Farewell, 2011…we hardly knew ye! No matter, as it’s time to start thinking about next season, and what better place to start than a boat or outdoor show? Start with the Providence Boat Show this weekend (Jan. 13-15), followed by the Hartford Boat & Fishing Show (Jan. 27-28), the Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo in Worcester, MA (Feb. 10 & 12), the New England Boat Show in Boston (Feb. 11-19), the Cape Cod Boatbuilders Show in Hyannis (Feb. 10-12), the New England Salt Water Fishing Show in Providence (Mar. 9-11) and the Maine Boatbuilders Show in Portland (Mar. 16-18). Of course, there’s no need to mark the dates right now, as we’ll keep you posted on BoatingLocal as the various events draw closer.

Other ways to keep busy and prepare for spring include boating courses, fishing seminars, maritime history lectures and even boatbuilding classes. Again, we’ll let you know when they become available in a location near you.

Of course, one of the best places to start planning trips to New England destinations is BoatingLocal. Be sure to check out our ever-expanding archive of destinations for all your trip-planning needs. From launch ramps and anchorages to slips and moorings, we’ve got the bases covered.

But even as we gaze ahead to the coming season, here’s a look back at some of the top articles and videos we ran in December, in case you missed them.

Tom Richardson
Publisher & Editor

A look at some of the top destination articles that appeared on BoatingLocal over the past year. By the way, you might be interested to learn that BoatingLocal has posted over 2,000 articles and 90 videos since its launch in July, 2010, and we’ve got a lot more coming your way in 2012!

From chasing false albacore in Buzzards Bay to bottom bouncing for winter flounder in Boston Harbor, BoatingLocal host Tom Richardson was hard at work bringing the following action-packed videos and articles to life. We also posted numerous how-to pieces, including how to tie various knots and how to fish different types of structure along the New England coast. Here are 10 of the best.

Even though the holidays are behind us, the following list of useful, clever and arty boating products will still be of interest to nautical-minded folks. Best of all, many are made right here in New England, so you’ll be supporting local businesses as well.

Tropical Storm Irene wasn’t near the tempest most boaters feared, but it did wreak plenty of havoc along the New England coast. Here’s a look at the storm’s aftermath through some of the news posts and video we ran in 2011.

• Kayaker Rescued off Fairhaven, MA

• Meteorologist Predicts More Floods, Storms in NE
• Mysterious Underwater Vehicle Washes Up in New Bedford
• Missing CT Boater Found in Lake Housatonic
• Nantucket Ferry Strikes Freight Boat Sankaty
• Barge Raised from Narragansett Bay East Passage
• Cape Cod Beach Ranked Among Top 10 in U.S.
• Long Island Sound Seals May Affect Fishing
• Fishermen, Scientists Discuss Dismal Cod Assessment
• Rare Calico Lobster Landed on Cape Cod
• Boater Dies in Niantic, CT