Wikipedia
The boatnerd corporation is a registered not for profit corporation that circulates information about vessels that ply the North American Great Lakes. The organization maintains an office in Port Huron, Michigan, overlooking the confluence of the St Clair and Black Rivers.
Boatnerd's website went online in 2003 and became a registered not for profit corporation in 2006 under the name Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online. The site gets over 20 million page views a month.
Boatnerd holds annual festivals, at sites of interest to those interested in maritime commerce on the Great Lakes.
The organization provides prizes through fund-raising raffles. At one time lake freighters were built with an "owner's suite", which are rarely used today. Boatnerd has convinced shipping companies to make cruises on board a working lake freighter in the owner's suite available to donors. 76 donors have won Great Lake freighter cruises.