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.
Being on the water can have a physical and spiritual effect on people. It makes them smile and creates lifelong memories. Just as with our annual swimsuit issue, boats and toys enhance that fun. Nautical Ventures is your go-to place for fun on the water.
Getting its start 31 years ago as a Hobie kayak and sailboat dealer, Nautical Ventures grew, and it was in 2010 when Roger Moore and Jeff Garcia purchased the store believing
that water sports equipment would complement their yacht brokerage business, QPS Marine.
Having sailed around the world with his wife, Samantha, Moore finally set anchor in Fort Lauderdale. He now lives on an 84-foot Northern Marine expedition yacht. Additionally, Garcia grew up in a family-owned shipyard, soon owning the Nautor Swan sailing charter fleet in St. Martin and making a name retrofitting pre-owned yachts in the French West Indies. After time as a project manager at Derecktor Shipyards, he joined Moore in 2007.
Needless to say, they know boats.
Over the years, Nautical Ventures has grown exponentially with the expansion of product lines that now include yacht tenders, pleasure and fishing boats, and a wide array of
yacht-related toys and equipment.
Knowledge Base
With that growth, “we have been able to attract experienced staff to run each division of products that allows us to be knowledgeable in each department: kayaks, sailboats, yacht tenders, yacht toys, etc.,” says Moore. “In 2013, we expanded to include new boat sales via Nautical Ventures Marine, and we are now a leading dealer for Axopar, Blackfin, Century, Chapman Transition, Glastron, Highfield tenders, Novurania, Ranger Tugs, Release fishing boats and Schaefer Yachts.
The toys
Small and mighty, the Highfield Tender takes you from ship to shore in a flash.
See it all with a ride in a clear kayak– the Crystal Kayak.
Float away in paradise on the Nautibuoy Marine floating platform.
The Schaefer 640 cruises through any weather
The Hobie Compass is a pedal kayak that can go from fishing machine to cruiser.
Flip out on the Zapata Flyboad. Extreme never felt so easy.
It’s a sunset paradise on the Blackfin 272 Center Console.
Race ya! A Hobie Eclipse is a waterbike and SUP all in one.
13 feet never looked this good. The Metan Super Sport 13 is a classic beauty.
Pedal on! Gocycle is a collapsible bike worthy of stowing.
Slide into fun with Freestyle Slides.
The L2 Fish is a SUP that can do anything!
The Space
Additionally, with a new, 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art retail and service facility located on the water in Dania Beach, Florida, Nautical Ventures is able to provide the marine community with a pleasurable buying and service experience. That experience reaches to their North Palm Beach location that includes a 66-unit dry stack marina as well as the Riviera Beach store adjacent to the renovated Riviera Beach Marina Complex.
“My joy comes from the growth of the company and the people we have attracted to it,” says Moore. “We started with about nine employees and now have close to ninety-two.
Watching them grow, personally and professionally, to meet the challenges of our rapid growth has been most rewarding.”
“Also, we have developed a culture of trust and respect for each other as well as with the customers who come here. Yes, we need to sell products, but we want to sell the right product to meet the customers’ needs.”
From Cuba to Florida: Kayakers set a record for non-stop paddle
Yesterday, (May 29th) American kayakers Andy Cochrane, Wyatt Roscoe and Luke Walker arrived in Key West from Cuba. The crossing took 27 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds, a new record. The kayakers paddled solo without stopping and without rest aboard three individual kayaks. There was, however, a support boat on hand in case of emergency.
In a press conference held at the Hemingway International Nautical Club, the three young people expressed that the journey is not only a good opportunity to get to know Havana, but also to cross the Straits of Florida and to improve the relationships of the nautical communities from both countries.
Their first attempt to establish such a record was on July of 2017, but a strong electrical storm ended that passage.
Some see the need, open their hands and provide. Read about three people giving back to the marine industry.
In today’s tumultuous world, our daily news feeds are filled with reports of hurricanes, wildfires and other natural and unnatural disasters. Of particular interest to the southern
U.S., The Bahamas and the islands of the Caribbean, the 2017 hurricane season was one of the most destructive on record. Foundations and organizations of all kinds ask us to
dig deep into our conscience and, sometimes, our wallets assist in giving back to those affected.
At the same time, corporations have found that “giving back” and the demonstration of good corporate citizenship is in high demand, realizing that customers show brand affiliation to those organizations who made giving back a core part of their business’s vision, creating a hot, new trend toward socially conscious marketing. Yet while all this activity is trending as of late, there are many boating enthusiasts and marine industry companies who have been quietly giving back to those in need long before there was a hurricane approaching the shore or a marketing playbook that made the practice fashionable.
Mark Martin
A few years ago, this Tampa, Florida, resident stumbled upon the opportunity to help a group of high school students less fortunate than his high-school aged daughters. Martin, a U.S. Navy retiree, works as a commercial boat captain in the Gulf of Mexico and owns a 31-foot Century that he uses for fishing and spending free time with his family.
When Martin enrolled his music-loving daughters in Howard W. Blake High School’s Magnet program, geared toward kids with a passion for the arts, he soon learned that the majority of the students outside of the prestigious arts program were in disadvantaged situations and had limited opportunities. He also noticed that the Tampa area shipyards were in desperate need of skilled workers. Martin’s work schedule allowes him the free time to get involved, so he approached the school to implement a maritime training program. The goal was to teach students a viable skill set as an alternative to college as well as to fill a gap in the labor market.
The majority of the students who enrolled in the class initially thought it would be an easy elective, but ultimately, many developed an interest in a field that they would never have had access to or previously considered. Martin spends time teaching them about the types of skills needed to become a welder, deckhand, captain, naval architect, and other positions in the industry. His courses include the basics of navigation, an overview language of boating and assistance with a career path. At the end of the class, he brings his boat to the school for a cruise on the ICW and even an opportunity for students to take the helm.
Dometic Mobile Products
Throughout the marine industry, there are companies whose core values guide not only their commitment to manufacturing excellence but also their compassion for others. Dometic is one such company, and it specializes in products that make life easier for those who enjoy a mobile lifestyle on yachts and in RVs while traveling. In the summer of 2017, the company stepped up to donate a key ventilation product that supports
the Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle, an initiative providing mobile showers to the homeless community in San Francisco.
The California initiative was a huge success and is on track to spread nationwide. Dometic’s vision to support the homeless did not stop there. At their Elkhart, Indiana, headquarters, it was discovered that an employee applied for housing assistance with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that helps those in need get assistance with home ownership through new construction and renovation performed by applicants and volunteers.
Dometic organized a panel build (prefabricated wood-framed walls) in the company’s parking lot and encouraged employees to take a shift during work hours to help build a home for their co-worker. Dometic plans to continue their efforts both locally and on a national scale.
John Weller, a long-time yacht broker with Camper & Nicholsons International, faced a fight for his life 13 years ago when he received a cancer diagnosis. Weller began a long
road to remission that led him to Houston’s renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center to receive life-saving care. Going through treatment, Weller’s heart was touched when he saw the number of cancer-stricken children with devastated family members standing by their sides.
He was so affected by what he saw that he decided there and then to do what he could to bring joy into the lives of these families. In 2004, Weller got involved with the Freedom Waters Foundation, whose “mission is to improve the lives of individuals with special needs and veterans by providing therapeutic marine-related experiences on the waters of South Florida,” which resonated with Weller. The foundation’s programs started with South Florida families through Joe DiMaggio’s Children Hospital and have since branched out to other areas.
The veteran’s program launched in 2012 and takes place on board Mariner III, a 122-foot classic motor yacht built in 1926. THe boat is based in New York in the summer and West Palm Beach, Florida, during the winter months. Captain/owner Sean Kennedy lends his yacht and his services to honor the veterans who have sacrificed so much. Military veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf Wars, and Afghanistan have been on board this antique boat with their families to enjoy a day full of food, music and Florida sunshine, all supplied by generous people with big hearts.
While giving back may be top of mind lately, it’s often the quiet volunteers among us doing the most impactful and heartfelt work. From creating new opportunities for disadvantaged students to putting a smile on the face of veterans and cancer patients and helping the homeless live with dignity, the boating community steps up to give back in a multitude of ways.
It was a great year for the marine industry—and for Southern Boating. Our partners at the NMMA recently reported that new powerboat registrations were up 4.7% on the year. That’s a great sign for the industry and cruisers!
Southern Boating had a banner year; 2017 marked our 45th year in business, and marked some significant changes to our magazine. Those changes came with some new staff, a new redesign, and a new digital app.
While it’s always nice to reflect on what went well, it is also important to reflect on some of the things that didn’t. Mainly, the unprecedented 2017 hurricane season. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused widespread damage from the Caribbean to Texas, Florida and beyond. On that note, Southern Boating is still donating subscription proceeds to Unidos por Puerto Rico until May 2018.
We also like to see what our most popular stories of the year were. Our Top Ten Stories of 2017 are as follows:
‘Tis the season for boat parades! While most major boat parades have passed, it is time to reflect on the images and videos from the events. It’s nearly impossible to avoid the holiday spirit with brightly lit boats and sounds of carols echoing over the water. That’s why we try to attend as many as possible, and when we can’t attend, we want to see pictures!
Below is a timelapse of the Winterfest Boat Parade.
Do you have any photos or videos from boat parades in your neck of the woods? Send them along to marketing@southernboating.com and we’ll put them up on our site. Best photo or video will win a three-year subscription to Southern Boating and two Southern Boating tumblers!
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and buy a Marina Trash Skimmer.
That’s what a savvy and environment-conscious group of children did one sunny summer morning. These kids were working for a very special cause: eradicating marine pollution.
The young philanthropists formed a club dubbed “Plastic: Pick it Up!”. They then volunteered a full summer day to running a lemonade stand that raised an incredible $540, which they donated to help purchase a Marina Trash Skimmer from Bellingham, Washington-based Marina Accessories, Inc. (MAI).
The effort was part of a much larger coalition of local organizations under the name Cape Ann Maritime Partnership (CAMP). The group uses a collaborative approach in providing effective educational tools to raise awareness and create community engagement in combating marine debris.
The skimmer, which utilizes sustainable technology to remove plastics, oil, trash and other marine debris, helps preserve the health of the marine environment. Each unit can clean over 300 gallons of water per minute using a patented technology. It uses very little energy, amounting to less than $2 per day to operate.
CAMP also hosted an online naming contest for the skimmer, where the public was invited to weigh in. The winner was announced on September 17th, with the introduction of Skimmy Gibbler. The skimmer even has its own Twitter account boasting it as Gloucester’s newest and hungriest resident.
“This is a truly wonderful community effort,” said Lane Brinson, Business Manager for MAI, the company that produces the skimmer. “It is humbling and exciting to know that their collective efforts were centered on a stewardship effort that utilizes our equipment.”
The community expects to receive the new skimmer in late October. Once installed, they plan to collect data on the types and amount of debris collected. The effort will guide policy and mitigation techniques in an attempt to minimize the litter and pollutants before they reach the water according to CAMP.
For more on this story:
Lane Brinson, Business Manager
Marina Accessories, Inc.
Tel: 360-543-5808 sales@marina-accessories.com
Marina Accessories, Inc. is a parts and accessories provider for contractors, marinas and private dock owners. Headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, they are an affiliate of Bellingham Marine.
Today we would like to mark Veterans Day with celebration, honoring America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. We are extremely fortunate and grateful to have many of these heroes working with us at Viking. Three Viking Veterans are featured here, and we look forward to highlighting more of these patriots in the future.
Steve Rickards Supervisor of Mechanical Installation
While still in high school and just 17 years old, Steve visited a Coast Guard station and immediately knew it was his future. He enrolled in the Military Delayed Enlistment Program and shipped out to boot camp upon high school graduation. He then was sent to Jacksonville, Florida, where he boarded a 180-foot cutter which became home base for the next two years. The boat patrolled the waters from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Savannah, Georgia, performing one of the most crucial missions entrusted to the Coast Guard, the care and maintenance of the Aids to Navigation System.
After specialty training, he was certified as Machinery Technician and stationed in San Juan for eight years. Steve worked at a small boat station and on a patrol boat. The boat’s primary mission was search and rescue as well as law enforcement.
In 1998 Steve was reassigned to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and was quickly working for Sector New York, the largest Coast Guard operational field command on the East Coast. When the September 11 attacks changed the world, Steve and his unit went into crisis mode and worked around the clock facilitating in the rescues. Sector New York was the main mechanical support and repair unit for the 9/11 responders.
Steve’s last mission was working post 9/11 counterterrorism. His security team boarded and secured every transport, cargo and cruise ship that entered the New York Harbor.
After a 20 year career with the Coast Guard, Steve found himself at the Viking Yacht Company with his military career a deciding factor in his hiring. “Viking liked the structure I could bring to the company,” said Steve. “It’s still part of my personality. Routines, being on time, policy, rules, accountability, those are all things I hold my team to. There is no cutting corners in the military or at Viking.”
Steve Marks Administrator of Health Services
Steve joined the Delaware Air National Guard in 1985. He always wanted to be an Air Force flight nurse as well as serve his country. His career began in the 142nd AEF on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. Four years were spent training in different climates such as Georgia, Texas, Alaska and Hawaii learning how the weather and environment greatly affect methods of recovery and treatment in both natural disasters as well as combat. During these years Steve learned both inflight medical skills as well as all aspects of running a mobile aeromedical staging facility (MASF).
After four years, with a young family at home, Steve left but was drawn back in 1990 when the Gulf War erupted. He volunteered to go back but his original unit was already deployed, so he joined the local Air Force Reserve Unit, the 72nd AES out of McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, New Jersey. There he learned to care for the sick and wounded in a new aircraft, a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and was quickly deployed to Torrejon Air Base in Spain. Three months in and he was scheduled to deploy to Saudi Arabia. That mission was cancelled and he returned home to spend three more years in the Guard and Reserves.
When asked about his time serving our country Steve said, “Every decision I make today is rooted in the training I received. I was fortunate to serve shoulder to shoulder with Vietnam veterans who taught me more than any class I could take. It was the best training in the world and I would be happy to go back.”
Paul Slason Engineer Technician
As part of a military family, it was a natural decision for Paul to enlist in the Army in 2011. Beginning his career as a parachutist with the 82nd Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Paul was an infantryman with the 3-73 CAV Infantry Unit. While stateside, he trained for combat and attained the title of Specialist. In 2012 he deployed to Afghanistan for six months as a gunner.
Paul is looking forward to going back to Active Guard Reserve in the next six months. He will be based at Fort Dix in New Jersey and will train to be a Counter Intelligence Specialist.
As mentioned in the October 2017 issue of Southern Boating. This video provides more information on the Fallen Heroes Fund and the support given to Coast Guard members and their families.
The Salvation of Sea Fox: When a yacht restoration became too costly, an enterprising couple cut down the project — literally.
The story of Sea Fox began in 1940, when she was built by Casey Boat Building Company of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and launched under the name Hal-Win II. The tale is told that the Furnans Yacht Agency was ahead of its yacht building with this motorsailer, with William Hand stopping by daily to direct their drafting table. Sumner Pingree, who sailed out of Boston for several years, owned her.
In the early 1950s, Robert D. Smith from California bought her and added an additional six feet to the transom, giving her a 68-foot, 9-inch LOA with a lovely round stern. Her name was changed to Physalia, and she chartered in the Caribbean for many years under the command of Ken MacKenzie.
Then in early 1970, she was put up for sale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A book entitled The Last Schoonerman tells the life story of Captain Lou Kenedy, who after retiring from a cargo freight business serving The Bahamas, was looking for a sea-kindly vessel to cruise with his family back and forth from the islands to Nova Scotia. Kenedy acquired her, changed her name to Sea Fox and refurbished the motorsailer. For the next 15 years, the
Kenedy acquired her, changed her name to Sea Fox and refurbished the motorsailer. For the next 15 years, the Kenedys followed the good weather and wintered in The Bahamas. Most of their time was spent with their daughter Rosemary Mitchell at Sampson Cay in the Exumas. Then they’d head up to Nova Scotia in the spring to enjoy a summer of cool weather and grandkids.
The Kenedys sold Sea Fox in 1985 to John Magee of Warren, Rhode Island, who sailed her for another 14 years out of Narraganset Bay as a mothership to racing yachts and also joined in on the New York Yacht Club cruises.
In 1999, Kathy and Bill McDade of Oyster Bay on Long Island, New York, bought Sea Fox to live aboard and cruise with family and friends, which they did for the next 18 years until they eventually moved ashore to Beaufort, North Carolina.
When you can’t restore the whole boat, restore what you can.The Sea Fox remains a sight to be seen.
Sea Fox restoration begins at the first cut.
Hard work pays off on the restoration of the transom on the Sea Fox.
The Sea Fox in her Glory days before her partial restoration.
As an aging lady, Sea Fox became a heavy burden to maintain in the condition of seaworthiness. She was laid up in 2015 to be sold, donated, rescued, or destroyed. Slowly disintegrating on the hard at Bock Marine in Beaufort, the decision was made to strip the vessel and sell the equipment and gear.
Just when it seemed that time had run out for the ol’ girl, one of Kenedy’s daughters refused to let the memories fade away. Over dinner one night with friends Jim Kelsey and Patsy Bolling, an idea was hatched. If they couldn’t save the whole boat, they would save what they could.
Knowing Sea Fox was doomed for the dumpster in a week, there was no time to lose. Armed with skill saws, crowbars, sawsalls, electric cords, sledgehammers, chainsaws, hacksaws, and a bunch of hand tools, Jim and Patsy loaded them in the back of Jim’s Buick the next morning and drove to Beaufort.
With permission from the owners, they began a two-day marathon to relieve Sea Fox of her transom. On the second day, the marina’s crane held the transom weight as the final cuts were made.
They trucked the transom to Patsy’s home for the restoration process, though this was no typical restoration. But after several months of grinding, faring and painting, and with a fine coat of topside paint, high-gloss cap rail, polished rub rail, exhaust, and flagstaff mount, she was ready for her debut.
Although Sea Fox no longer navigates the sea, her transom now resides in a place of honor as a bar at the home of Kenedy’s daughter Rosemary in Jupiter, Florida. Originally intended to be placed poolside, upon delivery it was immediately apparent that this lovely piece of history would be in the dining room for all to enjoy and tell the tale of Sea Fox.
Story and Photos by Patsy Bolling Southern Boating August 2017
The iconic pelican celebrates his 45th birthday as the grandkids of Southern Boating’s founders fondly recall the origin of the company’s mysterious mascot: Joe Pelican.
When Southern Boating & Yachting, Inc.— the official name of the company that publishes Southern Boating—first launched in September 1972, it comprised exactly two employees: Skip and Joanne Allen (aka Pop Up and Grandma).
Our grandparents operated the company from their home in Miami Beach using their house telephone to make calls to prospective advertisers and others in the marine industry. So, when Pop Up called, it would come across as “the business owner who cares so much about his associates he personally phones them from his home.” But when it came time for Grandma to collect payment for advertisements, she was reluctant to call as Joanne Allen, Skip’s wife. Instead, our imaginative grandparents “hired” a new staff member: Joe Pelican, their “Business Manager” who worked from a “remote location.”
You may be wondering where the new employee got his name. Well, “Joe” is short for Joanne, and on their frequent trips cruising The Bahamas with their six children, Pop Up and Grandma would regularly see pelicans cruising right along with them. Even in their backyard in Miami Beach, pelicans were everyday visitors and would fi sh the waters morning and night. To our grandparents, pelicans represented independence and strength, could fend for themselves, and could fl y coast to coast on a whim. Also, a pelican’s beak is large enough to feed an entire family in one swoop, an attribute the parents of six kids could appreciate. Thus, Joe Pelican was born.
Joe Pelican held a place of significance on the magazine’s very first masthead. Over the years, the company prospered through the incredibly hard work and perseverance of our grandparents, and various departments were formed: accounting, art, circulation, editorial, and sales.
It has now been 45 years since our grandparents invited Joe Pelican to join the Southern Boating team. People have come and gone, but we will never forget where we came from and how it all began—with Skip Allen, Joanne Allen and Joe Pelican who provided the solid foundation.
Honoring our Water Protectors
Join us in honoring the many men and women who serve our country, protect our waters and defend our freedom to enjoy the on-the-water lifestyle. Get to know three water protectors a little bit better.
Marine Interdiction Agent Ryan Haines, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Division (AMO)
Targeting small vessels from foreign waters in a 39-foot Midnight Express with quad outboards is a daily task for Agent Ryan Haines. The AMO conducts its mission in the air and maritime environments at and beyond the border, and within the nation’s interior.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 39-year-old and his unit stop vessels that bring people, contraband and other goods into the country illegally. “We use various tactics to facilitate compliance. If sirens alone don’t work to pull over the vessel, then we fire warning shots to gain control of the boat,” he says.
Haines entered the U.S. Coast Guard after high school and later worked for a boat manufacturer in Florida. “I’ve always been involved in the boating industry,” the father of two says proudly. Hired by U.S. Customs and Border Protection eight years ago, Haines went through months of grueling training courses. “It starts with an advanced law enforcement training class and ends with the initial vessel commander certification class,” he explains. “It’s a great way to serve the country and I’m doing my passion.”
One of his duties with the AMO is to take human smugglers into custody. He recalls several incidents when the agents boarded a boat they’d pulled over and found migrants on board who were scared, yet relieved to see them. “They didn’t have life jackets. And they were very happy to be rescued,” he says.
Since 9/11 and subsequent terrorist attacks, the demand for AMO officers has increased. Haines says the agency is always looking for good people who are trustworthy. “They must have integrity, honor and a sense of pride in what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. You’re putting your life on the line for the safety of the country,” the agent adds. “It’s your job to secure the homeland.”
Ensign Nikki Barnes, United States Coast Guard
Ensign Nikki Barnes grew up in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., and started sailing at age six. “My brother was (into sailing), so I started to race because I wanted to be the girl that beat the boys,” she says.
Those races led to many sailing awards and a future with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). “I told my parents that I would never join the military but that I would try out the Academy Introductory Mission (AIM), a one-week program for juniors in high school, to get a glimpse of military life,” she says. “From seeing the Academy during AIM, I knew that the military structure and atmosphere was the perfect fit for me because it would allow me to become an officer, where I can make a difference regarding the safety of boaters on the water.”
A branch of the U.S. Armed Forces under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the USCG is a maritime military service whose mission is to enforce marine laws and safety at ports and waterways, in addition to conducting search and rescue operations in the water and aiding navigation.
Barnes graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, in May 2017, and received her commission from President Donald Trump. For the next three years, the ensign will be at the USCG’s Sector Miami working for the Incident Management Division in Response.
Still a sailor at heart, she recently competed in the College Women Sailing Nationals in Charleston, South Carolina, where she and the USCG team finished in third place. For the third consecutive year, she was named All-American Women’s Skipper. As for the future, there’s no stopping her. Barnes hopes to go for the gold and race in the 470 class at the 2020 Olympics. “I couldn’t be more excited to get started,” she says enthusiastically.
Deputy Hector Rodriguez, Broward County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Deputy Hector Rodriguez started his career with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO) in 1995 stationed on the road with law enforcement.
Then he joined the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, where he worked for 12 years. Two years ago, he was placed full time on BSO’s Marine Patrol. “I served in the Army and when I got out in the ’80s, I always had the desire to come back in a manner that serves a purpose and makes a difference,” says the 51-year-old. “I found the best way to do that was to go into law enforcement.”
The Marine Patrol Unit patrols Broward County’s coastline, inland waterways and the Everglades. It enforces marine laws such as observing speed zones, investigates boating accidents and related crime scenes, and educates the approximately 43,000 registered boat operators in the county on boating safety and use of their vessels.
BSO’s Dive Team provides support with underwater recoveries and emergency rescue operations. “We are out there enforcing safe recreational activity,” he says. “People are very receptive and willing to learn.”
While protecting boaters is the main focus, Rodriguez says the unit also safeguards wildlife and is involved in promoting the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Manatee Conservation Program. “Boaters need to realize that a current in the waterway could be created by a manatee’s tail and the animal could be harmed,” he adds.
The deputy affirms that the unit prefers to educate rather than cite. “The Marine Patrol’s philosophy is boating safety, and educating the public is paramount to us. We try to impart as much as education as we can,” he says. “You have to have a love and respect for the water—it can be very unforgiving.”
Even off duty, Rodriguez enjoys recreational water activities and is still an active diver.
Small, Fast and Furious: The freedom of the world depended on this one thing. Higgins.
Much of history, including that about World War II, outlines events in general terms—the big names and a summary of what happened. As always, however, the truth largely lies in the details. Digging beneath the surface, there was one particular innovation that changed the tide of the war for the Allies.
Simply put, small boats made the difference: fast, lightweight vessels that were able to withstand the strongest of waves— Higgins landing craft.
In order to destroy Hitler’s army, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces, was in charge of planning the inevitable—an invasion by air and sea. All the strategies he came up with led to only one conclusion: to invade from the shores of France. Nearly all the shoreline was rocky, shallow and very open to the sea. Also, most of the miles of beach had high banks and cliffs which would
Nearly all the shoreline was rocky, shallow and very open to the sea. Also, most of the miles of beach had high banks and cliffs which would be perfect spots for the enemy to set up their cannons and machine gun nests.
The Navy’s ships would be able to get the hundreds of thousands of soldiers to within several miles of the beach without their ships running aground. After that, the risks for the troops were enormous. There was always the possibility of rough seas and foul weather, which could also determine the drop point from the ships. The initial plan might call for a quick one-mile run from ship to shore, but that could easily turn into six or seven miles depending on the seas and the winds. And the concerns that kept Eisenhower up at night were just how fast and how safely he could transport 36 men per boat times thousands and avoid having them blown to bits.
6th June 1944: American soldiers on a landing craft on their way to the Normandy beaches, during the invasion of Europe. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, at his headquarters in the European theather of operations. Feb. 1, 1945. T4c. Messerlin. (Army)NARA FILE #: 080-G-331330WAR
LCVPs, the famous “Higgins boats,” on the assembly line at the Higgins City Park plant in New Orleans. When completed, they were taken by rail to Bayou St. John in New Orleans for sea testing on Lake Pontchartrain. (photo courtesy Graham Haddock and Jerry Strahan)
June 6, 1944, was, of course, the most important invasion—D-Day. Eisenhower had actually wanted that invasion to occur a year, possibly two years, earlier, but he did not have enough landing craft. Almost from the moment that he was named Supreme Commander, Eisenhower requested that the government produce large numbers of landing craft. He was disappointed in the production amounts, and he was not convinced of their quality.
Harry Truman, then-U.S. Senator from Missouri, was chairman of a special Senate committee dealing with national defense, and he shared Eisenhower’s concerns. The Navy knew a lot about building big ships, but was struggling to design an effective small landing craft that met Eisenhower’s requirements. The Marines also failed at creating a landing craft in line with what Eisenhower needed and suggested the Higgins Company from New Orleans.
Andrew Jackson Higgins is a name not familiar to most Americans. The New Orleans boatbuilder began his career in the 1920s by building shallow-draft small vessels used for oil drillers. Higgins’ small boats had propellers that were recessed into a semi-tunnel in the hull, and this one adjustment allowed the vessel to perform in very shallow waters full of obstacles.
Additionally, Higgins boats were fast.
Truman’s committee insisted that the Navy allow head-to-head competition. When tested against the Higgins landing craft, it easily surpassed the Navy-built craft. With Senator Truman’s support, the government contracted with Higgins to build the landing craft and other amphibious boats that were needed in the war. Pre-war, Higgins’ New Orleans boatyard employed fewer than 100 employees, but by 1944, his company had more than 25,000 workers building more than 20,000 boats for the military.
In addition to the thousands of landing craft built, Higgins’ boatyard also produced the fast-moving PT boats, supply vessels and other watercraft made for specific needs. By the end of the war, Higgins’ boats had been used successfully in many of the major landing invasions, including Normandy, Okinawa, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima.
It could be said that his landing craft delivered many of our troops to their deaths. His skillfully designed boats, however, allowed the invasion to happen, and with speed and the utmost precision in delivering the troops to the shores.
Adolph Hitler had not counted on the Allies coming up with such an effective landing craft, and he referred to Higgins as “the new Noah.” Eisenhower summed up the value of Higgins’ contribution by saying, “Andrew Higgins…is the man who won the war for us.… If Higgins had not designed and built those LCVPs [landing craft, vehicle, personnel], we never could have landed over an open beach. The whole strategy of the war would have been different.”
For more information, check out William Lee Miller’s Two Americans: Truman, Eisenhower, and a Dangerous World.
By Alan Cornwell Southern Boating, July 2017; Photos: Higgins Boat Patent Illustration, US National Archives.
September marks a special time for Southern Boating. We turn 45 years old, and we couldn’t be happier to still be alive and kicking after all this time.
Logos, covers, mascots, oh my! A lot has changed in the past 45 years: advancements in electronics and technology, boat construction, hull styles, and so much more. It’s been an absolute pleasure to be along for this crazy ride that is the marine industry.
Take a look at some of our favorite covers from years past. They show the wide variety of topics and styles better than I could ever explain myself.
April 1973
20 years of Southern Boating! September 1992
February 1973- Welcome to the Miami Boat Show.
The OG cover back in 1972. This one started it all!
This January issue from 1991 highlights the Bahamas.
The October Issue from 2006
The July issue of SB has generally been dedicated to Center Consoles.
Sail into January 1979
October 1974
Cheers to 10 years!
Buns the word in the February 2003 cover.
Celebrate the new year in 1973.
The first swimsuit cover back in 1981.
Lounging in September of 1973.
The 2008 cover highlights charter vacations and more.
Clear waters, blue skies in the June 1973 issue.
October 1972
A sportfish graces the cover of this June 1978 cover.
Well, maybe not easy per se, but we’ll help try to make summer boating safe and fun. That goes double if you head out on the water with your dog this summer.
Warmer weather naturally draws people to their boats, which is a great way to beat higher temperatures. However, keep in mind, summer heat poses a higher risk to pets than humans.
A dog’s body is not very good a cooling down; they only release heat through the limited number of sweat glands between their toes and by panting. This means your pups can easily overheat.
Before you set off on a summer cruise, take a look at these tips to keep your dog safe and sound at sea.
Thanks to K9ofMine for this infographic. Happy summer boating!
Last week, I sent an email asking for entries into our summer photo contest. All submissions were great, but one caught my attention in a big way. The photo featured a man skurfing behind a Jet Ski…in Greenland. Icebergs loomed in the background, and the men in the photo were decked out in heavy-duty wetsuits.
I was curious, to say the least.
The email signature led to some stealthy Googling. I found that man who sent me the photo, Captain Sean Meager, ran the m/y Latitude, a 148ft Vripack. Latitude has traveled through the North West Passage in the Arctic and is the first superyacht to reach 82˚ North.
If you don’t have your latitudes and longitudes committed to memory (I sure don’t), 82˚ North is the blue dot on the map below. Waaayy North.
I dug around a bit more (Google for the win!) and discovered the video below. I immediately knew this was a story that needed to be shared, and Captain Sean agreed.
It’s an incredible look into a rarely seen part of the world as well as a bit of the epic history that preceded m/y Latitude.
I hope you all are as amazed as I am by the scenery, animals, and fortitude of those aboard. Enjoy!
