Browse through interviews that peek into the lives and careers of those in the boating industry. Interviews with marina owners, boat builders, and event coordinators can be found here.
Bontona Peninsula provides luxury waterfront living with a dock to match. Tom and Katia Bates made sure of that.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is home to 165 miles of navigable waterways. Aside from the New River that winds through the downtown area and into the Atlantic Ocean, the multitude of canals that make Fort Lauderdale the “Venice of America” are man-made,
including parts of the Intracoastal Waterway. Developers began dredging and clearing the swampland in 1920 to create the island subdivisions surrounding the downtown area.
In 1928, the Port Everglades channel opened, and the “Boating Capital of the World” was never the same. The canals are now lined with beautiful homes, many with boats docked
alongside…the best of both worlds.
Bontona Penninsula
For Tom and Katia Bates, it’s the location that made them decide to purchase Bontona Peninsula, one of the few pieces of property in Fort Lauderdale that is surrounded on three sides by water. “We look at how many feet you have on the water, closeness to the ocean and southeast exposure,” says Katia.
The property is only minutes away from the Atlantic Ocean by boat, which ups the property value. Another key location feature is its proximity to the downtown area. The home is a block off the famed Las Olas Boulevard and less than a mile from the eclectic shops, galleries, and restaurants to one side and the beaches to the other, yet the home offers a secure, private setting.
Tom was born and raised in South Florida. His father is dad bought him a JU-class hydro-powerboat at age nine. He continued to race through his teens with offshore and
superboats and was throttle man for Spirit of America, Bandit and Caliente. He refit boats before he focused on home construction and worked with Herb Postma who had the Hatteras of Fort Lauderdale dealership before starting Westship Yachts. Through his career, Tom has become an award-winning builder with expertise in project planning and management, remodeling and designing custom coffee tables made with high-powered engines.
Eye for Design
Katia is the designer of the family, born in Italy and a second-generation member in the interior design industry. She has an in-depth knowledge of Italian and European styles as well as contemporary and transitional designs and is recognized for her work on Casa Casuarina, the former Versace Mansion.
She’s particular about her work and her unique trait is that no two locations are designed the same. “You’re not paying me to do something I’ve already done,” she says. “You’re paying for my ideas that are new….For me, it has to be authenticity. The market that I work with can’t repeat itself. My clients pay the price of their interiors, not so much my fees, my fees are equal to everyone else. It is the money they invest in the material that
they buy that is superior to other standard projects….When you get into that type of quality of work, there is not just an artisanship at the level of an artist; you can’t do what you did for the other guy because you don’t give exclusivity to this one, and you rob from that one, so I never repeat myself.”
The same goes for yachts. She recently designed the interior of the 145-foot Westship Tanzanite, but her passion is with homes. She gutted the original Bontona Peninsula estate, but the 14-inch thick, solid concrete exterior walls remained. The Bates’ wanted an open feel full of light that took advantage of the water views. “When you enter properties in this price range, you need to take advantage of the things that surround
you, not just inside,” she says.
The Home
The design starts from the moment you walk in the front door—the eyes are led straight through the entry to the living room, through the large windows and door to the pool framed by the palm trees, and out to the river. The living room’s high ceiling makes you catch your breath as the open space surrounds you. The 10,565-square-foot home has five bedrooms and nine and a half baths, including the 3,000-square-foot master bedroom
suite.
Four VIP bedrooms vaunt ensuite baths and closets and private balconies. The entire outdoor area, designed for entertaining contains a pool and infinity hot tub. Both are surrounded by an enormous stone and marble patio. Five power pedestals on the dockside provide power for yachts up to 275 feet using either European or U.S. power supplies. A magnificent lawn surrounds the estate-like driveway in front, and the garage houses six to eight cars.
Learn More
The .85-acre Bontona Peninsula estate has been carefully designed with the highest quality materials, from custom marble flooring to semiprecious stone countertops and is
available for $32 million. floridaluxurious.com
A savvy and experienced owner sets his sights on just the right kind of cruising yacht, and the Horizon PC65 delivers.
Richard Alexander knows all about the new Horizon PC65—he owns one. “I bought my first yacht in 2004 and didn’t know anything except that I wanted one,” he says, as a bit of a smile complements the sparkle in his eyes. “I picked it up in Fort Lauderdale, hired a captain and drove the boat to Texas where my wife and I lived. That’s how I learned a couple of things and very quickly after that, a lot more.”
Boat Life
The Alexanders (and their pooch) aboard their Horizon PC65.
With retirement coming some four years later, the Alexanders divested everything terrestrial, moved on board and began cruising. “The family was grown, out of the house and taken care of, and we wanted this time for ourselves,” he says. “We were so committed; we were able to flip boats every year for the next three years. The travel and lifestyle were as good as it gets.”
When they decided to put their then-owned 84-footer on the market, these sufferers of terminal wanderlust began to look for something really special and the right vessel that would fit their particular needs. That’s when they found Horizon Power Catamarans.
Innovation on the Horizon
Since 1987, and under the visionary tutelage of co-founder and naval architect John Lu, Horizon has consistently pioneered innovative advances throughout the industry and garnered a well-deserved reputation for its sophisticated craftsmanship and building techniques across its wide-ranging model lineup. The design and development of the
PC Series (PC for Powercat Company) is the successful and impressive collaboration between Horizon Yachts, designer J.C. Espinosa, naval architect and catamaran specialist Angelo Lavranos of Lavranos Marine Design, and Stuart Hegerstrom and Richard Ford of The Powercat Company.
Alexander, an engineer by profession, including an eye for design, knew he had found something special when he first toured a Horizon PC. After several trips to Taiwan and
building the PC52 hull number two followed by a PC60 Skylounge, it wasn’t long before the noted builder’s PC65 came into sharp focus.
The ability to interface directly with the yard was a big plus for Alexander and enabled him to not only get what he wanted but also what he needed. “As far as I am concerned, the level of detail Horizon goes to is unprecedented,” he says. “My boat, as with all the others they build, is a shared effort, and it shows all during the build. They even paid special attention to the fact that we travel with our dog.”
The Design
The hull of the PC65 is a new design and not just a lengthened 60 or dammed up 74. It is engineered and designed to handle the weight. At 52 tons, she upgraded from the CAT 850-hp offering to a pair of 985-hp CAT C12.9 diesels with two Onan 21.5kW generators. The design also achieves the necessary and efficient cruising speed for their needs (24 knots at 80-percent load with less than 3.5 gpm, according to Alexander) and provides abundant storage, entertainment, dining, and food preparation space as well as everything else the wide-range cruising Alexanders require. The Alexanders enjoy extended time at sea, so the boat is designed to run efficiently at half load.
The hull is hand laid and then bagged, after which it is resin-infused for optimum strength-to-weight ratios. The bows are reinforced with carbon fiber to the keels and the stringers are bonded and foam-encapsulated. As with everything on this boat, strict attention to quality control and detail starts from day one, through launch and continues long afterward.
There are 750-gallon fuel tanks in each hull and a 300-gallon water tank on the port side. “When it came to my port side water tank, I am about a half inch low when full and when empty, high for the same value,” Alexander explains, meaning that Horizon engineered the boat to have the hulls balanced whether the tank is full or empty.
The Exterior
The PC65 is a big boat and given her 24-foot, 6-inch beam, she shows much bigger than her measured 65-foot length and offers an opportunity for the owner to customize her interior and maximize use of her exterior space.
A pair of wide stairways from the swim platform offer access aboard. The aft main deck features a spacious dining and entertainment area that takes full advantage of the yacht’s
wide beam. Walkways on either side lead to the bow, and there is an easy-to-navigate staircase from the aft deck up to the bridge deck. With the Alexander’s skylounge upper deck option, there is also an interior stairway starboard that leads directly to the galley/salon area. Two separate steering stations to port and starboard on the aft deck provide close-quarters docking. A pair of large hatches in the deck allows access to the engine room space that has plenty of room for all critical engine checks and maintenance.
Topsides, the enclosed Skylounge model (the Flybridge model is open on each side) creates its own separate room and given Alexander’s cruising lifestyle, suits them well. Fully air-conditioned and comfortably outfitted with an impressive and fully laid-out centerline helm with Stidd pedestal seats, it features an entertainment center with galley and bar, refrigerator, and day head, the kind of space that adds an important dimension to the yacht’s mission.
“When we’re running, I can get her on autopilot, turn on a football game and watch it on my Garmin screen and with the dog curled up on the couch, either of us can cook a light meal and be really relaxed by the time we get to where we’re going for that day,” says Alexander. Outside on the large aft deck is a cabinet for an electric smoker, storage space, seating, and room for the tender and ES1500 Steelhead davit.
The Accommodations
“We had so much room to work within the salon, we were able to move the aft glass sliding door inward some two feet and still create the kind of space we wanted in both places,” says Alexander. “My wife and I like to dance while dining alfresco.” The couple wanted a personal statement for the interior and worked closely with the Horizon team. Dramatic curves highlight a fabric headliner and balance a full galley to port, curved counter for informal dining and seating to starboard.
A seriously appealing master suite.
The Horizon PC65 contains a well-appointed saloon.
There is ample interior entertaining space.
Dine alfresco, if you wish.
The upper skylounge of the Horizon PC65.
The attention to detail in the high-gloss walnut woodwork and décor typifies the builder’s abilities. In fact, once entering the salon, your eye is encouraged to naturally follow the
design forward to where the main deck master suite is located. The centerline, full-beam master suite offers spacious and elegant quarters dressed with beautiful cabinetry, plentiful storage, separate toilet with basin and cabinets, separate walk-in shower, and a portrait of their dog adorning a bulkhead.
Living accommodations in each hull are accessed via stairways to either side. The port stateroom offers large quarters, ensuite head and, as with everywhere aboard this yacht, more than enough storage for extended times away from home. Equally sized staterooms, each with ensuite heads, are on the starboard side. Both sides are extremely well-appointed and surrounded by expert woodwork, tasteful décor and the kind of presentation one would expect from Horizon.
Happy Customers
“Our boat is truly a custom Horizon,” says Alexander. “When Richard and Stuart offered us the chance to be a part of the inaugural build for the new PC65, my wife and I jumped
on the opportunity, and we have no regrets. This PC65 version of POMBOO is our seventh large motor yacht, and the family at The Powercat Company and the Horizon Yacht Company in Taiwan did not disappoint. We had requests above and beyond that pushed installations of equipment to places that another builder might not have been able to do, but as you can readily see, they not only achieved it but did it right.”
The Alexanders plan to live on board and spend time in The Bahamas before heading up to Maine for the summer. Eventually, they’ll ship her to Sydney Harbor, Australia, for a year’s travel before returning to the U.S.—the goal to stay water-bound for 5 to 10 years before they are ready to return to terra firma, but who knows? Perhaps there’s a larger yacht on the horizon from this prominent builder.
The Horizon PC65 features a cutting-edge power catamaran hull design ensuring a comfortable, efficient ride in all conditions. Built with state-of-the-art construction techniques, the P65 design shows a modern clean line with large panoramic windows.
A large aft deck with lounging sofa and dining table seats eight comfortably. The interior is fully custom-built to owner’s specifications. The full-beam ensuite master stateroom features a king bed, and layout options include either three or four ensuite cabins down below and an open flybridge or sky lounge.
All living areas are very spacious and comfortable and finished to Horizon Yachts’ highest customary quality. Powered by twin Caterpillar 850-hp engines, she hits a top speed of 25 knots and cruises 480 nm at 20 knots.
A solid family legacy, a passion for the craft, and a commitment to hard work are how you can find yourself at the top of your industry.
That’s what happened for Gary Sands, one of the youngest leaders in the beverage industry in the world.
The Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company Ltd. broke barriers in 2017 when Gary took the helm as General Manager at just 27. Since then, he’s overseen increased production of the company’s locally-made brands and brews. Additionally, he’s overseen the growth of the company’s distribution portfolio including Anheuser-Busch and most recently, Philip Morris International.
Gary Sands
“I feel such a great sense of pride as I walk through our office every day knowing that we, Bahamians, are changing the beer industry in The Bahamas,” says Sands. “We’re bringing the industry back to Bahamian hands and proving that, yes, Bahamians have what it takes to compete on a global level.”
With a recent multimillion-dollar expansion of the brewery facility in Grand Bahama and a staff of over 150, Sands is poised to reach that global level. Sand’s father, the company visionary James “Jimmy” Sands remains as President, but several industry veterans who joined the company with him along the way have now retired. This paved the way for Gary and a new generation of bright, young leaders.
“One of the greatest feelings working at Bahamian Brewery and Beverage is doing what people said was the impossible,” Gary says, “By going against the second largest multi-national brewery in the world which produces competing beers in The Bahamas.”
A Family’s Dynasty
The Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company has discovered the key components to maintaining a successful business for decades to come. It starts with the Sands dynasty – generations of entrepreneurs making their mark in The Bahamas since 1648.
Gary’s grandfather Everette Sands, the patriarch of Bahamian Brewery passed away this year at the age of 94, but he left a great legacy in the beverage industry for his descendants. A hard-working young man with a dream, Everette competed against the largest liquor business in The Bahamas, which was owned by a powerful politician in the country. Everette, like many an entrepreneur, created his first shipment in a garage. His sons John and James (Jimmy) helped their dad in his stores from a very young age, learning how to do everything from sweeping the floors to packing boxes.
When Jimmy launched Sands beer, he applied all of the life lessons his father had taught him. He, too, had to come up against a top-selling beer in The Bahamas. Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits liquor stores continue to grow, and now the Sands Beer family line includes Sands Regular, Sands Light, High Rock Lager, Sands Pink Radler, Strong Back Stout, Bush Crack, 66 Steps Ale, and Triple B malt drink.
“I love my new role in the company as General Manager,” says Gary, who, like his father, learned the business from the ground up. “The fast pace and ever-changing industry complements my constantly moving lifestyle.”
The Sands family has proven that a solid legacy built on hard work and sheer determination, along with a commitment to product value, staff and customer satisfaction, are the right ingredients to brew up a business that will stand the test of time.
Local Communities Support USCG During Government Shutdown
With the government shutdown surpassing the one-month mark earlier this week, leaving many federal workers and their families without pay for several weeks. With the United States Coast Guard is the only military branch without during the shutdown. This face pushed several local boating communities have come together to support their local servicemembers and their families.
Over the past week, several Sea Tow franchises have rallied their local marine communities together to collect everyday goods – nonperishable foods, diapers, formula, household items, and even gift cards – to help local Coast Guard families get through the shutdown as unscathed as possible.
It all started when Sea Tow Fort Myers’ Heather O’Brien first heard that the Coast Guard wasn’t going to be paid during the shutdown. USCG funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security, not the Department of Defense, like their Army, Navy, and Marine counterparts.
“When I first heard about these men and women and their families going without pay during the shutdown, I knew I had to do something,” O’Brien said. “We’ve built up such a strong relationship with the Coast Guard over the years and they never hesitate to help us out when we need it most, so it’s only right we return the favor.”
In just a few days, O’Brien and her staff at Sea Tow Fort Myers collected thousands of items – from food and toiletries to gift cards totaling over $12,000. With the help of the U.S. Coast Guard Enlistment Association, O’Brien was able to deliver multiple truckloads worth of goods to a donated storefront at a nearby shopping center, where Coast Guard families can visit to privately pick up any items they may need.
“A local Coast Guard vet donated a storefront for us to keep all the donated goods in,” O’Brien said. “We plan on opening it up to the public every Wednesday so that people and businesses can stop by and make donations, and both myself and a local Coast Guard officer have keys – that way we can work with each family individually so that they can come and go as they please and pick up goods discreetly.”
O’Brien added that Sea Tow Fort Myers will be accepting donations at their Cape Coral office seven-days-a-week until the shutdown ends.
However, Fort Myers is not the only Sea Tow franchise hosting their own donation drive.
Far up the East Coast, the crew at Sea Tow Manasquan are participating in their own donation drive. Capt. Chris LaNeve is collecting gift cards to local restaurants, shops and gas stations to help Coast Guard families throughout New Jersey get through the shutdown.
About a hundred miles north of Fort Myers, Sea Tow Tampa Bay is collecting gift cards, toiletries, food, and pet and cleaning products at their St. Petersburg office.
Sea Tow CEO Joseph Frohnhoefer III said that seeing the outpouring of support for a group of men and women Sea Tow works with so often has been a humbling experience.
“It’s so great to see such tremendous support from both our franchisees and the greater boating community as a whole,” Frohnhoefer said. “We couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved. It’s a great day to wear Sea Tow yellow.”
It’s the largest in-water boat show in the world. What’s not to love about the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show? We preview the top brands and boats.
Southern Boating readers LOVE The Bahamas, and so do we! We assume that’s why readers dove into this quick video. 16 Things You Didn’t Know About The Bahamas surprised even our saltiest cruisers.
You liked boats! In particular, some of you really liked our powercat roundup. And why not? We checked out the best in the industry for all you cruisers out there.
Told you it was all about the boats. Coming in at number four is the new kid on the block, the center console roundup. We cover everything from 17 to 65 (yes 65!) LOA. There’s something for everyone and every budget.
Oldie but VERY goodie. When mariners gather for a discussion about all things boating, the second topic that often comes up relates to boat generators. The first, of course, is about the quality of the drinks in the establishment.
But of course. Never does a year go by without a swimsuit video gracing the top pages of the year. It must be for the boats. Not sure what else it could be?
Taking the top spot: it’s the Top 15 Tenders and RIBS! We’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: RIBs are a do-it-all wonder that is easy to operate, gentle around other boats because of the rubber collar, and filled with features (like a head) that make them comfortable for all.
You know how I know when it’s almost Christmas? Yes, boat parades are a good gauge, but the real litmus test is how people in the Southern Boating office are behaving. With less than a week until the full-monty, here’s a quick look at how Southern Boating has prepared for the holidays.
The Tree
Our beautiful tree has been lit for about a month. Our fearless leader (read: publisher) starts asking when our Christmas tree will be here approximately three minutes after trick-or-treating ends in October, but the tree tends to go up in a post-Thanksgiving slumber. We also collected a boatload of toys for the Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center on behalf of our friends at MIASF & MICF.
The Treats
I’m really not sure how an office of only 14 people are able to consume roughly 28 lbs of various chocolates, candies, and cookies in one week. But at Southern Boating, we seem to have a somewhat unnatural propensity for consuming holiday sweets. I personally witnessed three dozen Mexican Wedding cookies disappear from their tin in less than 24 hours. But does this sugar high stop us from also celebrating an employee birthday today? Absolutely not. We require cake…and ice cream.
The Stuff
On par with our outlandish sugar intake is the barrage of gifts that are (still) arriving in a seemingly endless stream of Amazon packages. It’s no wonder that Bezos is the richest dude on the planet. In an attempt to surprise family and loved ones, most of Southern Boating‘s employees have their gifts delivered to the office. You won’t find any shopping procrastinators in this office, but if you’re late to the game, we have this list of six gifts that won’t break the bank.
The Merriment
Later this week, we will celebrate with our annual office luncheon. There’s always a Secret Santa gift exchange that never seems to stay very secret at all. It’s almost impossible when there’s a rogue elf (read: marketing assistant) on the loose who stomps around in pointy shoes, demanding to know who is buying gifts for who. This luncheon can drift towards raucous, but you really can’t blame us. It’s the end of the year and we’ve been subsisting on a diet of nothing but cookies and cake for three weeks straight.
Plus, it’s nearly impossible to avoid cacophony and peals of laughter when gifts have been everything from camo toilet paper to a live iguana.
I relish it all, and I think I can speak for everyone here when I say that the most important things that happen here at Southern Boating during the holidays are laughter-induced hiccups and a sense of comradery. There’s a lot of bad things happening in the world, but there’s a lot of good out there too. One of those good things is this crazy team. We are so lucky to be working in an industry we love, with the best customers, and the best subscribers. It should be said more often than when we’re misty-eyed from eggnog, but ’tis the season to be grateful for laughter. And for iguanas.
Happy Holidays!
— The Southern Boating Crew
PS: Before you decry animal cruelty, our art director took the iguana home as a gift for his son. Lucky kid.
Thomas Kittel retires from a successful executive career and with his wife, Jutta, he embarks on a series of cruising adventures that most would not have the courage to consider. Here is his travel diary cruising through Europe.
With a flying start, we set out on our Marlow 72E Azura for our fourth major voyage and leave Rostock, Germany, on May 12, 2017. A strong easterly wind pushes us through the Fehmarn Sound to Kiel where German customs show that they are still attentive and pay us a visit. Even though the check is routine, they wear bullet-proof vests and one person must stay on the dock. After checking our papers, their main interest is our 13,000-liter fuel tank. Some boat owners use tax-saving sources because of the high fuel prices, but we employ no such means and have nothing to fear. They are satisfied by the email exchange from the fuel supplier. With that, we’re on our way to begin cruising through Europe.
The locks and motoring through the Kiel Canal are routine for us, and we stay in the familiar Cuxhaven SVC Marina. One morning, however, I learn that too much routine can have its downsides. When backing out from the yacht harbor, I turn in a little too early and ram a lightweight floating dock. Luckily, only our hull’s paint and gelcoat are damaged, but the floating dock is heavily bent. We immediately dock at the nearby diesel filling station and then, of course, the whole communication goes off with the port, the water police, and my insurance. Finally, everyone has what they need, and we’re back on our way.
Safety First
Misfortune, however, is seldom alone and shortly after leaving Cuxhaven, dense fog envelops us. Sailors without an automatic identification system (AIS) are only visible as a small, colored point on the radar screen and I’m forced to dodge them. After some tense moments, the fog clears and the day becomes glorious with sun and little wind as we travel along the East Frisian Islands to Norderney.
To continue on through the Netherlands, we opt to cruise inside on De Staande Mastroute because it allows the vertical clearance we need and avoids the North Sea. We already know a large part of the route, but it is always fun to steer our large “steamer” through the pretty Holland countryside with its narrow canals and bridges.
We stop over in Dokkum and get to know this picturesque “dollhouse” with distinctive windmills. As we travel through Lemmer, Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Dordrecht, Willemstad is one of the highlights on the Dutch section of our trip. Here, we manage to get a place in the old, small town port without a reservation. This harbor, built into the former citadel, offers a very rare photo opportunity, but you’ll have to accept the tourist crowds because Willemstad is an attractive tourist destination.
Our visit here the previous year was filled with annoyance and unplanned detours from blocked bridges, but everything goes smoothly. We reach Zeebrugge, Belgium, as planned, where we take our first guest on board and leave behind the familiar waterways. Dunkerque is our first French seaport and a significant rite of passage. It’s where our watersports activities began 20 years prior with a motorboat we chartered in Pontailler-sur-Saône (Burgundy) without the slightest clue about boating.
From the sea, Dunkerque is not exactly inviting. Immediately at the entrance to the harbor, huge industrial buildings with smoking chimneys form the reception committee. We decide for the marina closer to the center and are rewarded by two female harbormasters who are friendly, professional and create space for us on the jetty. However, there is no real French “feeling” here. Much appears to be outdated, many places are empty and deserted, and the sailboat next to us is sprinkled liberally with verdigris and doesn’t help the atmosphere. It’s the same with Boulogne-sur-Mer, despite the very well-preserved old town built on a hill.
Lock it up
But then comes Le Tréport. Some courage is needed to enter the small fishing port and marina, which can only be reached at high tide by a barely sufficient lock. You have to rely on the harbormaster for possible free berths because on your own, you see nothing from the lock. In the lock, we get a pontoon number assigned and sneak through the ever-narrowing port to discover that the designated space is occupied. We tie up provisionally alongside the tour boat Eros, but with no other alternatives, we remain there albeit with no electricity, no water, and a small climb through the tour boat to get ashore.
Le Tréport is located at the mouth of the Bresle River and the coast’s more than 100-meter-high chalk cliffs strongly remind us of the English coast, which was probably the reason for Queen Victoria’s two visits. You can climb the 370-plus steps or ascend the cliffs with an inclined lift hewn into the rocks. At the top, your reward is a breathtaking view of the sea, the village of Le Tréport and Mers-les-Bains across the river.
Here, the undisputed star is the 1844-built lighthouse that stands on the top of the western pier to the harbor entrance. Even at high tide, it rises impressively, but at low tide, it unfolds an even greater impact. Up to 10 meters of water has disappeared, and the fairway to the port is completely empty. The piers projecting out of the sand now look like huge castle walls on which the lighthouse towers like a keep.
There’s an additional building that houses a large bell and several giant fog horns. It’s easy to imagine which hellish spectacle prevails here in fog. I feel reminiscent of the ill-conceived fog horn in Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill, which I recently saw in Hamburg. But unlike the play, the weather is peaceful. Evening walkers populate the pier to the lighthouse, whose romantic flair no one can escape, and a short-term cloud hole offers a near completely calm sea. The air is like velvet and silk, a moody atmosphere for our photography.
Memories
Before we leave Le Tréport the next day, the wind suddenly turns and increases in strength. We have only two hours to Dieppe before us, but for the first time on this tour, things get a bit bumpy. Luckily, we stowed the fenders and lines in port beforehand. Dieppe welcomes us with a large, well-protected marina in the city center. Here we rent a car for the first time and drive to Amiens, the departmental capital of Picardy, with which I connect many memories from my school days—first trip abroad, appearances with the school orchestra, accommodation with a French family, flirting with the daughter of the house.
Often the reality of today disappoints the glorified memories of yesterday, but here it’s the other way around. The grey Amiens of my school days has become a charming city. The famous Cathédrale Notre Dame d’Amiens, one of the three great cathedrals of the High Gothic era, has the highest nave of all French cathedrals and served as a structural model for the Cologne Cathedral. The cathedral overlooks a pretty, old town where the Somme River’s side arms and canals create an almost Venetian flair.
Where the Somme enters into the sea lies the Baie de la Somme, which is dry at low tide and offers refuge for more than 300 species of birds. Le Crotoy, Saint-Valerie-sur- Somme and Cayeux-sur-Mer connect via a wonderful steam train. Somehow, despite their attractiveness, they have not succumbed tourist traps. Here, we feel France from its most beautiful side and enjoy again the fresh moules-frites (mussels and fries).
Change of Plans
The tide is unfavorable for cruising to Fécamp and Honfleur, so we opt for the always approachable Le Havre. Because the marina is so big, we’re almost alone. The sea is close to our outdoor pontoon, so the waves of the passing ships rock us to sleep.
We pick up our rental car and drive to the Rouen Cathedral, which owes its fame, not least of all, to the 33 paintings comprising Claude Monet’s series of pictures created in different lighting conditions from 1892 to 1894, a highlight in Monet’s oeuvre. We encounter paintings at every turn because, in many places in Normandy, there lived poor, now world-famous painters. Often, their pictures are informational signposts. This helps you see the artist’s perspective.
A steam train connects the cities of Le Costoy, Saint Valarie-sur-Somme Cayeux-sur-Mel.
Saint Nichols Church of Barfleur
The boat herself, a Marlow 72E named Azura.
Palatial halls of Notre Dame Cathedral
Azura docked alongside a bank.
We next voyage to St.Vaast-la-Hougue and reach the lively harbor just as the gates open. There is still room at the visitor pontoon, and various English flags indicate that the eastern tip of the Cotentin peninsula is very popular with the British.
We leave St.Vaast the next morning. The weather is wonderful. We head for Cherbourg before the weather turns. At Marina Port de Chantereyne, our scheduled berth was occupied by its owner that evening. But the harbor officials make up for their oversight with a much better berth next to the harbor office. The city is just a short walk away.
Croatia Awaits
Cherbourg is located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula. It’s the second-closest connection to England after Calais and where the World War II D-Day Normandy landings took place; Utah Beach is not far away. The fortifications of the Atlantic Wall on the huge flat sandy beaches are still present today, and many museums and events are reminiscent of historical events.
We’re here on the 73rd anniversary of the landing, and there’s a little celebration in Quinéville with military music, and historic military vehicles, tanks and uniforms—most under the American flag. Two speeches in French and English recall the events of yesteryear but also reference the threat posed by today’s terrorism. The German flies and we hear the national anthem and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Anyone expecting a one-sided celebration would be pleasantly surprised by the inclusivity. Before World War II, Cherbourg was the largest European gateway to the New World. The RMS Titanic stopped here before its fateful journey.
Despite the massive destruction in the World War II, a lot of history was preserved or restored. That includes the former nuclear submarine Le Redoutable, which could remain underwater for 70 days, was in service for 40 years and never fired any of its 16 atomic rockets.
Out at Cap de la Hague, the storm-ridden sea makes us happy to be safe in the harbor. Just south at Nez de Jobourg, we stop at the Auberge des Grottes and enjoy local specialties and spectacular views of the sea as far as the northernmost Channel Island, Alderney. After several days, the storm over the Atlantic begins to slow down, and we embark on the next great adventure: the Channel Islands.
With more than seven decades of experience, Capt. Jerry Lewless is the ideal Exumas ambassador.
Jerry Lewless is arguably the longest-running boat captain in the world. As a reference point, consider he first captained a boat at age 14, or as he tells it, “I was so young I still had milk around my mouth.” His first fishing client didn’t take the teenager seriously until the young captain extended his hand and said, “If you don’t catch fish, you don’t have to pay.”
Spend a day aboard Lewless’ pristine catamaran and expect to be wowed by his treasure trove of sailing stories, celebrity friendships and insider revelations about his beloved Bahamas. If there are six degrees separating Kevin Bacon from the rest of the world, after a Capt. Jerry catamaran tour, most passengers believe Lewless is connected to anyone who lived, breathed and sailed near The Bahamas. During his tours, Lewless points out the private islands of country western music stars, movie directors, magicians, and business tycoons.
Starry Eyed
But while Lewless holds most stories regarding the rich and famous close to his tanned chest, others are spun matter-of-factly. According to Lewless, Howard Hughes asked him to take Ava Gardner waterskiing. When Johnny Depp needed a place to stay during the filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, Lewless housed the star in one of his villas. When David Copperfield wanted to explore the cays for a private island he’d call home, Capt. Jerry showed him around. In the early 60s, Lewless discovered an underwater cave system while snorkeling at a point just west of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. When a film crew arrived on Great Exuma to shoot scenes for the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball, they used the cave as the setting for Sean Connery’s underwater fight scene.
Sixth Sense
Capt. Jerry’s current clientele pay a pretty penny for a guided tour along his native and scenic cays. That’s because Lewless has a highly touted reputation as not only one of the most well-informed captains in The Bahamas, but he’s also someone with an uncanny instinct for dodging inclement weather. When a Minnesota couple inquired about a dark cloud that was keeping pace to the east, Lewless said, “Don’t you worry about that. Let Captain Jerry take care of the weather.” Roughly 30 minutes later, his catamaran was sailing under perfect, cloudless skies.
No matter the weather, perfection is a splendid word for describing Lewless’ turquoise playground. A handful of the richest people in the world fall so in love with the beauty and privacy offered by the Exuma Cays—they don’t just buy a home, they purchase an entire island. Capt. Jerry has personally guided these deep-pocketed individuals around the waters he calls home.
Roker Point Estates is one of the Exuma Islands’ newest residential developments. A Roker Point developer met Lewless 30 years ago in Nassau and never forgot his level of boating expertise. A majority of Roker Point clientele choose this 58-acre oceanfront community because they enjoy or envision a yachting lifestyle.
Cat Life
There’s no better guide to show curious newcomers Exuma’s gorgeous islands than Lewless on Roker Point’s 36-foot Twin Vee powercat, which the development let him handpick. “I’ve been sailing Twin Vee catamarans for years. In fact, I quality test several of their lines. For as much time as I spend on the water, I want the smoothest sailing boat there is,” Lewless says. He escorts Roker Point clients on four or six-hour tours of Exuma’s spectacular chain of cays. If clients are undecided on this ultra-turquoise setting before going on a boat tour, Capt. Jerry wins them over with his colorful narratives of sailing, pirate and fish stories.
Smooth sailing on a Capt. Jerry tour means experiencing the Exuma Cays at the most memorable level. This could mean watching a green turtle respond to Lewless’ voice on Little Farmer’s Cay, witnessing an island dome home that Lewless claims receives regular visits from aliens at midnight, or stopping for lunch at the legendary Staniel Cay Yacht Club. He is a homespun celebrity there, so when the waitress at the Club stops by Lewless’ table, she merely nods and asks, “The usual?”
On the way back to the Roker Point Marina, Lewless asks his Minnesota guests if they’d like to see the Question Mark Sandbar. Even though the Roker Point catamaran is in the middle of the Atlantic, the Minnesotans jump off the boat into three feet of water. The couple experiences a photo opportunity for the ages as they step out on this half-mile long, pure-white sandbar surrounded by gin-clear, turquoise water. Capt. Jerry can only beam at their joy as they return to the boat.
The Legend
As Lewless docks his trusty catamaran back at Roker Point Estates, he encourages his new friends to return to Exuma soon. After an amazing day at sea, Lewless’ guests realize that at this moment, it’s hard to say no to Roker Point Estates’ secret weapon.
Here’s how to make your yacht an LLC and reap the financial benefits—as long as you pay close attention to the requirements.
If, like Chief Brody in Jaws, you decide, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” some simple strategies can help you purchase the yacht you’ve always wanted. We can all agree that a yacht is an expensive toy, but it can also be a business that qualifies for business tax deductions and financial planning benefits. That’s something to consider for anyone looking to upsize their boat to something yacht-sized.
Purchasing your new yacht through a limited partnership or limited liability corporation (LLC) is one way to accomplish this and without the hassle of dealing with a foreign jurisdiction. It has been done successfully by many, and it’s perfectly legal as long as it’s done correctly. Here’s how to make your yacht an LLC.
Here are some important steps to follow:
Establish a business entity to own the yacht
It may seem complicated, but it’s actually a fairly simple process you can do online or with the help of an attorney. Once you’ve established the business entity, you can coordinate the purchase of your new yacht by the business.
Arrange for financing
Financing your vessel purchase may be a challenge with this structure if you plan to use traditional sources of financing. Like all vessels, yachts depreciate and leave borrowing options through your new business entity somewhat more restricted, but that doesn’t have to be a roadblock. Consider an alternative, more cost-effective means of borrowing the funds, such as securities-based lending. With a securities-based loan, you don’t have to liquidate your investment portfolio to raise the cash necessary to purchase the yacht or satisfy deposit/collateral requirements. In addition, when you borrow from your investment portfolio or utilize your own cash, you can essentially loan your new business the money (and you set the loan terms). In short, you become the lender and the borrower.
Setup a business plan
Identify and estimate the total ownership costs and set up your company to function as a yacht charter business. Determine how much it will cost to dock your yacht versus operating at sea. Estimate all costs including fuel, captain and crew, maintenance, insurance, and other fees depending on the type and use of the vessel. Ultimately, you are trying to determine how much your business will need to charge (what you will personally pay the LLC) to “charter” your new yacht. Establishing reasonable charter rates is an important step in maintaining this as a viable business entity. Basically, you’re figuring out what you would have to spend anyway but charging users (yourself) a charter fee. Operating as a business enables you to take advantage of perfectly legal business deductions.
In addition, here are some tips to consider:
You absolutely must stay organized and maintain adequate records of your business’s operations. Effectively accomplishing this requires that you maintain the integrity of the business enterprise as separate and distinct from you, personally, through obvious and independent arms-length transactions.
This structure requires filing a separate tax return for your new yacht charter business. It also means separate bank accounts and separate financial records. Compartmentalizing is absolutely necessary lest you want a date with the Internal Revenue Service.
You don’t necessarily have to charter your yacht out to strangers, but there are some business strategies you should consider. For example, you can make your business even more “official” by having a website or listing your yacht for charter. What matters most is that you set a charter rate that will at least cover the operating expenses plus a modest profit margin. As you know, no business plan would be viable or reasonable with perpetual projected losses.
There are many other things to consider before going down this path. This strategy might seem a little complicated, but if you play by the rules, the pros should outweigh the cons. If you’re still unsure, an experienced financial advisor can help you evaluate all the nuances of your unique situation. It is also important to discuss this with your accountant, one with significant experience in advising clients with complex needs and knowledgeable about strategic planning for those with higher incomes and asset values.
How to make your yacht an LLC
The bottom line is that establishing a charter business to with your new yacht can be an effective way to more efficiently manage the total cost of ownership. Who knows? Maybe you can work and play at the same time.
By Christopher Ure, Southern Boating September 2018
The Jenkins gave a whole new meaning to “taking delivery” when they took their new Aspen Powercat from Washington State to the Chesapeake Bay with a 10,000 Mile Tour.
There’s nothing like stepping aboard your new boat. The imagination runs wild with visions of being anchored in a quiet, glassy cove or heading out on a day trip with the family. David and Sue Ellen Jenkins have shared similar moments on previous boats but wanted one that would take them farther. They did just that when they took delivery of their new Aspen Power Catamarans C120 directly from the factory in northwest Washington State and began a 10,000 mile adventure back to their home on the Chesapeake Bay.
From One Adventurer to Another
Larry Graf, founder and designer of Aspen Power Catamarans, enjoys proving the capabilities of his catamarans (including his previous Glacier Bay boats) on the open ocean. It was through these adventures that he developed a revolutionary hull design and drive system.
The Aspen catamaran hulls are asymmetrical. The starboard hull is 35 percent larger to accommodate the one engine that powers the vessel and includes the only shaft, prop and keel. The result is that it reduces overall drag by 20 percent compared to twin-engine cats. The patented Power Proa Hull is designed to compensate for the thrust and torque of the one engine to keep the boat on a straight track. Because of the reduced drag, fuel efficiency increases by as much as 70 percent over monohulls, and the design has 78 percent more roll stability.
Jenkins and his wife were joined by his brother-in-law, Capt. Blake Eder, who is a delivery captain in North Carolina. They were looking for a boat that had a stable platform and provided comfortable accommodations for long voyages but that could handle the Chesapeake Bay chop. Of course, it needed to have a good-looking profile on the water. Jenkins was intrigued with the Aspen design and headed to Seattle for a sea trial.
Seattle’s car and passenger ferries provided large wakes to test the boat’s stability. “The ferries were going at a pretty good clip. We were cutting right behind [them] to see what it’s going to do in the wakes,” says Jenkins. “There was none of this bouncing; we’d even go to the side of the wake to see how much roll there was, and so judging from that, before I bought the boat, I thought this is really what I want.”
Explaining how the Chesapeake can knock a boat around and everyone in it, Jenkins says, “You don’t have any of that with this boat. It just cuts through it like a knife…After the test drive, I was sold that this boat met my criteria.”
On Tour
Jenkins, Eder, and Graf came up with the 10,000 Mile Tour idea that made the delivery to Maryland an adventure and provided the trip of a lifetime to those farther places. It also provided Graf and Aspen Catamarans a chance to promote the new C120 when the Jenkins family needed to be home.
Knot Wafflen’ (named for Jenkin’s former Carbon Golden Malted waffle business) began with a shakedown cruise through the San Juan Islands before heading north to Alaska. As the crew cruised their way to Glacier Bay, they learned how the boat handled. They worked out all the kinks during the first 2,100 nautical miles of their adventure.
The Gulf of California, including Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, Mexico, was another cruising ground on their list. Jenkins and Eder sailed the boat along the Pacific Coast and around the Baja Peninsula. After their Baja cruise, the owners went back home for business, and Graf stepped aboard to continue the voyage. Graf motored Knot Wafflen’ over to Mexico’s mainland and put it on a truck to Galveston, Texas. From there he sailed over to Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the Jenkins family met the boat and continued the delivery.
Florida
Nasty weather with strong winds prevented Knot Wafflen’ from traveling around the Dry Tortugas and the Florida Keys. This gave Jenkins and Eder with an interesting alternative to get to Florida’s east coast— through the Lake Okeechobee Waterway. They motored from Fort Myers up the Caloosahatchee River through three locks. Lake Okeechobee is a 35-mile, shallow water crossing, and they traveled alone. “No one else was going to cross the lake but us because the wind was coming from the east; it was dead on our nose,” says Jenkins. “The waves were pushing all the way across the lake and building up because it’s shallow. People would have been pounding their way across having to fight that wind.”
(There is a perimeter canal that boats can take if necessary.) “We just powered up and shot across the tops of the waves. The best way I can describe it is like if you’re in a flats boat and you get up on the [waves] and about the only thing that’s in the water is the prop. That’s exactly what happens with this boat when the waves are close together.”
Back Home
Adventures like these last a lifetime, and in reflection, Jenkins shared three thoughts. For one, he felt the journey took too long and didn’t think he’d do it again. “However, I found many places worth returning to,” he says. “We’ll charter in those areas, such as British Columbia, the San Juans or the Sea of Cortez. Everything from Annapolis to New Orleans we can reach in three weeks, weather permitting in the Atlantic and the Gulf.”
Second, he reached his goal of becoming an expert on his own boat. Finally, the boat proved its sea-worthiness. Plus, the boat fit in standard marina slips.
“The bottom line is when we have to move at a good clip to enjoy a destination or to beat some weather or in [case of] an emergency, it can get us there quickly and safely!”
It’s not all hosting parties and poker games. Plenty of diplomacy discussions and secret salvations happened aboard. These are the secrets of Presidents on Yachts that shaped history.
There is a storied history of Presidents on Yachts– including some secrets hidden from the general public. One such example: in 1893, President Grover Cleveland (above) was in a major political battle over repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. His position was opposed by many in Congress as well as by Vice President Adlai Stevenson, grandfather of the 1950’s presidential candidate bearing the same name. On June 18th, while the debate raged, Cleveland noticed a rough spot on his palate and when the presidential doctor stopped by for a social visit, his quick examination revealed there was a lump. Sending samples to the Army Medical Museum and a consulting doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the diagnosis was a cancerous growth. The doctor reported the finding to President Cleveland adding, “Were it in my mouth, I would have it removed at once!”
Learning that the cancerous tumor had to be removed from his jaw, Cleveland hesitated because he was worried the news of his ill health and surgery would strengthen Stevenson’s position. Under pressure to have the surgery promptly, the President grudgingly consented, but only if the condition and circumstances of surgery be kept secret. That meant he could not be admitted to a hospital because word would be leaked quickly to the press.
Whisked Away
Presidential advisors devised an ingenious plan for the President to take a vacation cruise aboard the ship Oneida, which would sail leisurely up the East River in New York. On June 30th, President Cleveland arrived in New York with some friends for what most people thought was the beginning of a presidential vacation. Already on board, however, was a team of doctors who were secretly escorted to the Oneida hours earlier.
M/Y Oneida housed President Cleaveland when he needed a secret surgery.
Describing the scene that evening, H. Paul Jeffers, author of An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland, wrote, “Nobody watching from Pier A could have suspected that the president was in New York for a grim purpose. He settled into a deck chair, lit a cigar, and chatted until midnight as though he were a man without a care.”
The ship’s bar had been converted into an operating room, and on the following day, Cleveland underwent the operation while strapped in a barber’s chair. As the Oneida moved along at half speed, a dentist pulled two teeth, and the surgeons removed the entire upper left jaw from the president’s mouth. A rubber prosthesis was fitted to form an artificial jaw that proved undetectable.
Declaring the surgery a success, President Cleveland was on his feet in three days and went ashore unassisted. The conspiracy of silence was so complete that it took nearly a quarter century before a full account of Cleveland’s cancer and surgery was revealed. President Cleveland’s position prevailed over that of his vice president as Congress repealed the silver clauses of the Sherman Act on August 28, 1893.
That historical footnote is one example of the way American presidents have used yachts. Before Camp David offered a president privacy and refuge and long before Air Force One lent itself to presidential travel and decision making, many U.S. presidents used yachts as places to conduct official business, relax with family and friends or conduct secretive negotiations. Although Oneida was not an official presidential yacht, those that were offered presidents the privacy and solitude they needed to make important decisions. What follows are some fascinating details about several presidential yachts and how they were used.
River Queen
While guiding the nation through the pains of a civil war, President Abraham Lincoln, on several occasions, used the River Queen. The steamer was leased by the Quartermaster General War Department from George N. Power at the hefty price of $241 per day. On that vessel, Lincoln held a peace conference with Confederate representatives Vice President Alexander H. Stevens, Senator Robert M.T. Hunter and Assistant Secretary of War John A. Campbell at Hampton Roads on February 3, 1865. At the end of March, Lincoln met with Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman and David Dixon Porter on the River Queen to discuss the end of the Civil War.
Mayflower
The 275 foot Mayflower was used by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt used the Mayflower for diplomacy. Anchored in Oyster Bay, New York, near his Sagamore Hill home, the ship served as a floating negotiation center for delegates to the 1905 conference that ultimately ended the war between Russia and Japan and earned Roosevelt the Nobel Peace Prize. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson wrote these words from his cabin aboard the 275-foot Mayflower: “A point is reached where I must escape for a little while.” It was essential, he told a daughter, “to get away from the madness… of Washington for a day or two, not to stop work… but to escape people and their intolerable excitements and demands.”
Potomac
Franklin Delano Roosevelt often sailed on two presidential yachts, the Sequoia and the Potomac. On both ships, Roosevelt had an elevator installed to aid his movements between decks. On the Potomac, the elevator was concealed in a false smokestack. The elevator was operated by the President using a rope and pulley. An electric motor could easily have been installed, but Roosevelt used the elevator as a form of exercise. In 1939, he entertained King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England.
In her book No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, author Doris Kearns Goodwin writes “For the president (Roosevelt), the Potomac offered the perfect escape from both the heat of Washington and the persistent ring of the telephone. Having loved the water since he was a child, he enjoyed nothing more than sitting on the deck, an old hat shading his head from the sun, a fishing rod in his hands. The Potomac was not a luxury liner but a converted Coast Guard patrol boat, rough and ready, tending to roll with the waves, a sailor’s boat, with a fair top speed of sixteen knots.”
Roosevelt used the yacht to entertain politicians, host world leaders, play poker with friends, work on his stamp collection, and on one occasion, broadcast a “fireside chat” to the nation from a tiny radio room on board.
USS Williamsburg
By the time Harry Truman assumed office, the Potomac had been condemned by the Navy Department as being unfit for duty in open waters. As a result, the USS Williamsburg was commissioned the new presidential yacht. President Truman first cruised on the Williamsburg on November 10, 1945, and then used the ship to entertain a variety of foreign leaders including Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Williamsburg was manned by the U.S. Navy involving 8 officers, 130 enlisted men, and 26 stewards.
Sequoia
The m/y Sequoia as the longest-serving executive yacht.
Herbert Hoover loved spending time on the Sequoia. She was the longest-serving of the executive yachts. He was often seen playing medicine ball on its top deck. In 1932, the questionable decision to use a photo of the yacht as the centerpiece of his annual Christmas card drew mass criticism from a public who found such promotion to be indicative of Hoover’s inability to grasp the suffering caused by the Great Depression.
During subsequent presidencies, two of the most important decisions of the 20th century were made on the Sequoia. Franklin Roosevelt and General Dwight D. Eisenhower made plans for D-Day while aboard. Harry Truman is said to have pondered his decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan while in seclusion on the Sequoia.
Faced with the decision to resign as a result of the Watergate scandal, President Richard Nixon boarded the Sequoia. Writing about those hours, Nixon’s daughter, Julie, recalls being invited to join “mother and him for dinner on the Sequoia. I do not think anyone in the family, with the exception of my father, ever thoroughly enjoyed the rather public rides on the Sequoia, but we recognized they were relaxing for him.
Being on the Sequoia was like bobbing along in a glass bottle. The boat moved at a snail’s pace, with no particular destination and under full view of escort Coast Guard speedboats. Now, in August of 1974, a flotilla of press accompanied us also. Reporters and photographers were posted as well at every bridge. We were the subject of a deathwatch.” Four days after the Sequoia trip, Nixon announced his resignation from the presidency.
The end to an Era of Presidents on Yachts
The Sequoia faithfully served several of the nation’s more recent presidents and their families. John F. Kennedy celebrated his last birthday on board the ship. Lyndon Johnson used it several times, although his height caused him problems due to the low ceilings. Johnson had the floor of the shower in the presidential stateroom lowered six inches so he could stand up in the shower. He also had a bar installed in place of Franklin Roosevelt’s wheelchair elevator.
Finally, when Jimmy Carter became president, he deemed the Sequoia a waste of taxpayer money. He said there was no need for the yacht. As a result, it was auctioned off for $286,000 in 1977.
Follow Jim and Lisa Favors as they cruise in their Ranger Tugs and live in a snowboaters paradise.
It’s no secret that as soon as it gets cold up north, Florida gets busy. Excluding tourists on vacation, nearly one million temporary residents flock to Florida in winter and then leave in the spring. These winter residents are commonly referred to as “snowbirds.”And because there’s no better way to enjoy Florida than by boat, many of them are snowboaters too.
Michigan-based Jim and Lisa Favors discovered a unique way to enjoy their retirement, including winter snowboaters adventures in Florida. They got a taste of southern waters when they completed the Great Loop on a 42-foot powerboat. They’ve found their way back year after year.
They traded in their 42 for a trailerable trawler built by Ranger Tugs that completely changed the way they boat. With the versatility of being able to trailer the boat on the highway, they could explore new and different boating areas. When they took delivery of their first Ranger Tugs, an R27 named Kismet, at the factory in Washington State so they took the first cruise around Puget Sound.
On their way south that winter, they got to explore interesting inland boating areas that many cruisers never see, including Flaming Gorge on the Green River, Lake Powell, and the Tennessee River. Along the Arizona/Utah border, Lake Powell was formed when the Glen Canyon Dam was built in 1963 on the Colorado River. This immense inland lake at an elevation of 3,700 feet is over 150 miles long and has more than 1,500 miles of shoreline that includes many picturesque coves and anchorages. When they couldn’t find appropriate lakes or rivers along the way, the Favors used their boat in campgrounds, or “boaterhoming.”
Snowboaters Paradise
With the boat back in saltwater on the Alabama/Florida border, they cruised their R27 along the panhandle, around both coasts of Florida and across Lake Okeechobee. After spending the winter in Florida, they packed their boat onto the trailer and headed to Michigan. Summer cruising in the Great Lakes can be spectacular with destinations such as Door County, Wisconsinand the Thousand Islands of Canada. Being able to transport the boat on the trailer allowed them to cruise vastly different areas depending on the season and where they wanted to go next.
After the Favors cruised areas that take many a lifetime to accomplish—the Great Loop, Canada, Key West, the Pacific, Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico—“two-foot-itis” set in and a bigger boat beckoned. Jim and Lisa commissioned a new Ranger Tugs R29S in 2017 and like the original Kismet, the R29 is trailerable and provides the flexibility they relish, but delivers more power, better accommodations and fresh modern styling. “The Volvo Penta D4 300 engine works with authority,” says Favor.
“When we move the boat during docking, cruising, or close-quarters maneuvering, there is no hesitation. While cruising, on the hook or at the dock, we have an unobstructed panoramic view of our surroundings. The seamless integration between the salon and cockpit provides better continuity for us and our guests.”
They took delivery of their new boat at the factory outside of Seattle and, once again, cruised the Puget Sound, The San Juan Islands, and into Canada. A stop in September at the Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats rendezvous in Roche Harbor, Washington, brought them together with 400 fellow boaters, and their new boat shined among the 150- plus Ranger Tugs.
This past winter, the Favors dropped their boat in the water at Legacy Harbor in Ft. Myers, Florida, and stored their truck and trailer. The snowboaters like this marina because it’s an easy walk into town and there are lots of activities. They’ve made friends from all over the country, and in Florida, they often cross paths with fellow boaters.
All About Balance
Additionally, the Favors balance time between marinas with friends and enjoy shoreside amenities as well as quieter, remote anchorages and parks. That’s where they can be alone on their boat to appreciate nature’s beauty. Their first Florida excursion on the new boat was to Punta Gorda for a Ranger/Cutwater rendezvous. Thirty other boats like theirs joined the festivites. At the rendezvous, fellow snowboaters gathered with native Floridians to enjoy the sunshine and boating. Some live on their boats and others have condos or houses and use their boats for excursions.
After showing off their new boat at the rendezvous, the Favors headed for more peaceful surroundings. Cayo Costa State Park, a barrier island near Sanibel, is a great place to explore, hike and enjoy windswept beaches. Another spot the Favors enjoy is Lover’s Key, where there is a long sandy beach to play on. The anchorage provides views of spectacular sunsets over the gulf.
“Fold-up bench seats and the flip-fold transom seating provide comfortable seating for eight,” says Favor. “With a removable cockpit table or with the table stowed, there is room for four to dance!” But come evening, everyone clears out and tranquil nights are spent alone.
Cruising south past Naples and Marco Island, they worked their way along the edge of Everglades National Park. Sometimes they would venture in the park, and other times staying outside the boundary, dodging crab pots. Anchored in the solitude of the Everglades, they shared a night in the mangroves with resident alligators and mosquitos under the magnificent starlight before continuing to Marathon.
The Florida Keys provide boaters a variety of cruising options ranging from pristine parks and secluded islands to raucous parties on the streets of Key West. The Favors like Blackfin Marina in Marathon as it is centrally located, well protected and affordable. There, they met up with various friends and cruised up and down the Keys. From Florida Bay, they went to Key West with stops in Pine Key, Jewfish Basin, and Key West Bite.
Ease of Use
The shallow draft of the R29S, its keel with grounding shoe and protected prop aperture all translate to a boat that can enter waters that other boats can’t safely navigate. When Jim wanted to do some waterline cleaning, he simply found a calm sandy beach on a key and nearly beached the boat, then stepped into the water to tidy up the hull sides.
North of Marathon, the Favors found other great spots, such as Elliot Key and Boca Chita. These islands are part of Biscayne Bay National Park, so their proximity to Miami via fast boat means during the day, there can be a lot of picnicking and partying. In the evening, it calms down when only the cruisers are left. The decorative 65-foot lighthouse at the entrance to Boca Chita harbor was built in the 1930s by the Honeywell family who owned the island and used it for entertaining friends. There’s also a cannon and other artifacts along with a picnic shelter and trails.
There are so many places to explore in Florida that the Favors and many others keep returning to enjoy the warm sunshine, reconnect with friends and have new adventures. Now that it’s spring and the rest of the country is warming up, the snowboaters put their boats back on the trailer and head north to summer cruising grounds. The Favors are planning a rendezvous this summer in the Trent-Severn waterway on Lake Ontario.
If the heat in Florida is too much, a trailerable cruiser is a way to escape to Canada, Maine or wherever a highway leads. Follow the Favors and their snowboaters adventures at trailertrawlerlife.com.
Cost cutting considerations:
Where you stay and how often you stay in marinas
Anchoring or mooring is more affordable. Staying in smaller, family-owned marinas as opposed to fancier marinas with a lot of amenities saves money.
Going out to eat
If you plan meals and make them yourself on board, your cruising dollars go further. How often you eat ashore and the types of restaurants you choose determines how much you spend.
Speed and fuel burn
Performance will vary depending on the size and type of vessel you cruise, but slowing down saves fuel. The Ranger Tugs R29S has a top speed around 20 mph. But, the Favors typically cruise around 9 mph and get a little over 2 mpg. They also don’t run the generator overnight which saves fuel.
Specifications
LOA: 28’10” Beam: 10′ Draft: 2’4″ Bridge Clearance (mast up/down): 13′ 11″/9′ 11″ Weight (Dry): 10,500 lbs. Fuel/Water: 145/60 U.S. gals. Power: Volvo D4 300 HP diesel common rail electronic engine Price: $274, 937 (Luxury Edition, includes A/C and genset)
Over 60 employees from several Correct Craft companies traveled to Jamaica, on employee service trips.
In today’s tumultuous world, our daily news feeds are filled with reports of hurricanes, wildfires and other natural and unnatural disasters. In times like this, it’s important to showcase the good.
Two groups of employees from Correct Craft (and it’s subsidiaries) came together to help Naz Children’s Center, a school outside of Montego Bay in Jamaica.
During the trip, Correct Craft employees built and stained fences, pergolas, and picnic tables. They also completed other maintenance and repair projects.
The company also purchased and distributed food to needy families within the community. The Correct Craft team visited a 180-year-old Jamaican church to learn about the history and culture of the community. Additionally, they donated AV equipment for their services. The trip marked the eleventh year Correct Craft has taken employees to assist various communities around the world. Previous trips have been in Cambodia, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Centurion and Supreme President Paul Singer attended his first Correct Craft trip this year. He says it was an honor to see the Correct Craft culture of “Making Life Better” in Jamacia. “I was thrilled that several of our employees from Centurion and Supreme participated,” he added.
“The Centurion and Supreme teams are very committed to our local community. But it was also exciting to serve the school in Montego Bay,” Singer said.
Nautique President Greg Meloon also joined the group in Jamaica. “The Nautique Team has embraced the culture of serving our community both locally and globally as part of our Nautique Cares initiative.” Meloon added, “Their willingness to volunteer on this summer’s project in Jamaica demonstrates the compassion and motivation at the heart of our team.”
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If the treasure hunter in you is still seeking your chest of gold and silver, make your way to Key West July 12-14 for the Mel Fisher Days Annual Charity Event. The celebration is held to commemorate Mel Fisher’s famous 16-year search for the Spanish galleon Atocha which lead to a $450 million dollar treasure discovery in the waters just off Key West.
Fisher was an American treasure hunter. He is best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. A tribute museum contains an extensive collection of artifacts from 17th-century shipwrecks. That includes the Henrietta Marie, Nuestra Señora de Atocha, and Santa Margarita. Also included are the shipwrecks and artifacts of The Santa Clara, a Conquistador-era galleon (1564), The Guerrero & Nimble. A rotating gallery exists on the second floor of the museum.
Attendees can tour of Fisher’s famous 90-foot treasure salvage vessel JB Magruder. She’ll be docked behind the Schooner Wharf Bar at the Key West Historic Seaport. You can board the ship and see the equipment used for treasure hunts and see where the treasure is stored.
You’ll also get a private tour of the Fisher family’s conservation laboratory. All net proceeds from the event will be donated to Wesley House Family Services, Inc.
Designer Doug Zurn turns boating dreams into reality
An opportunity has knocked for yacht designer Doug Zurn more than once, and the 54-year-old from Marblehead, Massachusetts, has nearly always had the good sense to answer the call.
From an Early Age
Zurn always loved boats and grew up sailing on the Great Lakes. He graduated high school from University School east of Cleveland in 1982. His senior year design project was a sailboat instead of the house he was assigned, but a career in the marine industry seemed unlikely. His parents pushed him toward engineering, and in the mid-1980s, he was at the University of Arizona, yet he still dreamed of designing boats.
“I looked up naval architecture schools on microfilm and found the Westlawn correspondence course,” Zurn says, referring to the famous school that boasts graduates such as designers Tom Fexas, Gary Mull, Bruce King, and Jack Hargrave. “I moved back east, started the Westlake program and set a goal to get a boat built with my name on it within five years.”
Zurn moved to Marblehead and worked as a rigger with Dieter Empacher in the late 1980s, then Chuck Paine, and in the 1990s, he moved back to Cleveland and worked for Tartan Yachts for three years as a rigger and sailboat designer. He finished his Westlawn correspondence course in 1993 and had a boat launched with his name on it, the Tartan Yachts 4600.
“Tim Jackett, who now owns the company, was nice enough to share the credit,” Zurn said. “Working at Tartan was a really good education. I learned about tooling, building molds, and about custom boat building and relationships. I had more than a few tape balls thrown at me as I learned how my work affected other people’s work.”
A Lucky Break
In 1993, he moved back to Marblehead and opened Zurn Yacht Design; his first job was designing a sailboat for a family in Nantucket. He lived with a friend and worked at a boatyard to supplement his income, and then in 1996, his big break arrived in the form of designing the Shelter Island 38 for singer Billy Joel. Christened Joey, the twin-engine cruising runabout’s origin came from Zurn’s graduation thesis from the Westlawn School of Yacht Design. “We’ve built almost sixty of those now,” says Zurn. “That launched my career, and it showed me how I must mix the creative side with the business side. I have to listen to what people want; these are dream boats for most people.”
MJM Yachts 50z
The next “knock of opportunity” came in 2000 when Bob Johnstone, who founded J/Boats in 1977 with his brother Rod, was looking for a powerboat design in the 34-foot range. Johnstone, and his son Peter, were impressed with the Shelter Island 38—and not just by her looks. “I saw pretty boats that were not functional and functional boats that were not pretty,” says Johnstone. “We asked ourselves, ‘What designer has the best eye for coming up with a pretty boat that is functional?’ Within ten seconds we both said, ‘Doug Zurn.’”
Johnstone commissioned designer Doug Zurn to draw a rendering, and they met at the Newport Boat Show. The design34-foot cruising powerboat was final after months of exchanging emails and faxes. They chose Boston BoatWorks to build, and the first MJM Yachts 34z launched in 2003. “My designs are about taking advantage of technology, core materials, high-strength fabrics —the best that is out there,” Zurn explains. “These boats last a long time, and Boston BoatWorks is a big reason why. They went from a ten-thousand-square-foot shop to sixty thousand square feet.”
A Prosperous Partnership
The relationship with Johnstone and Zurn has resulted in hundreds of boats launched, and the small “z” at the end denotes Zurn’s importance in the projects. The line begins with the 29z and runs up to the 50z. In between are the 34z, 35z, 36z, 40z, and 43z. “It started with the 34z and there have been some adaptations along the way,” says Johnstone.
“Doug is detail-oriented; however, the apprenticeships he had at Boston BoatWorks and Tartan Yachts grounded him. He knows well the challenge of taking your design and building it reasonably. Doug Zurn can do both, and that’s a big plus.”
More outboard-powered boats are being launched by MJM, including the new 35z. Equipped with twin Mercury Verado 300-horsepower, four-stroke outboard engines, the 35z races to a top speed of 39 knots. “The outboards are popular with many customers and it opens up design options,” says Zurn. “Again, it’s taking advantage of the modern technology that’s out there, and these outboards are state-of-the-art.”
Zurn utilizes the latest in technology in his designs but keeps things light inside the office with a staff of four employees and his mini golden doodle dog, Teak. He still races J/Boats (J/22) off Marblehead, where he lives with his wife, Kerry, teenage sons Bennett and Wade, and 11-year-old daughter Emma. “But I’m the only sailor,” he says, “though enjoy being in the water. Bennett likes to run around in our center console, a 20-footer of my own design. I call it a Gloucester 20.”
It’s clear from his voice that he’s proud of his designs but even prouder of his children who share his love of the boating life. “We’re in Marblehead, the sailing capital of the world,” Zurn says. “It’s a beautiful place to live and work, and to be inspired.”
