Now that you and your brother have discovered the unique thrill of playing Battleship with real ships, you’ll need to buy some new game pieces. Today’s Groupon will let you scope out your options: For $11, you get a five-day pass to the Seattle Boat Show (a $24 value) at the Qwest Field Event Center and on South Lake Union. The boat show runs from Friday, January 29, until Saturday, February 6. Your Groupon will also include:

• One day of free parking at the Qwest Field North Parking Lot, Safeco Field Parking Garage, or Home Plate Parking Lot (a $10 value)
• A free cup of that seafaring staple, clam chowder, from FX McRory’s Restaurant (a $4.45 value)
• All the maritime information you can handle with a one-year subscription to your choice of Yachting, Field & Stream, Islands, or Cruising World Magazines (a $10 value)

The show itself, the biggest on the West Coast, offers a boater’s paradise of boaty boating boatitude with more boats than you can shake an oar at. You’ll get to see, and shop, more than a thousand recreational watercraft, including inflatables, tugs, yachts, and the somewhat impractical flying cruise liner. Exhibitors include the 13th Coast Guard District, Alaska Series Inflatable Boats, Blue Water Yachts, Harbor Marine, Mastercraft Boat Company, the Recreational Boating Association of Washington, Viking Life Saving Equipment, and Yachtcare, LLC. Seminar topics, will cover all of the ins and outs of fishing, boat maintenance, first aid, picking up mermaid hitchhikers, and other maritime concerns. And you won’t want to miss this year’s special event: a showing of Emmy-winning director Sprague Theobald’s upcoming documentary on the Northwest Passage. Cast and crew from the film will make an appearance and talk about their amazing five-month expedition aboard the Bagan boat, which will also be available, although it has thus far refused to answer questions. In addition, the Seattle Boat Show will host several dozen local artists and their nautically themed wares.

Five days of the Seattle Boat Show won’t seem like enough time to get in on all this floatational fun, so don’t miss a chance to shout “abandon ship!” every time you climb down from one of the show’s display boats.

Reviews

Excited boat enthusiasts have been expressing their anticipation on the Seattle Boat Show’s facebook page.

• Just got the e-mail about the show. We already had bought our airline tickets in October. Are we excited? You bet ya! – Jeanne Clark Chapman, facebook

• Whoo-hoo! The Seattle Boat Show is SO cool—I go every year! – Laura, facebook