Article by Mark Pittman and Rob Piwowarczyk, CPYB | Photos from event participants
The inaugural East Coast Selene Rendezvous was held in the beautiful coastal village of Solomons, Maryland September 14th-16th. The event, hosted at Safe Harbor Zahnisers Marina showcased 14 beautiful Selene trawlers of varying sizes. In addition, the owners of 10 Selene’s from all around the US and Canada arrived by plane, train and car to participate in the festivities.
One of the big announcements at the event was the introduction of Wayne Goldman, Paul Cifka and Michael Chen who are partners with Howard Chen in the recently formed North American distributor, Selene Americas. There will be more on the JMYS relationship with Selene Americas to follow.
The star of the event was the owner and founder of Selene Yachts, Howard Chen. He spoke about the creation and evolution of the brand and made time to visit in person with all of the Selene owners. Howard started building Selene’s in 1998 and now there are over 400 Selene’s out cruising worldwide – an impressive legacy that is still going strong. Howard was able to address the group in a conference setting and he also spent time visiting with each of the owners aboard their own vessels. What better testament to brand support is there than having a personal visit aboard your Selene by the man who designed it?
One special treat was an impromptu discussion around a Selene hauled out at the yard. The attendees gathered around while Howard pointed out many of the distinct hull features that make Selene such a sought after vessel for adventures at sea.
JMYS was proud to be an event sponsor for the rendezvous and our Trawler Specialists, Rob Piwowarczyk, CPYB and Mark Pittman were there to represent us. Rob is also the owner of a Selene 55, Bella Luna, and is an active member of the West Coast Selene Owners chapter.
A special thank you to the event organizers, Barry and Robin Newland, Greg and Glenda Groome, and Steve and Cindy Covington.
Selene has always been a popular choice for active cruisers. They compete right at the top of the list in the fiberglass full displacement production market with other trawler brands such as Nordhavn and Kadey Krogen. Selene trawlers are known for their ocean crossing capabilities, fine woodwork, elegant lines, and fine craftsmanship.
The timing of the event was a great opportunity for the new North American distributors to share their vision of the future to build new Selene trawlers and support the hundreds of Selene’s out cruising. With Howard Chen’s partnership, Selene Americas is well positioned to help revitalize the brand and support the current owners.
The event was a huge success and one thing that stood out most during the event is the warmth of the Selene owners and the pride in their vessels. Many of the attendees were meeting for the very first time. It did not take very long before they all treated each other and guests, as family. There really is nothing like the cruising community.
JMYS will continue to support the efforts of Selene Americas, Selene trawlers, and those who wish to learn more about the Selene brand and trawler lifestyle!
The next Selene Rendezvous will be in Roche Harbor, WA on April 17-21, 2024.
