Add tunes to your boat
with unit that offers USB
and auxiliary inputs

Prospec Millenia Bluetooth receiver

The latest stereo to join the Milennia brand, Prospec Electronics Milennia MILPRV21 offers Bluetooth audio streaming and a host of other features in a compact size. The unit measures six inches by four inches and has a retail cost of $169.95.

The Millennia MILPRV21 also utilizes U.S. and European tuning, and features USB and auxiliary inputs for users to plug in portable media devices for more music versatility. The unit is built to withstand the marine environment and has a waterproof faceplate.

Clearly marked, intuitive controls make playing music and the radio simple. Users can easily adjust the volume with push-button keys. An RF remote can be purchased separately.

Built to handle the rough marine environment, this receiver has a waterproof faceplate. Prospec also added an RF remote-ready option to the unit. Remote can be purchased separately.
Information:

Prospec Electronics
3325 S Morgans Point Rd.
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466
www.prospecelectronics.com

Tie down gear
with ease instead
of bungee cords

LoopRope has many uses

LoopRope makes tie down easy for boating and all of your outdoor activities including camping, rafting, surfing, backpacking.

LoopRope is constructed of quarter-inch shock cords that are doubled up and come in 3-, 4-, and 5-foot lengths, along with two stainless-steel S-clips. Instead of tying knots in ropes or using bungee cords that are too long or short, simply loop, clip and go.

In addition to working on boats, LoopRope is useful for operators of SUVs, ATVs, RVs, trucks, trailers, motorcycles and around the home or cabin. Costs begin at $19.95.

Located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale,
upscale facility offers amenities, security
of Harbor Islands gated community

Location is crucial when it comes to assessing the difficulty of getting to the Intracoastal Waterway in South Florida. With hundreds of channels and neighborhood canals crisscrossing the region, while your boat may be docked on the water, you could be 40 minutes or more away from the Intracoastal superhighway.

But that’s not the case at Loggerhead Marina Hollywood, where all it takes is a right turn to put you almost squarely between Port Everglades (six miles to the north) and the Haulover Inlet (five miles to the south). The location is what makes Loggerhead Marina Hollywood so popular with long-term and transient slip guests. Not only is there great ocean access, but the marina is nestled with the residential gated community of Harbor Islands, and situated in a cozy, sheltered alcove of luxury homes and lush tropical landscaping.

“We have a mixture of people that both live in the area and keep their boats here, to people that live in Texas and fly in for a week or two,” said Dave O’Connor, Loggerhead Marina Hollywood harbormaster. The staff is comprised of O’Connor, two dockhands, two office assistants and a maintenance person. “We have a very secure location in this upscale community. You don’t have unauthorized people walking around the docks. Yet you have access to the tropical pool in the Harbor Islands community and the health club.”

The marina offers 191 wets slips for boats ranging from 30 to 120 feet. Fuel trucks can be scheduled to deliver gas or diesel to boats in the slips, and Port Supply is on standby to handle service needs. Dockhands are available for assistance from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. There’s a ship’s store for sundry items, and the air-conditioned men and women’s restroom facilities feature luxurious marble tiled showers, separate toilets, and private changing rooms.

Utility pedestals installed at each slip include metered electricity with choices of 30-, 50- and 100-amp rating standard outlets. Telephone connections are prewired at every slip and phone service may be arranged through Bell South. Water outlets offer clean and sanitary city water.

The facility also features a state-of-the-art sanitary pump-out system with hydrant connections for every slip. In addition there’s a Captain’s Lounge that offers Internet access, telephone and a comfortable business workspace. There is also a covered lanai adjacent to the Captain’s Lounge that is open for entertaining.

“Our members get together every Friday night on our patio for potluck dinner and cocktails,” O’Connor explained. “Then on Tuesdays some of the guests meet in the morning for a bike ride to the beach for breakfast and bike back. It’s a really neat community and they do a lot together.”

Loggerhead has 12 Florida marina facilities, including Hollywood, Aventura, Daytona Beach, Jupiter, Lantana, Miami, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach, South Lantana, St. Petersburg, Stuart, and Vero Beach. Members are offered reciprocal dockage at any of the other Loggerhead facilities.

For more information, contact:
Loggerhead Marina Hollywood
1400 Marina Drive
Hollywood, FL 33019
888-504-4372 or 954-457-8557
http://www.harborislandsmarina.com/index.htm

Experienced broker, sailor
works the political arena
to benefit boating industry

Jeff Erdmann, Bollman Yachts

Contrary to popular perceptions, not all lobbyists wear Italian-tailored suits, expensive silk ties, Gucci loafers and get paid big bucks. In fact, Jeff Erdmann is one of Florida’s leading marine industry advocates and he doesn’t get paid at all. He’s a volunteer.

As Chair of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association Public Affairs Committee, Erdmann played a key role in 2010 convincing the Florida legislature to put an $18,000 sales-use tax cap on boats purchased or brought into Florida. The legislation not only saved jobs in the marine industry, but the state has collected nearly 10 times as much revenue than was projected. Talk about a win-win.

In real life Erdmann is the owner of Fort Lauderdale’s Bollman Yachts. He purchased the business from Pete Bollman in 2001 after working as a yacht broker for 14 years. He estimates he’s sold between 400 and 500 boats since his career began, with the largest sale topping $13.5 million. Bollman Yachts has a staff of nine brokers.

Erdmann is also an accomplished sailor, and in 2008 completed a five-week trip-of-a-lifetime: a 30,000-mile circumnavigation consisting of a combination of charter sailboats and several air passages. Southern Boating recently caught up with Erdmann to discuss his passion for yachting and advocacy.

SB: How did you get started in the brokerage business?
JE: I was living in Texas and selling copying machines. I was selling a copying machine to a bingo hall and the owner said, “You should come by tonight and play bingo.” So I made plans to play bingo that night.

That day I was also looking for a new boat and I was scouring the classified ads. I came upon an ad in Soundings for a course on “How to Become a Yacht Broker.” It would have set me back $500.

That night I played bingo and won $500. I took that as a good omen, bought the course and became a yacht broker in 1987. It’s been a great career. There have been unforeseen bumps along the way, like the luxury tax, the 1989-1991 savings and loan crisis, 9/11, and the Great Recession. But, it’s a pleasure to work with folks who love boating and if I can help them get out on the water, so much the better.

SB: In 2010 you helped convince the Florida Legislature to approve an $18,000 sales-use tax cap on boats purchased or brought into Florida. How does this help the boating industry?
JE: Let’s say you’re buying a $1 million yacht. Before Florida enacted its sales/use tax cap you were looking at a $60,000 tax bill because of our 6% sales tax. The British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and the Marshall Islands are examples of island nations that are part of a cottage industry where you can set up an offshore corporation and register a vessel at an average cost of about $12,000 plus and another $1,500 a year in administrative fees. Once flagged offshore it’s now a foreign vessel and it will not stay in Florida for repairs or provisioning anywhere near the same amount of time as it would if it was registered in Florida.

Now there is a competitive alternative to that. The $18,000 sales/use tax cap is a little more than what it would cost to do it offshore, but there’s so much less hassle because the boat can stay in Florida and does not have to go regularly offshore. It’s much better for the state, marine businesses and their employees here. Boat dockage, fuel, provisioning, maintenance, refits, redecorating; it’s all done here in Florida, creating jobs and increasing sales tax revenue.

SB: You are working on a new initiative that will aid sellers of boats nationally, can you explain more?
JE: We are working to expand the benefits of the boat show bond to a listing bond that will allow a foreign flagged boat to be offered for sale in the United States to U.S. citizens until it sells, as long as it’s listed with a broker under an exclusive listing.

The current boat show bond was pushed through Congress in 2004 by former Rep. Clay Shaw and works well but could be improved if changed to include more boats for a longer period of time. Under current law a seller can apply for a boat show bond that is only good for six months, boats 79 feet or larger, good only during a boat show. Once the six months expires, the boat must leave the U.S. or it has to pay the duty or forfeit the bond.

The Florida Yacht Brokers Association would like to have the law amended so that boats of all sizes can take advantage of the bond, not be limited to boat show dates and most importantly, don’t have to leave the U.S. during the time they are for sale. Getting any change through Congress is a tremendous, time-consuming effort. Although we have just begun the process, we have met with folks in the industry to enlist their support and have floated the idea in Washington, D.C. during a recent visit to Capitol Hill.

SB: What is the state of the boat brokerage business today, and how do you see it faring through this year and into 2013?
JE: The brokerage business continues to be tentative. Buyers have been waiting on the sidelines for a sign that we have hit bottom and a sustainable recovery is underway. Much like the current housing market, it definitely has been a buyer’s market. Some buyers who have been waiting for the bottom of the market have found they can buy a lot more boat for their money, getting some fantastic deals. That said, we have seen multiple offers recently, a good sign that the market is improving. Something else to consider in the value department is the pleasure that boating provides. As they say, timing is everything, and there has probably never been a better time to get an incredible deal and go boating.

Also, there’s less inventory on the high and low end of the market. Trawlers like Grand Banks are selling. High-end center console fishing boats are also selling well. Express sportfishing boats, however, are still seeing tough times.

What’s nice about the brokerage business is we don’t have to sell a customer one particular boat. We get to go shopping with them. We have a relationship with our clients and find the very best value for them. I’m always walking the docks during boat shows searching for the best deals to deliver to my clients.

SB: Your sailing exploits are amazing, what stands out most from your adventures? Do you have another big trip planned?
JE: I started sailing at the age of seven with my father and brothers. In 1996 I had a great offshore experience, sailing in the Pacific Cup Race from San Francisco to Hawaii. I was on a 62 Deerfoot and we had the spinnaker up 24/7 for eight and a half days. The entire race was just under 12 days and we covered about 2,500 nautical miles.

We had to sail around the Pacific high and were becalmed for both the first day and a half and the last half-day. We could have made it faster. We made almost 18 knots in surfing conditions and were tracking day in and day out at 10 to 12 knots. We were just flying!

I don’t have another big trip planned but I’ve been invited on a couple. I’m sure I’ll go on another great adventure at some point – hopefully sooner rather than later.

SB: Where do you enjoy boating?
JE: In a word: everywhere. Locally, I love day sailing on Biscayne Bay, cruising the hundreds of miles of waterways in Fort Lauderdale and boating in the Florida Keys. Worldwide, I occasionally get to go on deliveries or races with some of my favorite clients. With business picking up and the exceeding demands of advocating for the marine industry, I simply don’t have the time to do as much boating as I would like.

Watermakers make fresh water anywhere a reality

When you’re cruising far from land or docked in a foreign port, a watermaker can make life aboard your boat very comfortable. The miserly use of water to stretch your holding tank can be a thing of the past, as your reverse-osmosis system turns raw seawater into drinkable fresh water.

Recreational marine watermakers came to the market more than 25 years ago, and since the processes have improved, equipment has become smaller and prices have dropped. Whether or not you need a watermaker depends upon your boating activities. If you’re a coastal U.S. cruiser and rarely stray from a port where fresh water you can trust is always available, then the need for a watermaker is small. But if you have a sportfishing boat and you make long runs before stopping to troll, or if you are out for days at a time or cruising to foreign ports, then a watermaker is a necessity.

Maintenance and technological improvements

Watermakers use a series of pumps, filters and membranes to turn raw seawater into fresh water. The current EPA standard for potable fresh water is under 500 parts of particulates per million, and all the manufacturers’ products in this article meet that standard. The process is reverse osmosis, the same process used on a large scale to provide fresh water in the United States and around the world at desalination plants. At the heart of the process is the membrane, which is a filter with pores the size of a red blood cell. After the larger particles in seawater are filtered out, a high-pressure pump forces water through the membrane, which removes almost all of the dissolved solids. This method rejects up to 99 percent of salts, contaminates and pollutants from seawater, until the water purity meets the EPA standard.

Biological growth when a watermaker is not in use can affect water quality. Heat and standing seawater is the ideal environment for biological growth, and that’s always been the bugaboo for watermakers: how to keep biologicals from growing used to involve flushing the system with acidic chemicals. Today, however, freshwater flushing keeps the membranes clean and greatly reduces maintenance.

“You want to look for a watermaker that comes standard with automatic flush,” says  Scott Beard, General Manager of Beard Marine in Fort Lauderdale, a Sea Recovery watermaker dealer. “Freshwater flush is crucial to longevity of the membranes. You can also get a watermaker with manual flush, but there’s a downside compared to automatic. I’ve heard of people turning on the manual flush, forgetting about it and coming back the next day and the tanks are bone dry.”

Watermakers have also become smaller over the years—some are now the size of a large suitcase. Watermakers are also offered in modular configurations so the working parts can be installed where space is available. A key consideration is service, and you should choose a watermaker brand that has a broad dealer network in the area where you are doing most of your boating. Some watermaker companies use proprietary components that can only be accessed through their dealer network or from the factory, while others offer non-proprietary parts that may be more easily obtained worldwide.

Most boats 40 feet and longer will use watermakers run with AC-powered pumps, but there are DC-powered watermakers that are used on smaller power boats and sailboats. AC-powered systems deliver a more constant flow rate and higher pressure over a longer period of time, while DC systems are for boats with less demand and smaller water tanks.

Why have a watermaker

Water is heavy, 8.35 pounds per gallon, so a sportfishing boat embarking on a 50-mile run to the fishing grounds can save a lot of fuel by starting with minimal water in the holding tanks. Once you start trolling, the generator is turned on and the watermaker can start working, making all the fresh water you need while you spread out the lines and go for the big one.

“A 200-gallon water tank is common on a sportfishing boat, and 200 gallons at 8.35 pounds per gallon is over 1,600 pounds,” Beard explained. “That’s a lot of extra weight to push around going from Point A to Point B, so running with less water in the tanks should result in less fuel burned.”

Taking on water at a foreign port can be risky, and with a watermaker you eliminate that risk. As the planet becomes more polluted, the issue of getting clean water can be a challenge—but not if you can make your own water.

A huge watersports platform, shallow draft and easy

maneuverability makes this a great boat for The Bahamas.

By Louisa Beckett

The Bahamas’ Sea of Abaco is like a second home to Duane Kuck, President and CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Regal Boats. His wife, Cindy, hails from there, and they bring their children back to the island chain by boat each summer to enjoy the spectacularly clear waters, abundant marine life, charming towns and unspoiled natural setting. So it’s no wonder that Regal Boats builds a line of cruisers that are ideally suited to cruising to and through the Abacos—particularly the 2011 Regal 35 Sport Coupe (SC).

Last summer, Duane invited me to join him and his family on a 35 SC for an annual ritual—one they share with hundreds of other families from Florida and The Bahamas—the start of lobster season. Each year, beginning on August 1^st, when The Bahamas opens season on the spiny critters, the Abacos become a hotspot for cruisers hunting the tasty “bugs,” which hide amid the rocks and coral reefs.

Specifications:
LOA: 36′ 10″
Beam: 11’4″
Draft: 2′ 11″
Weight (dry): 12,900 lbs.
Fuel: 168 gals.
Water: 50 gals.
Power: 2x 5.7Gi Volvo Penta
sterndrives/joystick
Cruise/top speed: 36/46 mph

Contact:
Regal Boats
Regal Marine Industries, Inc.
2300 Jetport Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
regalboats.com

My Abaco experience began with a relaxing stay at the Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour—which overlooks the Sea of Abaco, one of the best-known resorts in the region—and helped me decompress and reset my inner clock to “Bahamas time.” I whiled away some pleasant hours on the wide beach, at the pool with swim-up bar, and in the lovely waterfront Anglers Restaurant.

The next morning, the Kucks met me at the dock in Boat Harbour, the resort’s 190-slip, full-service marina, which offers convenient customs check-in and fuel. As we got under way, we deployed one of the boat’s most innovative features—the convertible hardtop—since there were rain showers in the area. Introduced by Regal on its 46 SC model, the top incorporates a unique electric sunroof that slides back to expose the helm and part of the cockpit seating to sun and wind, or forward to shelter the driver and passengers from the same.

“We are really the only U.S. builder that’s doing it. Most of them are staying with a traditional sunroof,” Duane said.

The height of the hardtop gave the bridge an airy feeling and our boat also featured Regal’s optional Cool Cockpit ventilation system, which kept things comfortable in the hot and humid summer weather.

The 35 SC’s helm area is ergonomically designed and exceptionally well-equipped. Regal sources most of its marine electronics from Garmin and our boat featured a Garmin GPSMAP 5208 chart plotter, VHF 100 radio and GMR 24HD radome. Tunes were provided by the Fusion stereo system with iPod dock and waterproof cockpit speakers. “They are designed specifically for the marine industry,” Duane said. “They are still going to be working 10 years from now.”

Our boat also had an upgraded propulsion package consisting of Volvo Penta 5.7Gi sterndrives with a Volvo joystick control mounted on the driver’s armrest. A joystick option is available on the 35 SC with a compatible EVC engine package from either Volvo or MerCruiser. Most owners seem to feel that the added maneuverability it provides is well worth the upgrade. “All the ones we’ve built so far have had the joystick control,” Duane confirmed.

I used the stick to steer us through the small and crowded harbor of Man O’ War Cay where we called in for lunch, and I was grateful for the handling dexterity it provided, as well as its quick reaction time.

As always, our interlude on Man O’ War was like stepping back in time. We walked along its narrow streets—where no cars are allowed—admiring the flowers blooming in profusion by the porches of small, colorfully hued cottages on either side. The island has been a Bahamas boatbuilding hub for decades, and you can still watch through the open door as the Albury Brothers build runabouts by hand in their small shop on the harbor.

Back at the marina, we enjoyed conch burgers at the aptly named Dock & Dine Restaurant.

After lunch, we re-boarded the Regal to set off for some likely lobster-hunting grounds off Man O’ War. As we ran through the clear green water, I took time to explore the boat. The 35 SC’s bridge and cockpit are on the same level, which is a boon for conversation and a convenience for those less sure of their footing at sea. The seating arrangement is flexible, thanks to settee backrests that flip forward and aft to create different areas for lounging and dining. We had six people on board, but nobody got in each other’s way.

There’s a convenient on-deck refreshment center with Corian counter, sink, Vitrifrigo refrigerator, optional grill and dedicated trash bin—something many boatbuilders overlook. Handrails are placed throughout the cockpit to give you purchase in a seaway. Another functional feature is the dedicated storage for the teak cockpit table. “We do a good job with staying after those details because we’ve been building these boats a long time,” Duane said. He added that since Regal exports boats to 40 countries, the company gets ideas from owners all over the world. “We try to take the best ones,” he said.

Some of these clever concepts can be found in the 35 SC’s interior, which has great headroom for a boat of this size. Push a button and the saloon settee back rises to convert the forward berth into a queen-size bed. “One of the things we try to do is give the boat owners a good bed,” Duane said.

In this boat, there isn’t just one good bed, but two. The mid-cabin is convertible; just slide two filler cushions between the settees and it creates another large berth. Add the optional door and flat-screen TV, and the mid-cabin becomes a private retreat. A fifth person can be accommodated overnight on the saloon settee.

The décor has a yacht-like feel; elegant bamboo flooring is standard. In fact, it’s clear that the 35 SC has benefited from a “trickle-down” effect from Regal’s larger models. For example, when shore-side water is hooked up to the boat, it immediately begins filling the freshwater tank so you don’t have to manually fill the tank with a hose on the foredeck. And the head has a separate shower so you don’t need to use the sink faucet to rinse off. There’s also an optional central vacuum system.

The 35 SC may be a comfortable cruiser, but as we proved while lobstering that afternoon, it also excels as a water-sports platform. The boat has an enormous swim platform and an easy-to-use hot and cold transom shower. You can flip the rear cockpit seat backrest over to create an aft-facing seat that’s ideal for donning masks and fins.

Then, one by one, the Kuck kids picked-up their Hawaiian slings and jumped in. Look out, lobsters!

A French-made cruiser that

rides on a pocket of air

By Doug Thompson

When a boatbuilder uses new technology to make a proven hull better, it’s exciting stuff, and that’s exactly what Beneteau has done with its Air Step hull. The Air Step is incorporated into the hull of the new Flyer Gran Turismo (GT) 34, a sport cruiser with a V-berth, head and enclosed cabin that I had a chance to sea-trial out of Port Everglades in South Florida.

Stepped-hulls have been around for more than 130 years, as boat manufacturers have created boat bottoms with less wetted surface, resulting in less drag and increased efficiency. There have been single steps, double steps and boats with so many steps they are known as “shingles.”

The Air Step concept is a bit different: it involves channeling air from a step amidships and funneling it back to the transom, creating a pocket of air that results in a—you guessed it—less wetted surface.

Specifications
LOA: 32’10″
Beam: 11′
Draft: 3′ 3″
Displ: 11,858 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 129/42 U.S. gals.
Power: 2x Volvo Penta 5.7 300-hp
gasoline engines, as tested /
Optional 2x Volvo Penta D3
200-hp diesel engines
Cruising/top speed: 25/38 knots
MSRP: $260,000 with gas engines /
$315,000 with diesel engines

INFORMATION
Beneteau Group/Denison
Yacht Sales Florida
401 SW 1st Avenue, #102
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
888-339-2248

“During tests, we found the Air Step hull comes on plane almost twice as fast as the Beneteau hull without the step,” said Alex Wilkes, a Broker for Denison Yacht Sales, the South Florida dealer for Beneteau, who accompanied me on the sea trial. “Once on plane, the Air Step reduces friction so much you can use the smaller motors to achieve the same speed.”

I was eager to find out and quizzed Wilkes about the model for our sea trial, a GT 34 powered by twin Volvo Penta 5.7-liter 300-horsepower gasoline engines. Docked outside of the Denison offices in Fort Lauderdale on the New River, the stylish cruiser looked great but all you could see of the Air Step was a small notch on each side.

During our venture out of Port Everglades into wind-whipped five-foot waves, we ran a few miles in the sloppy troughs and found the GT 34 could easily handle running on plane at 18-20 knots and popped on plane quickly due to the Air Step. However, top speed was out of the question. With the windshield wipers running full blast over the large one-piece windshield to clear sea spray, we made a big turn through the rough stuff and decided to take to the protected Intracoastal waters. Inside we reached a top speed of 35 knots (a reported top speed of 38 knots is achieved when the propellers are fully dialed in for performance).

“This boat has a 128-gallon fuel tank and can easily run to Bimini (about 50 miles offshore of South Florida),” Wilkes said. “With the gas engines this is more of a coastal boat or freshwater lake boat. We also offer it with diesel engines, and with diesels you’re going to run at a lower rpm and get even better fuel economy.”

Our test boat also included a bow thruster, which made maneuvering in the tight spaces a breeze. When equipped with Volvo Penta 200-horsepower stern-drive diesel engines and joystick control, there’s no need for a bow thruster.

Beneteau builds and sells more than 10,000 boats annually, making it one of the world’s largest recreational boat companies, if not the largest. With four French production facilities and a fifth in South Carolina, the builder efficiently shares engineering costs. Beneteau builds all its powerboats in France, and some of Beneteau’s sailboats are built in South Carolina.

French design is evident throughout the boat, starting with a unique overhanging roof covering that offers both sun and shade. The cockpit is not enclosed—meaning no cockpit air conditioning—but the air flow is superb and I never felt overheated when moving.

Cockpit seating includes a two-person driving helm to starboard, and the steering position is comfortable. Fully rigged with Simrad electronics, the GT 34 offers a multitude of gadgets to keep you fully informed—and entertained. Simrad’s SonicHub technology allows you to plug in iPhones, iPods and iPads, so that you can play music and videos via the boats multimedia network. For safety, the boat is equipped with Simrad 3G radar and also receives the Automatic Information System (AIS) vessel detail feed which reports the name, course and speed of all the vessels around you, a cool feature that was fun to play with on our sea trial. The driver also has the fuel-cutoff switch and fire-safety equipment within easy reach in case of a problem.

Passengers enjoy a U-shaped lounge to port in the cockpit, along with another bench behind the driver to starboard that converts into a lounge. All the outdoor fabric is made of propriety PVC upholstery, which, according to Beneteau, is resistant to fading from the sun and very easy to clean. The cockpit also features a small galley with a sink and refrigerator, and you can add an electric grill as an option for searing up a hot meal. Aft is a starboard-side transom boarding door that leads you out to a teak swim deck with a boarding handle, perfect for when you go to and from the water.

Belowdeck is a lounge area in the bow with a center table and seating for six. There is also a galley with a refrigerator, gas stove and stainless-steel sink, and it can be additionally outfitted with a microwave. The lounge converts into a double bed by lowering the table and shifting the lounge pads to make up the berth. There’s also a private head and shower with a port hole that really brightens things up. Aft is a cabin with a comfortable queen berth and storage lockers, and the cabin closes off with a door for privacy.

Beneteau began its first serious foray into the American powerboat market in 2011, offering high-quality construction that’s been refined over the years in the European market. American boat buyers will definitely want to experience the Air Step during a test ride, because better fuel economy and a quicker time to plane will never go out of style.

For a good number of years now, the May issue of Southern Boating has featured The Bahamas, that heavenly string of islands, cays and rocks situated just to the east of southern Florida. The close proximity, exquisite anchorages and beaches, friendly inhabitants and historical mystique of these islands lures visitors like a lodestone, and as many of you have discovered, one visit is never enough.

Over the years, our pages have covered nearly every nook and cranny, place to go and thing to see—as well as profiles of islanders and their lives—of this combined landmass about the size of the state of Connecticut. Dare we say, we’ve pretty much covered it all.

As journalists, we’re a naturally curious and inquisitive bunch and in our brainstorming session over what this year’s coverage might consist of, we started asking questions about “why is that” on a host of matters pertaining to the historical development of The Bahamas. Some informal research began and it wasn’t long before we decided that our readers would surely appreciate us sharing our findings with them. Our neighbors to the east have a fascinating and enthralling history, acutely intertwined with our own.

So pour yourself a tall glass of your favorite tropical beverage, climb into the shady hammock strung between a pair of Royal Palms, and let us transport you back—and then forth to the present day—to a time and place whose mere mention conjures up the fondest memories and fosters genuine yearning for a seaborne sojourn: The Bahamas.

Cleare Waters

Boatbuilder’s skill graced the high seas for many years

Staff Report

The 85-foot yacht Passing Jack, built in 1939 for Austin T. Levy. Right: Shipwright Victor Cleare, date unknown.

Anyone in The Bahamas who knows anything about boat building will have heard of Victor Cleare, whose skills created no fewer than nine impressive craft between 1920 and 1944, including the 165-foot Arawak, believed to be the biggest vessel ever built in these islands.

Mr. Cleare, who was born in Harbour Island on December 12, 1900, was the sixth generation of Cleares in The Bahamas, a family descended from solid English stock whose roots are said to go all the way back to Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated second wife of King Henry VIII and mother of Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth I.

A self-taught boatbuilder, Victor developed his passion for sea-going craft through his father, Bruce, who owned several three-masted sailing ships. These were used to carry pineapples to Baltimore and to pick up mahogany in Havana for delivery to ports along the east coast of North America. The names of two are believed to be the Beatrice and the Corinthia, both of which are believed to have sunk in Harbour Island during the fierce hurricane of 1929.

With such a background, it was almost inevitable that Victor would follow an associated career and until the second world war he made his living by building boats in Harbour Island. He then moved to Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, to work for Austin T. Levy, for whom he built the afore-mentioned Arawak, the Passing Jack, the Samana and the Dairy Maid.

Not long after completing the Dairy Maid in 1944, Victor and his family moved to Nassau where he took employment with his good friend and fellow “Brilander” Sir George Roberts. The old homestead where he lived with his wife Lucy is still there today and is now occupied by Gaylord’s Restaurant.

Victor’s son, Paul, a retired businessman who developed a keen interest in Bahamas shipbuilding, has been sorting out family photographs which throw a fascinating light on his father’s halcyon days as a shipbuilder supreme.

“Boatbuilding was his great love and he developed a great skill in the field as was so very apparent by the nine boats he later built,” said Paul. The craft ranged in size from 40 feet up to the 165-foot Arawak and included the Saint Mary of Stafford, a 55-foot vessel built in Harbour Island in 1932 at the request of the then Roman Catholic bishop, who used it for travel to the Out Islands.

The Cleare family’s Bahamas connections go all the way back to 1789 when John Cleare arrived in Harbour Island from Sudbury, Suffolk. John, who married the daughter of an English planter in Jamaica, was nicknamed ‘Eleven’ because he was the 11^th brother in the family.

Victor Percy Cleare was educated at Harbour Island by the Rev. Poad of Oxford University, who was brought from England at a salary of 50 pounds a year to tutor the Cleare, Solomon and Johnson children. Victor took and successfully passed the senior Cambridge examination under Rev. Poad’s guidance.

On August 21, 1923, Victor married Lucy Harris of Harbour Island and they had six children: Bruce, Joseph, Helen, Gilbert, Paul and Catherine.

In Sir George Robert’s employment, Victor was manager of City Lumber and, after retirement, returned to Harbour Island and later moved to Florida where he died in November, 1989, just short of his 90^th birthday. His wife had died a few years earlier.

Unfortunately, a couple of Victor’s splendid craft came to an unhappy end, the Arawak catching fire and sinking on a trip from Jacksonville to Hatchet Bay, and the Saint Mary of Stafford becoming a hurricane victim at Prince George Dock in the 1930s.

It is possible that one, the 40-foot Pieces of Eight, still survives, though its whereabouts aren’t known.

However, Victor Cleare left his distinctive mark on Bahamas maritime history and his skills graced the high seas for many years.

A New Cruising Agenda

Warderick Wells, Exumas Land and Sea Park —Paul Harding photo

By Sara Lewis

What’s on your list of cruising destinations and stopovers in The Bahamas? Are you looking for a different route plan instead of the popular race to George Town or the winter marina “condo” in Abaco? How about the unsurpassed scenery and unspoiled natural settings of some of the National Parks of The Bahamas close to your traditional route? Embarking on a different purpose for cruising The Bahamas may open you to more beautiful places and create a personally tailored voyage for your particular passion, whether it be adding birds to your Life List, or opening up underwater vistas of sealife. See how many pristine preserves you can add to your list!

The Bahamas National Trust has set aside many national treasures, both on land and at sea. The largest land park is Andros’ West Side National Park, which has been recently expanded to house over 1.2 million acres. The Exuma Land and Sea Park at 176 square miles (112,640 acres) is the world’s first area designated as both a land and sea park. Probably the most remote land park is on Inagua, slightly smaller than Andros’ park at 183,740 acres.

Each of the 27 parks has a slightly different purpose. The land parks are set aside to protect various types of vegetation such as pine and hardwood forests, wetlands, mangroves, rare palms, beaches and dunes. These are secure places for seabirds, The Bahama parrot, land crabs, iguanas and the West Indian flamingo (The Bahamas’ beautiful national bird).

Your list path will take you to the sea parks where you can anchor or pick up a mooring nearby and travel by dinghy—not by car—to observe the natural beauty above and below the clear aquamarine water. How many underwater caves, blue holes, tidal creeks, coral reefs and stromatolites can you fit in? How many sea turtles can you spot?

For many cruising yachts, the first landfall is the Abacos. Proceeding to the southernmost preserve in the Sea of Abaco, the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park makes for an easy visit by providing a mooring for your dinghy just east of Sandy Cay. You are only a short swim away from visually striking coral reefs and undersea caves with a rich diversity of sealife.

From there, it’s time for a big ocean leap for your next sea park experience, the oldest in The Bahamas, the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. You’ll want to spend some time here to see and do everything and perhaps even volunteer at the Park Headquarters to help with the chores that require many hands to protect the environment. From Wax Cay Cut in the north to Conch Cay Cut in the south, this is the world’s first park that encompasses both land and sea. At Warderick Wells Park Headquarters (and also at Shroud, Hawksbill and Cambridge Cays), you can pick up an environmentally safe mooring as a base for your explorations as you check off the Boo Boo Hill blowhole, iguanas, hutias (large nocturnal rodents), stromatolites and sea turtles. Don’t forget the daily fish/shark interactions at HQ. Unquantifiable is the number of exquisite shades of blue of the surrounding waters. See how many variations of cerulean you can identify on your palette. You may find it hard to leave here unless you remember that there are more exquisite places to see “down de way.”

Since George Town in Elizabeth Harbour is one of the most popular destinations in The Bahamas, it will be easy to follow the parade down to Great Exuma. Just past the eastern end of the harbour are some of the most exquisite waters and islands you will see—Moriah Harbour Cay National Park at 13,440 acres of beaches and dunes, mangrove creeks and sea grass beds, coral reefs and sandbores. It includes not only Moriah Cay but also Elizabeth Island, Guana Cay, Fowl Cay and Whelk Cay, plus lots of little rocks and islets in between. (Elizabeth Island and Guana Cay are privately owned with dwellings onshore.)

After your exploration of Moriah Cay and its environs, exit Elizabeth Harbour’s eastern cut and set your course for another visual treat, Conception Island, believed to be one of the three islands that Columbus visited. It is a sanctuary for many migrating birds, among them the spectacular long-tailed snowy tropicbirds, and a nesting area for sea turtles as well. Nearby Booby Cay is a haven for sooty terns and brown noddies. The ornithologist might find his or her Life List growing at that point!

Does your schedule say it’s time to go north again? If time permits, you can work your way back up the Exumas and take the Decca Channel over to Andros so that you don’t miss the world’s third largest barrier reef and the highest concentration of blue holes. Andros’ Northern and Southern Marine Parks and the Blue Holes National Park preserve a significant part of this ecosystem.

In the interest of keeping you on a more direct route, some alternate but enticing prongs have been left out. You can augment the route above by first adding a stop at Peterson Cay off Grand Bahama; Walkers Cay in the northernmost Abacos; Black Sound Reserve Cay off Green Turtle Cay; Fowl Cay Preserve off Man O’ War Cay; and Clifton Heritage National Park at West Bay on New Providence.

You’ve completed the loop of the most accessible sea parks in The Bahamas. However, now you might need to go back and re-visit because you’ve only just begun!