CALENDAR 2012

Link to Massachusetts' Boat Shows
Link to Boater and Captain Class Offerings

Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Expo

With hundreds of exhibitors representing the entire world of fishing & hunting, this show is where New England sportsmen and women head to every February. Miss any sports show, BUT NOT THIS ONE!

Tuesday-Thursday, February 10-12, 2012; Venue: DCU Center, 50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608

Valentine's Day Weekend Dinner Cruise

Set sail with your special someone this Valentine’s Day aboard The Odyssey. Guests will enjoy complimentary roses, a champagne toast, live entertainment, dancing and an elegant plated dinner. Tickets from $109.90/person.

Cruise leaves from 60 Rowes Wharf in Boston.

Saturday, Feb 11 7:00p to 11:00p at Odyssey Cruises, Boston, MA

Valentines Day Dinner Cruise

Cards, flowers and chocolates simply can't compare to celebrating the most romantic day of the year aboard Boston Harbor Cruises' Valentine's Day Dinner Cruise. Picture the glittering glow cast by Boston's skyline dancing on the waters around our premiere dinner boat, the Majesty, as the two of you partake in an exquisite menu, champagne toast and dancing to the smooth sounds of a live jazz ensemble.

Saturday, Feb 11 8:00p to 11:00p at Long Wharf, Boston, MA

56th Annual New England Boat Show

New England’s premier winter boating event is held at the state of the art Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). The Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show has grown into the Northeasts’ largest Boat Show, attracting thousands from the New England Seaboard. The show fills 300,000 square feet with hundreds of the newest boats from the region’s top dealers, along with a wide selection of marine accessories and special features – creating a marine marketplace and boater’s paradise like no other!

Have a need for speed? See powerboats of all makes and models for cruising, fishing, wakeboarding and all the watersports!

Do you like to ride with the wind? The Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show offers dozens of sailboats from skiffs and one design dinghy racers to Coastal Cruisers. All rigged and ready for your inspection!

The show also has more than 250 exhibits of the latest in marine accessories to stock up on everything from the newest navigational equipment, hardware and galleyware for your boat.

Wednesday-Thursday, February 11-19, 2012; Venue: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210

WSI: Wreck Scene Investigation

Back by popular demand! Examine and excavate the “remains” of a shipwreck. Map, record and identify the objects found, then use this information to find out more about the ship and her crew. Learn about some of the unique challenges faced by under-water researchers, not least of which is remembering to breathe! Also, discover the story and remains of the oldest recovered shipwreck in America “Sparrow Hawk.”

Monday, Feb. 20th, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street • PO Box 443 • Hyannis MA 02601

Scrimshaw & Shell Sailors’ Valentines

Long ago, sailors from Cape Cod traveled around the world on trading voyages. Learn how Scrimshaw & Sailors' Valentines came to Cape Cod in the 1800s. Make your own Scrimshaw ornament as the centerpiece of your design, then create a Sailors’ Valentine around it with colorful and organic shells on an octagon-shaped base.

Tuesday, Feb. 21st, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street • PO Box 443 • Hyannis MA 02601

Yacht Race Extravaganza!

NEW PROGRAM! What makes a racing sailboat go super fast? Build your own model racing yacht, complete with rigging & sail, and experiment with wind and speed across a make-shift waterway right in the museum!

Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street • PO Box 443 • Hyannis MA 02601

Pirate Navigation Kit

Pirates needed navigation tools to find their way to buried treasure! Learn about Cape Cod pirates in a Pirate Scavenger Hunt, then create your very own navigation kit complete with magnetic compass and a Cape Cod treasure map.

Thursday, Feb. 23rd, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street • PO Box 443 • Hyannis MA 02601

28th Springfield Sportmen's Show

The Springfield Sportsmen's Show is undisputedly the largest “pure” sportsmen’s show in the Northeast! This mega sporting event takes place at the Eastern States Exposition, home of the “BIG E,” West Springfield, Massachusetts. The show includes the best of hunting, fishing, boating and adventure recreation that the outdoor world has to offer all bundled together in one great event.

2012 marks the 29th season of the Springfield Sportsmen's Show. We are actively working on this year’s show which will take place at the Eastern States Exposition, Home of the Big E on February 23rd - 26th, 2012. Much more than the typical sportsmen’s show, OSEG prides itself on innovation. We were the first to put a full sized Water Dog Retrieving Pool in a show, we helped the Northeast Big Buck Club launch their highly successful measuring organization, we recently started the Northeast ‘Bass Blast’ and we were the first backers of now ‘world famous’ whitetail expert Dick Scorzafava. Our enthusiasm for innovation and dedication to bringing sportsmen and women the very best the sporting industry has to offer is what keeps the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show ahead of the pack.

Thursday-Saturday, February 23-26, 2012; Venue: Eastern States Exposition Home of the Big E, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA 01089

Fishing Fun Friday

Cape Cod is home to lots of different kinds of fishing—from catching lobsters in a trap, to tuna & cod fishing and digging for clams. One of the ancient forms of harvesting fish is called weir fishing, from which our current exhibit Weir Fishing Rules gets its name. In this new program, learn about the Cape’s fishing technology by building your very own model lobster pots, fish weirs, lines, nets, poles, and rakes out of recycled materials found in nature and around the household. Can you make your models work?

Friday, Feb. 24th, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street • PO Box 443 • Hyannis MA 02601

Lobster Pot Tournament

Friday, March 16 - Sunday, March 18, 2012, Venue: Hyannis Youth & Community Center, Hyannis & Tony Kent Arena, Dennis

2nd Annual Quahog Republic Hog Off

Come and sample specially prepared Stuffed Quahogs from local contenders and then cast your vote for your favorite! Highlights of the event also include a 50-50 raffle, live music and the chance to win a Monster Lobster. All proceeds benefit the Quahog Republic's newly LIFE Scholarship for Falmouth High School seniors. Tickets are $5 per person (space is limited).

Saturday, April 7, 2012, Venue: Quahog Republic Dive Bar, Spring Bars Road, Falmouth

19th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days

Enjoy a month-long celebration of Cape Cod's rich maritime history! Lighthouse & walking tours, nautical art exhibits and lectures on maritime lore, boat-building exhibits, kayaking excursions, and the Maritime History Symposium.

Sunday, May 13 - Sunday, June 10, 2012, Venue: Cape-wide

Annual Figawi Charity Ball

More information and tickets: (508) 775-2201

Friday, May 18, 2012 at 7:00pm, Venue: The Resort & Conference Center at Hyannis

8th Annual Ocean to the Bay Run/Walk

Saturday, May 26, 2012, Venue: Highland Museum & Lighthouse, North Truro

Annual Figawi Regatta

The Annual Figawi Race Weekend is recognized as a top sailing event not only on the east coast but is known nationally as well as internationally. Figawi Race Weekend kicks off the the Cape Cod and Nantucket summer season. Entries include sailors from several states -240+ boats (including 30 power boats).

Friday, June 25 - Sunday, June 27, 2012, Hyannis to Nantucket

11th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival

Explore the tall ship Peacemaker, book a sail on the catboat Sarah or the Black Dog Tall Ship Alabama, enjoy colorful and exciting exhibits, arts and crafts, children's entertainment, musical performers, pirates and of course - seafood! Festival admission is free and open to the public!

Saturday, June 9 - Sunday, June 10, 2012, Venue: Cape Cod Maritime Museum, Hyannis Harbor

2nd Annual Whale Week

Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies presents WHALE WEEK - A Celebration of the Sea! Enjoy dozens of family-friendly events with a marine theme; walks, whale-watches, tours, craft activities, music, and much more!

Monday, June 23 - Friday, June 28, 2012, Provincetown

Community Boating 4th of July SAILabration Fundraiser

Avoid the commotion of the masses on the Esplanade, yet preserve the spirit of camaraderie and the sounds and sights of the Boston Pops as you enter our gates. A summer cookout, cold non-alcoholic beverages, and awesome waterfront view of the fireworks. This Independence Day option is by far the best that Boston has to offer. People of all ages and from all places join us for our safe and festive party; this event is especially appealing to families as it offers a refuge from the chaos of hundreds of thousands that line the shores of the Charles. Feel free to bring extra non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, blankets, and lawn chairs. Our doors open at 4PM so you can enjoy the day and keep your front row seat on the dock or one of our sailboats. We sell out Every Year! Don't miss out, get your tickets now!

Wednesday, July 4 4:00p at Community Boating Boathouse, Boston, MA

Boston Light Tour August 2012

Join a National Park Service Ranger, for one of the most enjoyable tours that the Boston Harbor Islands National Park area has to offer! During this unforgettable adventure tour of Boston Light, you'll step directly from the boat into the past. Historic Little Brewster Island is located in the outer reaches of Boston Harbor providing unique views of the city and the surrounding waterways.

Thursday, Aug 2 10:00a at Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, Boston, MA

Community Boating's Annual Fundraiser

Join us for Community Boating's Raise the Sails Gala at the beautiful and prestigious Liberty Hotel Ballroom. The evening will include cocktails, hors d'oeuvers, dancing and more, while helping to support our youth and adaptive sailing programs. Once the Charles Street Jail, this converted hotel is situated in the heart of Beacon Hill and is a key sponsor of this event, donating the food and space. The generosity of the Liberty Hotel ensures that all of the proceeds of this event will go to directly support our Junior and Universal Access Programs. Parking is Available in the Mass Eye and Ear Lot for $5.

Tuesday, November 8, 2012 at 6:00PM; Venue: The Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles St. Boston, MA 02114

Icebreaker: Northeast Regional Youth Open-Water Rowing Championships

The Icebreaker draws 200 of the region’s best youth open-water rowers – from Boston Harbor, Lake Champlain, Martha’s Vineyard, Maine’s North Haven and Vinalhaven, New Haven and Avery Point, CT, New York City, Plymouth, and Scituate – compete for the coveted “Key to the Harbor.” The young people, from middle school through high school, race throughout the day in a series of round-robin-style heats, culminating with a huge nautical mile race across the bay.

Saturday, November 19, 2012 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Venue: Windmill Point Boathouse, 180 Main Street, Hull, MA 02045