33,199

Total attendance at the 2026 Seattle Boat Show, according to the Northwest Marine Trade Association which organizes it. The annual recreational boating bonanza at Lumen Field Event Center took place Jan. 30 - Feb. 7.

NMTA also reported that 2025 Recreational Boat Sales data from WA Sea Grant shows new boat registrations in Washington down 7% in last year compared to 2024. Despite fewer new boats, the sales value increased to $446 million.

Ferry apprentices and hybrids

WSF announced the first graduates of its two-year licensed deck officer apprentice program. The WSF-specific program is run in partnership with MITAGS and trains people without maritime experience to become mates and captains, the most in-demand positions.

The second class of apprentices will graduate in early 2027 and a third class will be recruited in the coming months.

Related: WSF’s Steve Nevey on running the nation’s largest ferry system from WorkBoat

The agency also selected a vessel charging system for the hybrid-electric ferries. These boats will operate with two diesel engines and two electric motors. They'll charge each time they dock, usually a 20-minute window.

CHUM News, an online media outlet covering Seattle culture and society, launched a new column: Undercover dispatches from a Washington State Ferries deckhand.

The Wenatchee generally feels like a work in progress and really has been struggling since its conversion into a hybrid-electric boat; it’s hard being a Prius. — Al A. Shorr (not the author's real name)

"Ferry Tales" takes you aboard the ferries in a whole new way with a refreshingly non-institutional tone. It also shares a name with the Washington State Ferries employee newsletter.

Makah Tribe receives grant to remove abandoned derelict vessels

The Makah Indian Tribe received a grant from the BoatUS Foundation to fund the removal of 10 abandoned and derelict vessels from the Makah Marina in Neah Bay.

Derelict vessels are a pollution threat in coastal areas all around the country. In addition to the grants, the BoatUS Foundation program is creating a national database to identify and track abandoned and derelict vessels. It is funded by NOAA's Marine Debris Program.

The Oregon Department of State Lands also received a grant to remove more than 40 vessels from the state's coastline.

Around the Sound (and state)

Skagit Valley College's Matthew Mardesich is the American Boat & Yacht Council Foundation's 2025 Educator of the Year. ABYC is the leader in voluntary safety standards for recreational boats. Mardesich is co-chair and instructor at the school's Marine Maintenance Technology department, part of the Marine Technology Center in Anacortes.

The Hewes family announced their intent to sell Hewes Marine Company and Hewescraft, their brand of aluminum boats. Founded in 1948 in Colville, the company currently employs 180 workers at its production facility.

The Port of Tacoma's new Maritime Center broke ground a year ago. The port shared photos and videos of the progress to date. Maritime 253, a career and technical education center, will open this fall and the port's business center will open in 2027.

Northwest Maritime Center CEO Jake Beattie is taking a six-month sabbatical. Beattie has led the Port Townsend-based nonprofit for the past 15 years. Northwest Maritime is gearing up for the next edition of its infamous Race to Alaska and is a key partner behind the region's first Maritime High School.

Washington State Parks is asking boaters and stakeholders for feedback on four proposals for Blake Island Marine State Park. The new Master Plan will be finalized later this year.

The Port of Olympia is considering whether to fund a demand study for a ferry service from Olympia to Des Moines. The proposed service would be for economic development, perhaps as a leisure activity rather than a commuter service.

Evolving waterfronts in Bellingham and Mukilteo

Construction began in January on Salish Landing, a 17-acre park on the shores of Bellingham Bay. Mayor Kim Lund called the future park "a gem" in her Feb. 17 State of the City address.

An adjacent cleanup project also started in January and is estimated to take three years to restore two sites contaminated by industrial activities.

In 2025, the city opened the 1,248-foot Little Squalicum Pier, now the longest public pier in the state. These waterfront projects were identified in Bellingham's Parks & Recreation Open Space Plan. There's also a plan for a covered skate park on the waterfront.

Learn more: Construction of Salish Landing Park via Whatcom Watch

The Port of Everett is acquiring two key properties for redeveloping the Mukilteo waterfront. The long term vision is shaped by a 2022 community outreach effort.

The first 1.1 acre property was transferred from NOAA after the national agency did not move forward with building a research facility there. The site is adjacent to current port property and just east of the Silver Cloud Hotel.

The second property is home to longtime tenant Ivar's which "will continue to be a staple of the Mukilteo waterfront for decades to come," according to a press release. The sale is expected to close in July.

“The Port listened, took the time to secure the right properties, and is now creating a path forward to deliver what the community has been asking for: a welcoming and convenient gathering place for Mukilteo,” said Port Commissioner Tom Stiger in the release.

The Port has hired an architecture firm and will next seek a private development partner.