YBAA University 2023 (YBAA U)

Regular Rate 

(Deadline: June 30, 2023)

Late/On-Site Rate 

HOTEL INFORMATION

Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown

This year’s YBAA U will be held at the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) located at 613 Third Street #10, Annapolis, MD 21403. If you are in need of a hotel reservation, YBAA recommends booking at the Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown located at 174 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. Roundtrip transportation will be provided by YBAA from this hotel to ABYC on the day of the event (please note that transportation will NOT be provided from any other hotels in the area).

Check-in time: 4 PM ET
Check-out time: 11 AM ET

Room Rate: Depends on room type

Click Here to Reserve Your Room

Reservation Instructions

1. Click "Edit Stay" to select the room nights needed for your length of stay.
2. Select the button labeled "Update" and then you will be able to view the special event rates listed per room type.

$500 YBAA Members; $750 Non-members

• Recognition of your partnership with your company logo, linked to your site, in all pre-event promotions, post-event communications, and on the YBAA website.
• Recognition of your support from the podium and in the onsite booklet.
• One complimentary registration to attend the Providence YBAA U event.
• Complimentary report of attendee emails and mailing addresses.
• Recognition of your partnership in three issues of the monthly YBAA Yacht Broker News.

Add an Exhibit Table (Members Only) - $100

Continental Breakfast Sponsor - $1,000 SOLD

Recognition from the podium, in onsite signage, and in the printed booklet.

Networking Lunch Sponsor -$2,000 SOLD

Recognition from the podium, in onsite signage, and in the printed booklet.

Pocket Notebook with Pen - $1,250   

Keep your notes close and readily available in your pocket. This notebook is branded with your company name and logo.

28oz Water Bottle - $1,500

Stay hydrated while sailing. This colorful, translucent water bottle will look amazing with your company’s name and logo on it.

Eyeglass Cleaner - $750

Keep your spectacles clean with a lens spray and cloth kit branded with your company’s logo.

Digital Still Ad - $300

Have your company’s logo displayed digitally while attendees register.

8:15 AM

9:00 AM

Registration & Breakfast
Sponsored by Crusader Yachts/Seattle Yachts

Foyer

9:00 AM

9:30 AM

Welcome

Meeting Room

9:30 AM

10:45 AM

Keynote Speaker
Presented by Jim Toomey, Sherman's Lagoon

Meeting Room

10:45 AM

11:00 AM

Break

Foyer

11:00 AM

12:00 PM

Technical Presentation

Presented by Brian Goodwin, ABYC

Meeting Room

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Lunch
Sponsored by IYBA/BoatDox.org

Meeting Room

1:00 PM

2:30 PM

Insurance & Finance Discussions

Insurance Presented by Bob Peck, Triton

Finance Presented by Cindy Lewis, Sterling Associates

Meeting Room

2:30 PM

2:45 PM

Break

Foyer

2:45 PM

4:15 PM

Legal Discussion

Presented by Todd Lochner, Lochner Law

Meeting Room

4:15 PM

4:45 PM

Wrap-Up & Raffle Prize Drawing

Meeting Room

Thank You to the 2023 YBAA U Raffle Donors!

Interested in providing a raffle item? Reach out to info@ybaa.org for additional information! 

5:00 PM

6:30 PM

YBAA Reception
Sponsored by YachtWorld

Meeting Room

Courtney Chalmers, YBAA Reception Host

Courtney leads marketing and branding at Boats Group, overseeing product marketing, digital marketing, and channel marketing teams. She modernizes the function of marketing through strategic management of people, technology, and data.

With 20 years of experience in digital marketing and brand management in the recreational boating industry, Courtney has been published in top boating publications, including Boating Industry Magazine and Soundings Trade Only, and is invited to speak at industry events across the U.S. She is actively involved in boating industry associations and was recognized by Boating Industry magazine as part of their Women Making Waves and Mover & Shaker programs.

Jim Toomey
Keynote Speaker

Jim Toomey is an internationally published humor writer and syndicated cartoonist best known as the creator of the popular comic strip Sherman’s Lagoon, published daily in over 150 newspapers including The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune. Jim has produced 28 Sherman’s Lagoon books, published by Andrews McMeel, and most recently a travel memoir, entitled Family Afloat, about his two years sailing the world’s oceans with his wife and family. In the summer of 2015, Jim and his family purchased a sailboat and embarked on a 14,000-mile journey, which covered most of the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe, some of North Africa, a trans-Atlantic jaunt, most of the Caribbean, and the east coast of the USA. 

Keynote Presentation

In the summer of 2015, Jim and his family purchased a sail catamaran and embarked on a 14,000-mile journey around the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the USA. Join us to hear Jim kick off YBAA U as the Keynote Speaker! Jim will provide a customer's perspective on the thought process of buying a boat and cruising the open water. He'll also discuss whether advances in technology have truly lowered the barriers to entry in offshore cruising.

Brian Goodwin
Speaker

As the Technical Director at the American Boat and Yacht Council, Brian is responsible for the managing the review and publication of over 70 standards. He also insures the execution of numerous grants awarded to the ABYC Technical Department. Brian also actively liaisons with other groups including NMMA, NASBLA, SAMS®, NAMS, NFPA, and SAE. Prior to assuming the role as the Technical Director in 2012, he was the Technical Standards Manager at ABYC.  

Technical Presentation

Evolving Technology and Standards

From electric propulsion to self-docking vessels, new technology is always emerging in the boating industry.  This presentation will touch on new technologies, current trends and issues, and how standards are addressing them.   

Bob Peck
Insurance Speaker

The Founding Partner of Triton Insurance, Bob has 23 years of experience in property, casualty insurance and risk management advisory services. Starting his career in New York with Marsh McLennan and a former partner with Hinckley Insurance, Bob brings deep expertise from both the corporate and agency perspectives. He lives on Aquidneck Island with his wife and three boys and is a lifelong boating enthusiast. 

Insurance Discussion:

Discover the fascinating world of insurance in the yacht brokerage industry at the YBAA-U. Delve into the intricacies of insuring high-value vessels, uncovering the diverse coverage options and mastering effective risk assessment strategies. Learn from Bob, Peck, an esteemed expert, gain valuable insights, and equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to safeguard your clients' investments in this dynamic and ever-evolving sector of yacht brokerage.

Finance Discussion:

Coming soon.

Cindy Lewis
Finance Speaker

Bio coming soon.

Todd Lochner
Speaker

Todd Lochner is a member of the bars of the State of Maryland, the United States District Courts for the Districts of Maryland and D.C., as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Within his firm he also has Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Florida barred attorneys.  He keeps abreast of changes in maritime law as a member of the Maritime Law Association and by attending education programs sponsored by the Admiralty Law Institute. He has served in the leadership of the Recreational Boating Committee of the Association where he is currently the chairman of the committee, the Legal Committee for the United States Sailing Association as well as being a member of the Mid-Atlantic Mariners Club and Marine Trades Association of Maryland. Mr. Lochner is a Past President of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association and has been supplying advice to YBAA when requested for many years. 

Embark on a voyage through the legal intricacies of the yacht industry at the highly anticipated Legal Discussion at YBAA-U. In this engaging session, legal expert, Todd Lochner will shed light on the paramount importance of legal considerations when dealing with yacht transactions. From contract negotiations to maritime law compliance, participants will gain valuable insights into protecting clients' interests and ensuring seamless yacht transactions. Through case studies, interactive discussions, this expert presentation, will empower attendees with the knowledge and best practices needed to navigate the legal waters of the yacht industry with confidence and precision. Don't miss this opportunity for updates on the Coast Guard initiative, regarding Delaware registered vessels, proposed rule making regarding speed zones, offshore flagging and much more. You will leave strengthened in your legal foundation and elevate your expertise in the dynamic world of yacht brokerage.