Joe and Katie, you guys down here in FL or up north?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!! BE SAFE! There will be enough idiots out there on the water, so be careful!

Happy 4th everybody!

Siesta Key Florida(sarasota area) :)

stay hydrated and Captains - go easy on the booze! i know, i know, im no fun, but its just a bad idea. Toss a hook and THEN enjoy yourself. when im out there i worry most about two things, excessive alchohol use and lack of training/skill. Those are the two most dangerous things to you! that, and the sun!

So be safe and stay hydrated! Ill be out on the water on and after the 4th, in and around Sarasota, post up if anyone else is going to be out.

Stay safe guys!

youd think in two and a half years someone would have taught him how to navigate safely... im guessing he had no radar - why no GPS alarm??

Bad luck for him, circumnavigation is hard enough without running into land. He must be devistated

yup, she actually aligned it for while it was running too - it splits the difference between at rest and on plane - she was amazing - now we are thinking about having her redo Double Eagle all by hand

at the airport bar as we speak(DC Natl) - havin a captain. cheers to you!

would you believe that we found a local girl who hand painted the name on both sides!!!?!?! some people are so damn talented it baffles me

i really cant argue with ya....

[img]http://www.theboaters.com/app/vault/photos/originals/user17121_1168007066.jpg[/img]

ive got responses from about 3 or 4 of the people it was sent to. they seem onboard. im hopeful!

hahahahahahaha!!! me too! there's a man who knew how to enjoy himself! They really knew how to party in those days!!

AWESOME!!! Im glad you guys are having a good time - hope my recommendations helped!!!

and now re-reading your post you were not asking for schools - i apologize! I will ask around and try to get you some names of good people on the east coast

I do know of one, his name is Ray Laguna, i DO NOT vouch for his skill as a teacher or sailer, i simply know he is an instructor, has been doing it for ever, and helps runs regattas and such both in Central Florida and the East Coast. If you are interested i can get contact info for you.

My favorite sailing school is the Offshore Sailing School(by far, i LOVE them! I plan on getting all my certificates from them so i can bareboat!!!!) - unfortunately they don't have Bases of Operation on the East coast of Florida, which i find weird - seeing as thats the ocean side. BUT, they might bring the class to you if you are trying to organize a large class. Otherwise, i would consider hitting one of their classes, i bet they could make boarding nice and cheap for you.

Probably your best bet, since im pretty sure they are based in lauderdale is the Blue Water Sailing School - www.bwss.com. Unlike the Offshore, i have never taken a class from them, but i would. They seem pretty straight - and if you are doing this just for fun, not interested in chartering on your clout then it doesnt matter, but if you do want to charter its better to get your certificates from a certified sailing school like Offshore or BWSS. oh, BWSS contact info - website above, number i have in my phone is 954.763.8464.

Good luck! And if neither of those schools work out - let me know, im sure i can ask around and find you some more info.

im always the lone post on the next page!! i hate that! poor guy, all alone, no one to keep him company :(

is it weird that it being summer means i should have more time to devote to my computer?

when i go on vacation i tend to have lots of time to kill at night and thats when i take time to really play on the computer - all the DVDs i have made, most of the photos i log into Apeture, they are mostly done on vacation. I like it - its me time.

You guys better prepare yourself, i think i might cancel my cable because im sick of paying for it which means you are going to get a WHOLE LOT MORE CAPT AARON!!!! hahahahahaha

weather in OTown has been been great as of late - you should get a T-Storm around 4 or 5pm but otherwise you are good. Nice and hot for ya!!

Ken, happy Friday! and boy did i have one(a few) for ya! hahahahaha!

i might be making a trip down to the keys sometime in august - if so, im gonna drop you a line!!!!

i still like the whaler more - and the Rock Salt a lot too...

[img]http://www.boatingmag.com/assets/image/2007/W33/081520071741223599.jpg[/img]

[img]http://rocksaltboats.homestead.com/dn.asp2op_800x526.jpg[/img]

any way, i would be a happy happy man!!!

damnit, i want updates and pictures already! i hate being jealous!

psh!! triple you say??? why not FOUR!!?!?!?!?! 1400HP!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!

i know, its so pretty, i love it! I like it so much more than the 36 because of the little cabin!!! and the second station! AHHH! 1200HP!!!!

at that price Medusa is $3025!!! YIKES! I still love it!

This is Medusa's big brother - The Yellowfin 42'!!!!!

[img]http://www.yellowfinyachts.com/42pics/Boat%20photos%20043.jpg[/img]

only 3 engines! ha! Who buys the 42 and only puts 900hp behind it! Wooses! LOL!!! hahahaha

Just had to share, its too pretty not too!

a super early good morning to everyone! I have a three hour drive and then a day of mountain biking(lol, i live in florida, we need a new term for this)... hilly biking.... mound biking.... biking with mountain bikes... there ya go! I'm going biking with mountain bikes :P

Well, a good morning to everyone, i pray you get WAY more sleep than me!!

good night, and good morning!

i couldnt agree with your more - good diet is everything!

and i couldnt be happier for you that you are feeling better, healthier and happier! Congrats!

hahahaha, now now Ken, its impolite to call out really old people on their age! go easy, im not trying to make any enemies!!! :P

oh! i would definately meet you there... but from what you said it doesnt seem you are taking your daughters with you.... hahahaha, just kidding! Wish i could, ill be up in New York for a wedding :(

for as much as i know about the area i have really only been a couple places. Marsh Harbour(great Abaco), Paradise Island(Atlantis Marina)-Short Stay, Bimini Islands, and one key in the Exumas(Compass Cay).

Thanks Scott, but i think you give me way too much credit! There HAS to be people on board with more knowledge on this than me!!! You need good cruising people, any good cruiser has most likely spent 100 times more time in the area than me! But, i will do my best!

Best spot i have been to thus far is Compass Cay(aka Tucker's Island), just up the chain(12mi North) from Staniel Cay(Airport). There is a little dockage, at peak season you need to arrange ahead of time, otherwise you should be ok, you can always anchor and dingy in. I really do suggest it, its a jem, unless you are looking for lots of people and shopping and the such you cant do better than Compass Cay. There is literally nothing to do but relax, walk around, relax, play with nurse sharks, and relax.... its my favorite. check him out, Tucker is a great guy! www.compasscay.com - i was about to list all the info but he has even more on there than i do. Best bet, just call him if you are interested.

In the Abaco area, Marsh Harbour and its surrounding islands are the only places i have been. I was only there for 5 days and it was a long time ago. I stayed at the Boat Harbour Marina - very nice place, good facilities, nice sit down restraunt and a good poolside bar. Good walking distance from shopping and scenery(especially if you have a bike, with a bike you can see all of Marsh Harbor in half a day). The most fun i had on the actual island was walking around taking photos, im sure it looks nothing like what it used to, there was still substantial hurricane damage when i was there....(March 03 or 04, i cant remember) The best dining experience i had is what im guessing is the Jib Room(im looking at a map) - they had a Steak Night, it doesnt say in any of the books when it is, but it was a lot of fun. The Jib Room is connected to Marsh Harbour Marina. When comparing the two marinas above, the MHM can be likened to a city marina whereas the BHM is more of a yacht club. A fun half day/afternoon trip was going to a small bay called Little Harbour(13.5mi South of Marsh Harbour - you can drive or mo-ped to it but you have a 44 Regal, so boat, moor up, and dingy yourself to Petes) that had a museum and a restraunt in it and thats about it. It was nice, had ruins of the lighthouse keeper's house on it, not so sure there was a REAL lighthouse or anything on the island, i just remember the house. It was fun for an afternoon. Pete's Pub i think the name was... i might be wrong. Definately worth an afternoon. The other place we went had an actual lighthouse, candy striped even(sort of), let me see if i can find it in the guidebooks and get a name for ya. That was a fun day trip - lots to see, walk around, restraunts, shopping. HOPE TOWN! i found it, just a hop, skip and putter from Marsh Harbour(6mi ESE)! I would definately go here, i enjoyed it more than marsh harbour, much prettier! The east side in lovely beach and downtown hopetown is great. Museums, shopping and good eats. And definately take the time to climb the lighthouse and get some photos, 360 degrees of beauty. Its a good time! Hope Town was probably the most fun i had while i was on my trip. If i went back i would spend a whole day and then sleep in harbour.

I was in the Bimini's and Paradise Islands as quick overnights, so i cant tell you anything the guidebooks wont, so i wont bother unless you would like me to, i am more than happy to help!

Since you are already on your way, sort of, suggesting books isnt really prudent, i do have suggestions on cruising guides, etc... If you want them anyways let me know. You said you already got the Abaco Cruising Guide from Bluewater - Their the best! and thats one of the books i would suggest anyways.

Otherwise i expect an absurd amount of photos because i am quite jealous and good luck and good weather to you two on your trip! Keep us updated when you can sneak a second at night - GPS coord. are always fun to post up for those of us stuck in crappy hotel rooms up north!!!!

HAVE FUN GUYS!!!

yea, in my opinion this comes down to how often you are gonna bang your prop off something - if you do a lot of shallow water stuff - like around the Tampa Bay area, if you flats fish you are better with Al because it will ding and dent and be fine - whereas a stainless will either scratch or tear up your whole bottom end.

for the bigger boats i buy stainless, and keep a spare old crappy Al one on the boat, just in case. And for the smaller boats, or RIBs, i buy Al.

i know i didnt say anything new, just confirming what the good folks already said.

I have been PADI certified for.... holy shit, 13 years.... im gettin old. anyways, good program, NAUI is a better certification - my nitrox and advanced open are all through NAUI.

Otherwise, do it, there are few experiences that rival SCUBA.

Good luck!

sent mine off a couple days ago, thanks for bringing to our attention guys

glad you had a great day!!! and glad there was no problems!!! welcome to the addiction!

Hope you have a great day out there! Wish i was taking the boat out instead of going to work :(

Enjoy your day!!!

oh yea, life jackets that fit - twice as many as you need!

instead of bumpers - you CAN USE life jackets!!! lol, same thing for a raft behind the boat while anchored, tie a rope to a few life jackets and toss it out behind the boat - this is a good idea if you have people swimming, gives them something to rest on in the water - gotta love ghetto riggin!

yea, more info needed.

otherwise, dry bags with cell phones and such. DRY bags! more than one anchor! make sure the bitter end is connected to the boat!!!

check OIL AND GAS before you leave! Visually if you can, don't trust those gauges!

check props visually, if there are any dings, or chunks missing - point them out to the rental guy so you get raped when you get back to the dock!

make sure you have bumpers and dock lines in case you wanna raft-up and/or dock somewhere.

when docking, throttle is NOT NEEDED!! EVER!! NICE AND SLOW!!!!!! you use throttle while docking and anyone who knows anything knows you dont know shit. I know you have boated before, so dont take this like im talking to you like youre an idiot - im just throwin tips out there - if all of this is second nature then dont listen to me.

i cant think of anything else, if i do, ill post up. HAVE FUN!!!!

oh yea, SUN BLOCK, more than one brand - people can be allergic!

lol, so does this mean you want to hear some stories about when people did have to protect themselves?

I have never had to use a gun in self defense, and god willing, i will never have to. I feel the same way about the first-on-scene bag in my trunk - but ive used that more than once. Same reason i leave my VHF radio on 16 and know how to make a Mayday call - and since i have responded to more than one Mayday i think my very Boy Scout approach to life has served me well thus far and will continue to serve me well no matter what the situation.

damn right! ahhhhhhh! i want one so bad!!!

the whole "more likely to shoot a family member than an intruder" is negated by good training.

with respect to the snake shot, thats what its for, snakes, a large intruder would be relly upset that you shot him with that. As opposed to the .357mag you could have dropped the guy with - stick with JHPs for your wheel guns.

.357mag is a great caliber for your boat - i went with 9mm so that my mom and little brother could handle it also. 9mm, 12ga, .308. Handle a threat at any range.

They also have the best radar! Its where i check the weather when i plan trips!

www.weather.gov

Besides being the best all around boat ever!! I am in love with this boat - It is literally the exact boat I have been looking for for years now! Besides the fact that they dont allow 900hp, which i think is stupid, besides that i think its one of the best designs out there for an all around boat!

yea, i can only imagine the face on the pirates when they saw the two boats

sweet, thanks scott.

So john, since its so much lighter, do you have handling problems in certain foul weather conditions?

"Medusa" is light for her size at 10K+ lbs, and due to the fact she doesn't have a lot of weight to throw around she can get pushed around in any sort of following sea. Against the wave she handles amazing - i dont have that much experience in her same class of boats - the light fishing style 30+ size boats - they all might handle that way.

Thank you again john for making me jealous - the boats look mean! especially the the new ones!

if you mix rum with coke does that make it healthier or worse?

stay hydrated guys, stay healthy, such an easy thing to do with such great benefits!

scary shit isnt it - stuff like this baffles me! makes me hate coke for tasting so damn good!!

lol, stacey, eventually we are going to infringe on the logo copyrights and start making our own stuff - the lady who does all my embroidered Columbia boat shirts already told me it would be no big deal. HAHAHAHA.

whats the average weight vs. fiberglass? Is an aluminum boat going to weigh more or less on average?

yea, the US customs people are the worst! hahahahaha

i know that places like the bahamas and the us virgin islands are very ok with you having guns on board, you just have to claim them. I did it the bahamas, I said "i have a shotgun and pistol on board" and they said "do you have documentation of where you purchased them?" i said yes, they told me they werent to leave the boat and that was the end of it.

You are going to get in more trouble re-entering the US with un-documented firearms than going to most foreign ports. In those foreign countries, i think so long as the guns themselves arnt illegal there, i.e. Assault rifles, etc... and so long as the guns stay on the boat, i dont see them being a real problem. Those governments have to get that you are traveling around the world and that occasionally a firearm WILL save your life while cruising. That said, i ALWAYS call customs/immigration of the port i am going to be seeking dockage in and check ahead of time to make sure they are firearm friendly and what their procedures are. Get names and titles and that way if when you get there they start to give you trouble - you just quote what John Becker from the office of immigration told you.

Another example, at the canadian border i have checked a firearm and then picked it up on my way back into the US. That was a unique experience :P Should have seen the canadian guys face when i answered yes to "do you have any weapons of any kind with you?" hahahahaha

off to work guys, have a great day! and enjoy the beautiful day it looks to be outside! Hopefully i will get the boat out today, hope everyone else does too!

No problem guys! Glad i could help! :P

I would be interested to find out what kind of maintenance the aluminum requires above standard cleaning to keep it like new.

Morning all - i hope all has been well, i see a few new names on the forums but all the regs seem to still be out there. Hope all has been well, everyone has stayed safe, and the breakfasts have been plentiful - i think i am going to go make pancakes!

Good morning to everyone!

I have been very interested in aluminum and their new Rock Salt line look right up my alley! So long as i can get a bunch of engines, and all my electronics!

I am jealous! Oh so jealous! Congrats, she is a beauty!

And im sure its late, but welcome to TheBoaters.com! I have been MIA, so a belated welcome!

i know its not the kind of ice you guys are talking about - its for fish and cold storage - but its wicked cool! stainless products SeaIce. Salt water ice, the best for fish, and you dont burn up your fresh water while at anchor. :)

i have LED courtesy lights in the boat(Medusa) and i LOVE them!! they are blue, they are my favorite. I am looking into some that mount the bow planers. LEDs are the best!

I say the more distance the better - the only time its ok to up close and personal is when its a party atmosphere and even then i get real pissy when people that dont know what they are doin start to drift into me. Last time i had to deal with carry anchors i ended up with someone drifting accross my anchor line and when i yanked it up it pulled him loose again causing him to drift away - which i thought was poetic, he's lucky i didnt just cut the line - too bad i dont like to litter.

Joe and Katie L, i can help with respect to Florida, not your actual home. this is all i have to say about Florida; "Welcome to the Gunshine state!!!"

You are beyond legal to have a firearm on board in Florida - if you dont have a FL CCW then the firearm has to be "Securely Encased" meaning that it has to be in a case or holster(with a strap) that it can not be fired in. Soooo... a crown royal bag doesnt count. But yea, and once you are 9 miles out(international waters you can have any damn thing you want. hahaha, just getting to and from international waters can be interesting!

So to re-cap, in FL you are golden. If you want more info i can give you pretty much everything you need to know, i happen to be an arms dealer, as it were, lol, in florida. So i do this every day. Even if you want suggestions on gunshops in the CLW/ St Pete/Tampa area. I know a bunch, and all the good ones.

With respect to hearing about pirates between st pete and the keys - i have NEVER heard of that. Doesnt mean it doesnt happen, i have just never heard of it locally. Does that mean i ever go out unarmed... no.

There is a book you should buy, you might be able to find it online, pretty much every gunshop in FL SHOULD have it, doesnt mean they will, its called "FLORIDA FIREARMS - Law, Use & Ownership" written by Jon H. Gutmacher, Esquire. He is a local floridian(he actually shoots at the range i work at) and is THE authority on Florida gun laws. I suggest this book to anyone who owns, plans on owning, or is thinking about owning a gun in Florida. its only $27 but it is probably the most valuable resource you can have.

any of our Florida boaters, if you have any questions about this feel free to message me or post up your questions, i know a lot on the subject and am more than willing to share what i know.

i hope everyone is luckier than me this friday and weekend and actually makes it out on a boat! I HATE BEING LANDLOCKED!

Have a great weekend everybody!!!

missed breakfast again - i hope everyone is enjoying their friday! just make it through work and then its WEEKEND TIME!

The school i went to prepared me well - i did not have any trouble with the test. The hardest thing to memorize are "the rules of the road." Learning all the really intricate who yields when, who has the right of way in all situations. If you go to a school you should have no problem with the test

lol, happy friday Ken! ill have a rum for ya tonight!

thats what I'm sayin!!!?!

best day of my life, no one is gonna believe I talked to Jimmy Buffet! You are so cool!

Jimmy???!?!?? Is that you????

ghost posting, scarry!

I'm with ya 100% Ken, I mean, let's say you are in Key West and there is this guy from TB that lives there that is supposedly really cool, and you've talked to him a bunch and you think, "shit, I'm here, he lives here we should grab a rum and say hi." so you set it up, instead of the cool guy you know from TB you get a old crusty beach bum who rolls ya for your wallet and you find out he spent all your money on hookers and booze!

LOL! This was, of course, a totally theoretical example not based on anyone on the site.... Hahahahahaha :p

oh good, I cheated though, I had read all this already. I never would have posted it if I had to go to the USCG site and find all the info. God knows, that would probably take a week!

oh oh oh!!! They are planning a surprise party for us!!!!! Oh my god , I'm so excited!!!

lol, too much info ken? i was just trying to help :P

i had a log book with my last 90 days, it wasnt signed off and they never asked for it. its one of those things, if you spend that much time on the water they can tell. Who knows. I am not trying to brag either, please dont think im being pompous, i am just relaying my experience with this particular school.

Where in SC are you Chris? The company i got my 6-Pack through does teach in SC.

SOUTH CAROLINA Charleston - Apr 12* Charleston - Apr 19 Bluffton - Apr 26 Greenville - May 3 Charleston - May 31 Charleston - Jun 7 Hilton Head Island - Jun 14 Columbia - Jun 2

Sea School website - www.seaschool.com

License Requirements - http://www.seaschool.com/frm-licreq.htm

Class Schedule for SC - http://www.seaschool.com/frm-ScheduleChoicesfl.htm

once you are at the website, all links for the info are in the left column.

TYPES OF LICENSES AND REQUIREMENTS

Sea Time Can Be On Another Person's Boat Or Yours Sea Time Is Counted From Your 15th Birthday.

For All Licenses, 90 Days Of Your Sea Time Must Be In The Last 3 years.

OUPV (6-Pack) Inland

For uninspected, 6 passenger vessels on inland waters.
Requires 360 days total boating experience.
90 of those days must be in the last 3 years.
No offshore time is needed
U.S. citizenship is not required.
Minimum age is 18.

OUPV (6-Pack) Near Coastal

For uninspected, 6 passenger vessels, inland or offshore up to 100 miles.
Requires 360 days total boating experience.
90 of those days must be in the last 3 years.
90 days, in any time frame, must be in Near Coastal waters (offshore).
U.S. citizenship is not required.
Minimum age is 18.

MASTER Inland (25, 50 OR 100 GROSS TONS)

For inspected or uninspected vessels inland.
360 days total time (same as the 6-pack).
Requires 90 of those days in the last 3 years.
U.S. citizenship is required.
Minimum age is 19.

    With an OUPV Endorsement on Master Inland:
    Requires 90 days in Near Coastal waters (offshore).
    Lets you operate an Inspected Vessel on Inland waters, and a
    6-Pack Vessel out to 100 miles offshore.

    With a MATE NEAR COASTAL Endorsement on Master Inland:
    Requires 180 days in Near Coastal waters (offshore).
    Lets you operate an Inspected Vessel on Inland waters and a
    6-Pack Vessel out to 200 miles offshore.

MASTER Near Coastal (25, 50 OR 100 GROSS TONS)

This license covers inspected and uninspected vessels inland and
offshore up to 200 miles.
You need to show 720 days total time.
90 of those days must be in the last 3 years.
360 days in Near coastal waters (offshore).
U.S. citizenship required.
Minimum age is 19.

LAUNCH OPERATOR

OUPV Limited
For uninspected launches carrying 6 or fewer passengers.
You need 90 days of experience on a boat.
Minimum age is 17.

MASTER Inland Limited
For Inspected and Uninspected launches.
You need 120 days experience on a boat..
Minimum age is 18.

A Physical Exam, Drug Test and CPR/FA are required for all original licenses.

i will try and find all this info - i know i read it all before i got mine.... let me see if i can find it, no promises.

Im at einstein bagels - one of my favorite breakfast places - just got a pizza-bagel, SO GOOD!

I have to start signing on when i wake up - i ALWAYS miss breakfast with you guys. Rya, i envy you if you just got up! even on my days off im not allowed to sleep in :(

so did i hear a TheBoaters party in the keys for the official anniversary???? Party at Ken's place! Or i guess it could be in Ft. Lauderdale too, isnt that where the actual site is based? Im up for either!

WELCOME TO ALL NEW MEMBERS! TheBoaters.com is a great place with great people. Welcome aboard!

I think its a good idea Ken, I dont see why somebody would have a problem with it. And actually i think its a great idea, especially since in this community(being TheBoaters.com) we will most likely plan gatherings. And i know that if i am going to show up on my boat and meet someone I would feel MUCH MORE at ease if the person's identity was verified.

I like to think of this as a tight knit group, and that gives you a feeling of inherent trust that you normally do not experience online. Which means if someone wanted to they could take advantage of someone because we assume they are trustworthy.

on a non quote aspect - what kind of a dumbass captain lets that happen!!!?!?! hopefully they had some sort of malfunction to cause this

breitling watches for everyone!!!

im sad i missed the cinnabuns though - you got to get up early to keep up with you folks!

it was supposed to be nasty here today but the weather gods are smiling on us and it is actually a beautiful day out!

yea, i want it turned back on!!! I think it would be nice on the profile page so we can blab

with the size of your boat a stop over in the Biminis is recommended but not required, that all depends on the range of your boat. if you can get around 150mi while respecting rule of two thirds you shouldnt have a problem in the bahamas.

I generally depart from Ft. Lauderdale because i have family there, cruise south to the Biscayne Bay area, then cross. With your boat I would probably go Bimini, Grand Bahama(Freeport area), and then however many steps it takes to get to your destination(if you have one). I have crossed right from Lauderdale to Grand Bahama, it all depends on the boat.

The biggest thing with the gulf stream is you have to be willing to wait it out - if you force a departure you will put yourself, your boat, and your crew/passengers all at risk! i have sat in Miami for 6 days waiting for the weather to be okay to cross. That is a worst case example, but waiting 2-5 days is not abnormal. And i have personally seen professional captains put multi-million dollar boats and large groups of people at risk just trying to keep a schedule. Its not worth it.

I wont get into all the supplies, back ups, and such that i think you should have but none the less, i would have three of everything, and food and water for 3 days at sea. Be Prepared for the worst, hope for the best.

I think crossing, especially if this is your first time, with a large group of boats is a great idea!!! Nothing like 29 boats there to help when your engine goes FUBAR.

im on my way out the door, but if i think of anything i will add it later tonight. GOOD LUCK!

you have info on that sail boat? beautiful.

on a funny note, i was bringing Medusa home from Naples, about a 3 hour ride, and upon turning into the channel from being offshore there was a gang of jetskis in the channel, i didnt even slow down, once i passed them they fired up and started following me. Just for fun i decided to see who broke the bank and was riding a turbo/super charged crotchrocket etc.... WOT w/900 horses and not one could keep up! hahahahahaha, they were pretty close but i just kept pulling on them. 67.8 knots in light chop :D

They were confused, it was awesome!

dont listen to Frank! PWC are so much fun! hell, i know guys that dive off theirs! my only problem is that i like to have spares and backups for my spares and backups and a lot of PWC just dont have enough storage to make me happy. But like i said, they are so much fun. what frank was trying to say is that some PWC owners, none of whom are on this site i'm sure, tend to be rude and make other boaters uncomfortable, or worse, cause other boaters to have to avoid them for safety's sake. (frank - I dont mean to presume to know what you were thinking, but I am pretty sure that is what you were trying to get across)

Since you are a member here i am sure that you will respect the rules and mainly other boaters so we dont have to worry about you.

Good luck with your search!

oh yea, in large map view, it centers it, and if you zoom in it is exactly where the "place" is - but there is no marker, data, nada. and my old ones dont show up on the big map either, and im pretty sure they used to.

alright, i get what rick/cheryl said about the zoom - i can get all of them to show up in my little map window. Thanks rick/cheryl.

So are the little markers not supposed to show up on the big map?

thank you stacey, bruce and rick!

i still dont get why my places dont show on the map - all my other ones do - even all the way zoomed out. That has got to be some sort of bug :(

thanks for the help guys and lady, i appreciate it!

its close enough, he was based in Stuart, FL(which is north of west palm) and im pretty sure TBTV is out of MIA/Ft Lauderdale area so it would be worth it if he did a show like once a month or so. Who knows, I'd even help out, im not THAT far from stuart!

excuse any poor typing and or lack of inflection in sentences, i have been awake FAR TOO LONG! and am about to go pass out. I do appreciate any and all help!

Thanks!

hey guys and ladies, i just have been having some issues getting the site to do what i want and was hoping you guys could help me out.

first - i added a bunch of "Places" to my map and they havnt shown up. Any reason? did i add them incorrectly? Can you add them incorrectly? They show up on the list below but not the map.... so confused.

second - is there any way to add a blog to my profile? i saw it under someones boat profile and i havn't even figured out how to make that happen. So any help there would be awesome. to recap, blog in profile? how do i get a blog under a boat profile?

THANKS for any help!!! Capt. Aaron

the last one i saw he had a brand new denali from GMC, so it had to be pretty recent, but nothing new, i will have to check out the website and see if i can find anything about new episodes.

If not it would be really cool in TBTV could get him on every once in a while with new products, installs, etc...

Which harbor is this in St Thomas???? If its charlotte amalie boy has it changed!!! i guess that really the only place to dock a cruise boat in St Thomas that i can think of...

oh and ken, by the way, on a completely unrelated topic, very nice rebuild and refinish on your boat. She looks damn good.

FSN - which i doubt is offered outside of florida - but may be, i have no idea - still airs re-runs. I have not seen a new episode in a long time. My tiVo still records a bunch. i love the show, have learned quite a few good things. His new products are great and he legitimately builds boats.

might be the entire state

in St Petersburg Florida i beleive its still on the books that you cannot walk you alligator on sundays... or something to that effect.

as a one unit backup on a second circuit, why not - everything else blows, fire that bad boy up and you are good to go. My problem is brand loyalty, i would buy it as a back up but if you think im going to have anything but Garmin, iCom, and Furuno you're mad.

but like i said, someone on a pleasure boat that doesnt require GPS all that often and only has room for a tiny little screen. I'd suggest it. It would be perfect for my future father in law - beats what he has now.... NOTHING!

The idea is growing on me even as i write this.

Yea, i think changing all the pulleys would destroy your alternator at WOT.

i agree, looks wicked fast

well i have always admired the C-130 as a work horse but i have a whole new respect for it now

Welcome Capt. Mike! If you make it on down to Florida, you just let us know! Congrats on the 6-Pack! Hoping to get my Master rating in the future also!

and by standard, i know they are jam-packed full of all kinds of weather gear, but structurally they are the same?

the ones they take into hurricanes are just standard C-130s???

Looks like a great SAR plane, for initial location and marking. flares, etc... looks like a smaller version of the hurricane chaser(dont remember actual name - Hercules maybe?).

lol, i vote for scotts!! hahahahahaha, priceless!!!

Happy St. Patty's day to all! Get out there and have a whiskey! remember, on st patty's day, EVERYONE'S IRISH!

oh, and obviously Ken is all the tour guide you need down there, so i hope you have fun!

if you find a cozy place in Key West, or a cozy boat, you could easily spend a week there. and i cannot stress enough how badly you should get out to the Dry Tortugas, to this day one of my favorite spots on earth! fishing, snorkeling, it never got old, i was only there three days but it made one hell of an impression.

The flags for my yacht club, and dont jump down my throat it only costs me $120/year, are made in California, i will get the company info, contact them unofficially and see how much it would be to make a run of flags.

i like pessimism, despair and trouble the best! lol, i might have to get them for the office.

i was going to suggest the smaller pulley also, because that will give you more power at idle - which would most likely help. Its not going to change the top end because the regulator wont let it

so what your saying Ken is that WE are going on Medusa? sweet! With respect to the Bahamas, i have only been to a few places, all times i flew in AND THEN got on the boats and puttered around. I have been to Compass Cay, the Bimini islands and Marsh Harbor.

Next year March i will be crossing Medusa myself while another captain crosses the Double Eagle.

Ken, the trip to the USVI would be no big deal in Medusa, with a bladder on the bow, we would have to stop to sleep way more than stop to fuel up. We could make it in three hardcore legs or five relaxed legs. Would go MIA to a marina in the middle of the Bahama string, there to the Southeastern most Bahama marina, there to Dominican Republic, there to Puerto Rico, there to the USVI(you could even skip Puerto Rico if you wanted.)

The only problem with Medusa is that you have no protection from the elements. No cuddy, nada. So it would be just like sailin. Full foulies and all. The Furuno radar is amazing and would make night crossing totally safe WRT other vessels. Debris in the water would be a dangerous hazard. Thats why I would get Flir if i was going to run it through the night. If not then i would just make it daylight hours only. Fuel wise we could just go MIA to turks, turks to Domican Republic, DR to USVI. But that would be night running too.

By letters do you mean the actual registration letters on the hull? There has got to be some local artist to come paint em on for you! one of my friends is an amazing artist and she has done three sets of Hull Reg. Numbers for me and she painted the entire side and name on her dad's boat. Im sure you could find some starving artist down there to do it for ya. or maybe i bring her with when i come down and we can get that taken care of! import the talent - she accepts good booze for payment :P

Ken, i don't know about 150mi range. I would only do it if I had A LOT of time, because it would take forever to get there and i would not want to turn around anytime soon. I would do it with a 50ga+ reservoir up front so you don't get dead between marinas.

I think I would only do it if i had SERIOUS time to spend in the bvi/usvi. Bet your ass my boat would be beached in Cruz Bay at the beach bar at the Low-Key Watersports right on the beach!!!

Those are awesome - i have a real one, so i really like these! hahahahaha. they are way better

I would buy some Ts and Columbia fishing shirts if we had a store. Boat bags would be nice too. I always need more boat bags - zipper top ones are awesome :)

hey Ken, I was on a cruise that got back to Ft Lauderdale at around 6am on Saturday and almost drive down for Kenny Chesney - the girls I was driving vetoed it :( Sad I missed it.

I am diein to get down there and have me some fun. It has been too long. Hopefully I will be going on a serious fishing trip out to the Dry Tortugas soon, I'll give you a yell if it ends up happening!

Both the boats I skipper have them, The Double Eagle's are very light(like the ones Jeff Kelly referred to), which make docking and maneuvering 10x more pleasant. I have only had her in rough seas once in the gulf stream and I didn't have a problem but thats not to say they weren't changing power settings a little each wave. Medusa also has them but they have a little more resistance than the others. Makes them a little more positive when you change gears. Although this makes for a little more old school docking a prefer the bit of resistance, it makes sure you meant to do whatever it is you did. The one down side is you are now relying on an electronic device to handle throttle and gear shift. If it dies so does your control. So on any boat that has them make sure you not only are able to physically do both, but also make sure you know how. Be prepared.

But, overall I love them! mainly when you are docking, they just make boating that much more stress free.

EPIRBs are a must if you are going offshore!!! ANYONE going offshore should have one, because if god forbid something does happen it will cut your rescue time by many days!!

sweet, thanks, i just felt bad because i am always linking things and making people copy and paste.

thanks guys

well, obviously i figured out the img, hahahha, how about links???

Hey Ken, how do I add links?

[link]http://www.google.com{/link]

is image the same thing? just [img]link?[/img]

i just wrote this huge long responce and it timed me out and i lost the whole thing.

The jist of it was that Zodiacs are the best. In my family of Marines the word "Zodiac" meant RHIB. So I grew up saying Zodiac not RHIB. you know, its a tissue/kleenex type deal.

http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/the-zodiac-range/?the-zodiac-boats - in order of how much i like them, the CZ7, The Pro Open, The Medline, The Pros.

My second favorite are Nautilus RHIBs but I can't find them online so either I am spelling it wrong or they arn't around anymore. If anyone knows their website and could help out that would be awesome. They were wicked cool, they had folding down bows so you could beach and then lower the front and walk right onto the beach. very cool.

I had an Achilles, its listed on my profile, the thing that sucked about that was my lift and my engine. So, had those two things been better I would probably still have my Achilles. They make smaller RHIBs.

http://www.achillesinflatables.com/mainframe.cfm?page=product.cfm

So it all depends what you are looking for. Hope all this helps! Stay Safe, Aaron

I have my three dream boats listed in my profile - if someone just gave me the option to get any one of the boats it would definitely be the 52 Outbound - she's big, pretty, and i can sail her around the world as many times as i would like. She's perfect!

But i have to say that eventhough i would get the Outbound, there would be a lot of times i wanted to go out that i couldnt. if i could afford my Boston Whaler and then get the Outbound i would be set for EVERYTHING!!

Anything that makes planning a trip easier on me is GREAT! I always plan using two or three medias, one of which is generally satellite, so this makes my satellite resource 10 times more useful!! Next time i actually plan a trip i will do my preliminary planning with this new feature and see how well it works

but i dont have photo bucket :( is it just an html standard link...

just have to rub it in right Ken? hahaha. Tough day at work.

WRT to boating attire, I live in Columbia Shirts, Guy Harvey t-shirts, assorted t-shirts(fishing, or just normal, long and short sleeve) I've collected from all over the place. Shorts are either board shorts or plain non-pleated khaki shorts. I am not a big guy, so I feel like I swim in the Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirts. I have a couple of his t-shirts that I love - VERY comfy. And i also have a pair of his baot shoes. They are my "nice" boat shoes, you know, if i need nice shoes to wear to lunch etc, while I am on the boat. Funny enough, my working boat shoes are Margaritaville - and they are actually really really great shoes! And when they start to smell I just toss em in the washer and they are like brand new.

I dont know how to post pictures in threads, but when i do ill post up my boat shoes, both pairs

I avoid drilling holes in my hull like the plague. So the lights that mount on bow planers, etc, are definitely the way I would go. They are wicked cool and GREAT for fishing at night!!! So I say definitely go for it!

Andrea - I feel like I suggested good anchors but did not really answer your question.

For mud and sand, either of the anchors I suggested above would work very well. Fortress Anchors even have a different Fluke angle for mud. 32deg for sand and 45deg for soft mud. The Hydro-Bubble is an everything anchor. Mud or sand. I dont ever deal with hard mud(clay type, etc...). I deal with silt, super light mud. I prefer the Hydro-Bubble for when I really want to stay put in silt - it is my storm anchor and therefore has heavier chain and more of it so it digs down through the muck until it finds something hard to hold on to. I do not EVER have to deal with rock so I don't have any suggestions on that front, sorry.

For "Semper Fi", who measures in at 56' and displaces what? 65,000 to 75,000lbs?

Here are my suggestions:

Sand/Mud: Picnic Anchor: Fortress Anchor's FX-55, 75ft of 1/2" Chain, then stand 7/8" Cordage http://www.fortressanchors.com/fortressanchorguide.html OR Hydro-Bubble Captain's Choice #55SA(up to 60' Vessel), 75ft of 3/8" Chain, then standard cordage. http://www.hydrobubble.com/Store/Products/Item/-1/1/1.html

Storm Anchor: Hydro-Bubble Captain's Choice #60SA(Up to 70' Vessel), 180ft of 3/8 Grade 70 Chain, slightly heavier cordage http://www.hydrobubble.com/Store/Products/Item/-1/1/1.html OR Fortress Anchor FX-85(59'-68' Vessels), 180' of 1/2" Chain, 1" Cordage http://www.fortressanchors.com/fortressanchorguide.html

I have NO suggestions for specific anchors for rock bottoms. Sorry, its just not what I deal with... ever.

I hope this gives you more of a complete answer that you can actually use. Good look if you decide to refit "Semper Fi".

Stay Safe, Aaron

true that heat treated, for example grade 8 bolts or grade 70 chain, are far superior to stainless steel. BUT, what kind of steel do they use before they galvanize it? I'm sure you can get grade 70 hardened steel anchors but i somehow doubt that a standard galvanized anchor is that good of steel because the cost would be through the roof!

So yes, there are definitely harder steels out there, and if you can find an anchor made out of heat treated hardened steel then go for it!!! You will pay for it for sure, but it would be worth it.

Stacey, stainless steel is heavier than standard standard steel, and is as strong or stronger in my experience. So if stainless is an option with your permanent storm or picnic anchor i would go for it - the extra weight will definitely help you in the end. BUT weight is weight, do you want that extra weight at the nose of the boat? With my anchors i don't have a choice, one is aluminum and the other comes steel with stainless plow. So i don't get a choice. I have a stainless anchor on The Double Eagle, i feel like its just for show, but i dont think it hurts at all. Like i said, in my opinion its a weight decision.

So give us more seating and a honda outboard and we are good to go!

i love FLIR systems!!! You bet that i will have a Mariner on my boat just as soon as i can drop $8K on one!!! It will plug right into one of my Garmin OR Furuno displays!!! So i can view radar and FLIR, or GPS and FLIR, its gonna be great!!!

I am very big on Radio etiquette. I think it is very important to know these things, mainly so you don't look like an a** when you try and hail a captain who actually knows what he or she is doing.

funny story, well actually, at the time is was aggravating.... BUT, on with the story. I took Medusa out on this last Sunday for a sunset cruise for some visiting family from the frigid north. While I was getting my pre-launch check lists done(which is when i normally do my radio check) there was a child talking on the radio pretty much non-stop to the point where she was stepping on anyone else trying to talk. All of a sudden Sector St Petersburg comes on with something to the extent of "Vessel allowing child to transmit on ch. 16, this channel is used for hailing and emergencies only, this is Sector Saint Petersburg, recording channel 16 and your location." for some reason the little girl didn't come back on the radio after that.

There was one other USCG transmission besides some Pan Pan traffic - A shrimp boat hit a dolphin(the piling kind, not the swimming kind - is there a spelling difference?) under the Skyway Bridge - which is kinf of huge. He lost all steering and throttle control - essentially he had NO control and drove into a 3mi+ long bridge. And due to waether, sunday was a slow day on the water!

Gotta love people!

I had heard that he wrote Cheeseburger in Paradise on some island on the west coast of FL somewhere.... i dont remember the name. I had the cheeseburger there, i believe your story. HAHAHAHAHA

I'm sure they made it up to bring in business, you know, some rumors so that all the tourists will come and have the burgers.

Ken, if you don't mind me asking, what do you do for work? Are you in the tourism industry - I just imagine the job market in Key West has to be pretty slim. If I could get the computer company I work for to pay me more I could work from anywhere with internet - wouldn't that be nice!?!?!?!?!???!?!

I leave the winch connected, get two lines on whichever side of the boat the dock is on(bow and stern), back up, get her floating, disconect the winch, grab the lines, walk her to the dock, tie her up. Honestly, unless there is serious wind or adverse conditions i prefer to dock, trailer, all that stuff on my own. The most i have people do is throw lines to me or someone on the dock.

Even when i have a friend with me when i put in i would put them on the boat, and then just do what i do when im by myself. The only difference is i wouldnt have it connected to the winch. otherwise, same routine.

A yacht tender is used to ferry people from your boat to beaches, docks, etc... a two seater is not the ideal design. if it had seating in the front, seating behind, etc.. In inboard design would allow for an extra foot or so of length. Our tender cannot take up more than 14.5 feet because it is stowed width-wise.

If i am not mistaken, doesn't salt water eat aluminum in the long term?

The two best anchors that have been proven by a Navy Tug are the Fortress(Danforth Style) and the Hydro-Bubble(reverse plow). People will talk all kinds of S because they don't know about the Hydro-Bubble but it maxed out the guage at 5500 lbs of load at 5:1 Scope.

Fortress Anchors - http://www.fortressanchors.com/

Hydro-Bubble Anchors - http://www.hydrobubble.com/

I carry a Fortress as my picnic, a Hydro-Bubble as my storm, and two back up fortresses in case i need to really lock her down.

oh oh oh, I remembered another one! its not the most important one but I'll be damned if it isn't a good one!

Make sure the bitter end of your anchor rode is actually tied to something! HAHAHAHAHA, you only make that mistake once! I was 12, my Dad said "throw out the anchor!" Bet he didn't think I would do EXACTLY what he said! hahahahaha. Took me and my best friend half an hour but we finally found it. We were only in about 20ft of water so it wasn't too bad.

Just thought I would throw that one out there, no pun intended!

honestly, and I dont know if most people will get it, but Cheeseburger in Paradise. Because I'll be damned if that isnt what I crave when I am in Paradise. well, save the beer, give me sailor jerry and coke and I'm a happy camper.

Son of a son of a sailor is another great one. cant disagree, im actually going on a cruise and plan on taking the box set of Jimmy CDs with me. Everything he writes is perfect for that mindset!

a towel and a smile.

i would love money, beer, booze, etc... that way they wont drink they entire cooler i stocked, but, you cant have everything in life can you?

If I have invited someone on my boat it means I was going to take it out anyways, so money for gas would be greatly appreciated but definitely not expected. If they were to pick up a meal or something like that I would be perfectly happy with that.

To steal an old military saying "two is one, one is none." Meaning - ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP!! If that means engine, ANCHORS!!!, lines, VHF Radios, GPS, etc... I too have a "bag of tricks," it also happens to be my ditch bag. I too get teased about it when I haul it onto every boat I take a ride in. But more than once, and I am pretty young, it has already got me and my hosts at the time out of a great deal of trouble. ESPECIALLY the back up GPS, god bless Garmin!

That, and my personal favorite, "you can never have too many anchors!" I love anchors, I can't help it!

If I were to get a boat that was for fun, local island hopping, beaching, casual fishing and diving, or just to haul around in and take people with me theres a good chance it would be a Sea Ray. Good value, good design. The value on the buy is where they get me, comparable new boats can go way north of the Sea Ray price tag. Some can go below, but Sea Ray is a good mix. Value and "luxury" if you want to call it that.

I like Sea Ray and sure wouldn't be disappointed with one

South Africa - Eventhough the west coast of Africa is still like the wild west, I dont know if that is credible info, but I dont doubt it. I would love to spend a couple months poking around all the little bays and towns.

The Bahamas/Exumas are a favorite and so are the USVI/BVI. The Virgin Islands is the most realistic cruising idea, I want to charter SOOOOOO bad! SO SO SO SO BAD! I could spend months down there, just the snorkeling and little bays are worth it!

So there's my vote - USVI.

with my handheld Garmin, which reads 3 or 4 MPH faster than my speedometer in my car, at WOT she was at 64kts! Which was pretty god damn sick! Its a big ass boat and I dont think its supposed to go that fast! The only complaint I have is how light the boat is because waves can push her around a little more Han I would like BUT thats also why she is so fast and only sips on that 575ga+ of gas.

Again, thanks for the welcome, look forward to making new friends and being able to add them!!

Stay safe, Aaron

Thanks for the welcome - I can't tell you how excited I was to see a group of people all interested in the same thing I am.

I look forward to some "TheBoaters" events in Florida!

For now I'm just slobbering all over other people's boats!!! And dieing because I am currently without my own boat. I do crew and manage two boats, but none for me. So I keep on looking...

Again, thank you for the welcome and I cannot wait for more TheBoaters events and growth.