March 2019

H U RO N | O N TA R I O | M I C H I G A N | E R I E | S U P E R I OR

MARCH 2019

FORMULA 400 SSC YOU’VE NEVER SEEN A CROSSOVER LIKE THIS BEFORE. p. 36

DISPLAY UNTIL MARCH 31, 2019

MANITOU 25 LEGACY LT

FISHING WITH KIDS

A pontoon that packs a 63-mph punch. p. 40

Tips and tricks to get kids excited about fishing. p. 48

CLASSIC BOAT COLLECTOR

PORT OF CALL

Just wait until you see John Allen’s collection of “brown boats.” p. 44

Cleveland, OH: Two waterfronts and world-class attractions make “The Rock and Roll Capital of the World” a must-visit. p. 52

SPOTLIGHTS MONTEREY ★ PRESTIGE ★ SCARAB ★ WORLD CAT

Built to last.

T

he specification of highest quality materials is at the heart of every Marlow Explorer® built, both seen and unseen. For example, the specification of 316L stainless steel for cleats, chocks, stanchions, rub rails and other hardware yields provides the magnificent finish and corrosion resistance well beyond the common. In the engine room the same materials grace the exotic carbon fiber main stringers with beautiful custom-made engine mounts on premium vibration isolators by Trelleborg. In lieu of mass-produced off-the-shelf components by hundreds of vendors, ensuring a yacht that is beautiful, durable and easy to maintain continues throughout. Far more of a Marlow is built by Marlow’s own full-time artisans in our own shops to create the fit, finish and perfect function we believe Marlow owners deserve and have come to expect.

Our design, fit, seams and welds border on artwork in fit, finish, function and sheer beauty, to quote a respected maritime journalist. From the top of the mast to the custom CNC propellers, nothing escapes the eye of the bright minds at Marlow.

It begins with specification of premium material but the design, care and flawless execution is what makes a Marlow shine… literally.

North American and International Inquiries www.marlowyachts.com • sales @ marlowyachts.com Marlow Marine Sales, Inc. USA/Canada: 800.362.2657 • International: +1.941.729.3370

Marlow Explorer® yachts are the envy of the yachting world.

“Our consuming attention to detail and improving the yachting experience drives us forward.” – David Marlow, Chairman Marlow Yachts LTD

MARCH 28 - 31, 2019

Visit the sales staff for Marlow Marine.

Contact us to schedule your personal tour of these fine yachts today.

MarlowExplorer ® 49E | 53E | 58E | 62E | 66E | 70E | 75E | 80E | 88E MarlowExplorer pictured with optional Command Bridge

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

ON T H E COV E R Formula’s new 400 SSC breaks the sports boat mold. Packing quad outboard power (grab that wakeboard), and offering enough accommodations for a family getaway, a spacious helm (the captain will be happy) and two SmartZone lounging areas (the perfect sunning spot for the Mrs.), the 400 SSC checks everyone in the family’s must-have list.

Boat Test: Formula 400 SSC Forty-foot sports crossover satisfies every family member’s must-haves. by Marshall Brodie...............................................................

Boat Test: Manitou 25 Legacy LT Is it a pontoon or a rocket ship? by Chuck Warren...............................

Hooked on Mahogany Brown boat collector shares his passion. by Kath Usitalo.................

36

40 44

Fishing Partners For Life Practical tips to create young anglers. by Dave Mull ...........................

48

Port of Call: Cleveland, OH Rock Your Boat in Cleveland: With great food, diverse neighborhoods, cultural attractions, memorable sunsets and two waterfronts — open and endless Lake Erie or the urban and industrialized Cuyahoga River — for boaters to explore, Cleveland is a cool destination. by Damaine Vonada......................

@ lakelandboating.com ★ Shop boats for sale by owner ★ Place a classified ad to sell your boat ★ Peruse dozens of exciting destination stories ★ Check out our most recent Boat Tests & Spotlights ★ Purchase our Great Lakes Cruising Guides ★ Access past issues with our online magazine ★ Stay current on all the latest Great Lakes news ★ And much more!

Sign up NOW for our weekly eNewsletter!

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Departments

4 Dock Box ............................................................................................. 6 Calendar .............................................................................................. 8 Scuttle......................................................................................................... 10 Great Gear........................................................................................ 22 Waypoint: Northport, MI ............................................................24 Don’t Hesitate to Renovate .......................................................26 Electronics ....................................................................................... 28 Safety First ......................................................................................29 Beneath the Surface ....................................................................30 Boat Spotlights: Monterey, Prestige, Scarab, World Cat .... 32 Lakeshore Life: Spring Lake, MI .............................................. 60 Marina Watch: North Point Marina .........................................62 Marine Marketplace ...................................................................... 63 Classifieds ........................................................................................ 87 Classic Craft ....................................................................................88 From the Helm ..................................................................................

PHOTO COURTESY OF THIS IS CLEVELAND/DREW SHIPLEY

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Fish & Cruise While the 236CC was designed for use as a coastal fishing boat, it's really a multi-purpose boat that can be used for lots of activities — pulling kids on a tube, cruising to dinner, or just a leisurely ride along the waterways.

With seating for up to twelve passengers, rod holders and storage throughout, and a changing compartment that can be upgraded with an optional porta potti, the 236CC is ready for a full day of fun on the water with family and friends!

236CC Deck Boat 23’ 8” | 101” beam | 3648 lbs (w/ popular engine) | 68 gal fuel capacity | 12 ppl, 3250 lbs VISIT STINGRAYBOATS.COM /236CC FOR MORE INFORMATION

FROM THE HELM

CONTRIBUTORS

BY KAT E B U S H

Kate fishing on Lake Powell.

For the Love of Fishing T

here’s something about holding a fishing pole, wrestling with a bait worm and casting a line that provides children a real sense of self-assurance.

When you finally become old enough to fish, it’s like being let in on a secret.

My earliest fishing memories were out on my cottage dock on Big Star Lake in Baldwin, Michigan. One day while fishing, I vividly remember feeling something heavy grab hold of the bait on my line. I couldn’t — with all my 5-year-old might — reel it in and had to enlist the help of my big brother. It turned out to be a tiny panfish, but the experience was invigorating nonetheless.

Fishing, much like boating, helps kids foster a love of the water that will likely grow throughout their lives. Contributor Dave Mull offers some great tips on how to get kids involved in both dockside and offshore fishing (p. 48).

If you’re a boater in the Minnesota area, you’ve likely heard of John Allen. This boat collector not only has 25 classic wooden boats in his “Fort Mahogany” showroom, he also works with the community to promote the love of “brown boats.” Read more about him and his beloved collection in this month’s feature (p. 44).

If you’ve never been to Cleveland, Ohio, we highly recommend adding it to your 2019 cruising list. Cleveland has shed its Rust Belt image and is now a vibrant, diverse city filled with endless things to see, do and eat (p. 52).

Think spring!

Do you have a story idea you’d like to suggest? Email me at kbush@lakelandboating.com to share your ideas.

Where’s your favorite fishing hole? ★★★

Dave Mull The next one. I enjoy going to an inland lake where I’ve not fished before, or out of a new Great Lakes port. The preplanning with maps and online research starts the fun, and then if I catch some fish I feel a real sense of accomplishment.

★★★

Chuck Warren My favorite fishing spot is out in Lake Michigan just off Saugatuck, Michigan.

Head northwest from the Kalamazoo River to 110 feet of water — that’s the first place I look for fish.

★★★

AREAS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Lynda Wheatley

Northport, MI p. 24

Cleveland, OH p. 52

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MARCH 2019 | LAKELANDBOATING.COM

A deep bend in the Tobacco River in Gladwin, Michigan, where my grandpa used to take me fishing. We mostly caught bottom-dwelling sucker fish, but my grandpa once bit a worm in half to put it on my hook, and I’ve never been so impressed in my life. Who needs a trout when you’ve got a grandpa as cool as that?

Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht

Discover more at RivieraAustralia.com

Truly out of this world ... the 4800 Sport Yacht.

Available for immediate enjoyment.

180505

The stunning Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht. Large flowing indoor outdoor spaces above. Two magnificent staterooms and designer bathrooms below. State-of-the-art Volvo Penta Inboard performance System (IPS). Simple joystick maneuverability. Easy touch screen Volvo Glass Cockpit navigation. All with the confidence that you’re yachting is supported by Riviera’s industry leading support including the 5-year Volvo Penta limited warranty covering helm stations, drives, engines and componentary.

There is no finer way to play.

FLYBRIDGE 43 45 52 57

SUV 395 445 525 575

SPORT YACHT 4800 5400 6000

Lake Michigan Yacht Sales Bay Harbor, Michigan USA p: 231 439 2675 mattm@lakemichiganyachtsales.com www.lakemichiganyachtsales.com

SPORTS MOTOR YACHT 39 68 72

Onekama Marine Inc. Onekama, Michigan USA p: 231 889 5000 steveb@onekamamarine.com www.onekamamarine.com

BELIZE 54 66 SEDAN AND DAYBRIDGE

DOCK BOX

MARCH 2019 | VOLUME LXXIII, NO. 3

ogtown. The Six. Hollywood North. YYZ. Toronto has always been a city known for its nicknames, each of which reflects a different side of Canada’s largest metropolitan area. Hogtown is a nod to Toronto’s agricultural past, when its stockyards shipped maple-smoked bacon to markets all over the world. The Six refers to the last digit in its original 416 area code, distinguishing the

BY CRAIG RITCHIE 52

JANUARY 2019

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PHOTO COURTESY OF

H

HAS A MULTI-FACETE D PERSONALITY WITH AN BLESSED TORONTO, ONTARIO,

ABUNDANCE OF COLORFUL NICKNAMES. VISIT TO LEAVE BUT ALL IT TAKES IS A SINGLE SLICE OF BOATERS CALLING IT THEIR OWN WATERFRONT HEAVEN.

TOU RISM PHOTO COURTESY OF O NTARIO

PORT OF CALL

city proper from its 905 suburbs.

Hollywood North reflects Toronto’s current role as a major center for television and movie production, while YYZ refers to its airport code, with an appreciative nod to a popular song of the same name by native sons, Rush. But none of these monikers, on their own, can even begin to capture the full essence of one of the world’s most unique cities.

With a population of 2.8 million people in the city proper and more than six million living in its greater metropolitan area, Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the fourth largest in North America, surpassed by only Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles. It’s also among the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, a place where you’ll hear more than 130

different languages spoken and where more than half the population was born in another country. People come to Toronto in pursuit of the Canadian Dream, and it’s this incredible diversity and richness that makes Toronto the Good (yet another nickname, recognizing its cleanliness and low crime rate) one of the most rewarding travel destinations in the world.

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

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JANUARY 2019

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Mail Call Craig Ritchie’s article on Toronto (in the January 2019 issue on page 52) was EXCELLENT! Even though I’ve been there before, the article covered so much and so well that it made me want to revisit — but let’s make that in the summer, not now!

—Marilyn DeMartini

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

CANINE & FELINE CREW

PUBLISHER Walter “Bing” O’Meara EDITORIAL STAFF Editorial Director: Kate Bush Assistant Editor: Amanda McDonald CREATIVE STAFF Art Director/Production Manager: Christy Tuttle Bauhs CONTRIBUTORS Helen Aitken, Dane Anderson, Marshall Brodie, Pat and Sheila Chaps, Glenn Hayes, Paul Kemiel, Capt. Frank Lanier, Dave Mull, Craig Ritchie, Heather Steinberger, Kath Usitalo, Damaine Vonada, Chuck Warren, Lynda Wheatley BUSINESS STAFF National Sales: Mark Conway Regional Sales: Patti McCleery Marketing Director: Linda O’Meara Accounting: Marguerite Wristen

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICE 1555 Sherman Ave. / Suite 313 / Evanston, IL 60201 312-276-0610 / Fax: 312-276-0619 STAFF@LAKELANDBOATING.COM LAKELANDBOATING.COM

E-mail us at staff@ lakelandboating.com or drop us a line at Lakeland Boating, 1555 Sherman Ave. Suite 313, Evanston, IL 60201. Opinions expressed in “Dock Box” are not necessarily those of Lakeland Boating. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 1555 Sherman Ave. / Suite 313 / Evanston, IL 60201 312-276-0610 x. 24 / Fax: 312-276-0619 CBAUHS@LAKELANDBOATING.COM

SUBSCRIPTIONS P.O. Box 15396 North Hollywood, CA 91615-5396 800-827-0289

Missy and Mya Missy and Mya enjoying a boat trip on Lake Erie. They’re thankful for the air conditioning!

—Al and Karen Dore, Erie, PA Calling All Canine (and Feline) Crew!

We want to learn about your furry friends on-board! Send a short write-up with your pet’s name and your home city, as well as a high-resolution photo (at least 1 MB) to: staff@ lakelandboating.com. Please put “Canine/Feline Crew” in the subject line. If we publish your submission, you’ll win a Lakeland Boating hat!

Everyone looks great in a Lakeland Boating hat!

Need a gift for your favorite boater or yourself? Our Lakeland Boating hat is constructed from soft cotton twill for a great fit. Leather band adjustment in back with antiqued brass closure. Available in weathered navy, Nantucket red and khaki.

One size. $24.95 + S&H. To order, visit LAKELANDBOATING.COM/STORE.

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O’MEARA-BROWN PUBLICATIONS INC. President: Walter B. O’Meara Secretary: Timothy Murtaugh Lakeland Boating (ISSN 0744-9194) Copyright 2019, by O’Meara-Brown Publications, Inc. is published eleven times per year (except December) by O’Meara-Brown Publications, Inc. • Business/Accounting and Editorial Offices: 1555 Sherman Ave. Suite 313, Evanston, IL 60201, 312-276-0610. • Call 800-827-0289 to subscribe. Subscription correspondence should be addressed to Lakeland Boating, P.O. Box 15396, North Hollywood, CA 91615 (U.S.). Annual subscription rates: United States: $24.95 per year; International and Canadian: $39.95 per year, includes 7% G.S.T. tax (G.S.T. 894095074-RT 0001) and $12 postage included. Single copies are $4.99 for U.S. and Canada. Only U.S. funds are accepted. Periodical postage paid at Evanston, IL and additional mailing offices. • POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Lakeland Boating, P.O. Box 15396, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5396.

• Lakeland Boating is a registered trademark of O’Meara-Brown Publications, Inc., Evanston, IL. Published as Lakeland Yachting 1946-1955.

• Unsolicited work may be submitted at the creator’s own risk. Lakeland Boating assumes no responsibility or liability for unsolicited material.

All submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with sufficient return postage. All published photos are courtesy of the manufacturer, unless otherwise noted.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates. Annual premium for a basic liability policy not available all states. Prices vary based on how you buy. *Available with comprehensive and collision coverage.

There’s a reason they say, Curse like a sailor.

That’s why we offer basic plans starting at $100 a year with options that won’t depreciate your watercraft and accessories*.

1.800.PROGRESSIVE | PROGRESSIVE.COM

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

BY KAT E B U S H

FEB 28 – MAR 3

Kingston Canadian Film Festival Kingston, ON KINGCANFILMFEST.COM

MAR 1 – 2

U.P. Ice Golf Scramble St. Ignace, MI STIGNACE.COM

MAR 1 – 3

CopperDog 150 Calumet, MI

COPPERDOG150.COM

AKRONBOATSHOW.COM

MAR 14 – 17

BOYNE.COM

NOVIBOATSHOW.COM

Brew-Ski Festival 2 Harbor Springs, MI

MAR 1 – 10

Harbor Springs Restaurant Week and Then Some Harbor Springs, MI

Mid-Michigan Outdoor &Boat Show Birch Run, MI

HARBORSPRINGSCHAMBER.COM

MAR 2

MAR 8 – 17

Canada Blooms: The Flower and Garden Festival Toronto, ON

SLEEPINGGIANTLOPPET.CA

Waukesha Art Crawl Waukesha, WI

CANADABLOOMS.COM

WAUKESHAART.COM

MAR 9

MAR 6 – 10

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 1 Sports Show Milwaukee, WI

MAR 8

DOORCOUNTYWINEANDCHEESE.COM

3

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sturgeon Bay, WI STURGEONBAY.NET

Progressive Insurance 4 Northwest Sportshow Minneapolis, MN

MAR 22 – 24

Cottage & Lakefront Living Show Grand Rapids, MI

The Slush Cup Mancelona, MI

MAR 23 – 24

Michigan Cup Relays Grayling, MI

GRAYLING-MI.COM/EVENTS

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LAKELANDBOATING.COM

MAR 16

Great Bear Chase Ski Marathon 3 Calumet, MI

MAR 10

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HOMEANDGARDENSHOWGB.COM

NORTHWESTSPORTSHOW.COM

SHANTYCREEK.COM

Visit LAKELANDBOATING.COM/GREAT-LAKES-EVENTS to add your event to our Calendar of Events page!

WBAY Home & Garden Show Green Bay, WI

EAA Hops & Props Oshkosh, WI

GREATBEARCHASE.COM

MARCH 2019

SHOWSPAN.COM/USG

MAR 21 – 24

EAA.ORG/HOPSPROPS

Door County Wine & Cheese Gala Sturgeon Bay, WI

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Ultimate Sport Show Grand Rapids, MI

Ashwabay Spring Carnival Bayfield, WI MTASHWABAY.ORG

JSSPORTSSHOW.COM

ADD YOUR EVENT

Spring Boating Expo Novi, MI

FRANKENMUTHCUEVENTCENTER.COM

Sleeping Giant Loppet Pass Lake, ON

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MAR 8 – 10

SHOWSPAN.COM/CLG

Sweetheart Harvest Fest Midland, ON WYEMARSH.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF 1. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/SPORTS SHOW FACEBOOK; 2. BOYNE HIGHLANDS RESORT FACEBOOK; 3. BROCKIT INC; 4. NORTHWESTSPORTSHOW.COM

1

Progressive Akron Boat & Water Sports Show Akron, OH

Maritimo proudly introduces its game-changing X-Series, all new single level S-Series and enclosed flybridge M-Series to America’s inland seas. With unrivalled manoeuvrability, power and protection from the elements, each Maritimo is perfectly suited to explore this magnificent cruising area.

Discover Maritimo with dealers and Maritimo company stores nationwide- maritimo.com.au

Colony Marine: St. Clair Shore, MI - (586) 772-1550 B & E Marine: Michigan City, IN - (219) 879-8301 Maritimo Yacht Sales Holland, MI - (941) 735-1756

A NEW ERA OF G R E AT L A K E S CRUISING

BUZZ

Raymarine and FLIR Partner on DockSense Assisted Docking System

Docking your boat, especially in tight quarters, is now easier than ever. The new Raymarine DockSense assisted docking system from FLIR Systems, Inc. uses object recognition, FLIR machine vision camera technology, GPS and motion sensors to help when docking. DockSense is the marine industry’s first intelligent object recognition and motion sensing assisted docking solution for recreational boating.

The system detects wind, tides, other vessels and objects, and uses corrective steering and throttle commands to escape mishaps, according to Raymarine. Prestige Yachts will be the first brand to demonstrate the technology.

For more information, visit RAYMARINE .COM/DOCKSENSE .

GREAT LAKES NEWS

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BOATS

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MUST-HAVE

GREAT LAKES NEWS

Ludington State Park to Gain 100 Acres

Luxury yacht charter company Sunsail has added the Lagoon brand of catamarans to its charter fleet.

The new Sunsail 424 (Lagoon 42) will be located in the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Martin, BVI and Belize, while the Sunsail 464 (Lagoon 46) will be available in the BVI.

ADD YOUR NEWS

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PEOPLE & PLACES

Visitors to Ludington State Park will soon have more to explore.

Michigan’s DNR has announced that 100 acres of sand dunes, wetlands and forests formerly owned by a Michigan-based mining company have been added to the state park. Nearly 60 of the 100 acres have never been altered, according to the DNR. “This purchase will permanently protect a beautiful tract of critical sand dunes, conserving a unique landform and its plants and animals for public enjoyment,” says DNR Director Keith Creagh.

BOATS

CABO Returns With the CABO 41

Known for its offshore, express-style fishing boats, the beloved CABO brand is making a comeback. In 2013, production of CABO SUNSAIL.COM. yachts was halted, but Hatteras is bringing back the brand with the launch of the new CABO 41 at the 2019 Miami Boat Show.

According to the website, the CABO 41 is “made for the sportfishing enthusiast who desires a high-performing, comfortable offshore fishing platform with trusted quality.”

The new model will come standard with twin 626-hp Volvo D11 engines, with additional options available. Below deck, the cabin features a queen-berth stateroom, head, full galley and wraparound dining area, which can be converted into a second berth.

Email kbush@lakelandboating.com to add your company’s Great Lakes news to Scuttle!

For more information, visit CABOYACHTS.COM.

MARCH 2019

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LAKELANDBOATING.COM

CATAMARAN PHOTO BY NICOLAS CLARIS; LUDINGTON PHOTO BY TOM GILL

SCUTTLE

SCUTTLE

MUST-HAVE

Mercury Marine Debuts First Propane Engine

Polaris Buys Larson Marine

In yet another acquisition for Polaris, it has purchased Larson Boat Group, which includes recreational and sport boat brands of Marquis-Larson Boat Group of Pulaski, Wisconsin. In 2018, Polaris also purchased Boat Holdings LLC, producer of Bennington, Godfrey, Hurricane and Rinker boats.

Larson Boat Group, which was previously produced in Pulaski, will be relocated to Syracuse, Indiana. The 300-plus workers in Pulaski will stay on, moving to the Marquis Yachts and Carver Yachts boat line.

PHOTO COURTESY OF

BUSINESS

Meet Mercury Marine’s first engine run on renewable energy: The 5-hp FourStroke Propane.

Starting at 59.5 pounds, the engine is light and easy to carry, ideal for aluminum boats, sailboats and inflatables. The best part: The engine can run on the same conventional propane you use in your backyard grill. Propane produces 30 percent fewer exhaust emissions compared to gasoline.

“This is Mercury’s first outboard to run on cleanburning propane fuel,” says Jim Hergert, Mercury’s category manager of outboards 60 hp and lower. “Propane doesn’t degrade or contain ethanol, so you don’t need to worry about what type of fuel to run or how fresh it is.

The pressurized fuel system eliminates priming, making the outboard easier to start, and the auto shut-off valves are there for safety. In short, it’s a very eco-friendly, easy-to-use, reliable and intuitive outboard.”

For more information, visit MERCURYMARINE .COM.

M A RTI N I QUE P HOTO BY M AT DI ST E F

SCUTTLE

BUSINESS

Flexiteek Acquires Wilks

Synthetic teak decking manufacturer Flexiteek has acquired Wilks, supplier of Dek-King synthetic teak decking and marine fendering.

PHOTO COURTESY OF

“The acquisition of Wilks will provide a high-quality manufacturing base with research and development facilities,” says Tomas Gustafsson, CEO of Flexiteek. “This will enable Flexiteek to continue to develop innovative and first-class synthetic decking systems for years to come.

Flexiteek plans on incorporating the existing Wilks Dek-King network into their own; the Wilks marine fendering range will be supplied through Flexiteek’s existing worldwide distributors.

For more information, visit FLEXITEEK.COM.

BUZZ

The Moorings Adds New Caribbean Destination Relax on a Moorings charter boat in Martinique! The yacht charter has added this Caribbean island to its expansive menu of top-rated vacation destinations.

Located in the heart of the Lesser Antilles’ Windward Islands, Martinique is a Mecca for French-Caribbean culture, maritime history and world-class sailing.

“From hiking through lush rainforests to bathing in natural hot springs, strolling along exotic black-sand beaches to feasting on authentic French and Creole cuisine, this one-of-a-kind destination is worthy of every traveler’s bucket list,” says Josie Tucci, VP of sales and marketing for The Moorings.

The Martinique fleet will feature mid-size Beneteau monohulls and spacious sailing catamarans from Robertson & Caine, including the award-winning Moorings 4500 and the flagship 514 power catamaran.

To learn more, visit MOORINGS.COM/MARTINIQUE .

SCUTTLE

MUST-HAVE

Rent a Tiki Boat in Metro Detroit!

Want to have a Hawaiian excursion without leaving the Midwest? Pedal Bar Detroit is bringing a taste of Hawaii to the Motor City with charter tiki boats along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair.

Aloha Tiki Tours will open Memorial Day Weekend, offering two-hour tiki boat tours (captain provided) in Detroit and St. Clair Shores. Four tiki

boats will launch from Sinbads Marina in Detroit and two from Blossom Heath Marina in St. Clair Shores.

The boats can hold six passengers plus a captain, making it ideal for bachelor/bachelorette parties, family gatherings and corporate events.

The two-hour BYOB tours are $300 Friday through Sunday and $250 Monday through Thursday.

For more information, visit ALOHATIKITOURS.COM.

Never Spill Fuel Fill Fuel spillage at a marina is a common yet problematic trend. It’s estimated that 3 to 5 million gallons of gasoline are spilled into our waterways each year while fueling pleasure boats. This statistic bothered the creators of the Never Spill Fuel Fill, motivating them to create a product that eliminates gas spills.

The Never Spill Fuel Fill shuts off fuel-flow before it has the chance to spill out of a tank vent or deck fill and into the water. It works by extending the nozzle’s automatic shut-off and introducing the fuel flow four feet below deck, so that gas can never rise above that level. Installation takes less than a minute, and the product is stored inside your deck fill.

For more information, visit NEVERSPILLFUELFILL .COM. BUZZ

Southwest Florida Yachts Expands Power Charter Fleet

TIKI PHOTO COURTESY OF ALOHA TIKI TOURS FAC E BOOK

BUZZ

BOATS

Galeon Yachts 425 HTS Unveiled in Miami

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The express-style 425 HTS is a smaller sibling to the Galeon 485 HTS, and features a climate-controlled cockpit, sleek lines and wide side decks for easy bow access. Below deck, the salon, two staterooms and two heads await, along with a dinette and galley. The full-beam owner’s suite is located midship.

For more information, visit GALEON.PL .

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

Charter company Southwest Florida Yachts has broadened its power charter fleet with the addition of Comic Relief, a Sabreline 43 Motoryacht.

“Comic Relief is not a funny boat, but family and friends will have fun onboard her,” says Barb Hansen, co-owner of Southwest Florida Yachts. “With two queen cabins and two heads, she is perfect for couples or a family group. This yacht was built with comfort and seaworthiness in mind.”

The boat also has a single bed in the salon and a host of features, including refrigerator/freezer, an ice maker, microwave, stove/cooktop, an enclosed entertainment center with TV/DVD and a dry bar.

Comic Relief’s weekly charter rate is $5,828 in the winter and $4,659 in the summer.

For more information, visit SWFYACHTS.COM.

DU NES PH OTO BY TOM GILL

A new proposed bill aims to designate the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan as a national park, the second attempt by lawmakers. The national lakeshore was established in 1966 and now includes about 15,000 acres at the southern end of Lake Michigan.

At the 2019 Miami Yacht Show, Galeon Yachts debuted its latest model, the 425 HTS.

SCUTTLE

BUZZ

BOATS

Chaparral Unveils New OSX Line

Meet Chaparral’s newest breed of boat: The Outboard Sport Luxury (OSX), a sport boat combined with outboard power and the functionality of a center console. The first model in the line is the 300 OSX, featuring a spacious bow area with an integrated wraparound sunpad, bow armrests and integrated speakers and cupholders.

The unique helm seat can be rotated from the navigation position to the starboard deck wall, creating an open cockpit atmosphere for entertaining.

The 300 OSX also utilizes Chaparral’s new Vista View lounge, which can change position with the push of a button, designed to allow full-length lounging in the forward or aft positions.

For more information, visit CHAPARRALBOATS.COM.

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Andrea Crossman Joins Beacon Sotheby’s International Realty Luxury real estate professional Andrea Crossman has joined the premier West Michigan brokerage of Beacon Sotheby’s International Realty.

With decades of experience in the real estate industry, Andrea Crossman has become a leading force and household name, specializing in waterfront and luxury real estate along Lake Michigan’s shoreline from Harbor Country to Manistee.

“I am thrilled to join Beacon Sotheby’s International Realty and its top affiliates around the world who represent Sotheby’s International Realty,” Crossman says. “I look forward to offering my clients many exclusive marketing opportunities and international listing exposure.”

For more information, visit ANDREACROSSMAN.COM.

SCUTTLE

BOATS

Beneteau Flyer 23

Americans now have the ability to experience Beneteau’s Flyer series.

Available in Europe since 2014, this popular outboard series is launching in the U.S. with the Flyer 23 SUNdeck debuting at the Miami Boat Show and the Flyer 23 SPACEdeck shortly afterward.

The two new Flyer 23s have the same hull design, equipped with Air Step2, which offers quick lift-off, comfort and great stability. The boat comes with two different deck plans and interiors; the SPACEdeck has a central console, while the SUNdeck offers a double cabin under the large forward deck sunbathing area. Both models have a 10-person capacity and are easily trailerable.

For more information, visit BENETEAU.COM.

BOATS

Heyday Unveils WT-2 Dual Console A new model has been added to Heyday’s wakesport boat lineup: The WT-2 Dual Console (WT-2DC). The 22-foot, 6-inch WT-2DC offers a dual console layout with full windshield and wraparound cockpit seating. A large bow seating area has port and starboard adjustable armrests. Don’t forget about Heyday’s signature aft “hot tub” seats that get passengers closer to the action and conceal even more storage below.

For more information, visit HEYDAYWAKEBOATS.COM/ WT-2DC.

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SCUTTLE

MUST-HAVE

Steele Rubber Products Rubrail Inserts Now Available

BOATS

Ranger Launches Fish & Cruise Pontoon Series Boats Combining the fun of fishing with the excitement of cruising and comfort of a pontoon, Ranger Boats has introduced its new Ranger Reata 223FC and 220FC — part of the Fish & Cruise series.

Both the 223FC and 220FC have a large front deck, a comfortable couch in the bow with storage underneath and two new helm seats with self-leveling armrests. A larger Bimini top, new for 2019, offers extra protection from the elements. Other features of the Reata series include two all-new fishing chairs and a fishing station in the stern, as well as an aerated livewell with integrated baitwell bucket. Both models are available with a wide selection of factory rigged outboards.

For more information, visit RANGERBOATS.COM.

BOATS

Steele Rubber Products has announced its production of the only 100 percent EPDM rubber rubrail inserts available on the market. The inserts are designed to fit the most common rubrails, and feature superior weather resistance to prevent shrinking or cracking.

Unlike older vinyl inserts, they are easier to install because they do not require a heat source to apply. Each profile comes in standard lengths applicable to the watercraft’s make and model, and include an installation tool with instructions. Repair kits are also available, since rubber is “mendable,” unlike vinyl.

For more information, visit MARINE.STEELERUBBER.COM. BUZZ

OPA Racing & Powerboat P1 Introduce Great Lakes Grand Prix

The website BOATINGLADY.COM

has launched! This website aims to teach women how to operate boats and is created by Captain Katherine Giampietro Redmond, a NASBLA-awarded boating safety instructor.

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This ain’t your grandpa’s pontoon, that’s for sure.

Minnesota-based ELUX Marine Inc. has unveiled a luxury, electric, fiberglass pontoon. The 24-foot ELUX pontoon is powered by a 72V, 420-amp lithium battery pack propelling a direct drive inboard electric motor to a top-speed of 14 mph. At cruising speed, the pontoon will run for more than 10 hours on a single charge. The electric power means trouble-free boating with no gas to fill, no oil to change, no ignition to fail and no emissions to pollute. To charge, simply plug the ELUX into a standard electrical outlet.

Other features include integrated passenger seating for 12, flip-up storage, multiple USB chargers, slide-out cabinets for a full-size cooler, trash and recycling storage, and an unobstructed 2-foot swim platform with under-mount telescoping ladder For more information, visit ELUXMARINE .COM.

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PHOTO BY PAUL KEMIEL

ELUX Marine Launches Luxury Electric Pontoon

(Left to right) Mike A new partnership has been Dempsey, director established with OPA Racing of operations of (Offshore Powerboat Association) Access LaPorte County; Jack Arnett, and Powerboat P1 joining together executive director to create the APBA (American of the LaPorte Power Boat Association) Offshore County Convention Championship at the 11th Annual & Visitors Bureau; Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix. The 2019 Mayor Ron Meer; race is scheduled for August 1-4 at Ed “Smitty” Smith, the Washington Park lakefront in president of OPA Michigan City, Indiana.

Racing; Azam Rangoonwala, CEO The announcement was made of Powerboat P1;

by Jack Arnett, executive director Rick Wright, race of the LaPorte County Convention director of Great Lakes Grand Prix & Visitors Bureau, along with Rick Michigan City.

Wright, race director of the Great Lakes Grand Prix, at a dinner held in Michigan City in January. In attendance to share details were Ed “Smitty” Smith, president of OPA Racing, and Azam Rangoonwala, CEO of Powerboat P1.

The Grand Prix weekend will include powerboats and, for the first time, personal watercraft AquaX racing. The series will head to Michigan City for the third round of a five-venue championship.

—Article & photos by Paul Kemiel

future Decking for the

Less time on maintenance, means more time for boating.

www.flexiteek.com • info@flexiteekusa.com • phone: 954-973-4335

Click2Cook Butane Stove Do you have a galley-less boat but are craving a burger? The Click2Cook butane stove makes home-cooked meals onboard easy. The single-burner stove offers matchless lighting with the easy-to-use Piezo ignition system. Features gas leak prevention device and pressure sensing safety shut-off device. Packs up into a convenient, portable storage/carrying case. Uses 8-ounce notched collar butane cylinder (sold separately). $34.99 AT DEFENDER.COM

GREAT GEAR MUST-HAVE GOODIES AND GADGETS FOR EVERY BOATER .

Prop Tight Locking Nut Reduce the chance of a cracking shaft or a lose propeller nut with Prop Tight Locking Nuts, which lock a propeller securely onto a shaft. The unique design prevents the loosening of nuts. Works with various hub lengths and available in a variety of sizes. Easily installation. Made in the USA. PROPTIGHT.COM

Ventolation Bondi Kid’s Shoes Touted as “Soles with Holes,” Ventolation shoes offer your feet comfort (thanks to its patented VO-FLEX material) and room to breath (a perforated sole). These kid’s shoes can be worn in the water, and are slip-resistant and non-marking. Patented design allows sand, water and grit to disappear through the footbed and expel through the outsole. Available in four color combinations. $34.99 AT VENTOLATION.COM

WearAndTearPads

ADD YOUR GEAR

22

Protect your boat’s gelcoat — or conceal existing damage — with WearAndTearPads. These stainless steel, flexible, anti-chafe pads easily stick onto your boat with a high spec self-adhesive backing formulated by 3M; no drilling or screws required.

Gives boaters peace of mind and protects against future rope chafe damage. Available in two standard lengths, 6 and 9 inches, both 2 inches wide. $19.70 (PACK OF Email kbush@lakelandboating.com to add your awesome product news to Great Gear!

MARCH 2019

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TWO) AT WEARAND TEARPADS.COM

Albin Bilge Boat Monitor System There’s almost nothing worse for a boat than water incursion. Albin Pump Marine’s new Bilge Boat Monitor System provides real-time critical onboard system data, while also monitoring the boat’s location. The system tracks bilge water level and battery status; an alarm activates if the boat is moved outside a defined area. Ideal for any size powerboat or sailboat; installation only requires a 12/24V DC supply. $395 AT ALBINPUMPMARINE .COM

Garmin GC 100 Marine Camera Keep tabs above and below your boat by wirelessly streaming security video directly to your chartplotter. This durable, compact camera installs easily and nearly anywhere. Effective in total darkness, so it’s perfect for the engine room. You can pair up to seven cameras with your chartplotter and view content from up to four cameras simultaneously.

Features built-in Wi-Fi range up to 230 feet and night vision up to 10 feet. $299 AT WESTMARINE .COM

WAYPOINT

BY LY N DA W H E AT L E Y

Northport, MI

The Tribune

Mitten Brewing

Peace and quiet These days, Northport is hardly at the center of such drama.

Only about 500 residents — including, in the summer, famed chef Mario Batali and actor Tim Allen — call Northport home. But its beautiful bayside perch near the top of the Leelanau Peninsula, some 30 miles from the bustling burg of Traverse City, remains no less alluring.

For those seeking quiet, a decidedly un-touristy travel experience, and the kind of shops, eateries and galleries you won’t find anywhere else, this far-flung coastal location remains as much a refuge today as it was more than a century ago.

Tucker’s

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Whether you visit Northport for a week, a weekend or just a few hours, you can start by docking in one of the 67 transient slips or 11 shopper docks in the G. Dame Marsten Marina. This marina, managed by the state’s Department of Natural Resources, received more than $2 million in renovations seven years ago. An updated bathhouse with cozy boaters’ lounge, a new on-beach gazebo and the usual amenities — gas, diesel, electricity, fresh water, holding tank pump-out, a launch ramp, cable TV hook-ups and a harbormaster on duty from late spring to late fall — make it an ideal ground zero. So, too, does its adjacent beach and sprawling public park.

A single block’s stroll takes you right into the heart of downtown Northport, a petite cluster of low-slung shops and eateries that primarily dot three main streets: East Nagonaba, Mill and S. Waukazoo. East Nagonaba, which runs straight west from the marina, quickly leads to several options for personal fuel.

Local flavor For breakfast and lunch, try The Tribune ice cream and eatery. Don’t be fooled; though its low counter, stools and sunny, classic style suggest old-school diner, its menu is anything but. Sure, you can get bacon, eggs and burgers — 100 percent grass-fed beef on a brioche bun, dontcha know — but you’ll also find inspired dishes like the Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich (pickle-brined fried chicken, pickled jalapeños, red cabbage slaw and spicy yogurt on a brioche) and the Shaved Asparagus Salad with fennel, shallot, dukkah, burrito cheese and champagne vinaigrette.

Just steps away is Tom’s Food Market, a sizable grocery store stocked with goods for on-the-go travelers and residents. Within sight of Tom’s is Mitten Brewing Company of Northport, where outstanding craft beer, local wine and cider are served in a cozy taproom or on an open-air deck that’s warmed by a giant stone fireplace and shaded by a small rooftop and giant pine. General manager Dan Frank can’t say for sure when in spring the Mitten will bring a partner food truck and/or wood-fired pizza-oven vendor on-site, but he can promise that the taproom’s tiny munchies menu — pretzels, shelled peanuts, popcorn, dips and spreads from locally made Natural Northern and The Redheads — will be at the ready for beer pairing. Try this pairing: The Big Show, a ginormous pretzel served with your choice of three dips and, if it’s on tap, MBC’s robust Peanuts & Crackerjack Porter, which tastes just like a box of its namesake baseball treat.

For dinner, several options are available. If you’ve got

PH OTO COURTESY OF MITTEN WE BS ITE

or centuries, the lure of Northport, Michigan — the tiny 1.62-mile patch of land near the tip of lower Michigan’s “pinky finger” — has been its location. For Native Americans and French fur traders traveling up and down the coast from Muskegon to Michilimackinac, Northport provided a harbor safe from Lake Michigan’s wild water.

For Reverend George Smith and a group of Native Americans who were pushed out of the (soon-to-be) Holland, Michigan, area by Dutch settlers in 1849, Northport offered both haven and hope for a new, permanent settlement. It quickly became that for them and the many settlers who followed. Within a decade, Northport became the largest community in northwest Michigan, with two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a boarding house, school and even a pier for steamships transporting logs and fruit from its shores.

That same pier shipped out more than 1,000 young Union soldiers during the Civil War. Come World War II, Northport saw action by way of the U.S.S. Sable, the aircraft carrier that launched and received hundreds of Hellcat fighter-plane pilots to train over Lake Michigan, and also secretly tested the Navy’s early unmanned aerial combat vehicles, called TDNs, in Grand Traverse Bay.

PH OTO COU RTESY OF TUCKER’S WEBSITE

F

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIBUNE FACEBOOK

Early settlers found respite in the far-flung outpost at the top of Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula. Thankfully, not much has changed.

PH OTOS COURTESY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ANDREW MCFARLANE; CHARLES W. BASH; PMONAGHAN; NORTHPORT BAY BOAT YARD; GILLS PIER RANCH; DOG EARS FACEBOOK

Northport Harbor

Pot of Gold

the energy, there’s often live music and always bowling, an outdoor patio, and casual bistro-style eats and drinks at Tucker’s on S. Waukazoo. Just up the street, there’s also the Garage Bar and Grill. Expect great barbecue, its popular whitefish and, if Fido is tagging along, a pup-friendly patio.

Shop the town The shops in Northport are few (you’ll stroll by most on your way to eat), but the amount of unique items packed inside each seems infinite. Housed inside a former rock shop, The Porcupine is a dizzying array of eye candy and gifts for home accessory junkies, thinking kids, adventurous urbanites, style mavens and more. Although the selection is vastly different, the goods are no less inspired at the Pennington Collection. The aptly named Enjoy Michigan is a clothing and home decorating ode to the High Five state, while Boutique by Mary Kent is pure fashion for the working, playing, travelin’ gal. Got a junk junkie with you?

Hit the Pot of Gold resale shop and you’ll never see a yard sale the same again.

Galleries — Joppich’s Bay Street Gallery (fine art), The Wright Gallery (contemporary and abstract) and Studio 106 (whimsical folk art and sculpture) — are all mere steps from each other and worth the walk. Worth the drive: Northport Pottery, a studio and gallery tucked in the nearby woods;

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Northport Bay Boat Yard

Gills Pier Ranch

and Gills Pier Ranch, home to Suri alpaca, Tibetan yaks, and some of the prettiest, warmest wearables you’ll find.

Should your boat have trouble, keep Northport Bay Boat Yard’s number on hand. Open year-round, the yard has an inventory of factory-authorized parts and accessories on hand, as well as factory-trained techs, skilled craftsmen and rigging experts all willing and able to quickly service boats from 13 to 70 feet.

Though small in size, it’d be easy to spend a week in Northport and not get bored. But if you have only a day for your on-shore adventure, you can’t say you’ve visited Northport without visiting three of its longtime icons: First, Barb’s Bakery, a local, cash-only haunt (open at 6 a.m. every day except Mondays) and an absolutely essential stop if your idea of a breakfast of champions is a hot cup of coffee and an indecently and deliciously fat cinnamon roll. Second, Dog Ears Books, a small but beloved independent bookstore run by and for fervent book lovers. Third, and though it’s just a bit northwest of the village proper, Leelanau State Park, home to the 1858-built Grand Traverse Lighthouse, nearly nine miles of hiking trails, a rustic campground (with three heated cabins), and a lakeshore brimming with the state’s famous Petoskey stones. The restored lighthouse, rumored to be haunted by an early keeper, welcomes guests to wander its 1920s-era keeper’s home, exhibit-filled fog signal building and lighthouse tower. ★

Dog Ears Books

Sailor’s Warning As is typical for a village of Northport’s size, some shops and galleries — Dog Ears Books and Joppich’s, for example — are open seasonally. If you’re traveling before May or after October, call ahead.

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DON’T HESITATE TO RENOVATE

BY C A P T. F R A N K L A N IE R

Washdown deck fitting

Keep it Clean Installing a deck washdown system. ’ve often wondered why more boat manufacturers don’t include deck washdown systems as standard equipment. Everything from fish blood to margarita spillage is easier to remove sooner, rather than later back at the dock after drying to a concrete-like consistency.

Rinsing a mud-caked anchor rode prior to storage also prevents the unhygienic smell of Davy Jones’ gym locker from permeating the entire boat.

Installation of a washdown system is easily within the ability of most any DIY-er. Here’s how to make it happen.

Marine-grade butt connector

Components of a typical washdown system install • 12V DC washdown pump (marine-grade with pressure switch) • Corrosion-proof through-deck fitting • Marine-grade hose • Appropriately sized circuit breaker or fuse • Marine-grade wire and connectors • Stainless steel hose clamps (enough to double clamp each hose transition point) • Intake strainer • Y or T connector

CAPT. FRANK LANIER is an award-winning journalist, boat maintenance guru and owner of Capt F.K. Lanier & Associates, Marine Surveyors and Consultants: CAPTFKLANIER.COM .

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Water supply options Start by planning out your entire installation (hose runs, pump location, power supply, etc.) before grabbing that drill or hole saw.

One of the first decisions to make is the washdown system’s water source. Most are plumbed as a “raw water” system utilizing the water your boat is floating in. If your boat is used in saltwater, this means you’ll still want to deal with the salty residue left behind once back at the dock, but a salty boat is better than a nasty one any day.

Raw water systems require either a dedicated throughhull or connection to an existing system, typically by installing a “T” fitting in the system hose.

Using an existing through-hull is the most common choice, as most owners tend to shy away from cutting additional holes in their boats. It also has the added benefit of allowing you to complete the installation with the boat in the water by simply shutting the seacock of the raw water system you’re tapping into.

Use caution when selecting which system you tap into.

Some (like engine raw water intakes) are not suitable choices, as doing so could negatively impact the volume of water available to the primary system.

Choosing a pump Pump selection and adequate water flow are the most crucial aspects of any washdown system. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to power off anchor chain mud with a wimpy stream of water.

The trick is finding a moderately priced pump that not only provides adequate pressure with minimal power draw, but can also stand up to the marine environment.

Output pressure for a typical deck washdown pump ranges from 3 to 12 GPM (gallons per minute) with prices of less than $100 to more than $1,000.

Buying a deck washdown package (a kit that includes pump, deck fitting, deck hose, etc.) will often save

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you money. Something else to consider when shopping around is the pump’s warranty, which can vary from one to three years — a longer coverage period being better, of course.

Washdown pump

Installation considerations When selecting a location for your washdown pump, choose an accessible area well above the normal accumulation of bilge water. The pump should also be between the water supply and planned deck outlet, ideally as close as possible to its power source to simplify wire runs.

Pumps are more efficient at pushing water than pulling, therefore the location should also be as close as possible to the supply through-hull.

Be sure the pump installation itself is in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Also ensure that the installation includes an intake strainer between the pump and water supply to prevent pump damage due to debris.

Pumps vary in their ability to self-prime or lift water vertically in order to start pumping. Some are rated at 8 or 9 feet, while others may only be able to overcome 2 feet of “head” when pumping. Make sure the location you’ve chosen doesn’t exceed the pump’s self-priming ability.

When planning your install you’ll also need to figure out where to locate the deck outlet. Most boat owners simply mount it on the foredeck (close to the anchor) as cleaning ground tackle is often viewed as its primary job; however there’s no law of the sea stating it has to be there.

Regardless of where you decide to install the outlet, make sure you have enough space beneath the deck to accommodate the hose and associated fittings AND that you won’t be drilling into anything unexpected (wiring, cables, etc.) while cutting the mounting hole. It’s also a good idea to plan out the hose run before starting to verify ease of access to all of the required areas.

When cutting through cored decks (balsa, plywood, etc.) seal the edges of the hole with thickened epoxy to prevent water intrusion into the core. Bedding the fitting with a suitable marine caulking will also help in this regard.

Installing a deck washdown system is an excellent return for a relatively small investment of time and money.

Cleanups after raising the anchor will be a cinch, and you’ll find so many other uses for the system — hosing off the dog, rinsing the dinghy, giving the kids a bath — you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. ★

PHOTOS BY CAPT. FRANK LANIER

I

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27

ELECTRONICS

BY G L E N N H AY E S

Package Planning How to best outfit your boat with new electronics.

O

Size matters The heart of any electronics system is the multifunction display. This can be a combination chartplotter and fish finder, or a display capable of showing other data, such as radar, weather, engine data/gauges, video and more.

On some boats this can be a single display, while on others, with more real estate and a larger budget, this can be made up of multiple displays networked together. My advice, as an experienced (read older) boater with ever-failing eyes, is to go with the largest display or networked displays as space and budget will allow. If there’s only room for one display at the helm, choose the largest one that will fit. Be sure to measure for length and width, as well as depth, which is many times overlooked.

Consider the screens you find yourself looking at the most (such as the chartplotter and fish finder) and determine what size display will work best if you combine both views, as you may find yourself looking at the split screen quite often.

Ask yourself, would you be better off with two smaller screens side by side, or one above the other networked together displaying each screen in full view? By using this format there is some redundancy in displays should a problem develop in one of them. If the multifunction display is capable of showing engine data, some may decide to do away with the gauges to allow more room for an “all glass helm” and a larger display.

GLENN HAYES is a marine writer and photographer whose background in the marine industry and in marine electronics spans almost three decades and many thousands of miles at sea traveling the world. He can be reached at HAYESSTUDIOS.COM .

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Mounting options How the multifunction display is mounted is another factor to consider. Do you want to flush mount or bracket mount it? Flush-mounted units provide a finished, uncluttered look, but make removing the display for safe storage impractical.

Bracket mounting allows for a more flexible mount and screen angle adjustment. Removal is easier; however, remember removal is easier for a thief too, so take proper security precautions. If flush mounting won’t provide a

LAKE LANDBOATING.COM

desired screen size, mounting options such as brackets offered by manufacturers like NavPod, Ram Mounts, Edson and Scanstrut may allow for a larger screen in a tight spot.

No matter how the display is mounted, it’s important to have it in a location for easy viewing and operation while underway. Overhead electronics boxes are great for adding space, but will result in a stiff neck and general discomfort on longer trips. This space should be reserved for electronics like stereos and other equipment that are not looked at or used as often. For safety reasons as well as physical comfort it’s important to have primary displays just a short glance away from your forward vision and within easy access of your strong hand. When mounting a VHF radio, make sure it’s also on the side of your strong hand otherwise its cord will always be in your way when using the radio microphone.

Other considerations If you plan on adding equipment or additional screens to your displays in the future, make sure you are capable of doing so with all the right inputs and network capability. There are varying levels of connectivity among displays. Spending a little more now for a capable display may alleviate having to spend more later on an all-new display that can handle added equipment.

If the budget allows, try to get the latest version of the display that works for you, as you will have a better likelihood of being able to upgrade the software to handle new features and equipment in the near future. Marine electronics are much like other technology, where models quickly become outdated and unsupported, so extend the life of the product by buying the latest version.

By taking measurements, looking at screen sizes and sitting at the helm picturing the use and placement of your new electronics, you can plan for a well-outfitted and comfortable electronics system. ★

PHOTO BY GLENN HAYES

utfitting your boat with new electronics or adding to your existing system is not as difficult as some may think. With a little planning and forethought, and with the wide array of options available today, there’s no reason not to be completely satisfied with your electronics and their ergonomics.

We discussed tips for purchasing electronics in last month’s column, but this month we are concentrating on how best to outfit your specific boat in a way that’s tailored to how you will use both the boat and the electronics. Consider things such as physical space, the range of equipment desired and the layout of your electronics. Doing so will result in a system that provides you with the information you need in an efficient and non-fatiguing way.

SAFETY FIRST

BY HEL EN A I T K EN

Line: Knot a Problem Know your knots and when to use them.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF DISCOVER BOATING

Y

ou lasso steers with a rope and lasso a piling with a line.

One is used on land, the other is used on water — most of the time. Technically, line is rope until it comes onboard.

Lines can be twisted or braided, and they’re made from materials like nylon, cotton or mixed fibers. They are rolled into Flemish Coils, threaded through canvas, and hoist things in block and tackles. Lines hang fenders or attach to chain as anchor rode. On one end, the closed loop is called the eye while the loose end is the bitter end, and no one wants to reach the “bitter end,” or “the end of your rope.”

Ropes versus lines — semantics, yes. Then again, many boating terms are confusing, like port instead of left, a head becomes a bathroom, bulkheads replace a wall, and charts are water-map alternatives.

Lines hold things together, tow barges, rig a sail, keep a boat from floating away and more. For each task, knots provide the means and there must be hundreds of functional and decorative nautical knots. The pretzel or figure eight looks as imagined, yet neither the monkey’s fist nor the camel hitch resemble its namesake.

Basic knots Four basic knots, hitches and their variations should be in a sailor’s repertoire: The square knot, cleat hitch, clove hitch and bowline. Like most things, practice makes perfect.

The easiest is the square knot, which starts like tying your shoe and then repeats in reverse: Right over left, then left over right, and then pull the ends tight.

Creating a knot to make a loop is handy, like the bowline (pronounced “bow-lin”). Remember it by its catchy sing-along instructions: “Make a tree and a hole. The rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree and back Resources Here are some great resources available on AMAZON.COM.

• Pro-Knot Best Rope Knot Cards, with two practice cords and a carabiner. $8.

• “The Essential Knot Book,” by Colin Jarman. $15.

• “The Knot Bible,” The complete guide to knots and their uses, by Bloomsbury Publishing. $18.

through the hole.” Bowlines create temporary loops to use on a ring, cleat or spar. They are strong, resist slipping and are easy to untie.

When a knot isn’t appropriate, “belaying” a cleat, pin, bollard or piling is suitable. Line is wound around an object. When finished, the line tightens on itself, staying securely in place. These are the ingenious cleat hitch and clove hitch belay lines.

Knowing how to create hitches and knots is vital. Knowing when to use the right knot is even more important. A slip knot may be ideal for quick release.

When two lines need to be joined, the square knot (or reef knot) is suitable.

However, neither knot holds securely under stress, as in while carrying your mother-in-law on a towable.

Tips and tricks Well-maintained lines and forming the right knots and loops are essential for boater safety. Here are a few tips: • For practicing joining two lines, use different colors like blue and white. That way, you can trace the knot back.

• Place the knot pattern on a table and lay your line beside it. Follow the pattern on the table.

When successful, try to create it in your hand.

• Don’t use twist ties to store line, use the line to keep it together. There are several ways to do this. One way is to start with the eye dropped down in your hand, make a coil, adding a twist to the line to make it lay flat, and repeat. Keep the coils in your hand. About one-third from the top, wrap the end of the line several times around the coils, using your pinky to keep them from overlapping.

Form a loop with the end, slip it through the hole and pass the loop over the top of the coil grabbing the loose end. Tighten and store away.

• Use different colored lines for specific tasks, like blue for tying up to the dock, or short yellow line for fenders. When the line is stowed, you’ll grab the right color for the task.

• Treat your lines like your Sunday best: Wash them in freshwater, hang them to dry and never store them wet.

• Lines have a memory. When you coil it over time, it “remembers” the direction it should go. Unfortunately, lines don’t remember knots, so a cheat sheet might be necessary. ★

Trivia Q: What’s the only rope on a boat?

A: Without counting a tiller rope, bolt rope or the foot rope on a sailboat, the answer is a bell’s rope.

HELEN AITKEN is a boating writer, photographer and science educator from eastern North Carolina.

She loves classic wooden boats, is a U.S. Power Squadrons member and plays in the Intracoastal Waterway. Visit her website at AITKENHELEN.COM.

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BENEATH THE SURFACE

BY HE AT H E R ST E IN B E R GER

What Does It Mean to “Be Green?” hen you hear the word “green” attached to boating products or facilities, what does that mean to you?

“Doesn’t work” or “expensive” likely comes to mind. Perhaps both.

As boaters, we care about the environment. We want clean water for fishing, swimming and watersports; however, we also need to know that our cleaning products work, that we can still fuel our boats as needed, and that our marina selections make sense.

Here’s the good news: “Green” doesn’t have to be a red flag for something that sounds good but amounts to little more than marketing-speak. Instead, it can mean that you are indeed making smart choices for yourself, as well as for the planet.

On the boat Thanks to megastores and online shopping, customers now have more products in front of them than ever. That can, however, make purchasing decisions even more confusing.

Bill Lindsey, vice president of marketing for Fort Lauderdale-based Star brite, has some advice. By all means, choose products that are going to be effective, but do your homework and select those that also will have the least environmental impact.

Founded in 1973, Star brite started producing biodegradable products long before it was trendy. This happened for one simple reason: The company is one big family of like-minded enthusiasts.

“We’re all boaters,” Lindsey says. “We care about what we put into the water. I was born in South Florida and had a boat before I had a bike. Growing up on the water is part of our DNA; it’s what we live for.

“With these crazy hobbies, from boats to motorcycles, we’re exposed to a lot of different products,” he continues.

“So we’re more motivated than the typical chemical company because we own the boats on which these products are used.”

Lindsey says he’s been shocked to see people in online boating forums trumpeting their pride in using bleach, dish soap and other household cleansers — despite the fact they can damage the boat’s gelcoat, polish and wax, as well as the environment. Yet Star brite’s team knew that in providing alternatives their own goal couldn’t be completely focused on “greenness” — it had to be 100 percent effective, too.

“Nobody buys a cleaning product because it’s green, I promise you,” Lindsey says. “They want something that works, first, and they prefer if it’s biodegradable. So our goal has always been to make products that work but don’t pose a threat.”

To that end, Star brite created its Sea Safe line. Although boaters still need to exercise caution due to their concentration, the solvent-free cleaners and phosphate-free boat washes are safe for the environment. And yes, they will be effective.

“Boaters say, ‘I want the good stuff,’ and we stake our 45-year reputation on the fact that the products will work,” Lindsey says. “And in all these years, we’ve never had anyone say Sea Safe or our other biodegradable products don’t work.”

The company’s chemist goes through the available compounds once a year to see what’s new. Star brite has the flexibility to regularly mine this resource and develop products that represent the very best available.

“We’re making new discoveries every day,” Lindsey says.

“I have zero doubt that in five years, we’ll have even more that are better and safer.”

Savvy shoppers can also research environmentally-friendly cleaners, paints and other marine products through Shurhold, Pettit, Meguiars, West Marine and 3M. Just look beyond “green” and keep an eye out for “biodegradable,” “waterbased,” “phosphate-free” and “noncaustic.”

At the fuel dock Most of us might not think “green” when we consider our engines, at least not beyond the four-stroke versus two-stroke or combustion versus electric debates. We don’t realize that we can take one powerful step to reduce our environmental impact right at the fuel dock.

Fueling an engine with a nozzle eventually will result in burped gasoline or diesel, and just half a pint can contaminate more than 100,000 gallons of water. Marinas will have weighted nets on hand to contain spills, and dispersal spray will make the fuel sink — but all of those solutions allow the spill to happen first.

So, that means fuel spills are inevitable and we just need to

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PHOTO COU RTESY OF STAR BRITE

W

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHIGAN SEA GRANT CLEAN MARINA PROGRAM

Environmentally sensitive choices make sense for boaters and businesses alike.

ABOVE P HOTO COURTE SY OF C L E A N WAY ALL OTH ER PH OTOS THIS PAG E COURTESY OF MICH IG AN SEA GRANT CLEAN MARINA PROGRAM

mitigate the damage, right? Not at all, according to Clean Way Fuel Fill Founder Garry Fox. Dismayed by what he saw at fuel docks and the lack of anything in the marketplace that would capture the spill before it happens, Fox set out to design a solution. It took two years to design the Clean Way Fuel Fill, and he brought it to market four years ago.

“I was happily retired, and I kind of wish I hadn’t done it,” he says with a laugh. “Or that I’d done it 30 years ago. For six years, it’s been the first thing on my mind every single day, but I’m quite proud of it.”

Made of heavy-duty composite material, Fox’s patented Clean Way Fuel Fill fits snugly into a boat’s fuel deck.

Adapters create a tight seal around both the fuel deck and fuel nozzle, while the baffle design allows air to escape, diverting fuel back into the tank. It comes in two sizes — the original 12-inch, and an easy-to-stow 10-inch that works well with PWCs and runabouts — and has an assortment of adapters to match any deck fuel plate and any size fuel nozzle.

Boaters can refuel to full capacity, instead of the ubercautious 80 or 90 percent. They also can refuel at top speed, as the device can capture up to 30 gallons of fuel per minute.

And they can even do what was once unthinkable — turn their backs and chat with passersby.

“I always remind people that this isn’t a cure for anything, but it is a vitamin for the Earth’s waters,” Fox says. “This is the lifeblood of our planet. We have 19 million boaters in the United States; 15 million stick nozzles into their boats and will burp fuel at one time or another. That’s why I want every single boater to have one of these.”

According to Fox, organizations such as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in Biscayne Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard base at Norfolk, Virginia, and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper are currently using Clean Way Fuel Fill. His company also has debuted a special “marina rack” that allows marinas to have the fuel fill on each of their fuel pumps.

This is a welcome step forward, because “clean marinas” are most definitely a thing.

In the marina It’s understandable to assume that most boaters will choose marinas based on price. Yet that’s not always accurate.

According to Greg Klang, lead consultant for Michigan’s Clean Marina certification program, many customers are willing to spend a bit more for high-quality facilities that they believe are making environmentally sound decisions.

“We are seeing an uptick in customers seeking Clean Marinas,” he says. “Given a choice, that’s where they’ll go — they don’t want to see oil and fuel in the water, or worry about microbeads, algal blooms and invasive species. Educating boaters is the bottom line. If people understand what’s at stake, they want to do the right thing.”

Klang is a fourth-generation Michigan boater who has spent the last half-century on the water. He says his 50 years of experience taught him one important thing: The little things we do matter.

“We need to diminish the environmental impact we have on the water, especially due to the sensitivity of the Great Lakes,” he explains.

This is Klang’s 18th year with the voluntary Clean Marina initiative, which allows individual states to work with preferred agencies to implement best practices at participating facilities.

Michigan is a frontrunner in this initiative.

“The Michigan Boating Industries Association manages it for us,” he says. “They write grants for us, and Michigan Sea Grant helps as well, especially with federal money from NOAA and the like.”

Scientists, marina operators and private-sector partners work together to create the set of best management practices, which include installing parking-lot paving that absorbs oil, designing new drainage systems, planting buffer zones of pesticide- and irrigation-free native vegetation, using nontoxic building materials, providing guidelines for contractors and a list of environmentally sensitive cleaning and oil-change techniques for boaters, and offering recycling options (especially for shrink wrap).

A marina operator can earn Clean Marina certification through live workshops. His or her facility will then become compliant with roughly 75 percent of the recommended practices. Klang admits there’s a price tag attached to all of this, but he emphasizes that it’s a voluntary process.

“We’re nonregulatory,” he says. “We don’t mandate; we educate, and we ask that participants remain in compliance.

Together, we are the stewards of this environment, and we want to preserve it for generations to come.” ★

HEATHER STEINBERGER is an award-winning writer/ editor who has specialized in boating, travel and outdoor adventure for more than 20 years.

Visit her website at WRITEONLLC.COM.

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BOAT SPOTLIGHT

BY C RA IG R ITC H IE

SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 25'1" Beam: 8'6"

Smiles are not an option.

Draft: 37"/24" Weight: 5,100 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 65 gals.

Power: 430 hp Base Price: $80,258 MONTEREYBOATS.COM

DEALERS Lake Michigan Yacht Sales ONEK AMAMARINE .COM

231-497-1267 Great Lakes Yacht Sales GLYSINC.COM

262-654-0207 Onekama Marine ONEK AMAMARINE .COM

231-889-5000 Pier 53 Marine PIER53MARINE .COM

419-797-2300

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Monterey 258SS

S

ome boats are built for racing, others for taking an extended cruise. Monterey’s 258 Super Sport Series (SS), on the other hand, is all about fun in the sun.

“The Monterey 258SS is one of the most versatile and comfortable boats in its class,” says Matt Mrozinski, general manager/sales at Lake Michigan Yacht Sales. “Aft and portside loungers that face either forward or aft provide seating galore, while [the boat’s] ideal size and weight make it easily manageable on smaller inland waters, yet still able to handle a choppy day on the Great Lakes.”

That versatility and comfort is immediately evident as you board via the extended rear swim platform and note the double-wide stern seat that offers forward-or aft-facing seating as desired, or folds flat to create an inviting sunpad.

Enjoy watersports? A cavernous storage locker on the port side of the swim platform stows boards, skis and other gear with room to spare.

A transom pass-through to starboard leads to the cockpit.

The wide stern seat continues forward up the port side of the boat, terminating just before the passenger console. A

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dedicated nook located beneath this seat provides a secure storage spot for a 48-quart removable cooler. Directly opposite, another aft-facing seat on the starboard side of the cockpit sits directly behind the driver’s swiveling sport bucket seat with its flip-up bolster.

Passing between the consoles reveals further seating options in the bow. Wraparound upholstered coaming here creates a particularly inviting space to enjoy the sun, especially when the removable cockpit table is added.

Opening a wide door in the passenger console reveals a spacious head compartment, complete with a standard porta-potti and a vanity with solid-surface counter and sink. A China toilet with holding tank is available as a popular upgrade.

The helm itself is beautifully designed, complete with an upholstered brow and a flush-mounted Raymarine MFD. Engine choices include Mercury and Volvo Penta options up to 350 hp, giving the 258SS performance to match its sporty look. With planing times of less than four seconds and a top speed of more than 45 mph, this is one boat where smiles are not an option. H

BOAT SPOTLIGHT

BY CRA I G RI TCHI E

Prestige 590 Fly

SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 61'4" Beam: 15'10"

Built for enjoying the summer sun.

T

he all-new Prestige 590 Fly was designed with an emphasis on outdoor living. It all starts with a large and inviting cockpit — an ideal space for dining al fresco or stretching out in the sun. From here, only a few short steps lead to the large stern swim platform with available hydraulic control, or up to the flybridge where a large L-shape settee starboard, a spacious sunpad forward, and a galley just aft of the portside upper helm station invite guests to stay and enjoy the views. Or head forward to the bow, where another large sunpad with an adjustable seatback allows comfortable, private lounging.

Step indoors and immediately to port is a sizeable, fully equipped galley that serves those in the galley, on the flybridge and within the 590 Fly’s indoor spaces equally well. Ceramic countertops, exceptional woodwork and every imaginable amenity — from a freezer to an optional dishwasher — set this space apart.

Just forward of the galley, the main salon features large wraparound picture windows that yield 360-degree panoramic views. Dimmable LED lighting sets the

Draft: 4'5"

evening mood, while a retractable 40-inch HDTV provides after-dark entertainment.

“The hull window design floods the salon with natural light and [offers] the ability to see the water from any seat, while the all-new side door allows easy access to the bow,” says Spring Brook Marina President Kyle Stenzel.

Guests enjoy a spacious VIP cabin forward, which even comes with its own walk-in closet. The suite is bright and airy, with ensuite access to the main head. The queen berth can be split to form two twins if desired. A second guest cabin can also be set as a double bed depending on guest preference, giving the 590 Fly tremendous versatility.

The large owner’s suite is accessed by its own private stairway at the aft end of the salon. The full-beam suite includes delightful comforts like another 40-inch HDTV, a spacious seating area to port, and a full-width washroom with a shower and a walk-in closet.

“She is the perfect boat for the Great Lakes or — for those adventurous enough to head south in the winter — for doing the Great Loop,” Stenzel says. H

Light Displacement: 42,968 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 581 gals.

Power: T-Cummins 8.3 L Base Price: Contact dealer PRESTIGE-YACHTS.COM

DEALERS Spring Brook Marina SPRINGBROOKMARINA .

COM

815-357-8666 Colony Marine COLONYMARINE .COM

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

586-772-1550

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BOAT SPOTLIGHT

BY C RA IG R ITC H IE

SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 18'10" Beam: 8'

Watersports options make a great jetboat even better.

Draft: 12" Weight: 2,460 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 31 gals.

Power: 1.5L 200 Rotax 4-TEC Base Price: $40,533 SCARABJETBOATS.COM

DEALERS

Hall’s Sport Center HALLSSPORTCENTER. COM

SkipperBud’s SKIPPERBUDS.COM

Spicer’s Boat City SPICERSBOATCITY.COM

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Scarab 195 ID

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J

etboats have really caught on with a number of boaters who value their spirited performance and ability to operate in even the shallowest water without fear of chipping a prop. Scarab’s impressive 195 ID raises the jetboat bar higher yet, adding unique watersports capabilities that make a great platform even better.

In spite of its svelte 18-foot, 10-inch overall length, the 195 ID seats eight adults comfortably thanks to its efficient interior layout. Dual forward-facing loungers in the bow provide plenty of space to put your feet up and stretch out underway, while a third rear-facing seating position along the centerline turns this space into a great spot for conversation when on the hook. Or pop in a removable cushion to turn the entire bow into an inviting sunpad.

Swiveling bucket seats with pull-up bolsters for the driver and companion rotate easily when at rest to face a full wraparound cockpit seat, creating another terrific entertaining space. The 195 ID’s stern seat deserves special mention for its tremendous utility; a removable centerline cushion pops out to reveal a generous walk-through to the

LAKE LANDBOATING.COM

extended rear swim platform, complete with a stainless steel boarding ladder. Seatbacks on either side of the walk-through can adjust as desired to provide forwardfacing or aft-facing seating, while the optional full-width versa lounge also delivers a large aft sunpad when laid flat.

But what sets this boat apart is its performance as a watersports platform. The standard ski tow on the transom provides a small hint, but adding the available Wake Edition Package transforms the 195 ID, with a gas-assisted, collapsible wakeboard tower complete with board racks, a ballast system and a digital speed control package for precision control. With its jet power and unexposed propeller, the Scarab is arguably the safest wakesurfing platform on the water.

“Customization is where the 195 ID shines, offering a ton of great features from wake enhancement, ballast systems and powerful audio to stylish flooring, bow fill-ins and a sunpad,” says Josh Buck, marketing for Group Beneteau Americas. “It’s a great all-around choice for boaters looking to enjoy the Great Lakes.” H

BOAT SPOTLIGHT

BY CRA I G RI TCHI E

World Cat 296DC

SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 29'1" Beam: 9'6"

A smooth-riding cat for exploring the Great Lakes.

C

atamarans are said to deliver many advantages over V-hulls, including a smoother ride, greater stability, superior fuel economy and a shallower draft for navigating skinny waters. But those are only a few of the reasons World Cat believes its new 296DC dual console might just be the ultimate Great Lakes dayboat.

“The World Cat 296DC and its infamous catamaran hull design has the ability to handle the Great Lakes better than any other dual console on the market,” says World Cat Marketing Manager Wyatt Lane. “Combine this with amazing features, interior room and amenities and you have the last boat you would ever need to tackle any of the Great Lakes.”

Stretching 29 feet, 1 inch in overall length and riding on a wide 9-foot, 6-inch beam, the 296DC is among the most spacious dual consoles in its class. The massive bow seating area offers plenty of room for six adults to stretch out in comfort, while full wraparound upholstered coaming and a generous interior depth make these the best place to stretch out and enjoy the summer sun.

Draft: 15" Weight: 8,900 lbs.

Enter the main cockpit through the boat’s large walkthrough windshield and you’re greeted by twin, double-wide seats for the driver and navigator, the helm seat with a flip-up bolster. A bi-fold door between the console allows the bow to be closed-off altogether, providing greater comfort when running early or late in the season. The passenger console contains a changing room with a 23-inch-wide entry door and ample space to house an available head with a 15-gallon holding tank. But it’s the driver who gets spoiled in this boat, with a large helm console that has space for a 12-inch flush-mount MFD, power-assisted hydraulic steering and a 15-inch stainless wheel with a turning knob. Overhead, a fiberglass top with a powder-coated frame and overhead lights provides protection from the midday sun.

The main cockpit offers still more seating options, including twin rear-facing seats on seat boxes and dual aft fold-down seats with backrest cushions. Maximum power for the 296DC is twin 300-hp outboards, which deliver a WOT top-speed of about 53 mph and an average fuel economy of about 1.0 mpg. H

Fuel Capacity: 233 gals.

Power: T-300 hp Base Price: Contact dealer WORLDCAT.COM

DEALERS Catawba Moorings CATAWBAMOORINGS. COM

419-797-4775 Traverse Bay Marine TRAVERSEBAYMARINE .

COM

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231-943-4400

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BOAT TEST

Formula

400 SSC FORTY-FOOT SPORTS CROSSOVER SATISFIES EVERY FAMILY MEMBER’S MUST-HAVES.

PH OTOS COURTESY OF FORMU LA

BY MARSHALL BRODIE

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A

ctive boating families want to maximize their limited boating time but sometimes that can be difficult. What if you want to overnight with your family for one or two nights because that’s all the time you get off from work? Or what if your teenage children ask to bring a group of friends to hangout and sunbathe for a day?

What if the weather turns less than ideal?

Do you need an express cruiser or perhaps do you need a bowrider?

This is where a versatile, multi-purpose vessel may be the ideal solution. Such is the impetus for Formula’s new 400 SSC (Super Sport Crossover), an emerging new breed of boat that follows in the footsteps of the 430 SSC. The 400 SSC — with an open

bow cockpit, aft deck lounge and spacious below-decks cabin — gives boaters the best of all worlds.

Rare features Formula realized that customers were asking for something other than an express cruiser or a big center console with an under-console cabin. Based on this feedback, Formula created the Crossover series, which has become a big hit. The Formula 400 SSC is sporty, comfortable and amenity rich. The single-level deck is nearly 37 feet long and includes two seating areas, the bow cockpit and aft lounge, which Formula has labeled SmartZones. Formula describes them as being separate areas for differing activities while

also encouraging connectivity among guests.

Passage fore and aft is unimpeded and makes socializing natural. The surprisingly large cabin below includes a convertible dinette/ sleeping berth, plus an aft stateroom bed, private head compartment and entertainment galley with sink and microwave.

The bow cockpit is a rare feature in a 40-foot sport boat that greatly expands the usability of the 400 SSC as a day cruiser. This area features wraparound seating for multiple lounging options, and twin motorized tables can be raised or lowered individually at the push of a button for dining or to create a lounge when cushions are added. For a break from the sun’s rays, there’s an optional bow sun shade that’s easy to assemble.

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Six of the boat’s 24 cupholders and two of the 10 USB ports are in the bow. Needless to say, no matter where you are, there is a cupholder or USB port nearby. An insulated cooler underneath the forward aft-facing seat keeps drinks cold, and a trash container stows litter so it doesn’t blow out of the boat when underway. A remote for the stereo controls sound levels in the boat’s four different zones.

Thanks to the large, tinted, tempered-glass windshield and fiberglass hardtop, the cockpit is protected from the weather. There’s also a zippered aft cockpit enclosure to protect the helm deck if needed. Unlike a large center console, this spacious area spans the full width of the cockpit yet still provides excellent sightlines forward and to the side due to the slim mullions and tall height of the windshield.

With the full-width sunroof, side vent windows and the open aft end, the helm cockpit area is bright and airy. An optional powered sun shade extends sun protection over the aft cockpit. The available 18,000 BTU cockpit air conditioner keeps everyone refreshed on hot summer days, including the captain with powerful A/C vents in the dash and built-in louvers in the helm seat.

The controls The black helm features dual Raymarine Axiom 12-inch widescreen chartplotters, which can be upgraded to 16- or 19-inch displays. All

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switches and controls are well placed and fall easily under hand. Mercury DTS electronic throttle and shift and SmartCraft VesselView are standard along with Mercury’s Joystick Piloting. The Mercury VesselView display is mounted adjacent to the port side of the helm and the joystick control is mounted to starboard. The 600-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo control pad distributes sound to 10 JL Audio speakers and a 200-watt subwoofer that all have blue LED lighting.

Underneath the stereo control panel is a cubby that stores the optional wireless iPad for Formula’s LaunchPort system, which controls multiple boat systems. The concealed windlass with 150 feet of chain and a polished stainless steel anchor is controlled from the helm as well.

For all that is entailed with managing a vessel with four engines and accessories, the helm is uncluttered and logically arranged.

Seating at the helm has a wide range of adjustability to accommodate the captain and up to two companions. The seat bottom flips up to adjust for sitting, standing or resting positions and also adjusts fore and aft.

Powered footrests make it a cinch to find the perfect position. Underneath the helm seat is a 35-quart Yeti cooler on pull-out slides.

Across from the helm, along the portside passageway to the bow, are storage lockers for a blender, cockpit TV and docklines.

Immediately abaft is the outdoor galley featuring a Corian counter that includes a fiberglass molded sink, stainless pull-out refrigerator, trash container, paper towel holder and an assortment of drawers. Positioned further aft is an available electric grill.

Back to the starboard side abaft of the helm seats is the U-shaped lounge that wraps around an electrically actuated table.

Similar to the bow tables, when lowered, filler cushions are used to create an additional sunpad. A stainless steel and acrylic gate to port opens to access the large aft-facing sunpad to starboard. The sunpad has individually adjustable backrests. Storage underneath provides space for bulky fenders and filler cushions for the cockpit lounge.

Even with the quad outboards, the swim platform offers a lot of usable deck space for dockside boarding, hanging out with your feet in the water or climbing back aboard. Standard equipment includes a removable stainless steel swim ladder and a retractable safety ladder.

Below deck The below-deck cabin provides comfortable overnight accommodations for four. Headroom measures 6 feet, 5 inches, and the cabin spans the width of the hull. Abundant storage is located throughout the upscale cabin. The quiet 7.5KW gas generator powers the air

FORMULA 400SSC SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 40' Beam: 12' Draft: 40" Weight: 23,700 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 400 gals.

Water Capacity: 56 gals.

Base Price: $983,120 Price As Tested: $1,114,715 FORMULABOATS.COM

DEALERS Chicago Yacht Works Chicago, IL CHICAGOYACHTWORKS.COM

312-724-9101 Lakeside Formula St. Clair Shores, MI LAKESIDEFORMULA .COM

586-772-4100

conditioner and electronics when anchored.

At the forward end of the cabin there’s a U-shaped Ultraleather lounge and dinette table that lowers to create a V-berth. The hinged forward backrest can be raised to extend legroom for the V-berth.

A stand-up shower and head are located to starboard between the galley and the aft berth. A full fiberglass liner, light colored molded vanity with a Corian countertop and sink with high-gloss woodgrain trim keep the compartment bright and easy to clean.

For showering, a Corian seat covers the Vacuflush toilet.

The cabin galley is forward of the shower and head and continues the premium appearance that Formula is known for, with Corian countertops, hardwood trim and blue LED accent lighting. The galley includes a sink with cover, microwave oven, available coffee maker, an electric stove with a cutting board cover and a concealed trash container.

To port, there’s a stainless steel pull-out refrigerator and additional drawer storage, plus a cedar-lined hanging locker. Adjacent to the companionway is the electrical panel and controls for air conditioning, stereo and lights.

Access to the generator, batteries, water heater and filters is through a day hatch in the port walkway to the stern. For comprehensive service, the entire aft seat

structure raises on a power-actuated lift. The optional SeaKeeper gyro stabilization system is mounted here as well.

Fast and nimble Powered by quad Mercury Verado 300- or optional 350-hp outboards, the 400 SSC is fast and nimble. Either engine package will come with Joystick Piloting, Mercury Active Trim and Bennett hydraulic trim tabs. Inboards, sterndrives and outboards all have their proponents, but there is no denying the interior space that is created by having the propulsion system mounted outside at the stern. Additional benefits include: Better power to weight ratio; ease of maintenance; a shallower draft; and better corrosion resistance by being able to tilt the lower units up and out of the water.

I tested the 400 SSC with a crew of three on a hot day in South Florida. The test boat was powered by four 350-hp Mercury Verado outboards. Unfortunately, we had just a light chop that could not test the mettle of the deep-V 400 SSC. We did find some waves to cross outside of Haulover Inlet in Miami-Dade County, but they were handled easily and without drama. Acceleration from 1,400-hp on the stern was strong as we inched up to a top-speed of 61 mph at 6500 RPM. Our most efficient cruise speed was a comfortable 37 mph at 5000 RPM, which

yielded about .7 mpg. Handling is crisp and predictable even through hard turns at speed.

Although the 400 SSC shares a similar twin-stepped 21-degree V-hull with the 430 SSC, each hull was designed specifically for that model. In fact, Formula says the 400 SSC may be the most efficient hull they have ever built, which is saying something with their long history of performance boat building. The 400 SSC’s stepped hull is also very user friendly. It maintains a comfortable, level ride through a variety of speeds and conditions with little need to adjust the trim tabs on many occasions.

Upon returning to the dock, the real world convenience of the Mercury JoyStick Piloting when squeezing into a crowded space is impressive. The excellent visibility from the helm and easy access to the bow and stern for the crew to handle dock lines make it even better.

There is a lot to like about the Formula 400 SSC. The SmartZone layout with the open bow and aft cockpit is versatile, efficient and sociable.

It’s loaded with amenities, and is a strongperforming and solidly constructed vessel. The 400 SSC is a very capable dayboat or overnighter.

Even if you had the time, you still wouldn’t want to bring three or four families out for a week-long trip; however, with the 400 SSC, you could take a lot of people out for a fun-filled day or sleep overnight with a family of four — and that’s probably perfect for most boating families. H LAKELANDBOATING.COM

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BOAT TEST

Is it a pontoon or a rocket ship?

by Chuck Warren

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Manitou

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MANITOU

25 Legacy LT

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O

n my way to Duck Lake, just south of Lansing, Michigan, I thought about the last time I drove here and the surprise I found when I arrived. Although I knew what to expect this time, I was still excited to go for a ride on one of the newest rocket ships from Manitou Pontoons.

Duck Lake is Manitou’s testing grounds, where it has room to run its 60 and 70 mph high-performance creations.

Blasting across the water in a 60 mph pontoon boat is just as much fun as it sounds. In fact, after my last visit to Duck Lake, I compared riding in the Manitou to sitting on your front porch in a hurricane.

The Manitou 25 Legacy LT I had the pleasure of testing was closer to a rocket than a pontoon boat. Of course, things have changed a bit since I cruised around New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay in my grandfather’s 16-foot pontoon with its splintered plywood deck, pitted aluminum railings and 15-hp engine that would barely push the boat against a stiff headwind. That old boat definitely did not look or perform like the black and white rocket ship sitting quietly at the dock, just waiting for someone to bring it to life and blast off across the lake.

Countdown

As I walked toward the dock, the new boat didn’t immediately catch my eye. I was expecting to find one of Manitou’s bright, colorful hot rods waiting for me, but the

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2019 Manitou 25 Legacy LT was instead dressed in a very straightforward yet elegant black and white.

For about two minutes, the monochromatic color scheme seems just a little plain. Then it starts to grab your attention, like a really well-made tuxedo at a dinner party.

This particular Legacy LT was also outfitted with Manitou’s optional Blackout package, which replaces many of the chrome components with black, such as the steering wheel, speakers, single-billet aluminum access door and logos. The boat also included a black Bimini top and color-matched outboards, giving it a clean, classy appearance.

The boat doesn’t need a splashy paint job to be impressive.

Manitou’s exemplary fit and finish, wide range of features and incredible performance set it apart from the rest of the pontoon pack. However, Manitou does offer many of its models in more dynamic color schemes, including lime green, bright red and an electric orange.

Onboard

The 2019 25 Legacy LT brings the company’s best features forward into the new model year, but there are some subtle, sensible changes that provide an even better boating experience from Manitou. Its goal has always been to appeal to boaters who said they would never consider a pontoon, and the 25 Legacy LT certainly accomplishes that mission.

One of four floorplan options, the 25 Legacy LT‘s SRW layout (which our test boat offered) comes with full windscreens for the driver and passenger. The passenger seat is also more enclosed with the SRW layout, with better handholds and cup holders providing more of a copilot feel.

The helm seat includes a flip-up bolster, and both captain and passenger seats have foldable armrests. The aft seating features fully adjustable, electrically controlled backrests, and can be easily converted into sun lounges.

There’s plenty of storage throughout the boat, with enough room in the center pontoon to hold waterskis and other large gear. The in-tube storage space includes a bilge pump and float switch so stored stuff remains dry. The

center tube also holds a 43-gallon fuel tank with a single engine installed or a 90-gallon tank with twins.

Fore and aft seats cover felt-lined compartments below, while the port and starboard consoles also conceal more storage space. There is more than enough room to stash gear, store refreshments and tuck towels or other accessories out of sight.

Manitou kept its blue LED accent lighting throughout the boat for 2019, with lighted seat pedestals, cup holders, courtesy lighting and more. The 25 Legacy LT’s JL Audio systems can also include Wet Sounds speakers mounted on the optional sport arch, and a secondary set of controls for the stereo has been added in back where it’s accessible to sun worshippers lounging in the aft seats.

This year, Manitou moved away from engine-specific controls and installed a more universal setup. A Garmin 742xs touch screen provides engine readouts, lighting controls and sport arch functions, while a Simrad Evo3 SmartScreen provides a depth finder, GPS and more.

Ignition

The 2019 25 Legacy LT we tested was equipped with twin Evinrude 300-hp outboards, although the boat can be ordered with power options from several manufacturers in single- or twin-engine configurations. The choice of Evinrude power brings the total cost down with only a slight reduction in performance, and provides additional control options, such as the iDock joystick system. The intuitive iDock control system makes handling in tight quarters easy and docking simpler for less experienced boaters.

Manitou’s tritoon hull design is its secret weapon.

Although tritoons are quite common these days, Manitou has taken the concept further, with scientific placement of the third tube and carefully engineered lifting strakes and fins.

The center tube sits lower in the water, creating a profile that Manitou calls its V-Toon design. The boat is quick to plane, launching out of the hole with minimal bow lift, and provides a soft, smooth ride. Control is also incredible, with hard turns possible at speeds that more closely resemble a V-hull than a pontoon boat.

Lift-off

With Greg and Tim from Manitou’s headquarters onboard, we left the dock and cruised out onto the calm water of Duck Lake. Tim cracked the throttles, unleashing the big 300-hp engines and sending us into orbit around the lake.

On our first run, we went for flat-out speed, watching the speedometer cross up and over the 60 mph mark, with a top speed of 63 mph. I was in awe of the Manitou’s performance as we slowed slightly and turned back.

After blasting off again, we spent some time crossing back and forth over our own wake and the ripples made by some of the other boats. We made a couple fast turns and, again, the 25 Legacy LT showed off the incredible handling characteristics of the V-Toon design. Through the tightest turns and across any kind of water, no spray ever hit the windshields.

Turning back towards the dock, Tim opened it up once again and we held on to the handrails while grinning from ear to ear. The 25 Legacy LT is faster than you would ever expect a 26-foot, 8-inch pontoon boat to be, but as I mentioned before, this is not your grandpa’s pontoon boat; this is a rocket ship.

As we were racing around Duck Lake, I kept hearing a voice in my head repeat, “Houston, we’ve got a problem.”

And the problem was that now I really wanted a Manitou. H

Manitou

25 Legacy LT SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 26'8" Beam: 8'6" Weight: 4,310 lbs.

Fuel Capacity: 90 gals.

Base Price: Contact dealer MANITOUPONTOON BOATS.COM

DEALERS Munson Marine Fox Lake, IL MUNSONMARINE .COM

847-587-4902 Hall's Sport Center Multiple MI Locations HALLSSPORTCENTER.COM

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

231-733-2433

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hooked on

Mahogany

BROWN BOAT COLLECTOR SHARES HIS PASSION.

PH OTO COU RTESY OF

story by Kath Usitalo

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John N. Allen

didn’t realize it at the time, but his addiction began in the 1960s when, as a boy of 11 or 12, he worked for a neighbor on a commercial fishing boat in northern Wisconsin. Twice a week they made the severalhour drive from the Green Bay area to the Eagle River Chain of Lakes to harvest crabs to sell at taverns and markets. While tugging traps out of the water, the youngster remembers being awed by the lakefront mansions and wealthy vacationers spending carefree summer days cruising on beautiful boats — gleaming mahogany boats, trimmed with shiny chrome, powered by engines with a distinctive rumble.

“Those boats represented something extraordinary — exceptional,” Allen recalls. The now president, CEO and sole

principal of Industrial Equities LLP in Minneapolis took a circuitous route from captivated kid to respected owner of 25 prized classic wooden boats. More than a collector, he’s known as a passionate promoter of the history and culture of antique vessels. “I’m a brown boat addict,” he admits.

Allen, 64, grew up in Suamico, just north of Green Bay, the second oldest of six children. His dad was a school teacher; his mom, a beauty with “Miss Green Bay” among her pageant titles. At Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, Allen studied social and political sciences and history, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and went on to earn his J.D. at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Minneapolis. While working as a top producer for Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Services, Allen launched his

PH OTO COU RTESY OF

John Allen’s Wyndcrest, a 1928 24-foot Purdy Racer, was named Best of Show 2018 at the Antique Wooden Boat Show in Hessel, Michigan.

privately held commercial real estate investment, development and management firm; his Windsor Development company focuses on residential projects. Allen and his wife, Rebecca, have five adult children and live in Naples, Florida, while maintaining a residence and businesses in Minnesota. In addition to Industrial Equities, Allen owns the Bar Harbor Supper Club, a Gull Lake landmark that opened in 1938 as a casino, which he revived in 2012 due to his “brown boat disease.”

SURF & TURF COLLECTION Before boats, Allen collected cars.

He bought a 1946 Ford Woody Deluxe, followed by several more Woody wagons and convertibles.

But the vehicles began to look the same to him. On meeting Minnesotan Lee Anderson — one of the premier classic boat

Fort Mahogany, which displays Allen’s classic car and boat collection, hosts gatherings of wooden boat enthusiasts, as well as a variety of charity events.

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John Allen is a passionate advocate for the preservation and appreciation of classic wooden boats.

Mowitza II, Allen’s 1928 27-foot Ditchburn Viking.

collectors in the country and a member of the Hagerty Marine Hall of Fame — Allen’s youthful interest in watercraft was reignited.

“With boats, there’s more variety,” Allen says. “They have distinctively different designs. There’s the allure of the mahogany boats and the lifestyle. I came full circle, from when I was a boy on the lake.

“Every one of Lee’s [boats] is desirable and collectible,” he continues. “I drooled over them. My wife told me, ‘Go and get one! I’m tired of you acting like a whiny baby.’ Twenty-five boats later…”

Allen credits Anderson as an “extraordinarily knowledgeable” mentor in guiding him on his foray into this watery world. “It’s been invaluable to be able to talk boats with him and go to shows with him,” Allen says.

Anderson, owner and chairman of APi Group, an international construction-related conglomerate, built his private Anderson Classic Boats Museum in Nisswa, Minnesota, to house his and wife Penny’s 39 vintage vessels — of which, Allen says, “every one should be in the Smithsonian.”

Allen continues to add to his fleet of nearly 30 antique automobiles, which now includes a 1931 Dual Cowl Packard Phaeton, Cadillacs, Auburns and muscle cars. But he is recognized, along with Anderson, among the foremost collectors of wooden boats in Minnesota and beyond. These men are lauded not only for the volume but the quality of their collections and attention to preservation.

EYE CANDY AND MORE

(Above) Allen purchased The Bar Harbor in 2012, when he refreshed the Supper Club and expanded the docks to accommodate 120 boats. (Right) Allen’s 1930 30-foot Hacker-Craft Triple Cockpit Rebecca Paige after an outing on Gull Lake.

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The first classic boat Allen bought was a 1929 28-foot Gar Wood triple cockpit runabout.

“I still have it, still drive it, still love it,” he says of Gatsby, whose name reflects Allen’s affection for the romance of the 1920s and ‘30s.

Over the years, he’s built an impressive inventory of rare and special vessels, explaining: “When I acquire them it’s for a specific set of reasons, and I’m significantly more selective now than when I started.

I have a tight filter on what I’ll buy.” He bases his decisions on “extraordinary design, historical provenance, and the amount of eyeball they have.”

“I really love Canadian boats,” Allen says, and especially admires the work of naval architect Earl C. Barnes. His Princess Paige, a custom 1926 26-foot launch, is his personal favorite. “It’s as close to a jewel box boat as you’ll ever find.”

In addition to beauty, Allen appreciates the story behind a boat. Chief Mackinac, a 33-foot 1917 Consolidated Speedway Launch, spent nearly 90 years in Michigan’s Les Cheneaux Islands before he bought it. His 1955 Cobra is one of only 52 18-foot Chris-Crafts with a fiberglass tail. Bolo Babe, a 33-foot Baby Gar built in 1926 by Gar Wood, was a tender for a yacht on Lake Champlain. Allen also owns the last Hacker Tampa Bay Racer in the world; the 1926 Black Jack is powered by a Scripps F. Gold Cup engine.

Several boats have earned honors, including the meticulously restored Rusticator, which in 2009 swept awards from Best of Show to People’s Choice and Best Preserved Antique Boat. The rare 1923

CONSIDERING A CLASSIC? John Allen offers tips for first-time classic boat buyers: ■ Contact your local chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society or another group of wooden boat owners. Attend the meetings. Get to know the members and ask questions; they’re a great resource.

■ It’s like any other endeavor: Do your homework.

■ Keep your eyes wide open so you know what you’re getting into.

■ When you know what type of boat you’re looking for, work with a reputable broker.

■ Have a restoration expert evaluate the boat before you buy it; understand what you’re dealing with.

30-foot Fay & Bowen Golden Arrow launch boasts its original 500-cubic-inch 50-hp engine. Allen feels a responsibility to protect not only the boats but their engines, and works to reunite those that have been separated.

“I’m committed to putting the original power back in the boats. Engines tell an entirely different story. They’re historical masterpieces,” he says with admiration for the skilled mechanics who revive the motors’ roar. “They are artisans of a very special and high caliber.”

ON THE HORIZON Allen’s nautical treasures are harbored, along with some of his classic cars, in “Fort Mahogany,” a sprawling facility he built on Gull Lake.

“When I was a little boy, I wanted a fort and never had one, so I guess this is it,” he says, adding that he and Rebecca often make the space available to nonprofits for fundraisers. Allen sees it as a way to spread awareness and appreciation of antique wooden boats to new audiences. Sharing is part of his mission, and the reason that he invested in Bar Harbor, that nearby lakefront supper club.

“I bought it from the original family. I replaced the docks to handle 120 boats, specifically to host the international boat show” of the Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS), which did select the site for its 2015 event. Each August, Bar Harbor is the scene of the growing Gull Lake Classic Boat Show, which attracted nearly 10,000 attendees in 2018.

Allen credits the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes Chapter of ACBS for bringing more and younger people into the local antique boat fold. “Twenty years ago you could count on one hand the number of boats. Now, more than 40 people on Gull Lake have [classic] boats, and of the 110 entries in the 2018 show, 35 of them drove.

“The future for young collectors is very bright,” he continues. “They want to have something of distinction — something that their children will remember. It’s an elegant and classy way to take a boat ride, to make their summer more enjoyable, memorable and special.

A life enhancer, that’s what it really is about.”

And, he adds: “The sorority and fraternity of classic boat owners are very nice people. I’m jazzed up and want to get people interested in these classic boats. My goal is for everyone to get the brown boat addiction.”

★

(Top) From left: Brian Mark, Lee Anderson and John Allen. (Above) The Gull Lake Classic Boat Show is held at the Bar Harbor Supper Club each August. (Left) Allen motors Wyndcrest, a 1928 24-foot Purdy Racer.

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FISHING

PARTNERS

PHOTO COU RTESY OF FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE

Fishing for panfish from shore is a great way to teach fishing basics.

Practical tips to create young anglers.

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F

ishing is a great way to spend time on the water as a family and teach kids the wonders of the outdoors. It’s also an excellent way to get use of your boat, whether anchored for perch or trolling for salmon; if the kids enjoy it, so much the better. It’s downright fun to catch fish, and few things beat fresh-caught fillets grilled back at the marina.

But first you have to teach young ones how to fish, and that can take some patience. The key is to start small and build up to bigger fish on bigger water.

It’s best to teach the basics of fishing from the back of your docked boat or on inland waters for panfish. These outings encourage hands-on use of rods and reels, learning how to bait a hook, cast a line, detect a bite and reel in the quarry.

Children as young as three and four can grasp the basics, even if they need help casting and reeling in whatever bites.

FOR

PHOTO BY MARK BAUH S

LIFE

Kids quickly adapt to big-water trolling and find even smaller fish to be fascinating.

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P HOTO BY M A RTI E SWA RT

Big-water trolling (left) means bigger fish that fight harder, but kids are often just as happy fishing from shore.

WHERE TO START Many harbors where Lakeland Boaters keep their craft feature abundant panfish, as well as larger gamefish. We want to target the smaller finned creatures first. A basic spinning rod combo with a slip bobber, sinker and hook (see sidebar below) is the ideal first rod for kids.

Slip bobbers work with a bobber “stop” that slides on the line above the bobber.

Start by setting it so the bait will be 3 or 4 feet deep. Marina panfish often hang right underneath your boat and around the dock posts, so long casts aren’t necessary. Bait with a live red worm or a couple of wax worms (available at most tackle shops and many gas stations). If your student is squeamish about putting live bait on the hook, do it for them — there’s no need to force the issue. You can also try packaged bait, such as Berkley Power Waxies. These look like a live wax worm but are made of a plastic material that smells and tastes great to fish. These faux worms often get just as many bites as live bait.

Bait up, drop the bobber next to a dock post and let out enough line so the stop rests against the top of the bobber. When it “bobs” and goes under, have the young angler simply

GEARED UP FOR SUCCESS

The fishing industry has marketed cartoon- and doll-themed, push-button spincast rod and reel combos as a good way to get children fishing. Simply put, these are cute junk. Sure, kids can cast them and catch fish on them, but they’re not durable. Once a kid gets into fishing, he or she will quickly realize better rod and reel combos are easier to cast and more efficient for hooking and landing fish.

It’s better to get a light or ULTRA-LIGHT SPINNING ROD and OPEN-FACED SPINNING REEL for children. Not only can a youngster learn fishing basics with this gear, he or she can also use it for many years. Plus, spinning rods are easier for small hands to hold while waiting for a bobber to go down.

Add some SLIP BOBBERS to the tackle kit. These are easy to cast and let the bait slide to the depths that hold fish.

Spool the reel with a NAME-BRAND MONOFILAMENT LINE, such as Stren or Trilene, in 6- or 8-pound test that’s clear or green in color. Those lines are strong enough for perch and other panfish and can handle bigger fish if one should bite.

For panfish, get some LONG-SHANK, FINE WIRE HOOKS in sizes 6 and 8. Long-shank hooks are easier to remove from a fish’s mouth. A pack of LEAD SPLIT SHOT provides the weight to take bait down and make the bobber stand up straight. You want to pinch enough on the line, 8 to 12 inches above the hook, so that the bobber floats straight up and submerges easily when a fish bites.

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PHOTO BY MARK BAUHS

Adults who take the time to teach kids get the added benefit of remembering just how wondrous it can be to pull an unseen creature from the mysterious depths, and just how beautiful fish really are, as seen through a child’s eyes.

Let’s look at basic gear and instructional methods to help young anglers develop a lifelong passion for fishing.

PHOTOS COURTE SY OF (C LOC KWI S E ): P E XE L S ; USFWS MIDWEST; M A RK BAUHS

lift and reel. Be ready to show the youngster how to take the fish off the hook, avoiding the hook point and the fish’s fins. Again, don’t force this lesson. Handling fish comes with time.

It’s best not to cast lines with hooks in the marina to avoid snagging a neighbor’s dock line (or a neighbor). Casting can be taught and practiced with hookless casting plugs.

TROLLING If you’re an experienced Great Lakes troller and have equipped your boat with downriggers and rod holders for trolling a dozen or more lines at once, you’ll be well-qualified to instruct young members of the family on the basics. If you’re new to the game, consider hiring a charter captain to take your family out for a half- or full-day trip. Charter captains can explain how they’re setting downriggers and lines behind planer boards. They can also show you how the diver disks take lures down and to the sides of the boat.

If your children have already caught panfish, they’ll quickly understand the big-water tactics to catch salmon, trout and walleye. It’s basically the same thing: You’re setting lines and waiting for fish to bite. Now, though, the boat moves and the fish are much bigger. Playing the fish is a substantial challenge — and lots of fun. When dealing with their first big salmon or walleye, kids might need some over-the-shoulder assistance to help hold the rod at the optimal angle, take over some of the reeling, and adjust the reel’s drag so the fish doesn’t break the line.

If the fish aren’t biting, trolling can be downright boring; however, fortunately, you have a lot of ways to keep kids involved with the process. When action lulls, show kids your fishfinder/GPS unit and how it marks fish below the boat and keeps track of your trolling path. Since most of today’s kids have grown up with game consoles and smartphones, they might be able to show the captain some hitherto undiscovered features of the electronics.

Changing lures is another thing kids can help do while trolling. The lure is often 100 yards or more behind the boat, and it takes some effort to reel it in to put a different one on. Kids are usually eager to help with this task. You can also keep kids interested in the whole excursion by letting them select lures to deploy. In this writer’s experience, kids often pick a lure that has languished in the tackle box since the day it was purchased.

More often than not it catches fish.

Different kids take to fishing with different amounts of enthusiasm. Keep things fun and comfortable. Bring along ample beverages and snacks. If it gets rough, too hot or too cold, head in.

The teaching process can take a fair amount of patience, and the best teachers are the ones who instruct more than fish themselves. While you might miss out on catching a few fish for a few trips, you’ll be developing a lifelong fishing partner. Most folks think that’s well worth the effort. H

(Top left) Fishing from panfish over the side of the boat docked at the marina is a good way to learn simple fishing skills. (Top right) Teaching kids to fish can take patience, but most anglers agree that developing a fishing partner for life is well worth the effort. (Above) Fishing offers a chance to teach about ecosystems of the Great Lakes when you land a gamefish with a lamprey attached.

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PORT OF CALL

Rock Your Boat in Cleveland With great food, diverse neighborhoods, cultural attractions, memorable sunsets and two waterfronts — open and endless Lake Erie or the urban and industrialized Cuyahoga River — for boaters to explore, Cleveland is a cool destination.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THIS IS CLEVELEND

im Lee is an Akron, Ohio-based IT consultant who has sailed his Ericson 30 Plus into every port on Lake Erie, but the one view that never fails to thrill him is Cleveland’s skyline.

“About 30 miles out on the lake, you start to see buildings poking up on the horizon,” Lee says, “and it’s magical how Cleveland reveals itself as you get closer.”

Marinas like the Rock and Dock make it easy to understand why Cleveland captivates Lee. The 53-slip marina occupies the heart of the city’s North Coast Harbor district, whose stellar array of attractions have reshaped Cleveland’s lakeshore and helped shred its Rust Belt reputation. Tying up there puts boaters just steps away from the famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an I.M. Pei-designed masterpiece that looks like a luminous glass tent and dazzles the eye like no other building on Lake Erie. Inside, seven floors of high-energy exhibits and unrivaled memorabilia — including an original Elvis Presley recording, an Eddie Van Halen guitar, and John Lennon’s Sgt. Pepper coat — pay homage to the born-in the-USA music that rocks the world.

Also near the Rock and Dock are the family-friendly Great Lakes Science Center; the William G. Mather, a restored 1925 lake freighter that you can tour from stem to stern; the U.S.S. Cod, a World War II submarine and National Historic Landmark

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whose diesel engines were built in Cleveland; First Energy Stadium where Cleveland’s fiercely loyal football fans cheer their beloved Browns; and East Ninth Street Pier, a paved recreational promenade that links downtown Cleveland to the lake. Since the pier is a popular gathering spot for everyone from fishermen to joggers, it’s a perfect place to rub shoulders with locals; it even has a lakeside restaurant, Nuevo Cleveland, that specializes in upscale Mexican cuisine and awesome views. At the very tip of the pier, Voinovich Park boasts one of the jaunty-looking Cleveland script signs that the Destination Cleveland visitors bureau has placed at scenic spots throughout the city. With the Rock Hall and city skyline as a backdrop, that pristine white sign provides the ultimate Cleveland photo-op.

Captain of industry

Cleveland began with a boat. That simple fact underscores the inescapable relationship with water that has set the city’s course since 1796, when Connecticut’s Moses Cleaveland led a surveying party into what is now Ohio’s northeast corner. Connecticut once claimed millions of acres there, and Cleaveland was tasked with mapping those vast “Western Reserve” lands so that parcels could be sold to future settlers.

PH OTO BY ERIK DROST

J

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

PHOTOS COU RTESY OF (CLOCKWISE): ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME; KE LEWIS; TH IS IS CLEVELAND/CODY YORK

The Flats

Heading west along Lake Erie’s shore in a small boat (possibly an open bateau), he reached the mouth of the Cuyahoga River in July and had a site near the river’s east bank surveyed into lots surrounding a New England-style public square. His companions named the prospective settlement after him, but because of a spelling error on the plat plan, it became known as “Cleveland” instead of Cleaveland.

After the Ohio and Erie Canal connected Cleveland to the Ohio River in the 1830s and railroads arrived in the 1850s, Cleveland quickly grew into a major Great Lakes commerce center through which the riches of the heartland — grain, lumber, limestone, iron ore, coal — flowed. John D. Rockefeller, America’s first billionaire, started Standard Oil in Cleveland; Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams formed an eponymous company to make paints that are still covering the earth; and industrialists, such as Marcus Hanna, whose aid ushered William McKinley into the White House, drove manufacturing of iron, steel and ships.

While freight docks and warehouses proliferated along Cleveland’s lakefront, the Cuyahoga’s bottomland — which Clevelanders call “the Flats” — filled with foundries, refineries, factories and steel mills. Wealth and prosperity

Rock and Dock and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

produced world-class cultural institutions, such as the Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Orchestra, but it also generated successive waves of blue-collar immigrants — Irish, Germans, Italians, Poles, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Hungarians, African-Americans from the South — who turned the city into a rich tapestry of ethnic neighborhoods.

In 1908, stonemason Harry Hope arrived from England with his family. One of his sons grew up to become one of Cleveland’s favorite sons, the legendary comedian and entertainer Bob Hope. The elder Hope had worked on the monumental “Guardians of Traffic” sculptures commissioned for a 1932 Cuyahoga River bridge; those Art Deco statues are now considered iconic Cleveland symbols, and the bridge itself is called the Hope Memorial Bridge.

A wind of change

Fifty years ago this summer, on a June morning in 1969, an oil slick on the Cuyahoga River caught fire. The infamous blaze seriously blackened Cleveland’s reputation but it also ignited an environmental movement that resulted in federal legislation, the 1972 Clean Water Act, as well as local momentum to clean-up the heavily polluted river, redevelop the lakeshore and LAKELANDBOATING.COM

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Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland Yachting Club

diversify Cleveland’s sputtering industrial economy. Something extraordinary happened during the city’s largely up-by-the boots comeback: Clevelanders discovered that the waterfronts where they had always worked could also be splendid places to play.

Today Cleveland offers boaters some of the most multifaceted experiences available on the Great Lakes. “Once people get into Cleveland, I usually hear them say, ‘Wow!,’ when they realize how much there is see and do,” says Ed “Captain Ed” Mahoney. A Cleveland native who has logged some 30,000 miles sailing the Great Lakes, Mahoney docks his Endeavour 42 at the Cleveland Yachting Club in suburban Rocky River. As a Port Captain for the Great Lakes Cruising Club, Mahoney prepares a Cleveland harbor report that informs fellow members about everything from marina services to visitor attractions. “I always encourage people to spend enough time to really see Cleveland,” he says, “and that typically means staying three or four days.”

Among the places Mahoney recommends to boaters is Edgewater Park, a Cleveland Metroparks facility with 9,000 feet of shoreline and a beautiful swimming beach. Since Edgewater Park’s marina has limited transient dockage, plan to arrive early enough to enjoy its phenomenal views of downtown Cleveland and the Edgewater Beach House, where a seasonal

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café features made-to-order sandwiches. On Thursday nights, the free Edgewater LIVE concert series draws huge crowds, and many boaters simply anchor offshore to listen to the music and relish the red-orange aura of a spellbinding Lake Erie sunset.

One of the nation’s largest urban park systems, Cleveland Metroparks surrounds the city with an “emerald necklace” that includes public parks, nature preserves, golf courses, hiking and biking trails, and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where the Asian Highlands exhibit lets folks get face-to-face with a rare Amur tiger. In recent years, Cleveland Metroparks also began managing and improving eight lakefront parks.

“The mission of Cleveland Metroparks is connecting people with nature and that includes the water,” explains CEO Brian Zimmerman. “We’re working very hard to create places for boaters to go.”

A case in point is the upgraded East 55th Street Marina, whose facilities include a fishing platform, bait shop, ship’s store and e55 on the Lake, a restaurant serving wood-fired pizza and house-smoked brisket sandwiches. “Even e55’s potato chips are made on-the-spot, and they’re delicious,” Zimmerman says.

Zimmerman keeps his 27-foot Rinker powerboat at Edgewater Yacht Club, which, like many of Cleveland’s

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (CLOCKWISE): THIS IS CLEVELAND/KYLE LANZER; CYC FACEBOOK; CLEVELAND ZOO FACEBOOK

Edgewater Park

TOP FOUR PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLEVELAND METROPARKS

Edgewater Park concert

Whiskey Island Paddlefest

B ASEBALL PH OTO BY ERIK D ROST; TALL S HIP PHOTO COURTESY CLEVELAND.COM; CONCERT PH OTO COURTESY OF GREAT LAKES BREWING

e55 on the Lake

private marinas, makes guest docks available to Inter-Lake Yachting Association members. Edgewater is at the west end of a five-mile long breakwater that was designed to keep freighters carrying millions of tons of cargo well-protected from Lake Erie’s mercurial weather and notorious storms.

But it’s also an enormous benefit for boaters because even on days when the lake roils dangerously, you can go out on much smoother water behind the breakwater.

Also within the breakwater's protection is Whiskey Island Marina, offering transient dockage, all-new floating docks, an on-site restaurant, Still & Eatery, and more. For boaters who need some assistance, Riverfront Yacht Sales & Services is a full-service boatyard that can handle everything from boat sales and storage to service, repair and retrofit.

Rolling down the river

When Zimmerman boats with his teenage son, Carter, they often head to the Cuyahoga River. “Carter really loves going up and down that river because he gets to see ships, bridges, trains, highways and ore boats unloading,” Zimmerman says.

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remains a hard-working waterway where 700-foot freighters delivering raw materials to mills and factories pass within yards of the restaurants, clubs and gentrified condos that have mushroomed on the east and west banks of the Flats.

Indeed, the Cuyahoga’s dual personality — part industrial, part entertainment — presents a unique and challenging boating experience that begins with NS1, the Norfolk Southern lift bridge spanning the mouth of the river. It’s nicknamed the “Iron Curtain” because since trains get priority, all the freighters, boaters, kayakers and paddleboarders that crowd the river must wait for it to open. The bustling river is a big part of the appeal of eateries and bars like Merwin’s Wharf (its giant pretzel with beer cheese sauce is a local fave) and Alley Cat Oyster Bar (home of the Cat’s Pajamas vodka and lemonade elixir), but for many folks, the eLClee2 water taxi is the most convenient way to shuttle to the fun-and-games venues on both sides of the Flats.

To reach Cleveland attractions that aren’t on the water, boaters use taxi cabs, Uber, rental cars, and the Regional Transit Authority. At the RTA’s East Ninth/North Coast Harbor station, you can ride the Waterfront Line to Tower City Center’s central station and make connections to destinations throughout the city. A mixed-use shopping and office complex, the Center includes Terminal Tower, a landmark 1920s skyscraper on Public Square, which, just as Moses Cleaveland intended, is still the hub of downtown Cleveland. A Public Square statue depicts Cleaveland holding a surveyor’s staff and compass. On weekends, Terminal Tower’s observation deck affords panoramic views of his namesake city.

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Celebrating Cleveland

You can see some of Cleaveland’s actual surveying tools at the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center in University Circle. Its “Cleveland Starts Here” exhibit features 220-plus years of artifacts that include the first DeLorean automobile and the shoes LeBron James wore when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA championship in 2016. Besides being exceptionally pretty, University Circle is Cleveland’s cultural, intellectual and medical crossroads.

Its mainstays include the renowned Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University and the incomparable Cleveland Museum of Art, where you can revel in the genius of Renoir, Rodin and Picasso for free and have lunch in a sunny atrium.

While you’re in the neighborhood, take time to visit Lake View Cemetery, the arboretum-like resting place of Cleveland movers and shakers ranging from John D. Rockefeller to Alan Freed, the disc jockey who popularized the term “rock and roll” and is interred beneath a headstone resembling a jukebox. In nearby Rockefeller Park, you can tour the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a unique collection of nationality gardens that celebrate the city’s ethnic diversity — think Doric columns in the Greek Garden and birch trees in the Latvian Garden.

Given its melting pot tradition, Cleveland is a great food city. In Little Italy, the cassata at Corbo’s Bakery is sweet nirvana. In Tremont, Sokolowski’s University Inn serves pierogi and cabbage rolls cafeteria-style. And in Ohio City, the West Side Market is a veritable cornucopia of kielbasa, kolacky and other ethnic specialties.

PH OTO COU RTESY OF CLEVELAND METROPARKS

Merwin's Wharf

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (CLOCKWISE): THIS IS CLEVELAND; CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART; IGOR OLIYARNIK; THIS IS CLEVELAND

East 4th Street

Playhouse Square

West Side Market

Cleveland Museum of Art

The two celebrity chefs who put Cleveland on the national culinary map both have flagship restaurants — Michael Symon’s Lola and Jonathon Sawyer’s Greenhouse Tavern — on East 4th Street, a pedestrians-only boulevard lined with pubs, clubs and eateries. East 4th is probably the hippest block in Cleveland. Along with the gigantic outdoor chandelier marking the beautifully restored theaters of the Playhouse Square (the nation’s largest performing arts district outside New York City) and the leg lamp glowing in the front window of A Christmas Story House and Museum (where the much-loved Christmas movie was filmed), East 4th Street epitomizes Cleveland’s renewed hometown pride and almost palpable energy.

“Cleveland has done a fine job of owning who we are as a city,” Zimmerman says. “People who live here are passionate about the city. They celebrate Cleveland and enjoy it.” ★ LAKELANDBOATING.COM

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LAKESHORE LIFE

BY KAT E B U SH

MORE INFORMATION

Waterfront home with a Tuscan touch.

Address 18233 Fruitport Rd. Spring Lake, MI 49456 Specs Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4 full, 1 half Square Footage: 4,599 Acreage: 2.87 Shoreline: 118 feet Price: $3,495,000 Contact Sandi Gentry The Sandi Gentry Team 616-935-1150 SANDIGENTRY.COM

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Spring Lake, MI

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ncork a bottle of Chianti and unwind as you imagine you’re in a Tuscan villa at this stunning Spring Lake home. Tucked off a main road, a winding, circular driveway leads to the 4,599-square-foot home settled on nearly three acres.

To get to the front door and secluded, stone courtyard, walk through the impressive, arched corridor. The courtyard area acts as the heart of the home, and thick trees to the north provide plenty of privacy. On the way through the corridor, a door on the right opens to a 700-square-foot guest house, which boasts a bedroom, kitchenette and views of the courtyard.

Upon entering the main home, the foyer opens up to the living room on the left and the kitchen, dining room and great room on the right. The interior is open and airy, amplified by the light, wide-planked hardwood floors and abundant windows.

Views of Spring Lake are provided in nearly every room: While chopping veggies in the kitchen, cozied up in the great room with the gas fireplace turned on, sitting out on the lakefront patio or enjoying a nice home-cooked meal in the eat-in dining area. The formal dining room just

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

off the kitchen offers a built-in buffet for storing all your serveware, and also incorporates an ice maker, refrigerated doors and beverage center. Topping off guests’ chardonnay glasses with a fresh pour is easier than ever. The bright white chef’s kitchen further opens up the space. Features here include integrated appliances, double ovens, custom cabinetry and granite countertops.

The main floor master suite has front-row seats to lake views, and features a sitting area, his and hers closets, and a spacious ensuite with a large walk-in shower and wraparound vanities. Another main floor suite and two upper level suites with balconies provide plenty of space for guests; plus an elevator makes accessing the upper level a cinch.

With so much attention to detail on the exterior, this is where you’ll want to spend sunny days. The great room’s sliders open up for al fresco summer nights. At the touch of a button, the outdoor patio becomes a screened-in porch; say hello to Michigan sunsets and goodbye to pesky mosquitoes. On your walk down to the 118 feet of private Spring Lake frontage, take a break on one of the multiple benches along the way. H

MARINA WATCH

BY A MA N DA M C D O N A LD

MORE INFORMATION

North Point Marina

North Point Marina

Dock at the largest Great Lakes marina.

701 North Point Dr. Winthrop Harbor, IL 60096 847-746-2845 NPMARINA .COM

Amenities Transient slips: Y Pump-out: Y Gas: Y Diesel: Y Lifts: Y Launch ramp: Y Engine repair: Y Hull repair: Y Marine store: Y Restaurant: Y Showers: Y Laundry Facility: Y

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hen Westrec Marinas bought North Point Marina from the state of Illinois in 2017, the marina had 1,500 slips. While that number is now slightly lower, the mega-marina on Lake Michigan in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, is still the largest marina on the Great Lakes, hosting boats from 30 to more than 60 feet in length.

“We took away a few [slips],” says Mark Stevens, marina manager. “They were damaged beyond repair so we removed them. We’re just under 1,500 now.”

Boaters can tie up and then explore the North Dunes Nature Preserve. This 816-acre diverse preserve features beaches, a bird sanctuary, biking and hiking trails, and observation decks.

Part of the Lake Michigan Water Trail, there are points for kayakers and canoers to access all of the marina amenities, including electricity, Wi-Fi, a restaurant and a fish cleaning station. The marina also offers pumpout, fuel and service for boaters.

“In addition to the amenities we have, we’re a very popular fishing harbor,” Stevens says. “We have one of

LAKELANDBOATING.COM

the largest charter fishing fleets on Lake Michigan so any given weekend our launch ramps are full.”

Another plus to docking at this marina: The Winthrop Harbor Metra Train stop is about a half-mile from the marina, allowing for quick trips via train down to Chicago or up to Milwaukee.

Westrec won a bid to purchase the harbor more than two years ago and now has a 25-year lease. After the transition of ownership, $2 million in repairs and improvements were made. One of the largest additions was a kid-friendly swimming pool on the property last summer.

North Point Marina is the place to visit as soon as the weather starts to warm up. Events occur throughout the summer, with a Venetian Night the first Saturday in August and a Labor Day Weekend Red, White and Blue Dock Party. Reservations are not required but are encouraged. Boaters are now able to reserve slips easily using the Dockwa app.

“It’s very quiet,” Stevens says. “In the springtime this is a great area to come check out and explore.” H

Lakeshore Life

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Experience the Marlow difference…

2004 Marlow Explorer 70E

2015 Marlow Explorer 58E-CB

2014 Marlow Explorer 58E

2010 Marlow Explorer 57E

2003 Marlow Explorer 57C

2005 Marlow Explorer 53C

2003 Symbol Motoryacht 56’

2004 Grand Banks Europa 42

2015 Marlow Pilot 32

2005 Cruisers 400 Express

“Sand Piper” is a well maintained yacht. She has three spacious staterooms and features a private entrance from the salon to the master stateroom. Powered by CAT 800hp 3406E’s you can fulfill your cruising dreams.

“Marea” is a rare gem that has just come onto the market, boasting 3 staterooms, 3 heads, and crew quarters. This yacht is powered by twin CAT C-18 1015hp engines and is ready to take you on your next fantastic journey! Call today.

“Bet-A-Buc”is an exceptional yacht featuring a full beam, center line master stateroom with his and her heads, a queen VIP, and enclosed helm with a day head and a crew cabin. Powered by CAT C-18’s she cruises at 20-23 knots. Call today.

“Bayflower” is perfect for the couple that wants to run their own boat. This three stateroom yacht offers exquisite craftmanship and design. Powered by twin 800hp CAT 3406’s and ready to whisk you away.

“Optetime” is a highly desirable “like new” yacht that has been professionally maintained. Ready for immediate cruising-anywhere… with only 550 hours, CAT warranty. Owner is selling; they’ve ordered a new larger Marlow.

“Tom Foolery” is an ideal luxury cruiser with a full complement of state-of-the-art equipment. She offers three staterooms and is powered by twin 700hp CAT C-12’s. Please contact us for more details.

Sistership Photo

2001 53 Selene

A classic trawler. Her two stateroom layout, flybridge, and warm salon/ galley area provide all the comforts of home. She is well equipped powered by twin 225hp John Deere engines and ready to cruise.

“Time” is a beautiful three stateroom Raised Pilothouse Motoryacht that has received numerous upgrades throughout. She is powered by the popular 700hp CAT C-12’s and ready to cruise. Please call for more details.

“Grand Times” is very clean, and has been boat shed kept. With twin Caterpillar® 3126B, 420hp engines, and rare, preferred two stateroom, two head layout.

Sistership Photo

2015 Boston Whaler 32 Outrage

“Forever Young” is a “like-new” versatile center console equipped for fishing and cruising. Powered by twin, low hour, 300hp Mercury Verado outboards with joystick, for effortless maneuverability. Call today.

“Reely Ours” is an enclosed pilothouse and powered by an economical single 260hp Yanmar® diesel. Ready to cruise. Visit today.

“Paradocs” is a very popular Cruisers model that has been supremely well equipped and maintained. Powered by twin 370hp Volvo® engines with IPS drives she is fuel efficient and easily maneuvered with a joystick.

personall y.

MARCH 28 - 31, 2019

Visit the sales staff for Marlow Marine.

Contact us to schedule your personal tour of these fine yachts today.

2016 Marlow Explorer 88E

The perfect example of performance, quality, and class in a motoryacht. Powered by twin Caterpillar® C-32’s, she has a range of over 4200nm at 8kn with the ability to cruise at over 20kn when conditions or schedule demand it.

2015 Marlow Explorer 49E

“Love Shack” is a pampered yacht, with her king-size master stateroom, and extensive mechanical upgrades such as, twin Caterpillar® 715hp engines, stabilizers, water-maker, chilled-water air-conditioner and 1,000 gallon fuel tank make her a cruiser extraordinaire. Add in a full Awlgrip exterior and she is a very desirable yacht. Call today.

2015 Marlow Explorer 80E-CB

“Lady Eme” is a very unique command bridge and skybridge. Powered by twin Caterpillar® C-32 1800hp engines she is made for long range exploring in style, with minimal crew. Professionally maintained. Call today.

2014 Marlow Explorer 66E-CB “Saga Boy II”

Sistership Photo

2018 Marlow Prowler Havana

2007 Marlow Explorer 72E-CB “Cinnamon Girl”

2006 Marlow Explorer 70E “Casamar”

Great opportunity to purchase a like new Prowler. Triple 300hp Yamaha engines with less than 60 hours and full warranties, diesel generator and AC, great electronics including Sat TV, radar, and FLIR night vision. She is ready to cruise.

North American and International Inquiries

www.marlowmarine.com • sales @ marlowmarine.com Marlow Marine Sales, Inc. USA/Canada: 800.362.2657 • International: +1.941.729.3370

Open seven days a week to better serve our clients.

MONTE CARLO YACHTS 65 On display at our Chicago Yachting Center • Available for Immediate Delivery

VISIT WWW.BAYMARI N E.N ET

TO SEE OU R COM PLETE SELECTION OF PRE- OWN ED BOATS

NEW BOATS IN STOCK

Edgewater 280 CC IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Edgewater 230 CC IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Edgewater 248 CX IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Edgewater 158 CS IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Back Cove 34O IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Back Cove 41 IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Sabre 45 IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

Belize 54 Daybridge IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

FEATURED LISTINGS

2007 Cruisers Yachts 520 Express Contact Chris DePrey: 920-366-4320

2000 Sea Ray 510 Sundancer Contact Ron Durchin: 847-908-4975

2013 Riviera 5800 Sport Yacht Contact Chris DePrey: 920-366-4320

2018 Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht IL: 847-336-2628; WI: 920-743-6526

2003 Cruisers Yachts 4050 MY Contact Chris DePrey: 920-366-4320

2017 Back Cove 37 Downeast Contact Mark Felhofer: 920-495-5567

2006 Sea Ray 380 Contact Kevin McNally: 815-403-8718

2012 Sea Ray 410 Sundancer Contact Chris DePrey: 920-366-4320

DOOR COUNTY YACHTING CENTER, WI 920-743-6526

SALES@BAYMARINE.NET

CHICAGO YACHTING CENTER, IL 847-336-2628

COME VISIT OUR

New Boats

2019 Regal 42 Fly New arrival

2018 Regal 35 Sport Coupe Demo prices, closeout

2018 301 Cobia Center Console Demo prices, closeout

2019 Pathfinder 2400 TRS In stock

2019 Crestliners On display in showroom

2019 Benningtons On display in showroom

MORE PRE-OWNED AND BROKERAGE BOATS 46’ 46’ 41’ 41’ 40’ 38’ 32’ 31’

2017 2014 1999 1998 1999 2007 2015 2007

Regal 46 Sport Coupe, IPS Regal 46 Sport Coupe, IPS Formula 41 PC, 480 Diesels Silverton 352 Motor Yacht Regal 402 Commodore Regal 3760 Commodore Regal 32 Express, Joystick Rinker 280 Express Cruiser

$575,000 $469,900 $119,000 $79,995 $69,500 $144,900 $199,000 $45,995

29’ 28’ 25’ 24’ 23’ 19’ 18’ 14’

2008 1999 2005 2012 1989 2015 1979 2004

630-739-2272

Chaparral 290 Signature Sea Ray 280 Sunsport Rinker 250 Express Cruiser Regal 24 Fasdeck Supra Soltare Stingray 198 Lx Correct Craft Ski Nautique Crestliner 1436 Jon

$84,995 $22,995 $28,900 $45,995 $14,000 $23,995 $24,900 $2,495

LARGE SHOWROOM! Preowned and Brokerage Boats

2015 Regal 46 Sport Coupe IPS, $499,000

2008 Regal 4460 Commodore IPS, Joystick $269,900

1998 Fountain Lightning 42 $79,900

2006 Regal 3860 Commodore $129,900

2008 Regal 3760 Commodore $139,900

2007 Regal 3760 Commodore $134,995

1998 Silverton 352 Motor Yacht $79,995

2017 Regal 35 Sport Coupe Joystick $257,000

2009 Rinker 320 Express $89,900

2000 Powerquest 260 Legend SX $26,999

2005 Sea Ray 340 Express $129,000

2014 Regal 24 Fasdeck $54,995

BASASMARINE.COM MAIN LOCATION Basa’s Marine, 512 East Frontage Road, Bolingbrook, IL

MICHIGAN LOCATION Basa’s at Oselka Marina, 514 Water Street, New Buffalo, MI

F I V E L O C AT I O N S

C ARV E R YAC HTS NEW MODEL BLUE: C100 M70

2018 C37 COUPE

2019 C52 COUPE

2019 CARVER C34 COUPE

BE NE TE AU P O W ER BO ATS

P URS UI T BO ATS

NEW MODEL

2019 GRAN TURISMO 40

2019 GRAN TURISMO 50

RE G A L BO AT S

2019 PURSUIT DC325

2019 PURSUIT S328

C HR I S - C R AF T BOATS

REDUCED PRICE

NEW MODEL

2018 REGAL 35 SPORT COUPE 2019 REGAL 42 GRAND COUPE

2018 30 CATALINA

2018 30 CALYPSO

P R E - O W N E D BO ATS FRESH TRADE

2018 CARVER C34 COUPE $369,000

2006 CARVER 444 CMY $209,000

2018 CARVER C52 COUPE $1,199,000

2015 BENETEAU GRAN TURISMO 49 $599,000

STURGEON BAY: South First Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI, (920) 746-1912 • Martin Kelsey: (920) 559-0366, Martin@centerpointesales.com • Terry Godres: (920) 559- 0730, Terry@centerpointesales.com • Tony Peot: (920) 493-4747, Tony@centerpointesales.com • MILWAUKEE: 700 S. Water Street, Milwaukee, WI, (888) 992-2487 • John Niemann: (262) 309-9579, John@centerpointesales.com • Tyler Wilkins: (414) 248-9668, Tyler@centerpointesales.com • KENOSHA: 21-56th Street, Kenosha, WI, (888) 992-2487 • Mike Montilino: (612) 419-3772, Mike@centerpointesales.com • WEST MICHIGAN: 430 W. 23rd St, Holland, MI • Brandon Ricci: (616) 405-1715, Brandon@centerpointesales.com

WWW.CENTERPOINTESERVICE.COM OR CALL (888) 9-YACHTS

Southport Marina is a public marina that is privately owned and operated, located just north of the Illinois state line, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Our marina is surrounded by several new developments, like the Kenosha Harbor Market, antique trolley car system, Harbor Place Housing development and numerous restaurants and pubs are within walking distance to the marina.

Come join us and see what fun boating can be!

H AdjAcent to KenoshA’s FAmous hArbor mArKet H WAlKing distAnce to KenoshA’s hottest restAurAnts And pubs H Free pool, hot tub And indoor jAcuzzi H Free WiFi H Free pump-outs

Fitness rooms privAte security convenient pArKing lAundry FAcilities premiere indoor storAge FAcility And outdoor storAge H 75-ton trAvel liFt H Full-service repAir depArtment H H H H H

21 – 56th Street, KenoSha, WI 53140 • 262-657-5565

WWW.SPMARINA.NET

One Of tHe largeSt POWer and SaIlbOat dealerS In tHe cOuntry: F I V E L O C AT I O N S

DON’T MISS THESE BOAT SHOWS!

!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE BOATS ON DISPLAY Grand Rapids Boat Show DeVos Place February 13-17, 2019 www.showspan.com/GRB

Miami Yacht Show MacArthur & Venetian Causeways, Hatteras Display, Ramp B, Slips 119-126 February 14-18, 2019 www.miamiyachtshow.com

Detroit Boat Show Cobo Center February 16-24, 2019 www.detroitboatshow.net

Grand Rapids Ultimate Sport Show DeVos Place March 14-17, 2019 www.showspan.com/USG

FIND OUR COMPLETE LIST OF INVENTORY INCLUDING NEW, USED AND BROKERAGE BOATS AT WWW.REEDYACHTSALES.COM

GRAND HAVEN, MI • Brent Reed 616-402-0180 • Bob Lunt 616-843-1225 LASALLE, MI • Paul Reed 419-304-4405 • Chuck Hutchins 734-497-3721 • Matthew Bolt 734-735-1948 RACINE, WI • Mark Derenne 414-651-3100

www.reedyachtsales.com

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PORT TH

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BOAT YARD BOAT YARD

Marine Services Corp.

TWO GREAT COMPANIES, ONE DEDICATED FAMILY.

AZIMUT & GALEON SALES AND SERVICE SERVICES • Seakeeper Sales, Installation & Warranty for Lake Michigan • Sale & Installation of Bow & Stern Thruster • Sale & Installation of Underwater Lights & Electronics • Gas & Diesel Engine Repairs by Certified Technicians • Buff & Wax • Fiberglass Repairs • Boat Transportation by Licensed Captains • Custom Work • Complete Boat Painting • Fully Stocked Parts Department • Ability to lift 150,000 lbs.

59’ 2004 Marquis 59

Ph: 708.841.5660 • www.marineservicescorp.com

MTU, hardtop, $579,000

MTU Diesels, arch, $570,000

59’ 2004 Marquis 59

50’ 2016 Azimut Atlantis

50’ 1992 Sea Ray 500 Sundancer

45’ 1997 Carver 455 Aft Cabin

43’ 2016 Galeon 430 Skydeck

42’ 2017 Galeon 420 Fly

42’ 2015 Regal 42 Sport Coupe

42’ 2008 Cruisers 415 Express

38’ 2003 Cruisers 3870

34’ 2014 Azimut Atlantis

Cummins Diesels, 600 hours, $129,900

Volvo Penta 8.1, $199,900

70’ 61’ 60’ 59’ 59’ 58’ 55’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 50’ 45’ 44’

Marine Services is Chicagoland’s Premier Service and Storage Facility, located just 20 minutes south of Chicago in Dolton, IL. Our Certified Service Technicians can provide expert mechanical service for your engines, drives and auxiliary systems. Our paint and fiberglass shop can accommodate yachts up to 70 ft., serving both sailboats and powerboat enthusiasts.We share your passion for boating and can perform top quality hull and topside repairs. Call us for estimates on your repairs!

Azimut S7 Sunseeker 61 Predator Baia 60 Force One Marquis 59 Marquis 59 Azimut 58 Flybridge Azimut 55S Azimut 50 Fly Azimut 50 Atlantis Sea Ray 500 Express Sea Ray 500 Sea Ray 500 Sea Ray 480 Sundancer Carver 455 Aft Cabin Sea Ray 440 Exp. Bridge

2018 2002 1990 2004 2004 2011 2018 2018 2016 2000 1996 1992 1991 1997 1997

Call for Price $559,000 $270,000 $579,000 $570,000 $1,089,000 Call for Price Call for Price $825,000 $189,900 $198,900 $128,900 $109,000 $129,900 $119,900

Cummins diesels, $825,000

Volvo D6, $549,900

Volvo D6, $575,900

Mercruiser 8.1, $124,900

Florida Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Ohio Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL

43’ 43’ 43’ 42’ 42’ 42’ 41’ 38’ 38’ 34’ 34’ 34’ 33’ 33’

Azimut 43 Atlantis Galeon 430 Skydeck Hatteras Double Cabin Galeon 420 Fly Regal 42 Sport Coupe Cruisers 415 Express MY Formula 41 PC Cruisers 3870 Express Carver 380 Santego Azimut 34 Atlantis Carver C-34 Sea Ray 340 Express Rinker 330 Express Sea Ray 330 Sundancer

Volvo D3, $299,900

2018 2016 1982 2018 2015 2008 1996 2003 1990 2014 2013 1986 1999 1995

Call for Price $550,000 $64,900 $575,900 $460,000 $200,000 $69,000 $124,900 $57,900 $299,000 $288,900 $27,900 $44,900 $42,500

Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL

32’ 32’ 31’ 31’ 29’ 28’ 28’ 27’ 27’ 27’ 27’ 27’ 27’ 21’ 12’

Detroit diesels, $128,500

Volvo IPS 400, $560,000

27’ 2007 Rinker 270

300 HP Mercruiser, $39,900

Chris-Craft Amerosport Rinker 320 Express Larson 310 Cabrio Bayliner 3055 Formula F-29pc Glastron GS289 Cobalt 282 Monterey 270CR Rinker 270 Rinker 270 Rinker 270 Sea Ray 270 Sundancer Sea Ray 270 Sea Ray 210 Select Rigid Boats 12 Sport

1988 2006 2004 1999 1990 2011 2003 2008 2007 2004 2000 2001 1994 2007 2015

$29,900 $69,900 $39,900 $30,000 $29,900 $59,900 $39,900 $49,900 $39,900 $32,900 $23,500 $35,900 $9,000 $22,500 $19,900

Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Chicago, IL

For more information or to list your yacht, contact our Sales Team at: 708.841.5660 or BW@eliteyachtschicago.com, KS@eliteyachtschicago.com or MW@eliteyachtschicago.com WWW.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF BOATS FOR SALE, PLEASE VISIT ELITEYACHTSCHICAGO.COM • WWW. GALEON.PL • WWW. AZIMUTYACHTS.COM

STINGRAY BOATS ARE AVAILABLE AT THESE GREAT LAKES AREA DEALERS USA DEALERS Boat Guys 104 W Lake Road Maryville NY 716-753-3913 chautauquamarina.com

CenterPointe Boat Svcs 400 Sussex Street Pewaukee WI 262-333-0700 centerpointeservice.com

Frank's Marine 17530 W Akron Canfield Rd Berlin Center OH 330-547-3688 franksmarine.com

Glen Harbor Marina 517 E 4th Street Watkins Glen NY 607-535-2751 glenharbormarina.com

Grand Valley Marine 3711 28th Street SW Grandville MI 616-538-2460 grandvalleymarine.com

R C Congel Boats 8575 Brewerton Road Cicero NY 315-699-2144 rccongel.com

Wonderland Marine West 5796 E Grand River Ave Howell MI 517-548-5122 wonderlandmarinewest.com

CANADA DEALERS Anstruther Marina 23 Fire Route 63 Apsley, Ontario 705-656-4783 anstrutherlakemarina.com

Leisure Marine 5781 Highway 7 Woodbridge, Ontario 905-851-3903 leisuremarine.com

Mobile Marine Services 261 Hunter Road Grimsby, Ontario 905-730-4722 mobilemarineservices.net

North Country Marine 4201 Perth Road Kingston Inverary, Ontario 613-353-1577 northcountrymarine.com

Pirate Cove Marina 4304 Rideau River Rd Kemptville, Ontario 613-258-2325 piratecovemarina.com

Rosseau Road Powersports 25 Blackstone & Crane Lk Rd Seguin, Ontario 705-378-5217 rosseauroad.ca

TO LOCATE A STINGRAY DEALER IN ANOTHER AREA, VISIT STINGRAYBOATS.COM/DEALERS

H Family-owned and

H Large selection of new,

servicing the boaters of the Great Lakes for over 55 years

H GREAT LAKES LARGEST

used & brokerage boats

H Sales, Service, Parts,

Storage and Dockage

PRESTIGE YACHTS DEALER

H LAKE MICHIGAN’S JEANNEAU YACHTS DEALER

H EXCLUSIVE GREAT LAKES

FAIRLINE YACHTS DEALER

2019 Prestige 520 Fly Hardtop

2019 Jeanneau NC 33

2020 Fairline Targa 43 Open

Call for Special Boat Show Pricing

Call for Special Boat Show Pricing

Call for Special Boat Show Pricing

USED & BROKERAGE BOATS

2018 Prestige 560S Coupe Trades Welcome $1,099,000

2001 Grand Banks 46 Classic Trades Welcome $429,000

2015 Cruisers Yachts 390 Express Trades Welcome $335,000

2017 Pursuit Dual Console 325 Trades Welcome $289,000

Find these boats and much more at www.springbrookmarina.com Seneca, IL • Chicago, IL • Traverse City, MI • Eastlake, OH • Fish Creek, WI 815-357-8666

www.springbrookmarina.com

H

sales@springbrookmarina.com

Marine Marketplace

OVER 200 BOATS IN STOCK! 2019 MODELS IN STOCK! 45 PRE-OWNED! 30 LEFTOVER 2018 MODELS!

2019 FOUR WINNS 240HD $545/MONTH, 15 YEARS AT 4.25%

2019’S IN STOCK TRI-TOONS STARTING @ $29,995 W/115HP

ANY BOAT PURCHASE INCLUDES FREE STORAGE AND DELIVERY THIS SPRING!

2017 MANITOU XPLODE SRS $89,995 - MUST GO!

MUSKEGON

759 E Broadway Ave 231-733-2433

ONEKAMA MARINE, INC. Onekama, MI • (231) 889-5000 www.onekamamarine.com

Riviera 4800 Sport

2019 195 ID STARTING @ $43,995 W/250HP

GRAND RAPIDS

0-345 Lake Michigan Dr 616-791-4566

2018 182 FISHERMEN $42,995

GRAND HAVEN

4 Harbor Island Dr 616-847-1455

WWW.HALLSSPORTCENTER.COM

LAKE MICHIGAN YACHT SALES

Bay Harbor, MI • (231) 439-2675 www.lakemichiganyachtsales.com

New Monterey 258 SS

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS!

IN STOCK

New Wellcraft 222

On Order for Spring Delivery IN STOCK

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55’ 48’ 45’ 44’ 43’ 40’ 40’ 36’ 35’ 34’ 33’ 32’ 32’ 27’ 25’

‘90 ‘07 ‘69 ‘85 ‘06 ‘08 ‘67 ‘03 ‘04 ‘81 ‘77 ‘99 ‘70 ‘85 ‘04

Fleming 55 ......................... $440,000 Sea Ray Sundancer ............ $440,000 Matthews............................. $69,000 Gulfstar Motor Yacht ............ $95,000 Tiara Sovran........................ $349,900 Fathom Expedition .........Sale Pending Chris Craft ............................ $90,000 Carver 360 Sport Sedan .......$128,000 Regal 3560 ........................... $84,900 Silverton ............................... $14,900 Egg Harbor ........................... $24,900 Nordic Tug ......................Sale Pending Downeaster.......................... $34,500 Sea Ray Sundancer twin I/Os......$7,900 Hunt Yachts Surfhunter ............ $95,000

FEATURED LISTING

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2018 Sailfish 245 DC

Boston Whaler Dauntless, 150HP Mercury, GPS/Sounder, bimini, trailer ...........................................$32,900 Robalo 207 DC, 150HP Yamaha, ski tow, bow & cockpit covers, trailer ...............................................$43,900 SEE US AT THE Proline WA, 150HP Mercury Verado, enclosure, GPS/Fish, cockpit cover, clean..............................$34,900 Carolina Skiff Fun Chaser, 150HP E-Tec, trailer, full vover, GPS, stereo, bimini ..................................$33,900 JC Tri-toon, 115HP Mercury, full cover, ski tow, stereo, clean ..............................................................$29,900 Chaparral, 4.5L Merc BIII, bow & cockpit covers, depth, premium stereo, trailer.............................$49,900 BOAT SHOW, Hydra Sports CC, 250HP e-tec, FBG t-top, GPS/Fish Finder, trailer, clean ...........................................$44,900 Premier Tri-toon, 150HP Mercury 4S, full cover, bimini, GPS, ski tow ..................................................$37,900 MARCH 14-17, 2019 Chris Craft Mahogany Triple Cockpit Replica, 351 CI I/B, 60 hours, trailer ..........................................$79,000 Bennington Tritoon, 250HP Yamaha, tri-toon, full cover, Garmin GPS, Sstereo/CD................................................................................$61,900 Stingray Express, 350 MAG BIII, air/heat, camper, trim tabs, mid-cabin, clean.....................................................................................$59,900 Pursuit CC, 250HP Yamaha, T-Top, GPS/Sounder, VHF, trailer....................................................................................................................$49,900 Cobalt 250 BR, 6.2L Merc BIII, bow & cockpit cover, select exhaust,trailer .......................................................................................... $48,900 Sailfish Dual Console, T-200 Yamaha 4S, hardtop, full electr, canvas enclosure .................................................................................$124,900 Formula Bowrider, Volvo 8.1L DP, bow & cockpit covers, select exhaust, clean.......................................................................................................................$37,900 Pursuit Denali, T-4.3L Mercs, arch, windlass, cockpit cover, GPS, trailer...............................................................................................$39,900 Chaparral Signature, T-4.3L Mercs, arch, camper top, air/heat, low hours ..........................................................................................$109,000 Pursuit 3070 Offshore, T-250HP Yamahas, hardtop, canvas enclosure, full electr. ................................................................................$59,900 Monterey express, T-5.7L Mercs, low hours, air/heat, full canvas, shows well.....................................................................................$39,900 Sea Ray Sundancer, T-8.1L Mercs, air, Genset, windlass, nicely equipped ............................................................................................$89,000 Sea Ray Sundancer, T-7.4L Mercs, air/heat, windlass, camper, full electr............................................................................................. $79,900 Formula Fast-Tec, T-500HP Mercs, racing drives, HP gears, extension boxes, trailer..........................................................................$79,900 Carver Voyager, T-7.4L, Enclosure, full electr, air/heat, one owner, low hours.......................................................................................$89,900 Silverton Convertible, T-7.4L, air/heat, GPS, one owner, super clean ......................................................................................................$34,900 Cruisers 3870, T-8.1L Mercs, air, genset, full electr, camper, loaded......................................................................................................$117,900 Sea Ray Sundancer, T-7.4 Merc, air/heat, Genset, full electr, windlass, low hours, super clean.......................................................................................$119,900 Bayliner 3818, T-175HP Hino Diesels, air/heat, Genset, lower station, windlass....................................................................................$49,900 Luhrs Convertible, T-7.4L Crusaders, air, Genset, full electr. and rigged for fishing...............................................................................$39,900 Carver Voyager, T-D9A Volvos, full elect, bow & stern thruster, loaded, clean ....................................................................................$496,000

NOVI

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ng Celebratirs 27 yea ss e in busin

2019 28' Buddy Davis IN STOCK! Twin 300hp Yamahas “Specia ing in Larger Yliz achts”

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70' Davis Sportfisherman T-1825hp Dsl....$2,799,000 58’ Hatteras Yacht Fish T-430HP Dsl...........$245,000 50' Sea Ray 500 Sundancer T-550hp Dsl...$139,000 44' Silverton 442 MY T-420hp Dsl...................$97,900 44' Heritage East Trawler T-240hp Dsl.........$85,000 43' Egg Harbor Sport Yacht T-700hp Dsl....$339,000 42’ Buddy Davis Cntr Cnsole Quad 400hp........ Sold 42' Buddy Davis Cntr Cnsole Quad 350hp...$699,000 41' Silverton 4100 Coupe T-380hp Dsl.........$599,900 39’ Carver 396 Aft Cabin T-370hp Dsl..........$155,000

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38' Bayliner 3880 Explorer T-250hp Dsl........$54,900 37' Sea Ray Sedan Bridge T-340hp ..............$45,000 37’ Egg Harbor Convertible T-350HP........... $59,900 34’ Buddy Davis Cntr Cnsole Twin 425hp....$399,900 34' Mainship Pilot 34 S-350hp Dsl...............$119,900 30’ Carver 300 Aft Cabin T-270hp...................$29,900 28' Buddy Davis Center Console T-300hp...In Stock 28’ Sea Ray 280 Sundancer T-4.3 L...............$39,000 26’ Lyman Sleeper S-225HP w/trailer ..........$18,900 11' Brig 340 Eagle w/trailer S-30hp.................$7,500

www.yachtworld.com/lakeandbay 9454 Park Row | Lakeside/Marblehead, Ohio 43440 | lakeandbay@roadrunner.com Phone/Fax: 419-798-8511

Ronco Plastics holding & water tanks

established in 1976, Ronco Plastics has made holding tanks for the auto, marine and RV industries for 40 years. The company, based out of Tustin, California, currently offers more than 500 tanks to the marine industry.

Ronco is dedicated to providing fast, friendly service and ensuring their customers are provided with exactly the tank they need. All tanks are made in the U.S and made of non-toxic, FDA accepted, high-density polyethylene.

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WE’RE HIRING SERVICE TEAM MEMBERS! Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales (JBYS) is seeking full-time service technicians and service project managers. Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications: n Marine experience including boat handling n Work well independently n Knowledge in electrical, plumbing, diesel/gas and overall marine systems n Experience with warranty processing n Marine certifications preferred n Ability to use technology across various devices and programs n Project manager will have excellent communication skills and experience managing others WILL CONSIDER DRIVEN, HARD-WORKING AND LOYAL CANDIDATES WHO MAY REQUIRE TRAINING. JBYS HAS SIX GREAT LAKES LOCATIONS, EXACT LOCATION OF EMPLOYMENT CAN BE FLEXIBLE DEPENDING ON LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.

INTERESTED PARTIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Dave Ottenhoff, VP of Service, Service Manager/Partner (866) 490-5297 x157 or dottenhoff@jbys.com

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Marine Marketplace

BERGMANN MARINE

ADDED SAfEty At thE Dock & on thE wAtEr

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great gifts!

Charlevoix, MI 49720 • Phone 231/547-3957

23’ 2012 MasterCraft X-30 ....................... Call

39’ 1983 Lindmark Trawler 39............$60,000

27’ 2007 Sea Ray Amberjack ............$49,000

41’ 1975 Chris-Craft 410 M/Y ................SOLD

30’ 1981 Pearson Flyer........................$12,000

43’ 2006 Tiara 4300 Sovran ...................SOLD

31’ 1993 Sea Ray Amberjack ............$37,000

46’ 1999 Beneteau Oceanis 461 .....$169,900

31’ 1980 Sea Ray Vanguard...............$12,900

48’ 2006 Sea Ray 48 Sundancer..........SOLD

33’ 1998 Sea Ray 330 Sundancer........SOLD

48’ 2002 Fairline Targa 48 ................ $259,000

36’ 2002 Sea Ray 360 Sundancer........SOLD

50’ 1986 Chris-Craft Constellation ......$169,00

Fiberglass – Woodworking Storage – Heated Storage

Complete Mechanical Electrical Rigging – Haulout

Boarding Pole

Extra assistance boarding the boat. $79.99/$99.99

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Burgee Holder wave that flag. $59.00

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON

DEALER/BROKERAGE ADVERTISING CONTACT: PATTI MCCLEERY TELEPHONE: 312-276-0610 x.21 PMCCLEERY@LAKELANDBOATING.COM

MARINE BANKING SERVICES Yacht Financing Specialists DENNIS J. SPOLJARIC Tinley Park. IL Phone: (708) 489-0588 Fax: (708) 489-0599

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Chitwood Charters

Sometimes, even the rescuers need to be rescued.

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800-769-1399 • www.chitwood-charters.com 86

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Classifieds

Place your classified online!

Place your classified ad at lakelandboating.com by FEBRUARY 15 to get into our April, May, June and July 2019 issues! PRIME SELLING SEASON!

ed!

Reduc

2018 ZODIAC PRO 7 NEO Recent trade, 100% freshwater, one owner. Yamaha F200XB with extended warranty, aft bench, roll bar, Pro HXLS Helm with forward seat, Custom LED courtesy lights, helm seat back rest, dual batteries and a built-in dual bank battery charger, and more! Trailer not included.

Asking $62,900. Call Brent @ 616-402-0180. RYS

2012 RANGER TUGS R25SC 25% larger than original R25, with nearly 50-sq.-ft. of aft deck space, more deck storage, easy access to Yanmar 4BY2 150 HP diesel engine. Standard bow and stern thruster, 8'6" beam for easy trailering. Trailer included. Asking $119,000. Call Mark @ 414-651-3100. RYS

CLASSIC EGG HARBOR 40 YACHT for sale.

Featured in Lakeland Boating’s September 2018 issue, page 72! Contact Ron Ruhland at ronannruhland@charter.net or call 989-316-2111 for information, video or pics. MAR19

RIGID BOAT SPORTS TENDER, Coast GuardCertified, unsinkable, 100% fiberglass, Yamaha F25 (30hrs), Euro helm, many options. Trailer included. Tender for motor yacht Chipso. Asking $8,700. Contact Ron Ruhland at ronannruhland@ charter.net or call 989-316-2111 for information, video or pics. MAR19

1999 32' NORDIC TUG Freshwater, 220 HP Cummins. Asking $148,000. Contact 231-933-5414 or info@harborviewyachtsales.com. HV

2006 CHRIS-CRAFT 43 ROAMER Rarely offered Hunt designed masterpiece. All amenities. Bow and stern thrusters. Beautiful fit and finish. Freshwater only, extensive equipment list. Asking $299,900.

Call 262-654-0207. GLYS

2015 REGAL 53 SPORT COUPE Immaculate boat, only 60 hours. Every amenity imaginable. Never been lived aboard. Twin Cummins Zeus Pods. Truly luxurious, highest level of comfort and the latest in technology. Freshwater only. Asking $824,000.

Call 231-409-1792 or email tammie.cornell@ grandbaymarine.com. JUN19

2002 31' FORMULA PC31 Twin 6.2 MPI MerCruisers. Asking $68,000. Contact 231-9335414 or info@harborviewyachtsales.com. HV

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2014 FOUR WINNS 275 VISTA Only 12 hours on Volvo 320HP DP, AC/heat, genset, cockpit table, dinette table, full galley, head, full warranty, LOADED! MSRP $175K, asking only $99,000. Call 262-654-0207 or sales@glysinc.com GLYS

Redu ced!

53' 1983 HATTERAS MOTOR YACHT Perfect Lady seriously for sale. Freshwater, one of a kind, & a “Perfect” 10. Bristol condition. Featured in March 2018 issue of Lakeland Boating, page 84.

Contact Karl Roth 989-274-1419 or metanoiak@ aol.com for more information and pics. MAY19 31' 2015 FORMULA 310 SUNSPORT Like new, loaded, extended warranty, 168 hours. Super clean, detailed, ready for water, heated storage Saugatuck, MI. Trailer available. Asking $169,900.

Find full details at WWW.FORMULA310SS.COM. Email jcleerealtor@cs.com. JUN19

2010 SEAWARD 32RK Very fine and mobile vessel.

Easy setup for sailing from a trailering position, or stepped to get back on the road. Fully retractable keel to a 1'8" depth and down to a 6'8". Complete refit of bottom. Maintained to a superior standard.

Asking $119,900. Call Chuck @ 734-497-3721. RYS

EMPLOYMENT HELP WANTED: Experienced boat salesperson and technicians needed. The sooner the better!

Please call: 630-330-5333. BAS

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CLASSIC CRAFT

Allure

ADD YOUR BOAT

88

With an appreciation for the graceful, nautical look of the broken sheerlines on the 28-foot Chris-Craft Commander, the wide roomy beam and the deck-level dining space, Pat and Sheila Chaps were delighted to make the 1972 Sports Express cruiser their own. In 2010, immediately after purchasing and renaming her Allure, the Chaps had the flybridge removed and the exposed hardtop repaired and painted, knowing it would be captained at the lower helm only. All chrome fittings were re-chromed, new canvas was made, the V-berth cushions were replaced, and the bottom was soda- blasted and barrier-coated.

Other improvements include: A new teak swim platform; the Formica door was replaced with mahogany; a new hatch cover was crafted; and a wooden dashboard was custom-made and installed by Mackie Boatworks.

Allure has taken the Chaps to many wonderful Great Lakes ports during the summer months. From their home on the St. Clair River, they have journeyed to many marinas along the western shore of Lake Huron, up and across to the beautiful harbors of the North Channel in Ontario, and through the timeless scenic inlets and bays of the Les Cheneaux Islands. A special joy was a five-week trip around Michigan, starting on the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan in Whitehall, boating around the tip and through the Straits of Mackinac into Lake Huron, and returning home to St. Clair.

A familiar profile at ACBS shows, Allure has garnered a few awards, the latest being the Silver award in its class at the 2018 International ACBS show in Port Huron.

The camaraderie felt among participants at these kinds of events, at Commander Club Rendezvous and in group cruises, is part of the “allure” and joy of boating for the Chaps.

Email kbush@lakelandboating.com if you have a —Pat and Sheila Chaps, St. Clair, MI Classic Craft with a good story to share!

MARCH 2019

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PH OTOS COU RTESY OF THE CHAPS FAMILY

1972 Chris-Craft Commander

Unforgettable Adventures.

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Heed the call of adventure with great insurance coverage.

Boat insurance serviced by the boating experts. Get a fast, free quote today.

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Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. In the state of CA, program provided through Boat Association Insurance Services, license #0H87086. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2019 GEICO

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