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Orange County, Calif. – September 11, 2012 – Strictly Sail Long Beach, Southern California’s only all-sail boat show (formerly the Long Beach Yacht & Boat Show), will provide sailing enthusiasts a rare opportunity to learn from world renowned pros with more than 60 exclusive sailing seminars expected during the four-day event, taking place at Shoreline Marina at Rainbow Harbor October 18-21.

With sailing experts including George Day, Kathy Parsons and Lee Chesneau, plus dozens of sailing pros and topics across the spectrum, Strictly Sail Long Beach will provide sailors of every experience level an invaluable destination for sailing education with the largest selection of seminars in the region, said Dave Geoffroy, executive director, NMMA West.

2012 Strictly Sail Long Beach seminars, sponsored by Blue Water Sailing magazine, include:

The 10 Things They Never Tell You About the Cruising Life (George Day, Blue Water Sailing): The experts are happy to talk about the boats and gear and safety procedures needed to be safe and successful cruisers. But there is a lot that the experts never mention. The 10 Things They Never Tell You About the Cruising Life will open doors to the real cruising life, what it entails, the rewards and the hardships. It's not all rum drinks with pink umbrellas; nor is it all shipwrecks and pirates.

Proper Provisioning (Kathy Parsons, Author and Founder of Women and Cruising): Provisioning, trivial ashore, becomes a key skill for successful cruising. The instruction will address provisioning from start to finish, beginning with factors that affect what sailors will (and won’t) want to take; avoiding LOB (lost on board) – strategies and systems for organizing, stowing, and inventorying (manual, computerized, and app-based); preserving what is on board (vacuum sealing, drying, storage containers and systems); re-provisioning in foreign countries; plus lots of useful handouts and downloads to for sailors to get started including provisioning lists of food, supplies and spares, multilingual re-provisioning lists, and more.

The Weather Briefing – Self Reliant Weather Interpretation Skills (Lee Chesneau, Lee Chesneau’s Marine Weather): This seminar introduces surface weather maps and what the anticipated weather forecasts are for several geographical areas from east and the west coasts and other areas of the country; discusses human intelligence products as generated by the National Weather Service (NWS); reviews tropical cyclone avoidance techniques using the 1-2-3 Rule; provides an overview of what mariners need for self-reliance; and makes recommendations for weather chart collection and display for logical forecast processing, interpretation, and decision making. This seminar is for everyone who enjoys day sailing, and coastal or offshore cruising.

What's it really Like Cruising the California and Mexican Coasts? (Pat & Carole McIntosh, avid cruisers): This panel discussion gives sailors the opportunity to talk with two central California couples who have cruised from San Francisco down the coasts of California and Mexico the last several years. These cruisers have experienced it all, everything from the ridiculous (complete electrical failures in the black of night, or crossing the infamous Tehuantepec) to the sublime (full-moon sails across the Sea of Cortez) and everything in between: police boarding, checking in & out, provisioning, keeping in contact with friends & family, making new friends, night watches, anchors dragging, shopping in little villages, making unique repairs, or being really UP CLOSE with whales and other sea life. This will give sailors a chance to hear what it’s like in the small anchorages & tiny villages as well as in the best and newest marinas. Expect lots of time for Q & A’s.

Downwind Sailing Techniques (Bruce Brown, Bruce Brown Associates): Learn when to use a downwind pole and how to deploy it, safely from the foredeck. This seminar will cover how to sail downwind with a Jib, Genoa, Asymmetrical Spinnaker, Code Zero and Spinnaker. Brown will discuss equipment and techniques as well as the difference between these sailing systems.

Sailing Made Easy (Brenda Wempner, American Sailing Association): Learn the basics of sailing, including tacking, jibing and sailing terminology. Points of sail and proper sail trim will be discussed as well as an introduction to rules of the road.

Baja Ha-Ha ‘How To’ (Andy Turpin, Managing Editor of Latitude 38): Since its inception in 1994, the Baja Ha-Ha cruisers' rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas has grown to be the second largest cruising rally in the world. It attracts roughly 180 boats and 600 sailors per year from all walks of life. For many of them, the rally serves as the first step into a life of world voyaging. Unlike nonstop point-to-point races, the Ha-Ha features two rest stops along its 750-mile route, where parties and other shoreside activities take place. Turpin has done the event 16 times. His upbeat seminar will educate, cause laughter, and inspire sailors to head south with the fleet. See http://www.baja-haha.com.

Twenty Classic and Affordable Sailboats for Bluewater Cruising (Zuzana Prochazka, Cruising Outpost): Learn about the 20 classic boats that will get sailors out on the water for less. The high and low points of 20 affordable designs will be discussed along with approximate current prices and availability. These classic plastic boats are still plying waters around the world and can still go the distance.

The 2012 Strictly Sail Long Beach boat show will feature close to a hundred sailboats, representing dozens of brands and models from the region’s leading dealers, plus an area showcasing the sailing industry’s newest accessories and technology. Show attractions will include a full schedule of educational seminars for novice sailors and experienced boaters from the industry’s top experts, on-water attractions including daily lessons aboard sailboats, a chance to try paddle sports, a Sailing Simulator and more.

For more information, visit http://www.StrictlySailLongBeach.com. For exhibit opportunities, contact Executive Director of NMMA West, Dave Geoffroy, at dgeoffroy@nmma.org, 714-633-7584; or NMMA Show Manager, Kevin Murphy, at kmurphy@nmma.org, 401-293-5207.

About Strictly Sail Long Beach: Strictly Sail Long Beach is produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the world’s largest producer of boat shows and the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information, visit http://www.nmma.org.