On the Water

href="http://www.charterwave.com/yachtworld/2847-report-from-miami-cautious-optimism.html" target="_blank">Miami International Boat Show …Read More

Marina Life members are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the cruise planning and concierge service by voting for their favorite member marina. The company will feature the winning marinas voted “Best Transient Marina” and marina with the “Best Customer Service” in the summer issue of Marinalife Magazine. For those readers not familiar with Marinalife, it is [...] …Read More

Fishing and blogging are all part of the tour for this team of professional fishermen. Now you can ride along with them. …Read More

Sea Ray expands "strategic alliance" with the Costco Auto Program in select metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. The program offers Costco members in major boating markets special pricing deals on select Sport Boat and Cruiser models, as well as up to $3,000 in rebates from the company. These models include several targeted at the family and towsports markets, including $500 incentives on the the 175 Sport and 185 Sport; $750 incentives on the 195 Sport and 205 Sport; $1,000 incentives on the 200 Sundeck, 210 Sundeck, 200 Select, 210 Select Fission, and 210 Select; and $2,000 incentives on the 220 Sundeck, 230 Sundeck, 220 Select, 230 Select, and 230 Select Fission. …Read More

Currents of Belize from McJ Digital on Vimeo. Costa Del Mar is a sunglass maker that supports conservation causes and grass roots fishing around the world. They produce and sponsor a lot of fishing videos, including this one about Belize: How development is changing it, and affecting its world-famous flats fishing. …Read More

href="http://www.charterwave.com/find-a-broker/reputable-brokers.html" target="_blank">reputable charter broker …Read More

This weekend at the Annapolis MSSA fishing expo I did a seminar on catching big fish on light tackle, with a section on speed jigging. (I’m doing lots of seminars these days, to help promote my new book Rudow’s Guide to Modern Jigging, at www.getgup.com!) I focused on speed jigging for tunas and other pelagics, [...] …Read More

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Gather ’round and let’s review: Rule 237B.2 You never want the mast to go but once you realize it’s going you want it gone baby gone. Rule 237B.3 When you drive in to a regata in México and you’re passing Federale trucks with mounted machine guns, El Presidente, Felipe Calderón, really did show this time. Rule 237B.4 [...] …Read More

It could be argued that the Miami International Boat Show (MIBS) is a bellweather for the marine industry, an indicator of what’s to come for boaters, dealers, boat builders and all types of boating accessory manufacturers.  So what does the 2010 show, which wrapped two weeks ago, have to say about what’s to come as this year unfolds? The results are most definitely inconclusive.  This past 69th annual MIBS and Strictly Sail Miami show were held in two rather than three venues - at the Miami Beach Convention Center and Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center.  Bayside Marina, which normally housed the sail part of the show, was not welcoming boat show traffic except apparently for the very large sailboats that couldn’t make it under the bridge to the proper venue at the Marriott.  This consolidation may have made it easier for folks fighting traffic on shuttle busses but it certainly left the sail portion of the show looking a bit small and forgotten.  I was stunned to find ample parking across from the Marriott when I arrived an hour after the show opening on Saturday which is traditionally the busiest public day. In fact, overall, exhibition space was down 20% from 2.5 million square feet in 2009 to 2 million in 2010.  The number of boats (actually more accurately watercraft) on display went from 3,000 in 2009 to 2,500 in 2010.  About 175 fewer exhibitors braved expensive hotel rooms and exorbitant parking fees to showcase their wares.  And, in the aftermath, the total attendee numbers were off about 5% from 96,736 in 2009 to 91,415 in 2010.  Is that bad?  Well, 2009 was down 26% from two years prior so at least it’s getting worse at slower rate.  The weather didn’t help the show this year either.  Most of the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic was socked in by snowstorms and Miami was seriously the coldest I’ve experienced it in over a decade.  Locals may have thought better of standing on a freezing dock and those traveling from elsewhere might not have made it at all due to airport and rail congestion.  But – and there’s always a but – if we focus on other statistics, the marine industry may be showing signs of life.  I noticed a number of new boat introductions both on the power and sail side.  Boston Whaler launched and won an NMMA award with their 370 Outrage with the Rinker 310 Express coming in a close second.  Beneteau unveiled their Oceanis 50 and Fountaine Pajot featured a 50 footer as well.  Three other catamarans in the 38-40 foot range were actually introduced last fall in Annapolis but it does show that new designs have been in the works and are being launched.       Miami NMMA 2010 Innovation Award Judges And what about the aftermarket accessories and other marine products?  Well, I chaired the NMMA Innovation awards and we had 50 products entered, a 20% increase over 2009.  Ten of these products or watercraft were deemed innovative enough to receive awards.   So product development is alive and well and many companies including electronics developers like Standard Horizon, Cobra Marine, Simrad and the amazing FLIR thermal imaging night vision people are forging ahead like there was no recession.  There’s no quick way back and chances are very good that when the marine industry does find itself in full recovery mode, it still won’t look like it did in 2006.  So what?  Better boats and better products are being introduced, people won’t stop boating, customer service has to be improving when there are fewer buyers and what eventually shakes out will most definitely be a stronger marine industry.  I’ll hold my breath and hope to see lots of familiar faces when we come out on the other side.      …Read More