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February is a good time
to brush up on skills

Chatlee takes on Tigé

Tigé Boats announced that Chatlee Boat and Marine in Sanford, North Carolina, has joined the manufacturer’s network of authorized dealerships.

Tricked out for wakeboarding and other tow sports, Tigé is introducing a touch-screen control system for 2010.

Chatlee now serves the entire state of North Carolina and will carry the full line of Tigé inboard watersports boats as well as provide authorized service and support to Tigé owners. Among Tigé’s cool new features for 2010 is the TigéTouch interactive operating system—a touch-screen control system designed specifically for inboard watersport boats.

North Carolinians need a course

Now is a good time to take a boating safety course, especially if you live in North Carolina and you’re under  26.
North Carolina is one of many states that require boaters to complete an approved National Association of State Boating Law Administrators’ (NABLA) boating education course.
After May 1, everyone under the age of 26 must complete a NABLA-approved course before operating vessels powered by a 10-horsepower or more motor in North Carolina.
Local Coast Guard Auxiliaries, Power Squadrons, and other organizations that provide boating safety courses have added more courses to their 2010 schedules to accommodate the increase in demand.
Call the state’s Wildlife Resources Commission at 919-707-0032 or visit ncwildlife.org to learn all the details. Personal watercraft operators have additional restrictions. Online courses are offered at Boat-Ed.com, boaterexam.com and boatus.org.

Bluewater tips

Now is also a good time to learn the ins and outs of bluewater sailing from experienced captains. The Cruising Rally Association is offering an Ocean Sailing Seminar March 20-21 in Annapolis, Maryland. The seminar is an intensive two-day course designed to make offshore passages safer, more comfortable and more fun. The agenda focuses on skills and resources for safe ocean voyages. For more information, visit carib1500.com or e-mail steve@carib1500.com.

Regional boat shows on tap

North Carolina is hosting two large shows in February. Sport cruisers, deck and ski boats, pontoons, fishing boats, sailboats, and inflatables are some of the types on display.
The 38th annual Mid-Atlantic Boat Show is February 11-14 at the Charlotte Convention Center. The show offers more than 200,000-square-feet of marine product displays and 500 boats. The following weekend, February 19-21, the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh will present the Carolina Power and Sail Boat Show. Complete details are on-line at ncboatshows.com, or call 336-855-0208.
The Virginia Beach Convention Center will host the 56th Annual Mid-Atlantic Sports and Boat Show February 12-14. Complete information is available at vaboatshow.com or call 757-222-3931.