The Argo Team had a fantastic time at the Seattle Boat Show, meeting many Pacific Coast boaters and hosting a live seminar on Chartplotters vs. Apps

Have you ever wondered what boating in the Pacific Northwest is like?

A few weeks ago, we had a chance to hear all about it at the Seattle Boat Show – our first boat show on the West Coast… AND our first 10-day show!

It’s always fun to meet with boaters in new areas and find out how they use Argo and, most importantly, how we can make our app even better for them. We learned that boating in the Pacific Northwest is very unique and that Seattle boaters are some of the most knowledgeable mariners we’ve ever met.

Here’s a recap of 10 interesting things we learned…including a video recap at the end of our live seminar at the show, Chartplotters vs Apps.

10 Things We Learned in Seattle

1. There are a lot of Argo boaters on the West Coast!

Although Argo has a higher concentration of boaters on the East Coast, there are approximately 3,000 Argo users in the Seattle area – we met quite a few and they were very proud to let us know that they’re already on board!

2. There’s still plenty of boaters who haven’t heard about Argo – but we’re getting the word out!

We were happy to introduce many Seattle area boaters to Argo. One of our favorite reactions from a boater just learning about Argo: “I’ve been looking for something exactly like this. Amazing you have come up with it.”

3. Seattle boaters go on amazing journeys.

While not all boaters are cruisers, many of them are “trawler lifers” or go to wonderful destinations north of Seattle such as the San Juan Islands and beyond into Canada and Alaska.

Captain Jeff talks with a Seattle boater

Captain Jeff talks with a local Seattle boater.

4. West Coast & East Coast boaters like similar app features

We heard a lot of familiar feedback – boaters everywhere love the autorouting. Most seemed very impressed by the ease of use, clean interface, and direction that we are taking with the development of our app.

5. Some reactions were just plain funny.

One guy continued to argue with us that we were not charging enough for Premium features (maybe he’s right, it is only $20!) Another guy was so astounded by the app that he was uttering strings of very complimentary expletives and begging our pardon for doing so.

6. Pacific Northwest boaters are so smart.

Not only did we think PNW boaters were very friendly and open to new technology, they were also some of the most knowledgeable boaters we ever met.

7. Boating is different in the Pacific Northwest.

It seemed like every other person asked if we had currents or if the routing was taking into account the currents. Of course on the East Coast currents may slow you down, but out there currents can run in excess of 6 to 9 knots, dictating where & when you can go…or even end your day. Northwest boaters are very used to timing their passages for fair tide and using a combination of tools to get where they are going. Most seemed very glad to add Argo to their toolboxes and were happy to hear that display of currents and tides on the chart is currently in development.

Argo's Captain Jeff & Dave Rowe at Seattle Boat Show Seminar

Captain Jeff & Argo Ambassador Dave speaking to the Seattle Boat Show crowd on Chartplotters vs. Apps.

8. Safety is paramount.

Most boaters were very focused on the importance of boating safety and best practices. Boating the Inside Passage and Puget Sound requires skill and intricate knowledge of the local tidal currents and the overall hydrology of the entire region. You also do not want to fall overboard and be in the water for very long any time of year. We got the impression if you can learn to boat in the PNW you can boat pretty much anywhere.

9. There’s some extreme boating in the PNW!

We learned about the RZAK Race – a non-motorized vessel race to Alaska. It really shows how tough the weather and current can be… and the amazing skills of PNW mariners!

10. PNW boaters are a very savvy group.

We had an excellent turnout during our navigation seminars and received lots of very smart questions. These boaters really know navigation and put us to the test!

Chartplotters vs. Apps Seminar

Captain Jeff and our Ambassador Dave presented a seminar during the Seattle Boat Show covering the pros and cons of modern chartplotters and the latest mobile navigation apps.

Wanna take a deeper dive into navigation? Watch our video recap!

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