Overboard Boater

Got some attendance numbers from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) for the 2010 Miami Boat Show:

91,415 attendees this year. Down from 96,736 in 2009. The numbers, according to the NMMA, are consistent with attendance declines for boat shows so far in 2010. That said, some exhibitors reported significant sales increases over 2009, with some accessory companies reporting 20-30 percent more sales.

Consistent with the unofficial word on the docks. The foot traffic seemed pretty sparse at times but more people seemed serious about buying a boat. Whether the concrete numbers bear out the hopefulness remains to be seen going forward, but at least this year you could hear hints of optimism, a sentiment in short supply in Miami in 2009.

At the Miami Boat Show last week, Scout Boats announced its new 345 XSF, but being a light tackle enthusiast, the 2010 210 XSF (pictured) is right in my wheelhouse.

One complaint my non-fishing friends and relatives always have is the lack of seating on the small center consoles I like to fish, an issue Scout seems to address by adding armrests to the cushioning atop the cooler seating forward of the console. Here’s a look at the overhead accommo plan:

Note the transom seating as well. Good for a 20-footer. Will it all get in the way of fishing? Only a proper test will sort it out. Coming soon.

Scout also makes a dual console version, called the 210 Dorado, that’s more family oriented than fishing focused. Witness the layout differences:

I plan to test that one, too. Here’s what I said in a test of the Dorado’s big sister, the 245.

My dad’s center console is as easy to maintain as any boat in existence. It still has an old carburated 125-hp two stroke outboard, and virtually no gadgets on board to break or go on the fritz. Every spring we pull it from the boat shed, re-attach the battery cables, fire up the engine, and go.

So it was a cause of concern when, after a morning of fishing on the first trip of the season, the engine wouldn’t turn over. Like a driver in an empty parking lot hoping it would miraculously catch, we kept goosing the throttle and turning the key. Then someone said to me, in a smart-ass way, “You’re the boating writer, you figure it out.”

I instructed we take off the cowling. I had my dad turn the key once more. “I see the problem,” I declared. “It’s the Bendix drive.” The drive wasn’t fully engaging, and I’d seen it before in the field, so I of course KNEW it had to be that. A major repair; we’d have to wait for a replacement part. Our fishing weekend was over.

We guided the boat on the trailer and towed it to the nearest marine mechanic, about 30 miles away. I brought up the Bendix drive, knowingly. He took one look at it, then looked at me slightly askew.

He opened a hatch in the back of the boat and looked at the batteries. “You didn’t tighten the wing nuts enough,” he said. “The battery’s arcing.” In our hurry to get on the water, we affixed the cables to the posts and tightened the nuts by hand. He reached into his pocket for some pliers, gave each nut a twist and had my Dad turn the key. It started right up.

He looked at me with a there you go Mr. Boating writer smile and said with a wink, “No charge.”

The point here is, when something goes wrong on your boat, always start with the obvious. It could save you hours of aggravation and, m0re importantly, embarrassment.

Boating is a healthy pastime, right? You’re outdoors, breathing in fresh air, and–if you’re on my boat–eating your weight in processed junk food. I’m usually on a boat for one of two reasons, fishing or otherwise getting recreational. Fiddling around with cooking or food prep is a colossal waste of time. Rip open a bag, pop a top, chomp it down, and be done with it.

Here are the best scientifically proven food products to bring aboard.

PRINGLES: Is there a better boat food? The chips are protected in an ingenious tube so they don’t get smashed beyond edibility when crammed under the console. It keeps the chips from getting soggy and disgusting. If the inventor of the Pringle’s tube found it suitable to be buried in, it’s good enough for my boat.

GOGURTS: No need for bowls, spoons, or napkins to ingest breakfast. Fellow Boatermouth writer Lenny Rudow used to raid his kids’ lunch-food and bring stacks of them on offshore tuna trips to the canyons. [Lenny also invented the famed "boat sandwich," wherein you roll a cold cut in a piece of cheese.] Your hunger is satiated, rather healthily, in seconds.

HARD PRETZELS: The choice of Kevin Falvey, another boating writer, for mako shark trips. Or any trip. You can just throw a box in a locker at the beginning of the season and if they go stale, how can you tell?

BEEF JERKY: Would be the A-One top choice but for the inconsistency between brands and batches. Some come out just right, others worse than shoe leather. But if you get a quality bag of jerky, it hits the spot and fills the protein void left by the other snacks. It takes a long time to chew and can distract from the tedium of trolling.

DRIED MANGO SLICES: They have the veneer of being healthy; they’re derived from one of the three most awesome fresh fruits in existence. But when you read the bag on a lot of packaged mango slices, you’ll see they’re processed with incredible amounts of sugar. And, possibly, sulphur dioxide. Eat a bag and you’ll have boundless energy, I guess because it combines the magic of fruit with the sugar of Mountain Dew and the calories of a Big Mac.

People boated on Crete 130,000 years ago.

Scientists found stone tools on Crete dating back 130,000 years. As this article from the New York Times points out, Crete’s been an island for 5 million years. That means they were dropped from the excrement of very large prehistoric dino-birds that ate some pre-humans, or, more logically, some pre-humans got there by boat.

Potter designed SeaCraft, maybe?

One expected aspect of MIBS 2010, The Great Recession Version, is the scarcity of new models being introduced by the boat companies. One reason for this is understandable–the backlog of inventory left over from the economic meltdown that put people’s plans to buy a boat on hold. You can’t push new until the dealer network clears out the old.

Those willing and able to buy a boat have benefited from this, getting great deals on boats that are essentially brand new but classified as last year’s, or yesteryear’s, models. But that wave may be cresting. A number of builders I spoke with said they have finally sold most of those boats off, with one saying went from have a 120 boat logjam to having fewer than 20 left.

If you’re looking to buy a boat, the lesson here is, strike while the iron is hot. Or if you insist on having the latest and greatest, expect more new builds to start making the scene for 2011.

Mastercraft’s new 25 won an innovation award at the show, but I was still interested in its 30 express cruiser, which debuted last year.

The 30 is in the water this year, having logged 16,000 miles of sea trials. The boat is cool because in a sterndrive world, Mastercraft stays true to the inboards. This one has twin 350-hp Cummins 4.2 QSDs. With a bow thruster and joystick control, it’s got mad maneuverability.

The styling is unique, too. It’s clearly part of the Mastercraft family but it has a European feel. Definitely one of the more intruiging boats I’ve seen at the show.

Nautical Global Group, builders of Rinker and Godfrey, are emphasizing value to attract boaters in the recession.

They’ve started a site called Amazingboatdeals.com to offer basic models stripped of a few bells and whistles. The idea is to give boaters affordable price points for new models. Like this Godfrey 188.

Groundbreaking news you can only find here.

Taking this photo moments ago is my first official act of the Miami Boat Show. I can live blog this mother straight from my iPhone. Will be shooting grainy phone video, too.

I apologize in advance for typos and accidental autofills. It’s not easy producing real time journalism typing with your thumbs.