New England Boat Show 2012

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!”

A Little Mexican Adventure Vacation

A lot of people plan their vacations months in advance. The reason why some people do it is because they would want everything to be perfect. They want the hotel checked out, they want the destination close to the hotel, they want their activities lined up and ready for them and of course they want to be treated special because after all they are paying tons and tons of money.

This is how an adventure vacation is perceived. Months of preparation followed by countless weeks of anticipation and anxiety, this is usually how a regular vacationer sees it and it’s how they live out the drama of their vacation.

Now when we talk about vacation some people would think that to enjoy their vacation they would need t travel across the globe to seek out and uncharted island blissfully located in the middle of nowhere and strategically located right next to civilization. Some people would also think that they need to spend tons and tons of money just to get them there, an island bordered by the savagery of the out doors and the comforts of civilization. But sometimes when people look too far away they miss what’s under their noses.

Many people prefer going to more luxurious and popular places without considering those that could offer exciting adventure and interesting places to visit. Nowadays, when you talk about people missing things that are right under their noses—I’m talking about missing out on a good place to go to for a vacation. Some people spend too much of their time looking away to places like France, Italy, London etc. etc. when some of the good places to go to are just a border away in Mexico.

Though we must admit not all of Mexico is for the sightseers, there are many places in the heartland of Mexico that are not really for tourist and their vacation getaways. Some are cruel realities of life that really require the attention of the government. Mexico is a really nice place to be in because of the virgin forests and the beautiful beaches, but if there would be any improvement in the tourism scene in Mexico, it has to start now.

Anyway, one of the few places that really deserve hats off is a place called San Blas, Mexico. Long before Spanish settlers set foot in this little gateway to California, people have already started settling here. Some people speculate that the lost civilization of the Incas may have been from there once.

It may not be as popular as Cancun but it does hold it own brand of notoriety especially for birds. Yes that’s right birds. Many of the bird watching enthusiast flock to this little barrio surrounded by forests, lagoons, mangroves and endless islets that serve as excellent breeding grounds for both exotic and local species of birds.

Another attraction here are the ruins of Fort San Basilio built atop of a steep hill the La Contaduria. Imagine yourself on an adventure vacation high above the expanse of the town and the harbor. A good place to see the whole town and the beach, a good thing about it is that it’s not too far away unlike when you need to have your fix on.

Here, you can enjoy not just a peaceful environment but also a feeling of self-fulfillment and utmost relaxation.

Help Wanted – Personal Chef!

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 »

7 Top Tips to Selling Your Boat

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. 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 »

Ashkelon Marina – Israel

Hillel Reshef, Port Manager

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.

As for the marina itself, it’s a jewel for families with young children. You’ll find many liveaboards here that home (internet) school their children and it’s pet friendly. Other amenities include: showers, laundry, wi-fi, haul out, maintenance, a 100 ton travel lift and many social activities.

A new modern design in breakwaters allows water to penetrate through the breakwater to keep the water in the marina clean.

One of the things that impressed me, was the fact that all 6th graders in Ashkelon are required to spend two hours per week at the marina throughout the whole year. It’s actually mandatory in their school curiculumn and they can have voluntary courses in the afternoon as well. According to their school prinicipal, this activity has the most added value than any other class. The kids are facing values that usually are hard to find in regular normal education processes like team work, making decisions under pressure, self discipline and a whole set of values that are very important to them. This is one of the few places that they can meet these challenges. These young adults start off learning to sail an Optimist Sailboat, then go on to a larger boat that holds up to 15 people. They also learn to row, kayak, windsurf, and canoe for their “wet” activities. In bad weather, an indoor class may teach a bit of maintenance. Since this side of the Mediterranean is relatively clean, and it has some wonderful archeological sites under the water as well, the marina has a diving club and school starting as young as ages six or seven. (This is definitely something I’m putting on my list to do on my next visit to Israel.)

“We are considered amongst the cruisers as very friendly and professional marina,” says Hillel, “and we love to have foreign flag boats come over.”

The beach here is rejuvenating, great for walking, collecting rocks, shells, windsurfing or just soaking up the sun with a good book. If you are do plan on visiting Ashkelon Marina, check out their website for specific requirements before entering their port.