Heading South from Palm Coast Marina, Halifax Harbor Marina is located in downtown Daytona Beach, Florida, or on the IntraCoastal Waterway at Channel Marker 39A.
This marina has capacity for 550 slips on 60 acres. Unfortunately, due to what’s happening with this downturn in the economy, only half of the slips are full. According to Marc Phillips, Marina Manager, what makes this marina unique from others in the area are their floating docks. They have free pump-out at their fuel dock or on Wednesdays and Thursdays a boat will come to your slip.
Boaters here range from transients staying for the night to liveaboards. As for what there is available to entertain youngin’: a skate park 1/4 mile down the street and Jackie Robinson Ball Park down the street in the opposite direction.
Pictured below is: Marc Phillips, marina manager, and Pam Means, assistant manager. For more information about Halifax Harbor Marina go to: http://www.halifaxharbormarina.com/
Palm Coast Marina is in between St. Augustine and Daytona on the Intracoastal Waterway at Mile Marker 803. You’ll find this place clean and friendly, especially Harbormaster Deb Hogan and her assistant Ro McCauly (1st photograph below). Across the street, walking distance, is the European Village with a few restaurants, florist, pub, shoe store, health store, and gift shops.
A few of us got together for Happy Hour, a book signing, and a birthday celebration. The food in the photograph below is compliments of Chef Josh at La Piazza Cafe (aka my son who works in the European Village). For more info regarding Palm Coast Marina go to: http://www.palmcoastmarina.net/
Congratulations to Pauline Berk, winner of our raffle drawing. Pauline won a complete set of 11 interviews recorded live on downloadable mp3 ($157 value).
This was my first time to a boat show in Florida. It took place in Jacksonville, FL on the St. John’s River. Across the street is Everbank Field, home of the Jaguars – Jacksonville’s Football Team. Down the street is Maxwell House. Since I don’t have anything to compare it to, there’s really not much I can say in the way of good or bad. I will say, however, that we had thunderstorms and dark clouds most days. People came out for the entertainment at the show such as: bikini contest, kids rides, and to climb on boats. All in all, it was an experience. There wasn’t any program available so I can’t tell you who was there, but here’s some photographs from my walking around.
This was also my first out-of-state book signing. Congratulations to Michelle Prosje who won our raffle drawing of a complete set of 11 interviews on downloadable mp3 ($157 value).
A smaller boat show than New England (Boston), this show runs for three days, sponsored by and held at Portland Yacht Services. It doesn’t matter, though, 2012 marked 25 years for this show with 195 exhibitors; a 20% annual turnover. It’s a great show to talk with various boat builder’s and learn what little tweaks they’ve done to their boats since the previous year’s show.
Chris Webber, owner of The Black Tie Company, also celebrated 25 years of running the food court. “Everything is homemade”, says Chris, “we started with just popcorn and two workers a day. Now we have 20 people a day and do this show for the relationships.”
According to Phin Sprague, owner, all the exhibitors were upbeat, customers more positive and getting into the buying mood. “It was a solid show, quality people,” says Phin, “and we’ll be back in 2013!”
After a gloomy 2011 season, the New England Boat Show opens with 100,000 sq ft more space, more sailboats, a new tug line, center console fish boats, and pontoons. Abby Sunderland was also on site the last weekend for a book signing. Fred’s Shed, a do-it-yourself seminar, was also popular. According to Joe O’Neil, show manager, the overall show was up 3-4 percent in attendance from the past two years. “I still think the boat show is a great place to come down, look at boats, services, and related equipment,” says Joe, “plus, it’s fun!”
Help wanted: Personal Chef.
Location: At sea.
Qualifications: Must love to cook, be able to chop vegetables and not fingers while the floor tilts at a 45 degree angle as the boat heels, walk on water, think on your feet, work 16 hours a day, be able to tolerate cramped living quarters and a near total lack of privacy. Foremost is the ability to get along well with others. Benefits: unlimited food budget, state-of-the art cooking equipment, occasional oceanviews, and visits to markets in unusual ports.
Matthew Shea, 21, not only is the youngest personal chef working on boats, but also has already made a name for himself in the yachting industry. Matthew left high school at age 16 to work full-time in restaurants. He became a student of some extraordinary chefs who were willing to teach. At 19, he got his sea legs working as an assistant chef working a Green Peace ship. He was lucky that the chef he was to assist was a classically trained French chef raised in Canada who had just finished traveling as Le Cirque de Soleil’s chef. In 2005, he went to Paris to learn pastry-making. Matthew prefers French cooking, but Read the rest of this entry »
According to many seasoned boat owners, the two happiest days in their boating lives are when they buy their boat and when they sell their boat.
I recently interviewed Jim Tatosky at Northeast Yacht Brokerage and together we came up with these
7 Top Tips to Selling Your Boat:
1. Use a broker
The best way to sell your boat is through a broker – they can qualify the buyer, do all the running around for you, ie: place the ads, qualify the buyer, show your boat, etc. A broker truly earns their commission. If you decide to sell your boat privately, you’ll have to scour magazines looking for names and contact information to place ads then contact magazines and possibly run around putting up signs. A broker has access to other brokers and better websites to place ads.
2. Declutter your boat
A clean boat sells. Stay interested in your boat as well. Once you start losing interest in your boat because you’re selling it, the buyer picks up on this. It starts to show because things start going on the boat and nobody fixes them. Don’t expect buyers to fix things either. If something breaks or looks ratty, you need to repair or replace it. This shows the potential buyer your boat is loved and cared for. That energy rubs off onto the new buyer. Your engine room must be clean – no oil, grease or paint chipped parts. This is the biggest killer in any deal to sell your boat. It’s like walking into a new home and someone left a messy, moldy, grungy mess in the bathroom. Same idea. It’s disgusting. Also, clean the bilge, hatch and rain catch as well as clear outboard drains.
3. Determine your price
A broker has access to various sites, books such as ABUS, BOK, and Powerboat Guides, Search the internet for similar boats with similar features. Find the same model year as your boat and add 10% difference in price. The biggest depreciation in a boat is the first three years.
4. Take lots of photos
Exterior photos should be of the port, transom, starboard, stern and bow. Interior photos should be of the electronics, forward cabin, engine rooms, heads, galley, living room, etc. If the boat is out of the water, take photos of the propellers. You’ll also need photos of the helm, flybridge, companion and Read the rest of this entry »
According to Hillel, the difference between Ashkelon Marina and Tel Aviv is, this marina is a very large marina that holds about 600 boats, caters to the local needs and foreign flag boats that sail in the Middle Eastern Mediterranean all crossing the canal. So, their price list and services are designed to accomodate these two different types of groups of boat owners.
Located 198nm south of Cyprus, 120 nm east Port Said; this southern gate to the Mediterranean bridges both the sea and desert together. It’s also the central spot for international rallies and regattas. Every year about 80 boats participate in a peace rally known as the East Mediterranean Yacht Rally (EMYR) which cruises from the port in Istanbul, down along Turkey’s coast to Northern Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, then Egypt. The rally starts in late April and arrives in Ashkelon the middle of June. The whole trip takes 67 days (1825 miles) and includes 27 ports (6 countries). Other rallies start in Israel and go to the Red Sea and back.
Fifty-four years and newly owned by NMMA, the New England Bost Show opened as anxious boaters packed the showroom floor. It was a tough boating season last year and long winter. In fact, the weather outside was a bit frightful with cold winds, rain and snow. “The show was a little smaller due to the economy,” says Joe O’Neal of New England Boat Show, “but 85% of the dealers were back from prior years.”
So, what was new at the show this year? Two big things: the Affordability Pavilion and a “Green” Boating Zone. Here you found twenty-four boats to buy for $250 a month or less with a normal down payment and terms. West Marine had a display of the latest eco-friendly products.
Three hundred plus exhibitors filled the aisles with a variety of displays. My favorite, like so many others, is climbing aboard the different boats and getting a feel for which size would be right for you, your family and friends.
The climate at the show was much warmer than last year; sales and leads were definitely up.
To see more exhibitors and demonstrations check out our videos at: latest videos
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