For many boaters, the only thing better than a food festival in the gulf is a food and music festival near a marina. Check off all three categories at mid-January events in Galveston, Texas, and Sarasota, FL.
Galveston
Galveston hosts Yaga’s Chili Quest & Beer Fest January 18-19 at Saengerfest Park in the historic Strand District. It features live music, of course, as well as chili and craft beer tasting, a margarita contest, and a 5K “Fun Run & Walk.” Galveston Yacht Basin is conveniently located within a short walk from the venue.
Downtown Sarasota’s Seafood & Music Festival January 18-20 is a couple of blocks from Marina Jack. Gulf-fresh seafood options include grouper, oysters, stone crabs, shrimp, and softshell crabs. Music venues include jazz, Caribbean, soul, rock, and R&B.
If you want to take a break, you have permission to slip away for a day or so and tour The Ringling, the state art museum of Florida. It has three centers of attention. One is John and Mable Ringling’s 50-room Mediterranean-revivalist palace on Sarasota Bay. Another is a circus museum, a historical testimonial to “The Greatest Show on Earth.” The third is an amazing 21-gallery art museum with sculptures and artwork by Rubens, van Dyke, Velazquez, and other European Old Masters.
Stars appear to be lining up for a new Mote Science Education Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, with a design that will catch the eyes of millions. Many power boaters and sailors are familiar with Sarasota’s City Island on Lido Key, where Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium brings the marine environment up close and personal with exhibits that include reef animals and sharks.
To bring the marine experience closer to landlubbers, Mote Marine has its eyes set on a five-acre parcel within Sarasota’s Nathan Benderson Park along Interstate 75 near University Parkway for its proposed 110,000-square-foot aquarium. That is with one million gallons of exhibit water.
The new Mote Science Education Aquarium will be twice as big as the City Island aquarium. It will also house increased displays, interactive teaching labs, onsite diving programs, and expansion of its family-focused education and outreach programs. Not to mention, plans to encourage young people to get involved in ocean science and technology.
Estimating around 43 million visitors each year, the facility needs Sarasota County’s approval of the lease and with continued fundraising efforts, construction could start as early as 2019.
Sand ‘Fantaseas’, new electronic boat shuttles, lingering Red Tide effects and more in the Florida Gulf Updates April 2017.
Sugar Sand Fantasea
Anyone with children understands Sand Castle Construction 101. However, put those same tools, including buckets and shovels, in the talented hands of 11 world-class sand sculptors and you’ll get an end result that’s worthy of PhDs in both art and engineering. On April 14-23, Clearwater Beach will host the 5th Annual Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit. The event takes place just a block from the city marina at Pier 60. The theme changes every year, meaning you’re unlikely to see the same sculpture twice. Sugar Sand Fantasea, a Magical Adventure Above and Below the Sea is the theme for the 10-day event that features sand-sculpting classes, live entertainment, crafters, street performers, fireworks, and a sand-sculpting contest with a prize of over $6,000 to the winner. While the events are free, there is an admission charge for access to the Sugar Sand Walk. The fee is $10 for adults and $8 for adults 55 and over. sugarsandfestival.com
Free lift for Sarasota cruisers
Sarasota’s developing downtown district is only three blocks away from Marina Jack. But after a full day of browsing the artisan shops, stopping for a cappuccino at one of the many colorful sidewalk cafes and a gourmet dinner, a ride back to the boat may be in order. Sarasota has approved seven electric shuttles that carry six passengers each. Ferry tourists and residents alike can take advantage of the new ride option throughout the downtown district. This new feature is part of a city-funded plan to reduce motor vehicle congestion on the roads. The upcoming $339,000 project includes an app to hail a ride from the service and will be called Gotcha Ride.
Bay scallops – St. Joseph Bay
The residual effects of a prolonged 2015 Red Tide outbreak is anticipated to once again impact the annual Bay Scallop season in Florida’s Panhandle. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioners (FWC) approved a recreational bay scallop season lasting from July 25th through September 10th off Gulf County. This also includes all waters in St. Joseph Bay as well as those west of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County through the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County.
Bag and vessel limits throughout the entire bay scallop harvest zone will be capped at two gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or one pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or a 1/2 gallon of bay scallop meat per vessel.
FWC researchers conducted a scallop restoration project last year within St. Joseph Bay to help speed the recovery of the scallop population. Scientists reported these efforts have been going well, and the scallop population has shown signs of improvement. Still to be decided are dates for the season in nearby Dixie and Taylor Counties.
Chris-Craft’s elegant and sporty Capri 25 and Corsair 28 are a winning hand.
The elegant visage of a Chris-Craft gliding across calm waters reminds one of how the Kennedys vacation, where happy children trail the boat on skis or in a tube during the afternoon and later the entire clan enjoys a sunset cruise. The following day brings another outing on the boat to a white, sandy beach, where unfurled colorful umbrellas sway and the football is tossed playfully among the family. In the background, the dark blue Chris-Craft chariot is anchored. All seems right with the world.
Yes, the beauty of Chris-Craft boats has never been in question, and this year’s models place an emphasis on comfort and efficiency. These meticulous improvements make the passenger experience better than ever while also helping the boats run farther and faster due to a lightweight stringer system. The Sarasota, Florida-based builder showed off two Chris-Craft models that exude such characteristics at the 2016 Miami International Boat Show. The all-new Capri 25 made its U.S. debut and the revamped Corsair 28 was revealed.
Both the Capri 25 and Corsair 28 are symbolic of the evolution of Chris-Craft under Chairman Stephen Julius and CEO Stephen Heese. The two Harvard Business School classmates engineered the Chris-Craft resurgence in 2001 and continue to carry forward the momentum today.
The Capri 25 was introduced at the 2015 Cannes Yachting Festival and is the big sister to the Capri 21, which was launched at Cannes in 2013. The Capri 25 simply offers a little bit more of everything that was great about the 21, and that’s saying a lot.
“Similar to the Capri 21, the Capri 25 embraces the brand’s original DNA with the vertical bow,” says Austin Young, Chris-Craft product engineer. “That is the signature characteristic of this boat.”
The teak walkway theme carries over to the Capri 25, but is built into the port side of the sunpad, raising and lowering hydraulically to offer a true cockpit walkway. Retreating from the teak swim platform and into the cockpit is made easier with this innovation.
The cockpit offers many configurations for entertaining, as both the driver and co-pilot’s bucket seats swivel 360-degrees to face aft. There are also foldout tables in the cockpit for food preparation and serving, or you can use the counter space for card-playing and games. At the helm, the driver looks forward to a resplendent dash with analog gauges and throttle and shifter controls for the single MerCruiser 6.2-liter 300-hp engine. With the single powerplant and Bravo 3 drive, the Capri 25 has a top speed of 50 mph.
The revamped Corsair 28 boasts not only the luxurious touches associated with the Chris-Craft name but also improves upon earlier editions to combine form and function.
Chris-Craft’s brand new Capri 25 embraces the classic design of its predecessors yet forges ahead with innovative features that improve the passenger experience.
The Corsair 28 offers a variety of engine options from Mercury and Volvo Penta in twin-engine packages ranging from 300-430 horsepower for each engine.
Chris-Craft’s brand new Capri 25 embraces the classic design of its predecessors yet forges ahead with innovative features that improve the passenger experience.
“We have gone to a fiberglass stringer construction system from a wooden stringer system,” adds Young. “The advantages are that you end up with a lighter boat that runs faster and a peace of mind that you never have to worry about the wood rotting out.”
The Capri 25’s cabin offers a head and berth for extra comfort, while other amenities are a three-step boarding ladder and Fusion stereo system, which are also offered on the Corsair 28. “As one of our best sellers, revamping the Corsair 28 was the natural next step,” explains Allison Scharnow, Chris-Craft’s marketing director. “With more luxurious touches than ever before, there is no doubt the Corsair 28 will continue to set unequalled standards for performance and design.” A huge teak swim platform off of the transom of the Corsair 28 leads to an even larger sunpad that covers the engine compartment. What’s interesting here is the design of the sunpad: it’s divided down the middle with a teak walkway into the cockpit. Fill in the walkway with a filler cushion and the sunpad stretches full beam–almost 10 feet wide.
“We carefully considered the way our owners use the boat and took it a step further,” Scharnow adds. “You’ll see an example of this particularly in the cockpit with improved room at the helm to accompany the double helm seat along with a new cockpit seating configuration.” Starting at the driver’s console, Chris-Craft’s engineers added more perforated plates, chrome and teak around analog gauges, creating a jeweled look for the dash. The excellent form meets with equally impressive function as the wood steering wheel and throttle and shifter assembly are well placed for the driver, who sits in an adjustable helm seat large enough for two. The console also provides plenty of space for a large multifunction display and other electronic elements.
The Corsair 28’s cockpit has been refined with a U-shaped couch that offers aft-facing recliners to port and starboard. Adjust the filler cushions and your entire body is supported comfortably to watch the passing shoreline. In the cabin, natural light pours in through a large skylight in the bow, and a queen bed in the V-berth allows two adults to get a restful sleep. Also below is a head located under the bed as well as a mirror and hanging locker.
The Corsair 28 offers a variety of engine options from Mercury and Volvo Penta in twin-engine packages ranging from 300-430 horsepower for each engine. “Using the fiberglass stringer system that is structurally bonded to the hull took out about 800 pounds,” says Young. “You gain about 10 horsepower for every 100 pounds, and we saw that benefit right away in our performance testing.”
On Chris-Craft boats, most models use paint for the exterior finish rather than gelcoat, resulting in more vibrant colors and increased durability. “If you look at our color spectrum customers can choose from, you can’t do it with gelcoat,” attests Young. “Every color we offer is bold and rich, and that requires paint. Regarding maintenance, you maintain it like you do car paint and we use very high-end paint with massive fade resistance. If you scuff it or scratch it, you can repair it just like a car paint job.”
Every summer at the Chris-Craft dealer meeting in Florida, the year’s feedback from loyal Chris-Craft owners is compiled, discussed and considered. According to Scharnow, product development remains at the forefront of the company, whether it’s introducing a new model or improving upon an existing model. “The Corsair 28 and Capri 25 are the perfect examples of how we continue to remain true to the Chris-Craft heritage while blending the latest innovations with Chris-Craft styling.”
By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating Magazine June 2016
SPECIFICATIONS Capri 25 LOA: 26′ 7″ Beam: 8′ 6″ Draft: 34″ Weight with engines: 5,700 lbs Fuel Capacity: 82 U.S. gals. Power: 1x MerCruiser 6.2L 300-hp engine Cruise/Top Speed: 36/50 mph Range: 200 miles @ cruise Base MSRP: $128,560
Learn all about otters at a recently opened exhibit, Otters & Their Water, at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida. The exhibit features three orphaned North American river otters—Huck, Pippi, and Jane—that have been under the careful supervision of Mote staff after arriving at the facility in December 2015.
The exhibit is an opportunity for visitors to learn about the importance of watershed habitats—prime real estate for river otters. Watersheds perform the vital geographical and ecological function of draining water toward oceans, lakes, rivers, and estuaries.
Otters love scooting from land to water and back. With that in mind, Mote Marine staff created a two-level land and water habitat area filled with fun and stimulating features. The habitat also includes a den where the otters can sleep. “The exhibit has a slide that leads into a pool of water,” says Mote biologist Amanda Foltz, who cares for them. “They are like little kids going up and down the slide. It really is fun to watch.”
Staff members are on hand daily to describe how the otters were rescued, rehabilitated and trained, and demonstrate their intelligence—for example, they’ve been taught to present parts of their bodies for medical checks and walk into a special crate to be weighed.
In school, at sea
Mote Marine also helps at-risk youth in the Tampa Bay region via a “floating classroom” partnership with the AMIkids Boat Program. AMIkids is a Tampa-based nonprofit that helps transform the lives and futures of young juvenile offenders.
The floating classroom is Orlando’s Rose, a 65-foot vessel donated in 2014 by Bill and Carol Barrows that launches near the Gandy Bridge spanning Tampa Bay. She carries AMIkids participants on half-day excursions focusing on biodiversity and watershed education. During their time at sea, program participants gather and identify marine organisms and learn how the specimens interact with their environment. They even get to drive the boat after passing a BoatU.S. safety curriculum, a swimming test and other prerequisites.
“We work with kids that have been part of the court system or those we are trying to keep from going into the court system. These are kids that might not have ever been on a boat before,” said Jordan Carroll, AMIkids boatyard development assistant. “It’s all about promoting them to be better members of society. Maybe they’ll want to be captains or dive instructors; maybe they’ll figure out a career path.”
Mote staff members help the boat program participants perform research tasks such as taking salinity content measurements and studying marine organism specimens under microscopes. The goal, Carroll says, is to encourage the kids to be stewards of the environment and spark in them an interest in waterways and boating safety. “The biggest thing is getting the kids out on the water, and through that, they could form a life passion.”
— By Brian Hartz, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
Florida-based bay boatbuilder Kevin Barker makes wishes come true for customers and strangers alike. Barker recently teamed up with Make-A-Wish Foundation to supply 17-year-old Dylan Dykens with a custom tower for his 22′ Sea Hunt BX BR. Dykens, who was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in June 2014, is going through chemotherapy treatment at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. A boating and fishing enthusiast, Dykens will now be able to go fishing for redfish, snook and tarpon, as well as participate in fishing tournaments. Meet Kevin Barker.
SB: Tell us a bit about yourself.
KB: I was born in Savannah, Georgia, and grew up on Hilton Head Island just north of Savannah in South Carolina. Barker Boatworks’ first model was named the 26 “Calibogue Bay” because my earliest fishing memory was with my grandfather in Calibogue Cay just west of Hilton Head Island. My first boat was a Boston Whaler when I was 13. My 14-year-old son and I just finished completely renovating his first boat, a 15′ Boston Whaler. I attended Syracuse University on a football scholarship where I played for five years.
SB: Tell us about your involvement with the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and Dylan Dykens. How did it come about? What inspired you to act?
KB: A family friend who is on the Sarasota board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted us about Dylan’s wish. As parents all we want is to keep our kids healthy, safe and do all we can to raise them into becoming good men and women. I can’t imagine what the Dykens went through and are still going through with Dylan. When we were asked to help, I didn’t think twice. To be able to help put a smile on his face was the reason we did it.
SB: What was the process for creating the custom tower and Dylan’s involvement?
KB: When I met Dylan and his dad, Doug, for the first time I knew very quickly that Dylan had a specific design he wanted. During the next couple of meetings he even put together a book with all of the lights, rod holders, footrests, and hardtops he wanted to incorporate in the tower design. He would come to the shop once or twice a week in between treatments to oversee the progress. He even helped out when he could. All I wanted was to build exactly what he wanted, and I think we accomplished that.
SB: How did you get into the boating industry?
KB: I have always had a passion for boating and fishing. In the mid 90s I fished in an average of 15 kingfish tournaments every year in 34 and 36 Yellowfins. I was hired by Yellowfin Yachts to run the inshore division, which I did for 10 years. Until now it was my first and only job in the marine industry.
SB: Tell us about your company.
KB: Our company builds the most innovative bay boat in the industry. We took all the features that customers asks for and incorporated them into the design of our first boat, a 26′ bay boat. We designed the boat to have more offshore capability. We did this by building a boat that has more beam than your typical bay boat and by increasing the freeboard and adding some “Carolina” flair to allow the boat to be much drier than the competition. We designed a console to be able to accept large MFDs (up to 19″) and be completely finished on the inside to be able to accommodate a marine head. We go the extra mile to produce a boat with “yacht quality” fit and finish.
SB: How has your company developed and changed over the years?
KB: Our company is only 16 months old, so we’re still fairly young. We are growing at a fast pace but not so fast that we sacrifice quality. I tell customers, “We may take a little longer but you will definitely be happy with the final product.”
SB: What do you love most about what you do?
KB: I get up every day and talk about our company, boating and fishing. To be able to get up and be excited about getting to work is something not too many people can claim. There is no dollar amount you can put on that. I truly enjoy dealing with the customers. They all have a different view on how they will use their boat. Every customer has different ideas on options, some of which we’ve even adopted and named after them.
SB: What type of boating/fishing do you enjoy personally?
KB: I enjoy boating with my family most, going to our local sandbars and islands, setting up camp, and just hanging for the day. My wife will tell you I sometimes go a little overboard bringing tents, a grill and all the beach toys you would ever need. I love cooking out on the beach after a fun day relaxing with family and friends. Now that our kids are getting older, my wife (Sarah) and I also enjoy going out for dinner on the boat as well. On the fishing side, I still enjoy tournament fishing and try to include my 14-year-old son as much as I can. We recently fished in a couple of kingfish tournaments on the east coast and had a blast. My two daughters also like to fish, so you can call us a fishing family.
SB: Have you been on the water with Dylan?
KB: I have not been out on the water with Dylan yet, but we plan to, soon. I was recently at a party in St. Petersburg, and when he and his family idled up in the boat I cried like a baby!
SB: If there’s anything you’d like to add, please feel free.
KB: I’m so happy that I was able to be a part of making Dylan’s wish come true. There are several other companies that were involved in this project and I would like to personally thank them:
