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.
Azura docked alongside a bank.
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
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.
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)
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.
