One thing I’m curious to check out at this week’s Miami Boat Show is the Affordability Pavilion. The idea is to highlight boats that you can finance with payments costing less than $250 per month. On the surface it seems like a solid attempt to bring new people into boating during this economic downturn. I’m dying to see how it plays out in practice.
The industry is trying hard to keep boating as family entertainment on the radar, using gadgets like this budget planner comparing it to other leisure activities. I did a quick hit contrasting a football game and theme park vacation and this is what I got:
(Click for a larger view.)
Super. The only caveat? The type of boat I really want costs way more than 10 Gs.
BoatU.S. released its list of Top Ten Boat Names for 2009. Not surprisingly, Bailout ranked high. Get it? The clever word play on the economic meltdown and actually bailing out a boat?
I much prefer the Seinfeldian Serenity Now. Though if you’re going to go that route, might be best to name your boat Festivus.
The press release inundation is in full swing for the upcoming Miami Boat Show. But one that struck me out of the many was this: Soy-based foam for mattresses and boat cushions.
The Hickory Springs Marine Group, which makes SeaComfort marine mattresses, will be displaying their new “green” product . Green is a such a marketing buzzword these days that it’s hard to know what out there actually is. Either way, the first thing I’m going to do is lay down on it and see how it sleeps.
That’s right, orange construction fence. We kept our boat in a mooring field on Long Island Sound that was dominated by ornery New York City seagulls. They probably cut their teeth working landfills and weren’t intimidated by any traditional gull repellents. On the launch ride out, I could see the white splatter all over the hard top and the crushed shells and crab parts on the bow. The dockmaster at this establishment, a great guy also named Pete, came up with a great system for keeping the sonsofbitches at bay.
You can buy a 50′ roll of orange construction fence at the hardware store for about $20. I hooked one end to the bow cleat, rolled it over the hard top, getting elevation off the top with a fender snugged underneath, and tethered the other end off the stern. I cut the extra from the roll and stowed it in a locker for backup.
When it was time to boat, I just unhooked the installed piece, rolled it up, and stowed it away. The whole process took less than five minutes and the seagulls never got purchase on the hardtop or deck again.
A well-maintained wooden boat makes me stop and turn my head every time. They are beautiful and it’s one of the few types of boat that makes me eschew reason and practicality and mutter, “I want one.” It’s why I enjoy the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York.
I had a great time playing with modern build wooden Hackers up in Lake George, New York, last fall. I had good reason to be there. I got a great assignment from Boating Magazine to compare and contrast a Hacker 27 against a Cobalt 276, a top level fiberglass production model.
Here’s something you can bring onboard to break out when you’re anchored or beached and want to cut the boredom. The Waboba ball bounces on the water. This Swedish guy created it and made a beach game around it.My source in Florida tells me that Ron Jon’s Surf Shop moves about 4,800 of them a month. I got a tester coming my way so I’ll see if those cats are on to something.
In an act of shameless self-promotion, I’m linking to an article I wrote detailing theseamanship lessons I culled while spending a day at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
The Boating Magazine offshoot Fishboat Mag is no more, but this video remnant remains from our web efforts. So, too, do the frustrations of trying to hold steady a handheld on a boat. Here are a few things we learned while shooting stuff ourselves for the web.
1. Never zoom. Using the zoom function on a moving platform only amplifies the shakiness. On playback, you’ll get nausea faster than if you’re adrift in a beam sea while eating pork rinds.
2. Keep it low. Shooting from the bridge or up high is better for getting an overall view of the boat or to look down on another boat you’re shooting. But odds are you don’t have a gyro stabilizer for your handheld, which is what professionals use to keep cameras steady for those beautiful overheads. The lower you’re positioned on the boat, the more stable and steady the lens. Also, consider the back of the boat is the most stable area, least susceptible to pounding.
3. Get a Gorillapod. Use this twisty gripper to mount your vid cam anywhere on the boat. Just keep in mind point two above.
4. Get a waterproof vid camera. It’s going to get wet, trust me. I use the Sanyo Xacti, but there are other quality brands. Or get a waterproof casing like this one for the Flip.
