World of Boating

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Capt Rusty — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:40:13 +0000

The months of January, February and even part of March are not known as the best months for boating here in North Florida. In fact, many us tend to focus our attention on other things and try to patiently wait out the less than ideal conditions. However, as a passionate boater I find these down times to be a blessing in disguise. As with any lifestyle, it’s imperative to set aside time for planning and education. I know that this doesn’t necessarily sound exciting, but you’ll have to trust me – it is!

The Perfect Destination
If I’m not going somewhere on my boat, the odds are I’m planning my next adventure. I’ve come to realize that thinking about and planning a trip to a tropical paradise can be almost as rewarding as the actual trip itself — and honestly sometimes better. In my mind the weather is always perfect, my boat never breaks down and the seas are always calm. Therefore I find myself spending the winter months either planning my summer trips or daydreaming about warmer days and tropical destinations.

Your first stop in planning a cruise is often the internet, but the information you’re hunting for is often hidden and difficult to find. That’s why I created Florida By Water — to save you the endless hours I spent searching for new destinations to explore by boat. The site is broken down by city and then into categories like campgrounds, marinas, daytrips, restaurants, boat ramps and hotels. Often you’ll find reviews from other boaters that can help you make your decision. Every location on the site is accessible by water. Florida By Water does not charge for listings, therefore we list anywhere and everywhere you can get to on your boat.

My recommendation: look for areas you’ve never visited before. Last summer we discovered Carrabelle, Florida. It’s one of those small but great boating and fishing destinations that tend to be overlooked by the majority of boaters. Carabelle’s a quaint town with great water access and the charm that only a small fishing village can bring. Here’s another example a Florida By Water member sent me a few weeks ago:

“We are still cruising. We are at Whiddens Marina on Gasparilla Island, a charming, hospitable, old Florida marina that has been in the same family since the twenties. Another one of those hard to find spots only locals know about. This place has character. A highlight of our journey! When I asked the lady how much to stay the night she said she gets $40. When we said we would anchor in the harbor for the night she said to just stay on the dock for free as there is no one else here staying. I believe she lives in the upstairs of this old building. There is an old (everything here is old) museum attached and an outhouse with shower. It’s wild. Like we have gone back in time. While it may not appeal to all, we feel privileged to find and be able to experience the rustic nature of this place. We will be back home on Tuesday.”

Once I’ve chosen my destination, I spend the next few weeks charting my waypoints. Personally I use Garmin Homeport for my charting software, however many companies make the same type of software. I can easily add all of the GPS coordinates from the comfort of my home, create routes and upload them to the chart plotter. Then I’ll save these and revisit them many times before heading to my new location. Another great information source — a quick call to a local sea tow or marina can provide valuable tips about the area. Just make sure that when you’re boating in unfamiliar waters you always use your charts, as well as local information.

Events
Another winter option is to attend some of the many boat shows that are held after the first of the year. More than half of the NMMA boats shows are held during the month of January. Here in the Jacksonville area, the Jacksonville Marine Association Boat Show is at the Prime Osborne Convention Center from January 27-29, and the Southeastern Boat Show’s at Metropolitan Park April 20-22. If you’re up for a road trip, one of the best boat shows in the nation is in Miami on February 16-20. You can find a complete list of boating events at http://www.floridabywater.com/events

Whatever you decide to do, you’ll find you don’t have to completely break from boating just because the weather is a little less than desirable.

Rusty Gardner is the owner and President of floridabywater.com & Boatflorida.com

Thar Be Whales On My Toilet Paper!

Capt Patrick — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:16:25 +0000

Absolutely potty: £640 for a Moby Dick novel

(but it’s typed out on four and a half toilet rolls!)

By Jill Reilly

Some people will go to any lengths to win a bet – including one man who spent hours typing out an 822 page novel onto a set of toilet rolls.

But even more puzzling is now that he has finished copying across the classic novel Moby Dick, he is trying to sell the four and a half rolls on eBay for £640.

The American was challenged by a friend to write a book on a loo roll after joking that toilet tissue should come with instructions.

Weird wager: The American was challenged by a friend to write a book on a loo roll after joking that toilet tissue should come with instructions

Roll for your money: The four and a half ‘clean’ toilet rolls are advertised on eBay with a starting price of $999.95 (£640) but is yet to receive a single bid with the auction ending in the early hours of Thursday morning

Labour of love: He typed out the 822-page Herman Melville novel – which tells the story a sailor hunting a giant sperm whale – on four-and-a-half ‘clean’ toilet rolls

He went through with the weird wager and is now selling the work of art on eBay for a staggering £640.

The man, who is from Florida and goes by the name ‘The-Heppcat’.

He is selling the toilet roll ‘to prove the doubters I actually did it’.

He typed out the Herman Melville novel – which tells the story a sailor hunting a giant sperm whale – on four-and-a-half ‘clean’ toilet rolls.

The-Heppcat said: ‘My friend and I once joked that toilet paper should have instructions printed on them for certain people.

‘One day, the conversation grew from there and turned into a wager that i couldn’t (or wouldn’t) be able to type out a novel on toilet paper.

‘Yes, we did have some time on our hands but, as you can see from the photos, I won the bet.’

It is advertised on eBay with a starting price of $999.95 (£640).

The auction ends in the early hours of Thursday morning, but is yet to receive a single bid.

There are a couple of rips on the rolls, which the seller describes as being in ‘excellent condition’.

Our view from the helm: For a novel that is known for its metaphors and symbolism we’re not sure what it being typed out on toilet paper means but in the end if it gets people reading then it can’t be a bad thing, right?

Plotting A Course For Disaster?

Capt Patrick — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:50:07 +0000

NOAA satellites aid in the rescue of 207 people in 2011

January 23, 2012

In 2011, NOAA satellites were critical in the rescues of 207 people from life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters. The satellites picked up distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers, and relayed the information about their location to first responders on the ground.

NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites are part of the international Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking System, called COSPAS-SARSAT. This system uses a network of satellites to quickly detect and locate distress signals from emergency beacons onboard aircraft and boats, and from smaller, handheld personal locator beacons called PLBs.

Of the 207 saves last year, 122 people were rescued from the water, 14 from aviation incidents, and 71 in land situations where they used their PLBs. Other rescue highlights from the year include:

Alaska had the most people rescued on land last year with 39, followed by Florida with 11, and California with 8.
NOAA SARSAT played a critical role in the rescue of a group of student hikers from a grizzly bear attack in Alaska by directing first responders to the scene.
In the pitch of night, two people were rescued from a life raft after their boat sank 140 miles off the coast of Marco Island, Fla.
An elderly hiker was rescued 74 miles south of Colorado Springs, Colo., during a heavy snowstorm.

“With each rescue, this system performs the way it was intended — as a real, life-saving network,” said Chris O’Connors, program manager for NOAA SARSAT.

When a NOAA satellite finds the location of a distress signal, the information is relayed to the SARSAT Mission Control Center based at NOAA’s Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md. From there, the information is quickly sent to a Rescue Coordination Center, operated by either the U.S. Air Force for land rescues or the U.S. Coast Guard for water rescues.

Since 1982, COSPAS-SARSAT has been credited with supporting more than 30,000 rescues worldwide, including more than 6,700 in the United States and its surrounding waters.

By law, owners of emergency beacons are required to register them with NOAA at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov. That registration information often helps provide better and faster assistance to people in distress. It may also provide information about the location of the emergency, how many people need assistance, what type of help may be needed and other ways to contact the owner. At the end of 2011 NOAA’s registration database contained over 329,000 registrations.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.

Our view from the helm: Have the advances in technology made boating safer or have we become too reliant on technology and thus we are more willing to take chances because we know that no matter how bad we screw up all we have to do is flip a switch and we’ll be rescued?

Hey Spain, Give Me Back My Boat!

Capt Patrick — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:30:02 +0000

3 years after US accident, boat washes up in Spain

Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard

A boat that was lost at sea off the coast of Massachusetts in 2008 washed up on the coast of Spain more than three years later.

By Becky Bratu, msnbc.com

NEW YORK — As he swam toward the coast of Nantucket, Mass. in August 2008, Scott Douglas, 58, watched his yellow fishing boat disappear, carried away by the swelling surf. He thought it would be the last time he’d ever see the Queen Bee.

But yesterday, more than three years after Douglas and his brother-in-law were tossed off the boat by a wave, the U.S. Coast Guard called to say the vessel had washed up on the Spanish coast. It was rusty and covered in barnacles, but intact.

“It looks entirely different,” Douglas said upon seeing the photos. “That’s amazing.”

Douglas remembers the water was restless on the day he set out to sea, and the fish weren’t biting. He tried to keep the boat stationary, bracing himself as huge rollers crashed into it.

“At all times, it’s a very sketchy area,” Douglas told msnbc.com. “You wouldn’t want to be dumped in the ocean there.”

But that’s exactly what happened when a rogue wave knocked Douglas and his brother-in-law, Rich St. Pierre, off the boat and into a sink-or-swim fight for survival.

Douglas remembers thinking the water was not too cold. ”The only way I was going to survive was just to get started, not tread water,” he said.

But swimming didn’t come as easy to St. Pierre, 68, who had gone through open heart surgery a year earlier. However, a survival kit containing an inflatable device had been knocked off the boat and floated to St. Pierre’s side. It was a miracle, Douglas said, noting that the kit was the only item from the boat in the water with them.

Scott Douglas, 58, watched his yellow fishing boat disappear in 2008, carried away by the swelling surf. He thought it would be the last time he’d ever see the Queen Bee.

Douglas swam for about an hour and made it to shore on Smith’s Point, a beach off the coast of Nantucket. Dripping wet and exhausted, he walked up to a cabin and asked to use the phone to alert the Coast Guard. Not long after, he saw St. Pierre walking on dry land.

“At the end of the day, it just wasn’t our time,” Douglas said.

While that marked the end of their ordeal, the Queen Bee’s journey didn’t end there.

Lt. Joe Klinker, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman, said the most likely scenario is that the boat somehow got across the continental shelf and into the Gulf Stream.

“From there it may drift north off the coast of northern Canada and then east with the North Atlantic currents,” Klinker told msnbc.com.

He said it’s rare, but not unheard of for an object off the coastline of the United States to drift across the Atlantic to Europe. But a boat? “I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Klinker said.

It’s not uncommon, he said, for the Coast Guard to locate derelict ships from Florida off the coast of Virginia, or vessels from Virginia off the coast of Massachusetts, but never in Europe.

The ability to withstand the hardships of the Atlantic has a lot to do with the make of the boat, Klinker said. The Queen Bee is a 26-foot center console fishing boat made by Regulator.

“It probably could have floated for another three years,” Klinker said.

The Spanish Coast Guard alerted their U.S. counterpart Tuesday. Based on salvage law, the boat now belongs to Spain.

Douglas, who is now retired and lives in New Jersey, said he doesn’t want the boat back. But with four grandchildren, he has thought about turning Queen Bee’s story into a children’s book.

“It’s interesting to see what life takes and gives,” he said.

Our view from the helm is this: How is it possible that this boat which is owned by a U.S. citizen now belongs to Spain just because it washed up on their coast but the treasure found by Odyssey Marine from the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes doesn’t belong to the salvage company and has to be returned to Spain?

Does Spain get everything regardless?

How about this. Spain gets to keep the boat and Odyssey gets to keep the treasure from the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. That’s quite a deal seeing as how Spain didn’t have to exert any energy or spend any money in either case.

The China Sin-Drome

Capt Patrick — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:49:54 +0000

Marquis Yachts partners with Chinese company

January 24, 2012

HOPKINS, Minn. – Marquis Yachts reported today that it has formed an exclusive partnership with one of China’s largest state-owned companies, Poly Technologies Inc., for the sales and distribution rights for Marquis Yachts throughout China. The new joint venture will be called the Poly Marquis Yacht Co. Ltd. (Poly Marquis Company).

Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of Marquis’ parent company J&D Acquisitions, called the day of the partnership one of the most important and exciting he’s experienced in 35 years in the recreational boating industry.

“Our new partnership with Poly is clearly the most significant business event throughout our yachting company’s history,” he said in a statement. “It is anticipated that over the next few years, China’s recreational yachting and boating market is emerging to become one of the largest recreational yachting markets in the world, and with our new Poly Marquis JV partnership, we’re very confident that the Poly Marquis Company will become one of China’s largest and most important sellers of Marquis Yachts in the world.”

Over the next 30 to 45 days, Jacobs said the Poly Marquis Company is opening a fully staffed distribution sales and service center at the new Serenity Marina and Yacht Club in Sanya, China. The Poly Marquis Yachting Center will maintain a completely stocked inventory of all new Marquis Yachts ranging in size from 42 feet to 72 feet.

“The new Sanya Marquis Yacht Center will have China’s most completely staffed service department with qualified in-house technicians to professionally service, manage and maintain Marquis customers’ needs throughout all of China,” Jacobs said.

“We believe that the recreational boating and yachting industry market in China will become one of the world’s largest and most important retail markets in a relatively short period of time,” Poly Chairman Jiang Lianxiang said in a statement. “Poly has spent a great deal of time and effort in researching the world for a potential yacht manufacturing company to partner with Poly who we believe builds the highest quality yachts along with the most modern styling and forward-looking designs to meet the tastes and needs of the discerning Chinese consumers of today and in the future. After studying the yachting industry for over one year, Poly concluded that Marquis Yachts clearly excelled beyond all other yacht manufacturers on which we have done research in building the finest and most beautiful yachts in world.”

Poly is one of China’s largest state-owned companies and is mainly engaged in defense-related equipment, R&D and trade, real estate development, culture and arts business, as well mineral resources investment and development. It is the exclusive distributor and retailer throughout China for Ferrari, Maserati and Mercedes Benz automobiles as well as many other products.

“Poly Company has a very large, loyal and unique customer base that numbers in the tens of thousands of individuals who have purchased many of our high-end automobiles, jewelry, real-estate, and auction items that Poly sells and distributes throughout China, many of whom we believe will become customers of Marquis Yachts,” Jiang stated. “Poly is committed to doing everything possible in supporting our newly formed JV partnership with Marquis into becoming China’s largest and most successful yachting company.”

Our view from the helm: If there’s one market you don’t want to screw over it would be the Chinese and Poly Technologies Inc. is a state run company. Tread carefully Big Ir!

The 1st Ridiculous Boating Injury Lawsuit of 2012 Has Arrived!

Capt Patrick — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:37:31 +0000

Woman sues boat operator, renter
Deondra Scott was seriously injured by a propeller at Lake Norman event in June.
By Gary L. Wright
gwright@charlotteobserver.com
By Gary L. Wright The Charlotte Observer
Posted: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012
   A Charlotte woman who lost one of her arms and her breasts after being struck by a boat propeller on Lake Norman last June has sued the boat operator.
   Deondra Scott – who also is suing the boat manufacturer and the person who rented out the boat – claims she was struck twice by a propeller after she’d jumped into the water at the Lake Bash on Lake Norman.
   Scott alleges that Dennis F. Allen, the boat’s operator, had never operated a motorboat before the accident and did not have the skill to handle a motorboat in a public area, especially during one of the most crowded events on Lake Norman.
    Scott, 25, claims that she was injured while Allen was maneuvering the motorboat in an attempt to tie it to another boat and participate in the Lake Bash. Allen had rented the motorboat to go to the Lake Bash with a group of friends, including Scott, according to the lawsuit.
   The lawsuit alleges that a few of Allen’s passengers, including Scott, had jumped into the water while Allen was trying to tie up the boat.
   The lawsuit alleges that Allen, because of his inexperience, lack of training and inability to see people in the water, failed to turn off the engine and continued to try to tie up with another boat.
   “As (Scott) was swimming towards the ladder attached to the stern of the boat so that she could board the swim platform, Ms. Jennifer Pagliaro (a passenger in the boat), along with other people in the area, screamed at defendant Allen to cut (immediately turn off) the engine,” the lawsuit says.
   Allen “panicked” and “slammed” the throttle into a reverse gear, striking Scott with the boat’s propeller, the lawsuit alleges. Scott claims Allen then put the boat into a forward gear, causing the propeller to strike her again.
   Scott alleges in the lawsuit that she suffered severe injuries, including lacerations to her right arm and breasts. The arm and breasts have been amputated, she says. She claims she also suffered serious lacerations to both legs, a punctured lung and a severed sternum.
   Scott alleges that as a result of Allen’s “reckless and negligent actions,” she has suffered damages – “medical bills, lost wages, permanent injury, scarring, loss of limb, loss of other essential body parts, pain and suffering in excess of ten thousand dollars.” She says she also has “suffered extreme emotional and psychological problems.”
   Allen, 30, was charged with operating a boat in a reckless manner. The misdemeanor charge is pending.
   Scott also has sued David D. Orzolek and Chaparral Boats Inc. Orzolek rented the motorboat to Allen and Chaparral Boats designed, manufactured and marketed the boat, according to the lawsuit.
   The lawsuit alleges that Orzolek was aware or should have been aware that Allen had never operated a motorboat and knew or should have known the danger Allen posed to the public.
   Orzolek “erroneously entrusted, poorly supervised and inadequately trained defendant Allen, subjecting (Scott) to great risk,” the lawsuit alleges.
   Scott claims that Chaparral Boats sold the motorboat to the public despite its unsafe design for a 14-passenger boat.    She claims that seven passengers are necessarily seated behind the operator, potentially obstructing his or her vision.
The boat’s swim platform and ladder, the lawsuit alleges, are only a few feet from the boat’s propeller.
   Allen and Orzolek could not be reached for comment Monday.
Bob Ellis, a customer service specialist with Chaparral Boats in Nashville, Ga., said the company’s lawyers are investigating the incident. “We were not aware this had occurred until we got the lawsuit,” Ellis said.

Staff researchers Marion Paynter and Maria David contributed

Our view from the helm is this: Dennis F. Allen who was driving the boat and Deondra Scott who was struck by the boat both share responsibility for this accident. Mr. Allen for failing to properly control his passengers and Ms. Scott for jumping out of the boat and then swimming back to it while the motor was still running. It is not the fault of Chaparral Boats or the business that rented the boat to Mr. Allen.

Case closed!

Docking 2011

President McKinley Williams II — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:30:31 +0000

Good Day World of Boating Fans,

It is time to Dock and close out 2011.

This has been a very interesting drift through the sea of finance.

Greg our first mate gave us a paper portfolio funded with 100 thousand dollars of monopoly money in January 2011 and we currently have $318,608.04 which is up over 200%. Considering the S&P is up fractionally for the year – we didn’t do too bad.

I know. I know. The previous year we made over six hundred ninety percent (690%). That was then. This is now. Although we didn’t make enough money investing for Greg to purchase a Regal 52 and have enough money to maintain it; we can still purchase the “dinger.”

I was asked.. why I didn’t trade as much as I did last year? The reason is because the persons (analyst) who were doing research crunching numbers showed skepticism in their research (in my opinion). As a result, I avoided more land mines than good trades. Half of your success in the financial markets is gained by knowing what ( i.e. financial instruments, companies) and who (e.g. the Bernie Madoffs ) to avoid. I have said it a thousand times – Investors avoid people they should invest with, and flock to people they should avoid.

I didn’t trade as much this year because to be quite frank; ” formulas don’t work when people are emotional.”

Greg’s wife may take all his “Monopoly Money” except the original one hundred thousand dollars and make us start all over again in 2012 since we didn’t purchase the Regal 52. Which may not be a bad idea, because those of you who joined us recently can see for yourselves that I am actually telling the audience what I’m buying and selling before I do it. Let’s see how good or bad our stock trades are in 2012.

My New Years gift to you - FREE TRADE SOFTWARE: I have had a plethora of people asking me what investment software do I use? Well not only will I tell you…;I’m going to permit you to use the same software free for 2 weeks. Just click the link (no credit card is needed). Its my way of saying thank you for being a loyal listener,blog reader, or whatever title you want to give yourself. https://evaluvestp4.com/index.php/affiliate/McKinley_Williams

Happy New Year!

Thank you & God Bless,

President McKinley Williams, II

* This is not a solicitation or advertisement; we are just having a little fun with Greg & the crew. Please consult your attorney, accountant, or financial adviser for investment advice… albeit they will probably tell you to give me a call @ 407.535.7241.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

President McKinley Williams II — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:29:16 +0000

Good Day World of Boating Fans,

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has been going on for over fifty years, but we will give you a one liner and link to prime your appetite for next year later in this blog.

We have been traveling to personally inspect companies we may invest in. It is always good to talk face to face with the CEO and CFO of companies. I like to give a stern handshake and look someone in the eye and judge their character. Some may call it old fashion, but it’s the smart thing to do when you are about to make a block trade (sale or purchase a large quantity of securities) on Wall Street.

Our last investment netted us $ 4,100.00 profit and brings our total cash position to $318,608.04. We are still up slightly over 200% profit this year for Greg’s paper portfolio.

FREE TRADE SOFTWARE: I have had a plethora of people asking me what investment software do I use? Well not only will I tell you…;I’m going to permit you to use the same software free for 2 weeks. Just click the link (no credit card is needed). Its my way of saying thank you for being a loyal listener,blog reader, or whatever title you want to give yourself. https://evaluvestp4.com/index.php/affiliate/McKinley_Williams

CASUAL UPDATE: The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is still the place to buy a super yacht. I attached a link for those of you who missed the annual event.http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=jqkxhZGZFBM

I’m never biased when it comes to types of investment instruments, but I am biased when it comes to the Venice of America- Ft. Lauderdale. I love the laid back vibe of the city.

I hope to see you there next year at the Sybass Cafe, because “the show must go on.”

Thank you & God Bless,

President McKinley Williams, II

Florida By Water is recognized for outstanding tourism marketing in Florida

Capt Rusty — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:06:43 +0000

Florida By Water is pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Flagler Award for “Best in Show” (under $100K category) from VISIT FLORIDA. The Award was presented during the 44th Annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held September 25-27 at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

Named for Henry Flagler, the Flagler Awards were established in 2000 to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida. Annually, the Flagler Awards honor many of the countless individuals and organizations that help maintain and improve Florida’s position as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. The awards are open to all individuals, private businesses and not-for-profit organizations offering a product or service that promotes tourism to or within the state of Florida.

Houseboat is Bubble Proof

President McKinley Williams II — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:23:59 +0000

Good Day World of Boating Fans,

Houseboats are bubble proof from the recent real estate bubble according to Investco Mortage Capital Inc.

Armed with this knowledge; we should observe the rule in Vegas…”the house never looses.” So today-we will go with the house and side with Investco Mortage Capital Inc.

Today we bought ten thousand shares of Investco Mortgage Capital Inc.(IVR) on a pullback @ $16.20 average price per share ($162,000.00). I will sell near the close and seek to get forty cents out of the trade.

I’ll take the highest price before the pullback and the average lowest price of support and add them. Second, I subtracted ten percent (the law of the tithe) from that sum and add it to my average purchase price as my exit point.

Only those who have eyes to see and ears to hear will understand how that formula was imparted to me.

I will see if we hit our target for the day…until then just act like your a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and watch “IVR” FLY.

Oh yea. Don’t forget- the house never loses.

Thank you & God Bless,

President McKinley Williams, II