a used car. Since then she has owned 3 different boats as a single-handed sailor and multiple boats with her husband, who she met when he was her ride to a regatta in Mexico. Michelle has competed in National and World Championship races but now prefers the camaraderie of “beer can” races.

Fast forward many years working in supply chain logistics to support her boating habit and Michelle was able to buy her own dream boat: a Tartan 3400. Her passion for sailing then led her to pursue a USCG Captain’s license. After helping several friends find the right boat she was encouraged to try yacht sales as a way to share her love of boating.

Bruce Nelson

Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Bruce has loved boats since he learned to sail in Westport, Connecticut in 1966. He spent many years traveling the world as an educator and environmental consultant, taking advantage of sailing opportunities wherever he went.

He spent much of the time living in deserts, so when he finally had a chance to join an environmentally conscious marine firm in the San Francisco Bay area in 2000, he eagerly took it. He met Wayne Goldman shortly afterwards as a customer, and they soon became friends and colleagues.

He has owned both power and sailboats, and presently lives on a 42 ft. Ketch. He is an expert in several areas of marine technology. He holds a marine refrigeration tech license and has served on an American Boat and Yacht Council electrical safety committee. He is currently the Electronics specialist at the Sausalito West Marine Flagship store.

Most of all, he is a boating enthusiast himself. He lives to help others realize their boating dreams. Let him listen to your goals and be a companion along the way to achieving them.

Dave Wolfe

Sales Ahi – Atomic Tuna Yachts

Mickey Araneda and Linda Tromblay

Cat 425 owners

Mike and Linda began sailing in SF Bay in the early 1990’s with SF Sailing School. We quickly fell in love with sailing and after 10 years of chartering, we bought our first boat in 1999. We took off on our cruising adventure in 2004 and took 6 years to enjoy our journey. We sailed from SF to NY. We finally returned to reality in 2010.

After returning to life living in a home we grew restless and missed the sailing life. We sold our boat in 2015 and thought that was it. We couldn’t keep away from the boat shows and after great consideration we decided we were meant for the sailboat life. So, after taking a year off, we decided that the new Catalina 425 was just what the Doctor ordered and bought a brand new one. We have been sailing her in the SF Bay the past 2 years thoroughly enjoying our new ride.

Margie Benziger

Cast Off The Dock Lines

Margie Benziger came late into sailing. A landlubber growing up, she met her future husband, Peter, an avid sailor, in Boston. By the second date, she realized there would never be a third date unless she expressed interest in learning how to sail. So, that’s just what she did! After they married, they moved to Puerto Rico, where they cruised and raced a Pearson 26. Returning to the States, they bought a J-24, which they raced competitively for 23 years – winning many championships with Margie handling the foredeck. In 2008, they purchased S/V Peregrina, a 1990, cutter-rigged, Tayana 47. In January 2010, they left Miami to begin their circumnavigation around the world – arriving in San Francisco in November 2018 after visits to 44 countries and 42,000 miles of sailing. Margie now helps Peter at Atomic Tuna Yachts providing a woman’s perspective in finding your dream boat.

Mark Christiansen

Liveaboard Lifestyle

Joan Burleigh

Financing a boat in today’s climate – Trident Funding

Lisa Chapin

The Many Pathways to Boating

Captain Lisa has been a lifelong sailor safely navigating from sailing a Sunfish with her dad and the family dog at age seven to cruising half way around the world on four different sailboats as crew. She holds a 50 USCG Masters License, a BA in Economics Management, lives aboard a classic Hatteras Motor Yacht and is an American Sailing Association certified instructor. She loves to share her knowledge of sailboat, boats and business ideas. For the past 12 years she has been using her Captain’s license to help all kinds of people have a boat owner-like experience as the owner of SailTime San Francisco, a fractional membership based sailing program.

Gary Clausen

Answers to your Insurance questions – Twin Rivers Marine Insurance

Gary has been in involved in the marine industry for more than 40 years. Born and raised on the California Delta, he has spent most of his life working in and around the boating industry including boat yards, marinas, manufacturing facilities, chandleries and boat & yacht sales. Gary is past president of The Northern California Marine Association. He has been a marine insurance agent since 1989.

Twin Rivers Marine Insurance Agency is celebrating their 23rd year of helping boaters world wide with their insurance needs. Twin Rivers Marine Insurance, works closely with many marine affiliated associations, California Yacht Brokers CYBA, National Association of Marine Surveyors NAMS, Northwest Marine Trade Association NMTA, Northwest Yacht Brokers NYBA, Marine Recreation MRA, California Delta Chambers.

Bill Dertouzas

How to cook on a boat

Bill grew up in Brooklyn on Flatbush Avenue. His mother shopped in local markets and cooked Greek and American cuisines with fresh food every day. Bill’s family owned two restaurants while he was growing up, a coffee shop and a diner, immersing young Bill in the restaurant business from an early age.

Pursuing his love of food, Bill attended and graduated from the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Launching his chef’s career, working fir the Hyatt Regency in La Jolla, then opening the new Grand Hyatt in Maui. In 2001, Bill went out on his own and started a catering company in Los Angeles, serving the movie industry. He then opened Hole In The Wall restaurant in LA and won top chef’s awards for his outstanding burgers.

Bill always had a love of the ocean and sailing. He was in the merchant marines in his early years and now lives on a Catalina 42 in Emeryville Marina, where he is now cooking aboard and acting as Harbormaster for Safe Harbors Marina, Emeryville.

Brock De Lappe

Know your marinas

Brock has been the Harbor Master/Marina Manager at Oakland Marinas since 2017. He’s a strong advocate for the protection of the Oakland Estuary. He also loves sailing on his Nordic Folkboat and Pacific Seacraft 40. Prior to becoming a Harbor Master, Brock worked for 18 years in Marina Pollution Research at the University of California Bodega Marine Laboratory and UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory. For 20 years he was the Senior IT manager for several SF Bay Area Biotech companies.

Vincent Finetti

Boat Sales in The Post Coronavirus Era – Yacht Sales Academy

Vincent Finetti is the founder and sales strategist at Yacht Sales Academy. He created Yacht Sales Academy to help boat brokers, boat dealers and boat builders sell more boats. He has more than 4,640 boat sales professionals subscribed and over 730 enrolled students over the last 5years. Vincent is also the co-founder and CEO of Prestige Vision Inc. a marketing agency specialized in marine serving over 300 shipyards worldwide. He is also a partner in a brokerage firm: breezeYachting.swiss

Allie Hawkins

3 ways to get on the Bay – Bay Lights Charters

As an avid boater for more than 25+ years, I know I am right where I belong and living my dream. It all started in the early ’90s when I had an opportunity to live on a 50-foot Trimaran in San Diego. From the moment I stepped onboard I fell in LOVE with not only the boating lifestyle but all the like-minded people I’ve met who share my passion for all things on the water. It is with this foundation of boating and passion for the sea that I know I am doing exactly what I was meant to do by being a part of the stunning “GasLight” 72′ Schooner and building our fleet to encompass other boats and reach new Clients.

I can’t wait to show YOU around the Bay so that YOU may: “Experience The Bay in a Whole New Way.”

Amy Heiden & Jon Morris

Liveaboard Lifestyle

Diane Isley

Know your marinas – Harbor Master Emery Cove Marina

Diane has been the Harbor Master at Emery Cove Yacht Harbor in Emeryville since 1986. Emery Cove is a private dockominium marina with 460 slips. Over the past 34 years Diane has worked with the various agencies in all aspects of marina operations, dredging, and is currently managing a full dock renovation at Emery Cove which is 70% complete. She has devoted her entire career to making Emery Cove a beautiful place to dock your boat.

Born into boating, her family owned a boat yard on Lake Michigan, she is both a sailor having completed an offshore passage from California to Tonga in 1984 and a power boater owning several classic wooden boats. She has lots of experience towing all kinds of boats, platforms, docks and weird structures around Emery Cove.

Involved in the marine industry, she has served on the Board of Directors or been a member of a number of organizations including Clean Marine Program, California Association of Harbor Masters & Port Captains, Sail America and Bay Planning Coalition.

Greg Johnson

Liveaboard Lifestyle

Paul Kaplan

Know your boatyard – KKMI

A San Francisco native, Paul’s early ambitions as a marine biologist were altered when he took a part time job and became the youngest licensed yacht broker in California. With the success of City Yachts, a company currently owned by his wife Chrissy, he went on to found ProPark, a parking management company. ProPark was sold in 1995 enabling Paul the time and resources to develop KKMI.

Paul’s passion for all things nautical and protection of the environment are served by his position on several Boards of Directors. KKMI has been recognized by the California Water Environment Association as well as ABBRA for it’s leadership role in the maritime industry. Paul and his family are active boating enthusiasts, if not fanatics, and do so as often as possible.

Ed Martinez

Maintaining your boat – Mobile Tech Marine

Steve Meckfessel

Know your marinas – Marina Village Yacht Harbor

After serving as a partner with Vintage Properties, Steve Meckfessel formed SRM Associates in 1992. His company grew to become one of the largest commercial real estate development firms in the Bay Area developing over 4 million square feet of office and R&D buildings. In addition to its office holdings, SRM acquired the 740-berth Marina Village Yacht Harbor in 2006. Steve also co-owns and manages 1,500 acres of vineyards in the Lodi area. In addition to managing his properties, Steve is a touring singer-songwriter whose recordings have been aired around the world. He serves, or has served, on several non-profit and trade boards, including the Marine Recreation Association. Steve holds an MBA from UC Berkeley. He is a CPA, licensed general contractor and real estate broker. He is married and has children and grandchildren. He enjoys traveling and is a recurring guest lecturer at the Haas Graduate School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Jack Patton & Sonya David

Maintaining your boat – Spirit Marine Services

We are a young entrepreneurial couple living aboard a Passport 42 sailboat in Emery Cove Yacht Harbor for the past 6 years. Running our own marine maintenance business while continuing to outfit our cruising boat for future adventures, we are usually found upside down in an engine bilge or swinging from the bosuns chair at the top of a mast. In between boat projects, we have spent countless nights on the hook throughout SF Bay as well as completing various exciting ocean trips up and down the West Coast. Jack started sailing when he was around ten on the East coast on his family boat and at yacht club races. Sonya learned to sail in High School while living abroad in Uruguay. We both have taught sailing and Sonya worked in many sailing related jobs around the Bay: Treasure Island Sailing Center, Svendsen’s, Hogin Sails and Berkeley Marine Center.

In 2017, Jack left his job as a BMW technician and Spirit Marine Services was born. We began with a main focus of detailing, but it soon grew into a full on maintenance and yacht management business. Both of us received our 50 ton USCG Captains Licenses to add to our list of qualifications. Whether it be a simple motor to the boatyard or a coastal delivery, we’ve got you covered. We handle monthly wash-down services, as well as tackling any repairs or upgrades needed throughout the year to keep your boat in bristol condition. Our regular fleet services include twice a year waxing, stainless steel polish, storm checks, running engines, bright work and interior cleanings. In addition, we are happy to help with electrical upgrades, head repairs and canvas work. We provide our clients with the peace of mind that their boats are safe and treated as one of our own.

Brandt Pemberton

Online Boat Shows and Social Distancing – 39Pixels

I opened my first business in Lodi, CA (Computer Impressions) in 2005. It is a local IT/Computer Repair company, which is still running today. My major role in the company was the marketing and sales side, which allowed me to go out and meet lots of people in my local community. As time progressed, we hired more people to handle the day-to-day tasks of the company, which in turn gave me more free time to start something else.

Photography has always been my hobby – especially capturing cityscapes. Two years ago I laid out all my camera equipment and calculated how much it was all worth. Turned out to be $30,000 in total. I said to myself “I gave myself an ultimatum to make back what I spent on this equipment in 6 months or less, or sell all the equipment and go to one camera and one lens, like a normal person”

That’s when I decided to start 39pixels. I have always loved photography and I have loved cityscapes, buildings, skylines and architecture. I was introduced to Wayne and Atomic Tuna Yachts and loved what they were doing. I have been working with Atomic Tuna Yachts for two years doing their photography, video and 3 d virtual tours. It is exciting to see the progress of the marine industry to online marketing.

Francois Ramsey

What is a survey and what should I look out for? – Francois Ramsey Surveyor

Gene Scott

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey Boat Showing

Lara Scriba

Health & Wellness

Randy Sharpe

What is a survey and what should I look out for? – Randell Sharpe Surveying

Graduated from the Coast Guard academy in 1979 with a BS degree majoring in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Served as a Coast Guard Officer first as an engineer aboard ship and then for 18 years in the marine safety field. I was stationed at various Coast Guard Marine Safety Offices and in the marine safety policy office at Coast Guard Headquarters. Final duty assignment was as Chief of the investigations department at the Marine Safety Office in San Francisco. Retired as a Lieutenant Commander with 20 years of service as an officer in the Coast Guard.

Since retiring from the Coast Guard in June 1999, working as an independent marine surveyor and consultant to admiralty attorneys and commercial vessel operators. Joined the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) in 1999. SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor since 2001. I have testified as an expert witness in many court cases involving marine accidents and injuries. I also work as a liaison between various commercial vessel owners and the Coast Guard.

Past SAMS Pacific Regional Director, from August 2016 to October 2019. Currently the SAMS Vice President of testing.

Eva Tanner

Weather Routing

If you hear an accent it is german.

I worked as a Nurse in various capacities for 31 years, have been sailing for 35 years and have a merchant mariner credential.

Living aboard our sailing vessel for 25 years and having crossed oceans, sailing up and down the West Coast and extensively on SF Bay made weather a necessary tool which ultimately lead to it becoming a hobby.

Ashley Wallace

Liveaboard Lifestyle

Mark Wieber

How to dock a boat

Mark has spent most of his boating life in San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Coast, and the Sacramento Delta. His family has always had some sort of boat. Even if it was just a skiff with an outboard, or a Mini-Fish sailing dinghy. His Uncle had him backing trailers and driving a ski-boat at 15, and in his 20’s you could find him as a “sand bag” in the VYC beer can races, balancing out a Columbia 26 or moving up the ranks to crew on Cal-29’s.

He and his wife have owned a Catalina 36, a Slocum 43, a 38 foot Sea Ray Sundancer, a 280 Sundancer and are currently breathing life back into a 1981 Monk 36. He was Commodore of the EYC in 2013, and spent seven years as an EYC flag officer.

Mark has crewed on many deliveries, with all sorts of boats, and now holds a USCG Captains License. His love of boats and boating is notoriously contagious.

Ben Wedlock

What is a survey and what should I look out for? – Whiting Wedlock Marine Surveyors

Cris Wenthur

Navigating the Legal aspects of buying a boat – Wenthur Law Group

The Wenthur Law Group, LLP, located in San Diego, California is a boutique legal and tax firm focused on all aspects of sales, use, VAT, and property taxes concerning, purchasing, owning and selling yachts, jets and vintage automobiles. In addition, the Firm handles due diligence and regulatory compliance with the acquisition, ownership, operation of these high-end assets. Mr. Wenthur, Managing Partner at the Firm, is a frequent lecturer both locally and nationally on estate, tax and trust planning and the Firm continues to provide legal services in the areas of income, estate, gift tax planning and preparation, entity formations, mergers and acquisitions, trust preparation and estate administration. Mr. Wenthur is the originator of the “one vessel offshore delivery” in California and the proactive exemption process for obtaining exemption from California sales/use tax for yachts, jets and vintage automobiles.

Cris Wenthur

What is a survey and what should I look out for? – Whiting Wedlock Marine Surveyors

Rick grew up in the U.K. where he began sailing at the age of seven. He began building and racing small dinghies when a teenager and quickly moved into keel boats and long distance racing. His racing experience includes an Atlantic crossing, Bermuda, the Pacific, the North Sea and English Channel and many trips to the western coast of Mexico and Central America. His cruising and delivery experience includes the Caribbean, South America, Polynesia, the Pacific Northwest, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the coast of Maine.

Rick held a 100 ton USCG license with sailing endorsement for more than 20 years. He has eight years of experience as a yacht broker. He is experienced in restoration of wooden boats and currently lives aboard his floating home in Sausalito. His education in liberal arts includes a master’s degree in cinema.